Program Overview

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About our foundation years

Our Foundation Year courses are perfect for you if you...

• are returning to education after a long time, or you don't have the qualifications for direct entry into our degree programmes
• are thinking of re-training and would like an introduction to the area
• are an international student wanting an additional year to adapt to the UK academic system
• are still evaluating which degree pathway at UEL is the right one for you

Please note: Foundation years can only be studied full-time. However, you can transfer to part-time delivery once you have completed your foundation year. Please apply to the full-time option if you wish to study in this way.

Product Design BA (Hons)

Overview

Join our BA (Hons) Product Design to experience innovation in a setting that combines advanced technology and traditional craftsmanship. Our product design programme offers state-of-the-art digital fabrication workshops and the chance to compete for prestigious national awards. Discover endless design possibilities and expand your creative horizons. Whether you're curious about product design or eager to master the product design process, our comprehensive curriculum covers all aspects.

Course Options

• Degree
  • UCAS code: H
  • UCAS points: 112
  • Duration: 3 years
  • Tuition fees: £9,535 per year (Home Applicant, Full-time)
• Degree with Foundation Year
  • UCAS code: H76864
  • UCAS points: 64
  • Duration: 4 years
  • Tuition fees: £9,535 per year (Home Applicant, Full-time)

Entry Requirements

Academic Requirements

• 112 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification listed on the UCAS tariff calculator, including:
  • A Levels in at least two subjects
  • BTEC Extended Diploma – DMM
  • BTEC Diploma – DD
  • Access to HE Diploma
  • T Levels
  • International Baccalaureate – 24 points including a minimum of 15 points at Higher Level
• GCSE English Grade 4/C or Level 2 Functional Skills in English
• GCSE Mathematics Grade 4/C or Level 2 Functional Skills in Mathematics

International Qualifications

We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications.

English Language Requirements

IELTS 5.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking (or recognised equivalent).

Portfolio Requirements

A portfolio is required and should be relevant to this course. It should include a wide range of work that shows your creativity, technical competence and understanding of the subject area.

Fees, Funding, and Additional Costs

Fees

• UK/Home students: £9,535 per year
• International students: £15,560 per year

Funding

• Government funding
• UEL funding
• External funding

Additional Costs

• Textbooks
• Computer equipment
• Printing
• Travel
• Personal laptops and other personal devices
• Personal copies of books
• Optional study visits and field trips
• Costs of participating in external events, exhibitions, performances, etc.

Course Modules

Foundation Year

• Techniques for Designing Core Module
• Design Project Core Module
• Art and Design Workshop Core Module
• Design Media Core Module
• History and Theory Core Module
• Professional Life (Mental Wealth) Core Module

Year 1

• Material Integration 1 Core Module
• Design Resolution 1 Core Module
• Design Investigation 1 Core Module
• Technical Studies and Representation 1 Core Module
• History and Theory 1 Core Module
• Mental Wealth: Professional Life 1 Core Module

Year 2

• Design Investigation 2 Core Module
• Design Resolution 2 Core Module
• History and Theory 2 Core Module
• Design Integration 2 Core Module
• Material Integration 2 Core Module
• Mental Wealth: Professional Life 2 Core Module

Year 3

• Material Integration 3 Core Module
• Design Investigation 3 Core Module
• Design Resolution 3 Core Module
• History and Theory 3 Core Module
• Mental Wealth: Professional Life 3 Core Module

Your Future Career

Our graduates' product design skills are highly transferable. Studying product design will give you an excellent grounding in related areas such as design management, research, consultancy, and teaching. Our students are successful in many national and international competitions and events and often use these as a springboard to employment in product design.

Industry Links

After completing your product design course, you'll be able to exhibit your work at the highly regarded 'New Designers' exhibition at the Business Design Centre in London.

Graduate Employers

Some of our recent graduates have gone on to work in British and overseas consultancies, product design engineering firms, and website design companies. Some have set up their own design consultancies with the expert support of the Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability or developed and marketed their project work with the support of our Petchey Centre for Entrepreneurship.

Job Roles

Throughout the course, you will develop a comprehensive knowledge and professional portfolio, which is your gateway to a rewarding product design career. This could be as a product or industrial designer, manufacturing or product engineer, digital fabricator, freelance designer, UX/UI designer, social designer or work in design management and strategy.

Further Study

As you complete your degree, you may choose to pursue further studies with our MSc Engineering Management. This could set you apart and give you a chance to develop your career further.

How We Support Your Career Ambitions

We offer dedicated careers support, further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking. Our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed. You can focus on building interpersonal skills through group work and benefit from our investment in the latest cutting-edge technologies and facilities.

Career Zone

This digital platform provides you with careers and employability resources, including:

• Jobs board for internships, placements, graduate opportunities, flexible part-time work
• Mentoring programmes for insight with industry experts
• 1-2-1 career coaching services
• Careers workshops and employer events
• Learning pathways to gain new skills and industry insight

Mental Wealth Programme

Our Professional Fitness and Mental Wealth programme issues you with a Careers Passport to track the skills you've mastered. Some of these are externally validated by corporations like Amazon and Microsoft.

How You'll Learn

You will be joining a creative hub of innovative engineers and product designers. You will observe other design projects, share ideas, and participate in interdisciplinary projects and competitions, such as the IMechE Formula Student challenge to design and build a single-seat racing car.

How You'll Be Assessed

There are no exams on this course. You will be assessed continually under supervision using various methods, such as personal and group tutorials and presentations where work is appraised by a panel of teaching staff along with a peer group of fellow students. Through these methods, as well as carrying out activities in the workshop and laboratory, you will receive regular formative feedback. This feedback will assist the learning process and improve the quality of work before the final hand-in.

Campus and Facilities

Our waterfront campus in the historic Royal Docks provides a modern, well- equipped learning environment.

Who Teaches This Course

This course is delivered by the School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering.

Official Student Data from Discover Uni

The banner below displays some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).

• 85% say staff value students' views and opinions about the course
• 98% of students say teaching staff have supported their learning well
• 85% in work or doing further study 15 months after the course

What Our Students and Staff Say

It is vitally important for students to master the skills needed to rapidly prototype an idea and gain an aptitude for testing and reiterating solutions thereby allowing ideas to develop and flourish into sustainable and feasible products.

Andrew Wright

MSc BA (Hons) FRSA Programme Leader

The Product Design course is a rich and diverse experience limited only by imagination. The course is a well-structured experience where I learned to problem solve, research, and take risks amongst a traditional craftwork environment. UEL was an enriching three years that gave me a well-rounded set of design skills in both digital and physical environments.

Ryan Bragg

Product Design BA (Hons)