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Product Design

BSc (Hons)

This course isn't just about creating something, it's about researching how people and technology work together to improve the world.

We are an award winning product design programme with success in a number of national and international competitions and expeditions - from D&AD global student awards, to exhibition success at New Designers and Tent London, and to industry awards from NCR and Microsoft.

Why
Teaching & Assessment
Careers
Entry Requirements
Fees/Funding
Your Application

Why study Product Design at Dundee?

Product design at Dundee will train you to design products that work. Products people can get their hands on, play with, admire, tell people about and ultimately want as their own. We don't think that it is all about products that work though, our students are taught how to find out what people want, to understand their needs and to design products for them. Our aim is to develop designers who can re-appropriate existing and explore emerging technologies in a playful way and use them as a creative medium throughout the design process.

"This course equips some of Britain's best students to grapple with 'design briefs' in refreshingly novel ways." Dr Tim Regan, Microsoft Research

In our studios we will work with you so that you can become part of the next generation of leading edge designers that are comfortable programming electronics, talking to people, making models or rendering in CAD. It is not about presenting ideas of what a product might be, or building a technical prototype of how a product might work - we will help you to develop the skills to respond to people's needs and design products that work.

In addition to project-based studio activity, we will give you the opportunity to witness design in practice in industry in the form of lectures, field trips and company visits. We also run a number of projects as a live client, where the brief is set by industry. In order to deepen your understanding of design in practice we encourage and help you to find summer placements with companies.

At the end of the course you will be able to:

understand product design and innovation
engage with people to solve problems
use complex engineering skills and computer aided design
create your own product from original concept to completed, functional item

Lee Murray graduated in 2010. During his final year he was offered an internship at Nokia Design in London and he has been there ever since designing and building fully working prototypes for the user experience department.

He says, My best experience on this course was having the opportunity to present a product concept in front of three hundred people at the Microsoft headquarters in Seattle, USA. To see what other courses around the world were doing and to meet some of the best minds in the country was amazing!

New Designers

Final year students are given the opportunity to showcase their work at New Designers in London along with over 4,000 other design graduates from around the UK.

New Designers brings the design industry together, helping to launch the careers of the attending design graduates. With over 18,000 visitor throughout the duration of the exhibition there is a great opportunity to be discovered.

86% of exhibiting courses had graduates receive offers of work, placements or commissions.

Who should study Product Design?

You are:

inquisitive
a problem solver
creative
enthusiastic

You want to:

design a new product that will resolve a problem or fulfil a need
research ways to bring people and technology together
learn the technical skills required to create your vision
develop your computer aided design skills

Student exchange

Through our Erasmus exchange programme our students are also able to study abroad with partner Universities for either one or two semesters. We also take overseas students from partner Universities into our course for the same period. This has proved to be hugely successful with students studying in Milan, Spain and Canada.

In addition, the department normally organises an overseas study visit for all Level 3 students.

For examples of student work, staff profiles, and news from Product Design, visit the Product Design website.

Related courses

Teaching & Assessment

Key to the philosophy of the BSc (Hons) Product Design is an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning. Such an approach is possible due to the course being jointly delivered by Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (djcad) and the School of Engineering, Physics and Mathematics (EPM), who both have internationally recognised research and product development expertise, providing you with broad and expertly delivered twenty-first century product and engineering design teaching.

How you will be taught

Our broad approach means that you will have engineering lecturers and labs alongside product design practice studios and design history tutorials.

In Levels 1 and 2 your time will be divided equally between product, technology and design studies. As you progress through the course, you will spend more time on your product design practice, with this forming half of your study time in Level 3 and three quarters in Level 4. This gives you the space to be trained but importantly to build the kind of strong product design portfolio that employers are looking for.

Learning occurs within a dynamic open studio environment where social interaction, peer and group learning and inter-year participation contributes to a stimulating environment. You will learn through a combination of workshops, lectures and self-initiated projects.

What you will study

Level 1

Level 1 introduces you to some of the key skills a designer requires to develop successful products. You will work on a number of short and longer projects as individuals and in teams. You explore a range of 2-D and 3-D visualisation techniques in Design Studies. Fundamental principles of engineering, as well as the materials available to you as a designer, are introduced through Technology modules.

Product Design Practice: Fundamentals of Product Design Design Studies
Design Studies: Visual Expression
Technology: Mechanics and Thermodynamics and Design Technology (Materials)

Level 2

Level 2 encourages you to build on your understanding of designing products gained at Level 1. You learn how to develop products to a greater level of detail and consider how issues such as ergonomics can influence design. You are also introduced to the world of interaction design.

Students are encouraged to develop a personal design process, as well as understand the different contexts in which they may operate as a designer. Technology modules provide an introduction to electronics, 2-D and 3-D computer aided design and structural analysis.

Product Design Practice: Industrial Design and Interaction Design
Design Studies: Contexts/ Stakeholders and Structuring Creativity Technology
Technology: Software Engineering (CAD and microcontrollers); Structural Design and Manufacturing

Level 3

Level 3 deepens your understanding of designing products through investigating the needs of people. You are introduced to a number of research techniques that allow you to engage with people and are encouraged to embed this new knowledge in your products. You also explore some of the commercial issues that affect the development of products and are encouraged to contextualise the development of your work in terms of current social issues.

In preparation for your final year, emphasis is placed on the development of highly polished models with working technology embedded in them. Technology modules develop your understanding and use of the principles behind engineering design.

Product Design Practice: Design Research; Design Products
Design Studies: Design Futures and Professional Practice Technology
Technology: Engineering Design

Level 4

The majority of your time in the final year is spent in the studio and dedicated to a major personal project. By this stage you will have enough knowledge of product design to define your own brief. You can also choose from a range of optional modules.

The year will result in an exhibition of your work at the Duncan of Jordanstone Degree Show. Previous major projects have explored interactive furniture, services and products that promote sustainable living, inclusive design solutions for the visually impaired and digital products for the home.

Product Design Practice: Design Portfolio Project
Electives, for example: Business Innovation for Designers; Advanced CAD; Design Dissertation

How you will be assessed

Typically, assessment in product design and design studies is through designed products, services or interactions which are presented to the class.

You are trained and encouraged to present in a range of formats in such a way that you are given a good grounding in graphics, media (web-pages, blogs, short-films) and verbal skills.

In engineering, assessment is through a mixture of coursework (technical reports), exams and team practical projects.

Through this variety of ways of assessing we build your skills and confidence in the life-long skill of presenting your thinking and skills to an audience.

Careers

Employability is the fundamental driver for our course. We pride ourselves on building strong relationships with employers throughout our students' education, enabling a smooth and quick route to industry and further academic training on graduation.

Tom Metcalfe graduated in 2009. He is a Production Designer for rAndom International, a company that develops projects and installations that emphasise the interaction between audience and inanimate object.

Lynsey Duncan graduated in 2007 and is a Usability Analyst for international telecommunications company Orange

Our graduates are employed as product designers, service designers and interaction designers across the globe for companies such as Live|Work, Alpkit, Microsoft and NCR.

The Product Design degree produces students who have a rounded view of the design world. Rory Hamilton, Head of Insights, Live|Work

Postgraduate study

Some graduates choose to continue their studies at postgraduate level on our Masters degree or PhD programmes.

Enterprise/Freelance

Others have gone on to freelance and establishing their own successful businesses. Extra curriculum activities such as the Enterprise Gym help students cultivate entrepreneurial skills. The Greenhouse Business Pre-Incubator facility provides ambitious students with an office space to explore their business idea.

Entry Requirements

The following are the minimum requirements, please note qualifications have to be obtained at the first sitting of examinations.

Selection notes

We are keen to know how you approach novel design challenges. To find this out, as part of the selection process, we will send you a Product Kit - for you to design and evaluate a response to a task that will arrive through your letterbox.

Courses starting September 2013

Level 1 entry

Qualification	Grade
SQA Higher	BBBB
GCE A-Level	BCC
ILC Higher	BBBB
IB Diploma	30 points
Essential Subjects	One or more from Art & Design (or another creative subject), Product Design, an appropriate technical subject (eg computing, information systems) plus an appropriate literate subject (SQA Higher or GCE A-Level or ILC Higher or IB Higher Level).
We are keen to see examples of creative work (digital, photographic, product, hand made, hand-drawn etc).
EU & International	Visit our EU and International webpages for entry requirements tailored to your home country

Advanced Entry (to Level 2)

Qualification	Grade
SQA Advanced Higher	BB (Advanced Higher) + BB (Advanced Higher) in different subjects
GCE A-Level	ABB
IB Diploma	34 points (including 6, 6, 5 at Higher Level)
Essential Subjects	One or more from Art & Design (or another creative subject), Product Design, an appropriate technical subject (eg computing, information systems) plus an appropriate literate subject (SQA Advanced Higher or GCE A-Level or IB Higher Level).
We are keen to see examples of creative work (digital, photographic, product, hand made, hand-drawn etc).

Other Qualifications

Qualification	Grade
SQA	A relevant HNC with B in the Graded Unit (Level 1 entry) A recognised Foundation Course or a relevant HND with BB in the Graded Units (Level 2 entry)
Scottish Baccalaureate	Pass with CC at AH (Level 1 entry) Pass with BB at AH (Level 2 entry)
EDEXCEL	A relevant BTEC Extended Diploma with DMM (Level 1 entry) A recognised Foundation Course or a relevant BTEC Extended Diploma with DDM (Level 2 entry)
Advanced Diploma	Grade C with ASL A-levels in appropriate subjects at BC (Level 1 entry) Grade B with ASL A-levels in appropriate subjects at AB (Level 2 entry)
Welsh Baccalaureate	Pass with A-levels in appropriate subjects at BC (Level 1 entry) Pass with A-levels in appropriate subjects at AB (Level 2 entry)
Applicants with alternative overseas qualifications should visit the relevant country page on our International website.
All qualifications should include a relevant Art and Design subject, literate subject and preferably a technical subject.

Fees and Funding

There have been many changes to the arrangements for funding students entering higher education in recent years, yet a degree from the University of Dundee, with its high rate of employment success, remains a cost-effective option.

The fees you pay will, in most cases, depend on your current country of residence.

Fee category	Fees for students starting September 2012	Scholarships & Bursaries applicable
Scottish students	£1,820 per year of study. You can apply to the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to have your tuition fees paid by the Scottish government.	DJCAD Academic Scholarships Other Scholarships
Students from the rest of the UK	£9,000 per year, for a maximum of 3 years, even if you are studying a four year degree. You can apply for financial assistance, including a loan to cover the full cost of the tuition fees, from the Student Loan Company.	University of Dundee Bursaries DJCAD Academic Scholarships Other Scholarships
EU students	£1,820 per year of study. You can apply to the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) to have your tuition fees paid by the Scottish government.	Other Scholarships
Overseas students (non-EU)	£11,461 per year.	DJCAD Academic Scholarships Other Scholarships

The fee shown is annual, and may be subject to an increase each year.

Living Costs

Dundee is ranked as one of the most affordable places for students to live in the UK, and the cost of living is around 15% cheaper than the UK average.
Increasing numbers of students are successfully undertaking part-time work to supplement their income. You can get advice from our Careers Service, both about job opportunities and how to find a suitable study/work/life balance. EU and international students are also allowed to work up to 20 hours per week.
As a student in Scotland, you have free access to the National Health Service. Visits to doctors and hospitals, as well as prescriptions, sight tests and dental checkups, are available free of charge.

Your Application

All applications must be made through UCAS

UCAS Codes

Institution Code: D65

Degree	UCAS Codes	KIS data
BSc Product Design	W240	View KIS data for this course

UCAS Application Process

Notes on Selection

We are keen to know how you approach novel design challenges. To find this out, we will send you a Product Kit - for you to design and evaluate a response to a task that will arrive through your letter box. Also essential is a developed portfolio demonstrating a keen interest and aptitude for product design.

International Applicants

We have information specifically for international applicants on our International website:

Your Home Country - including information about qualifications from individual countries
Fees and Funding
English Language Requirements
International Student Support

Any questions?

If you have any further questions about the application process, please contact:

Home / EU applicants

Undergraduate Admissions
Admissions & Student Recruitment
University of Dundee
Nethergate
Dundee
DD1 4HN
Scotland

Telephone: 01382 384370/ 388074/ 388585 (from the UK)
Telephone: +44 1382 384370/ 388074/ 388585 (from outside the UK)

Email: ContactUs@dundee.ac.uk