Product Design Technology (with Foundation Year) - BSc(Hons)

Year 0 (Foundation Year)

You will study the Foundation Year alongside students from our other Architecture and Product Design courses, and so you may be able to transfer to a course in one of these areas at the end of the Foundation Year.

• Foundation Maths, Algebra and Calculus
• Foundation in Design Communications
• Foundation Design Studio
• Foundation Design History

The normal expectation is that you must pass all Year 0 modules before progressing to Year 1.

Year 1

This year lays a foundation in the skills for a professional designer, through tutorials and design projects. Including 3D design, sketching, concept generation, presentation skills, CAD skills, practical workshop skills and understanding how products work.

• Product Design Studio 1
• Mechanisms and Structures
• Design Communication
• Graphic Design
• Design in Context

Year 2

You will develop understanding of human-centred design, innovative design process, CAD, materials and manufacturing, as well as technical skills such as using computational stress analysis to design structure of products.

• Product Design Technology Studio 2
• Product Design Engineering
• Product CAD
• Materials and Processes
• Physical Computing

Optional Placement Year

Students who undertake a placement year must complete an industrial placement module. We will provide you with assistance to develop your portfolio and CV, helping you to get the placement you want.

Final Year

You will work on a range of studio-based projects, often working with real companies (Brabantia, Dremel, Bloodhound and Piper Moto), on real briefs, to tight deadlines. Culminating in an individual major project to research, design and develop a product. Each element of this aims to develop your portfolio to market yourself in product design, design engineering, or the diverse creative technology industry.

• Individual Project Product Design
• Design Research Methods
• Product Design Studio 3
• Mechanical Design
• One optional module from the list below:

Optional modules

• Design in Practice
• Industrial Placement

The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved we will inform you.

The design lecturers all came to UWE Bristol following years of professional practice within the design industry, therefore the teaching always has an emphasis towards professional practice and preparing students for careers in design.

The Product Design Technology course places considerable emphasis on hands-on project based learning. Teaching methods are varied depending on the module; lectures, project work and tutorials all have a part.

For more details see our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.

For your foundation year assessment is achieved through a balance of coursework and examinations. Examinations are held in either January or May/June. Coursework will be a variety of essays, reports, surveys, design projects, teamwork or progress tests.

From Year 1 assessment is based predominantly on project work and the presentation of a portfolio of design and development studies. Four modules have assessment which includes conventional examinations.

For more details see our full glossary of assessment terms.