Product Design
UCAS Code: W244
Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
112 UCAS Tariff points from three A-Levels or equivalent qualifications.
Pass your Access course with 60 credits overall with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3
GCSE/National 4/National 5
GCSE English grade C/4 or equivalent GCSE Maths grade C/4 or equivalent
112 UCAS Tariff points from your BTEC Level 3 National Diploma and one A-level or equivalent qualification.
112 UCAS Tariff points from your BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate and two A-levels or equivalent qualifications
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
UCAS Tariff
About this course
Focusing on the underlying technology of product design, with projects that combine both form and function, this course concentrates on the design of products for manufacturing, digital, industrial, electronics and medical applications, placing technology and scientific advancement at the core of the design process.
You'll develop your knowledge of materials, and explore new and emerging technologies, including mechanics and electronics. Through commercial projects with industry you’ll reflect, model, test, modify, develop and improve your ideas.
**Key features**
- **Professional accreditation** | Our course is accredited by the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED), recognising the quality and relevancy of our course content and enabling you to become members of the IED throughout the duration of your studies and beyond.
- **Inspiring spaces** | Work with our industry-standard facilities and studios, including a dedicated model making studio, 3D printing space, design and test laboratories, electronics workshops and CAD design suites.
- **Live projects** | Work on project briefs from companies such as PepsiCo, SAPA, McGee and W'Innovate. As part of the W'Innovate project, our students' designs are on the shelves of Wilko stores nationwide.
- **Study trips** | Gain design inspiration with trips in the UK and abroad included in your course fees. Recently, students visited Rotterdam and collaborated with their counterparts from the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences on project work.
- **Exhibitions and shows** | Exhibit your work at our final year Degree Show and nationally at events including New Designers in London.Competitions | Add to your CV and challenge yourself by taking part in competitions and national events. Previously, our students have participated in and won competitions including the Starpack Awards, the Engineers without Borders Challenge, and the Design in Innovation and Plastics Award.
- **Outstanding employability** | 100% of our BSc (Hons) Product Design sandwich students are in graduate level employment within six months of finishing their studies, earning an average graduate salary of £25,800 (latest DLHE survey, 2016-17).
Modules
Year One
- Design Fundamentals (40 credit points)
- The Developing Design Technologist (40 credit points)
- Applied Design Technology (40 credit points)
Year Two
- Professional Practice (60 credit points)
- Applied Materials and Technology (60 credit points)
Final Year
- Design in Practice (80 credit points)
- Design in Context (40 credit points)
The Uni
City Campus
School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment

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Design studies
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Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
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Design studies
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
What do graduate employment figures really tell you?Want to work in a growing, creative sector where we are a world leader? Welcome to design! The UK has a proud reputation as a centre of design excellence, and last year just over 14,000 design degrees were awarded. At the moment, the jobs market looks a little better for fashion and textile designers, and not as good for multimedia or interactive designers — but that may change by the time you graduate. In general, design graduates are more likely than most to start their career in London, although that also varies by subject — last year fashion designers often found jobs in the North West, graphic designers in the South West, illustrators in the South West, East Anglia and Midlands, textile designers in the Midlands and the North West, and visual designers in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Midlands. Design is also a good degree for people who want to work for a small business - more than half of graduates start at a small employer.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Product design
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
£22k
£25k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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