
Paul Hines
Senior Lecturer in Product Design
Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology
COVID-19 Updates: For advice and updates for staff, students, and applicants who may have concerns about the coronavirus outbreak please visit our Situation Updates page.
UCAS Code:
W240
Level:
Undergraduate
Duration:
3 years full time
4 years full time (with Foundation)
4-6 years part time
Starting:
September
Fees UK:
Full Time: £9,250
Part Time: £1,465 per 20 credit module Integrated Foundation Year: £6,780
Fees International:
Full Time: £13,000 Integrated Foundation Year: £13,000
Location:
Waterside
For questions regarding study and admissions please contact us:
study@northampton.ac.uk
0300 303 2772
Please note: Programme award to be updated to a BA (Hons) for September 2021 entry – subject to validation
We believe in teaching you to challenge ideas of functionality, aesthetics, materials, sustainability, social contexts and ethics so that you can design products that work and make a difference to society. This mindset will be put into practice with industry projects and contemporary technologies.
We will support you to achieve your career and study ambitions, which is why if you complete our Employability Plus Gold programme or Changemaker Gold certificate alongside your studies and if you haven’t secured full-time employment 12 months after graduating* we will secure a three – six month paid internship for you, or support you into postgraduate study.
*with a 2:2 degree classification or higher
Updated 09/12/2020
Creative and innovative design is built on the fusion of visual, technical and emotional considerations. We will teach you these skills throughout your course, developing and nurturing them through studio-based, practical problem-solving activities.
Our course team are dedicated to working with you on an individual basis so that your learning experience is personalised and tailored to you – supporting you to flourish as a capable, confident and entrepreneurial Product Designer.
In the first year, you will be introduced to computer-aided-design (CAD), modelmaking, design drawing, graphic communication, contextual theories and professional studies. Your learning will be consolidated by short projects that are relevant to technical, commercial or social issues.
Your second year will include professional development, through commercial projects and/or competitions briefed by local, national or international companies. These projects will develop your creativity, design knowledge and communication skills – providing the confidence to present your design concepts effectively and professionally.
During your final year, you will work on a self-focused design project – identifying, researching and solving a problem, as a culmination of your studies. You will also participate in briefs from international competitions, such as the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and Design and Art Direction (D&AD). In recent years our students have won these prestigious accolades.
Students are encouraged to create products which solve problems, inspire change and look to make a difference in every day life. Product Design student, Oliver Beard, who was knocked unconscious in a rugby match, designed a high-tech skull cap that can detect concussion in people playing full-contact sports. You can read Oliver’s story here.
Students have also invented products that have gone on to receive media recognition. Danny O’Beirne, devised a simple solution to help the visually impaired navigate railway stations. Danny’s research found that many people with visual impairments are put off travelling by train in the UK due to the potential for confusion when they arrive at a station. Danny’s solution – the Tellway Sound Shower – harnesses ultrasound technology which can project a beam of sound via an overhead speaker. You can read Danny’s story here.
Joshua Taylor, a Product Design undergraduate, had a flash of inspiration which has led to him designing a phone case that alerts users when their posture needs correcting, which in turn, prevents the risk of text neck. You can read Joshua’s story here.
To study on the Product Design course a high-specification laptop capable of running Adobe Creative Cloud and professional CAD software is essential. You will require a laptop, with the following specification:
PC Laptop specification – preferred option:
MacBook specification with additional required software*:
You will need to budget approximately £200 per academic year for extra materials to cover the costs of sketch books, marker pens, modelmaking materials, 3D printing, and 2D printing of presentation graphics. This amount is a guide based on what successful current students and recent graduates have spent and will depend upon the projects you choose to undertake.
You will need to purchase, drawing and modelmaking equipment such as digital Vernier callipers, cutting tools, basic hand tools, plus a toolbox to contain them. A comprehensive list will be provided prior to starting the course.
You will be continually assessed during the course through studio-based design projects and written assignments. In the final year, you will have a minor design project and a final major project which will both be exhibition-based.
The course is based in the Creative Hub and utilises the following facilities.
Specialist facilities include:
Students will be able to showcase their final year design projects at the University’s Art Degree Show. The private view is attended by local dignitaries, design alumni and potential employers.
Product Design BA (Hons) has participated in the New Designers exhibition, in London, for over twenty years – you may get the opportunity to display your final year design project.
Standard entry requirements apply. A typical offer would be BCC at A-Level or DMM at BTEC. In addition, applicants are expected to have studied an Art, Design, Design Technology, Product Design or related subject in an A-level or BTEC level 3 Diploma, or equivalent qualification. We will also accept a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design.
Applicants are interviewed and are requested to provide a portfolio of their own work. International students may submit their portfolio electronically. Students with a relevant HND or Foundation Degree with a suitable profile of achievement may be admitted onto Stage Two or Three of the BA Product Design programme.
If you would like to make an application as a Home or EU student, please visit our How to Apply page.
If you are an International student and would like more information on how to make an application, please visit our How to Apply page.
Admission to this foundation programme is normally DEE at A-Level or MPP at BTEC. However, we would also like to hear from you if you have professional or industry experience instead, a range of other qualifications or self-developed subject knowledge that relates to the programme you wish to study.
All International and EU students applying for a course with us must meet the following minimum English language requirements:
For information regarding English language requirements at the University, please see our IELTS page.
The Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) offers a new and exciting route into studying for a degree, attracting ambitious and driven students who are willing to learn and advance.
If you have non-standard qualifications or do not quite meet the admissions requirements we can offer you a fantastic opportunity to study a four year programme which includes an Integrated Foundation Year. The Integrated Foundation Year will help you develop the theoretical/practical and academic skills you need, in order to successfully progress to the full award.
Featuring a reduced tuition fee in the first year, our four-year courses will enable you to successfully follow the degree pathway of your choice while gaining essential study skills. The foundation year of your chosen degree will be studied on a full-time basis and is aimed at supporting the transition to higher education. Years two, three and four are then studied as a standard degree programme.
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 21/22 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
Equipment and trips: (approx pricing)
Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 20/21 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.
Equipment and trips: (approx pricing)
For information on the scholarships available to you, please see our scholarships page.
Final year students display their work at the Art Degree Show. Our students have delivered some stunning designs – below you will see an example of this work and the students who made it possible. [new content and video links to follow July 2020.
Take a look at some recent press releases featuring our Product Design students and graduates:
• Haddonstone Project.
• Concussion Guardian.
• Tellway Sound Shower.
• Chin-Up.
Open Days give you the best experience and insight to courses, people and facilities that interest you. Make your choice easier and come meet us.
Senior Lecturer in Product Design
Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology
Senior Lecturer in Product Design
Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology