Product Design BSc (Hons)

Program Overview

The Product Design BSc (Hons) at De Montfort University equips students with a balance of creative and technical skills to design and create functional and innovative products. Accredited by the Institution of Engineering Designers, the program emphasizes technological approaches, industry-standard tools, and professional experience through placements with prestigious companies. Graduates are prepared for careers in various design fields, including consumer product design, industrial design consultancy, and user experience design.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Objectives:

• Develop your creative, innovative, and technical skills in industrial product design.
• Equip you with a balance of creative and technical skills to take your imaginative ideas and make them real.
• Focus on a technological approach to the design and creation of functional and innovative products.
• Provide a strong foundation in the fundamentals of maths and science, electrical, electronic and mechanical principles, simulation and fluid dynamics.
• Foster an awareness of functional and market-led requirements of product design.
• Integrate research insights, concept generation, three-dimensional design, product definition, technology integration, electronic and mechanical engineering, and the manufacturing process.
• Cultivate an awareness of inclusive and sustainable product practices.
• Bring your ideas to life both digitally and physically with industry-standard tools.
• Gain professional experience through placement opportunities with prestigious names such as BMW, Hodges & Drake, Lewis Design Associates, and Artform International.
• Benefit from teaching by professionally-active staff who are involved in projects with global brands.
• Strengthen your portfolio by entering prestigious competitions and showcasing your work.
• Study in the award-winning Vijay Patel Building, offering inspiring spaces, studios, and facilities that invite creativity and innovation.

Outline:

Course Content:

• User-research
• Design methodologies
• Ergonomics
• Aesthetics
• Drawing
• Visual communication
• Interface
• Materials
• Manufacturing
• Technical specification
• 2D and 3D CAD
• Sustainability
• Additive manufacturing
• Technology integration
• Team working
• Project management

Structure:

• Block teaching, where most students study one subject at a time.
• Flexible timetable allowing for regular feedback and assessments.
• Promotes a better study-life balance.

Modules:

• Year 1: DMU Designer, Advanced Technology for Designers, Design Conception – Thinking and Methods, Design Delivery
• Year 2: DMU Designer 2, Advanced Technology for Designers 2, Design Communication and Definition, Design Practice
• Year 3: Design Practice 2, Design Conception – Personal Project, Design Development – Personal Project, Design Delivery – Personal Project

Assessment:

• Portfolios
• Group presentations
• Case study analysis
• Individual exercises
• Report writing
• Short form unseen exercises
• Essay writing

Teaching:

• Combination of lectures, lab sessions, seminars, tutorials, workshops, and self-directed study.
• Taught by design academics, designers in residence, and visiting design consultants with specialist knowledge and skills in product design.
• All staff have worked in industry and carry out commercial activity and leading research.
• Visiting lecturers support week-long projects or run weekly seminars, tutorials, or lecture series.
• DMU Replay technology provides access to audio and/or visual recordings of lectures.

Careers:

• Potential career paths include senior designers and specialists in various areas such as consumer product design, industrial design consultancy, project planning, furniture design, manufacturing design, design management, user experience design, interaction design, and research.
• Graduates employed by global companies including Cambridge Consultants, BMW, JCB, Aston Martin, Triumph, Dyson, Marshalls, and Magmatic.
• Many graduates also set up their own successful businesses.

Other:

• Opportunities for student-led internships and projects through DMU Global.
• High-standard accommodation options available.
• Vibrant student life with De Montfort Students' Union offering over 150 societies and almost 40 sports clubs.
• Leicester provides a vibrant hub of entertainment, shopping, and culture.

Note:

• This information is based on the current academic session and may be subject to change.

2024/25 tuition fees for UK students: £9,250 2024/25 tuition fees for international students: £15,750