Product Design BA (Hons)

About the course

An award-winning course that develops creative thinking and consistently produces innovative product designers. Ideally suited to students with a strong art or design background, who would like to focus on the technical and visual design aspects of design for industry.

Reasons for choosing the BA Product Design course at DMU

• Leads to exciting careers in companies such as Phillips, Nokia, The Alloy, and Lego

• Develop innovative products in a vibrant design environment

• An optional year of professional experience

• Work within a professionally active department where staff are involved in commercial projects with companies such as Berghaus, BAA and Adidas

You will design for a wide variety of product realms including, transport, sports equipment, assisted living, toys, interface design and packaging; requiring an understanding of materials, manufacturing, ergonomics, elementary mechanics and electronics. The course considers the sustainability of conventional product design, developing socially conscious products that reduce waste and conserve energy.

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Key facts

UCAS course code: W240

Duration: Three years full-time, six years part-time

Institution code: D26

Entry and admission criteria

2013

A good portfolio and normally:

• Art and Design Foundation or
• 260 points with a minimum of 160 points from 2 full A levels and including grade C in Art and Design (AS/A level) or
• National Diploma MMM or
• International Baccalaureate: 28+ Points

Five GCSEs grades A* - C including English Language or Literature at grade C or above.

We also accept the BTEC First Diploma plus two GCSEs including English at grade C or above

Interview and Portfolio

UK applicants with relevant qualifications will be invited to bring their portfolio of work to an open day and interview.

Overseas applicants will be invited to send samples of their work. For further details check our international students portfolio page|.

International Students

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent when you start the course is essential. English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching is project-based, supported by lectures and tutorials. Tutorials provide expert advice, stimulating critical debate and personal enquiry.

Assessment is continuous and based on critical appraisal with both individual and group feedback provided.

Course modules

Year one

• The Principles of Three-Dimensional Design
• Manufacturing Technology and Material Culture
• Visual Language
• Technical Definition and Illustration

Year two

• Innovation and Commercial Targeting
• Advanced Manufacturing Technology and Culture
• Advanced Visual Communications
• 3D CAD for Product Definition

Year three

• Student Design Competitions
• Personal Project
• Product Communications

Academic expertise

Students are taught by design academics and visiting design consultants with specialist knowledge and skills within either product or furniture design. The staff have all worked in industry and also conduct commercial activity and leading research. Visiting lecturers support week-long projects or conduct weekly seminars, tutorials or lecture series. Visiting lecturers include Steve Mosley (Director, Mosley&), Matthew Cockerill (Associate Design Director, Seymour Powell), Marcus Atkin (Director, Out of the Bubble Design), Martin Jones (Retail Lab), and designers and model makers from Redline Studios.

Work experience and placements

More and more students undertake work placements either in vacations or by undertaking the Industry Year module. Tutors support these initiatives and help you to find placements using our strong links with industry. At the end of the second year, as an alternative to a work placement, you can undertake a year ‘exchange’ with a European design school through the Erasmus scheme.

Graduate careers

Graduate opportunities include medical, packaging, exhibition, footwear and transport design. Our graduates become in-house designers while others work in design consultancies or as freelance designers.

Fees and funding

2013 entry

UK/EU Fees: £9000
International Fees: TBC

Learn more about fees and funding information 2013|

Scholarships

Learn more about our Undergraduate scholarships and awards| information.

Facilities

Superb workshops offer facilities for manipulation of soft materials for model making as well as wood prototyping. Access to the specialist £500,000 new product development centre is also available. Although the emphasis is towards design rather than craft, making is seen as important, with model making and materials testing a key part of development. Superb workshops offer facilities for the manipulation of soft materials for model-making as well as wood, metal and plastics for prototyping.

Lectures and tutorials develop visual communication skills in freehand sketching, rendering and CAD. You have access to industry standard software and high quality interactive drawing sheets in a dedicated CAD suite.