Skip to main content

Product Design BA/BSc(Hons)

2023-24 (also available for 2024-25)

Apply now Order a prospectus Open Days
{{menu.previous.name}}
{{menu.center.name}}
{{menu.next.name}}
It’s not too late to apply for September.
It’s not too late to apply for September.

Start date

18 September 2023

Duration

3 years full-time
4 years inc. placement year

Entry requirements

A Level - BBB-BCC

BTEC - DMM-MMM

See full entry requirements

Places available (subject to change)

55

Chat with our students  

About the course

Reasons to study

  1. Career prospects: 90% of graduates are in work/further study fifteen months after graduation.
  2. Real-world experience: past students have undertaken work placements with Disney, Lego and Howdens Joinery to name but a few.
  3. You'll have the chance to experience real design challenges set by businesses or design organisations.

If you’re creative and you’d like to explore how your ideas could have real impact in the world, our Product Design BA/BSc(Hons) courses give you the chance to develop the skills to become an enterprising professional designer. So much goes into the creation of an innovative product: identifying new product opportunities defined through applied research, ideation and initial sketching, hands-on physical model making, prototyping, digital visualisation and animation, and final details such as manufacturing and commercialisation.

While you’re working on the practical side, we’ll also encourage you to:

  • Think about the new product development process and what goes into the products that help designers shape the future.
  • Consider what underpins the concepts of human-centred design and responsible design, which help designers to create inclusive and more sustainable products and business models.
  • Use our industry links and wide expertise in the field to help you get started on your design career. Our focus on commercial product design will give you the chance to experience real design challenges set by businesses or design organisations. This can offer opportunities to win prestigious design awards and even for your design solutions to be licensed. For example, a major high street company bought two innovative product ideas from our second year students.
  • Become a creative problem solver by identifying gaps in the market, understanding people's frustrations with everyday tasks and existing products and develop ideas to solve them.

We believe design can create a better future through world-leading products that not only change lives but break new ground, build businesses, jobs, and help the world become a better place. Whether you’re designing solutions physically or digitally, in sketch form or 3D, we’ll focus on end results that are capable of being mass-produced.

In Year 1 of the course, all students follow a common pathway. At the end of this Year 1, students then decide on which pathway they want to follow - either the BA(Hons) or the BSc(Hons). So far both pathways have always been offered. However, if too few choose either route at this point, the University reserves the right to deliver only the larger of the two options.

Course detail

Core modules:

Creative Thinking for Product Design

This module will introduce you to the creative thinking processes used in 3D Design and their application through project work. Design projects will enable you to explore and develop design proposals using a range of methods, practical skills and specialist knowledge. The module will introduce workshop practice and provide experience and techniques in 3D realisation.

Digital and Visual Communication

This module introduces you to an array of techniques, methods and technologies for the exploration, communication and representation of designed 'products'. You’ll gain knowledge and understanding of the practical skills required to produce both traditional and digital, 2D & 3D presentations/ representative imagery.

Design Context Studies

This module will enable you as a designer to understand how design interfaces with the world, and how knowledge of social and future trends can guide the innovation process and how market, business and manufacturing forces direct design decisions and outcomes. A portfolio of design-centred activities relating to social, business and manufacturing contexts will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding.

Entry requirements

BBB-BCCat A Level or equivalent.

120-104 UCAS tariff points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications.

Merit at T Level.

DMM-MMM in BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.

  • Pass in Diploma Foundation Studies in Art and Design combined with A Level or BTEC qualifications, to total an equivalent of 120-104 UCAS tariff points.
  • Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits at Merit or above.
  • 120-104 UCAS tariff points from International Baccalaureate qualifications.

As a centre of creative excellence, we look forward to hearing about your own creative experiments and ambitions through a discussion of your portfolio at interview.

Read our guidance on developing your portfolio and what to expect from your interview.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our Where are you from information pages.

Other suitable experience or qualifications will be considered. For further information please see the University's minimum entry requirements.

Placements

The course offers an optional one-year (36 weeks minimum) work placement after the second year, in the UK or abroad. This will give you the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience, insight into your chosen career and open up your graduate employment prospects. Our Placement Unit and academic staff have excellent industry links and can support you in applying for and finding your placement(s), as well as during your placement year.

Students on the course have previously taken up placement opportunities with companies including: Disney - London; Lego - Denmark; Howdens Joinery – Goole; Limah Design Consultants – Dubai; Animatechnika s.r.o. - Bratislava; Chervon Europe Ltd - York; Roksan Audio - London; Iterign - Newbury; Global One Pak - Cheshire; Showoff Media - Leeds; Pegler Yorkshire - Doncaster; Ultima Furniture Systems - Wakefield; Overfinch - Leeds; Walker Brothers - Halifax; Demand Design - Holmfirth; Paxman Coolers - Huddersfield and Ellis Furniture - Huddersfield.

Alternatively, if you are a student from within the UK, you could consider starting your own small business by applying for the Enterprise Placement Year in conjunction with the University’s Enterprise Team. The University's Enterprise Hub could support you in realising the true commercial value of your intellectual property through a creative enterprise start-up. You’ll have the opportunity to benefit from business advice, mentoring and networking sessions. You can find out more information on the Enterprise Placement Year here.

You can find out more information on placements here.

During my placement, I worked with clients and briefs to create new furniture ranges. The designs were for a range of companies including John Lewis and Bensons for Beds. Directly influencing companies and designs gives you such a proud feeling. Especially when you see your creation in stores.

Profile photo of Mohammed Nazmul Islam

Mohammed Nazmul Islam, Product Design BA/BSc(Hons), placement with Paul Stott Design, current final year student

Student Work

A gallery of work by our Product Design BA/BSc(Hons) students and graduates.

Your career

The broad nature of the course, coupled with experience gained in industry, has resulted in a high graduate employment record within a wide range of organisations. Previous graduates of this course are now working in roles with well-known companies including Dyson, Pentland, Hozelock, Black and Decker, Chervon, Maltek, Electrolux and New Balance, as well as Lego**. Outside the practice of design itself, students have gained employment as design engineers, digital visualisers and become design managers, producing many award winning products.

*Percentage of our undergraduate students from this course go on to work and/or further study within fifteen months of graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes 2019/20, UK domiciled, other activities excluded).

Source: **GEMS and LinkedIn

95% Graduates employed*

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Important information

We will always try to deliver your course as described on this web page. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below.

Changes to a course you have applied for

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment.

Cancellation of a course you have applied for

Although we always try and run all of the course we offer, we may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants to ensure you have a good learning experience. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will contact you to discuss other suitable courses with us we can transfer your application to. If we notify you that the course you have applied to has been withdrawn or combined, and you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

We will always try to deliver your course and other services as described. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below:

Changes to option modules

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have a range of options to choose from and we will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes

We will only make major changes to the core curriculum of a course or to our services if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change in this context is a change that materially changes the services available to you; or the outcomes, or a significant part, of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), classes, type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum.

For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators; to meet the latest requirements of a commissioning or accrediting body; to improve the quality of educational provision; in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback; and/or to reflect academic or professional changes within subject areas. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but this may not always be the case. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation with affected students. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

Termination of course

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed and we will notify you as soon as possible about what your options are, which may include transferring to a suitable replacement course for which you are qualified, being provided with individual teaching to complete the award for which you were registered, or claiming an interim award and exiting the University. If you do not wish to take up any of the options that are made available to you, then you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the course without liability to the University for future tuition fees and you will be entitled to a refund of all course fees paid to date. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by a framework of regulations, policies and procedures, which form the basis of your agreement with us. These include regulations regarding the assessment of your course, academic integrity, your conduct (including attendance) and disciplinary procedure, fees and finance and compliance with visa requirements (where relevant). It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to abide by them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan, where you will also find links to the full text of each of the regulations, policies and procedures referred to. You should read these carefully before you enrol. Please note that this information is subject to change and you are advised to check our website regularly for any changes before you enrol at the University. A person who is not party to this agreement shall not have any rights under or in connection with it. Only you and the University shall have any right to enforce or rely on the agreement.

Equal opportunities

The University of Huddersfield is an equal opportunities institution. We aim to create conditions where staff and students are treated solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential, regardless of gender, age, race, caste, class, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, family responsibility, trade union activity, political or religious belief, or age. Please visit our website to see our Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy

Data protection

The University holds personal data on all enquirers, applicants and enrolled students. All such data is kept and processed in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Legislation. The University’s Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notices are available on the University website.

Students’ Union membership

Under the 1994 Education Act, students at all UK universities have the right to join, or not to join, the Students’ Union. There is no membership fee. If you choose not to join you have the right not to be disadvantaged; however, you are not entitled to vote, take part in elections, or hold any office. The following arrangements apply in order that non-Union members are not disadvantaged: Non-members are welcome to take part in the activities of Affiliated Clubs and Societies on payment of the appropriate subscription. However, they may not vote or hold office in the society or club. Union members may be offered a discounted subscription. Non-members are free to use Union facilities on the same basis as members. Welfare, catering and shops are available to non-members as well as members. Union members may be offered a discounted price.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

You may also be interested in...

Interior Design BA(Hons)

Interior Design is a creative and engaging course, looking at current design thinking to understand the potential of interior environments.

Find out more How to apply

Full-time

Undergraduate

View more courses