Product Design BA (Hons)

Course Content

• Course Details

  In the first year of the Product Design BA, 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.

  Student work

  Throughout the BA product design course students are encouraged to create products which solve problems, inspire change and look to make a difference in everyday 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.

  Past product design university graduates 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 degree 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.

  Art Degree Show

  Final year students display their work at the Art Degree Show. Our students have delivered some stunning designs.

  Take a look at some recent press releases featuring University of Northampton Product Design students and graduates:

  • Haddonstone Project.
  • Concussion Guardian.
  • Tellway Sound Shower.
  • Chin-Up.

  List of modules

  • Stage 1
    • Design Project 1 (20 Credits)
    • Design Thinking (20 Credits)
    • Design Studio (20 Credits)
    • Design for Industry (20 Credits)
    • Design in Practice (20 Credits)
    • Design Visualisation (20 Credits)

    All modules in Year 1 are compulsory.

  • Stage 2
    • 3D Modelling and Manufacture (10 Credits)
    • 3D Modelling and Simulation (10 Credits)
    • Design Project 2 – Technology (20 Credits)
    • Design Project 2 – Production (20 Credits)
    • Design for Manufacture (20 Credits)
    • Design Futures (10 Credits)
    • Design Business (10 Credits)
    • User-centred Design (20 Credits)

    All modules in Year 2 are compulsory.

  • Stage 3
    • Major Design Project (60 Credits)
    • Major Design Project Research (20 Credits)
    • Design Enterprise (40 Credits)

    All modules in Year 3 are compulsory.

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• Student Perks

  At the University of Northampton, everything we do, from funded trips to paid internships, is to give you everything you need to make a difference when you leave.

  If you join this full time Product Design BA degree at the University of Northampton, you will receive a laptop when your course begins*. The laptops are built to a bespoke custom specification ideal for use in the seminar room, collaborative group work or studying at home.

  Whatever your ambitions, we’re here to help you to achieve them. We’ll support you to identify the skills you’re learning during your course, find your strengths and secure practical experience so that when it comes to applying for jobs or further study you’ll feel confident in standing out from the crowd. We’ve created the Northampton Employment Promise because we are so confident that if you focus on your studies and complete one of our awards you’ll be highly employable by the time you graduate. Putting you in a great position to secure employment or continue your studies.

  To check out the full list of perks, visit our Student Perks page or dedicated International Perks page.

  *UK fee payers only (see Terms and Conditions for further details).

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• Integrated Foundation Year (IFY)

  The Integrated Foundation Year (IFY) offers a new and exciting route into studying for a degree in Product Design, 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.

  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.

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• FAQs

  What specialist equipment will I need for the Product Design degree?

  To study on a Product Design degree, 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:

  • CPU: Intel/AMD Processor scoring a single thread CPU Mark of 2,200 or higher. (Such as the AMD Ryzen 5 2600, Intel Core i7-4790 or better)
  • System Memory : 32GB (16GB minimum)
  • Graphics Card: a GPU scoring a G3D Mark of 14,000 or higher with up-to-date drivers. (Such as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070, AMD Radeon RX 5700XT, Quadro RTX 3000 or better)
  • Graphics Card Memory: 8GB or more
    Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels
  • Hard Drive: 500GB SATA3 SSD or NVME m.2 storage
    Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit (up to date)
  • Wi‑Fi networking: 802.11ac

  MacBook specification with additional required software*:

  • CPU: Apple M1 chip (or Intel)
  • Memory: 32GB (16GB minimum)
  • Operating System: MacOS 11 Big Sur
  • Hard Drive: 500GB Solid State Drive (SSD) (256GB minimum)
  • Wi‑Fi networking: 802.11ac
  • Software*:  Windows 10 64-bit, Bootcamp and/or Parallels

  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.

  How will I be assessed on the Product Design BA?

  You will be continually assessed during during your degree in product design 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.

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