Product Design (including a Foundation Year) BA (Hons)

Imaginatively explore the endless possibilities of design as you discover how to develop new products to meet the complex challenges of society.

Course overview

There has never been a more exciting time to study Product Design. This course embraces the future, and you will be encouraged to explore rapidly developing design processes in response to new materials and technologies. Through industry-based projects you will consider the ecological, social and economic concerns of today and propose solutions that enable you to make a difference. Product Design at Chester is a hands-on experience with a high level of one-to-one contact time and technical support.

Why study this course with us?

We place importance on design thinking, idea generation and experimentation and have established a deliberate balance between the physical and digital worlds. We encourage a playful approach to materials to produce imaginative design solutions that are commercially viable. Our friendly, creative community provides support and treats you as an individual. On a more cerebral level, you will consider the human impact of designed objects and the creation of user experiences.

Our staff come from the design industry and as such have excellent links with commercial partners such as Evoke Creative, Unilever, Zest for Leisure and Silver Lining, all of which enable us to set live briefs and work alongside design professionals. Our industry standard CAD facilities and 3D printing suite complement the traditional workshops so that you can prototype your solutions to a professional standard.

Assessment

Assessment methods may include individual creative projects; project/research journals; production notebooks; sketchbooks; project rationales; strategic planning documents; material samples and mood boards; project presentations; written essays; individual and group practical projects; and personal development planning.

Job prospects

Graduates from the Product Design programme are equipped to work in a variety of career paths as product design is required in a wide range of manufacturing industries. There are specific product design agencies throughout the UK but most importantly any company bringing new ideas into development will require a product designer’s skills in their team.