Product Design BA (Hons)
Why study Product Design?
Product Design at York St John builds on a
well established record of producing highly motivated award winning
graduates, many of whom are employed in key design positions across
the world. Students join our Product Design degree from a variety
of backgrounds in art, design and technology, IT, media and
business studies. All are united in their passion for developing
their own individual creativity to a purpose.
The programme is inclusive and forward
looking, enabling you to fulfil your aspirations as a creative
designer by providing you with the opportunity of working in a
range of diverse product design contexts which for example include
consumer goods, furniture, electronics, interactive media, visual
technologies, interiors, sports products, transport, craft based
production and design for industry.
Studio and workshop practice is supported with
an extensive range of professional and industry standard materials
and processes, media and IT. You will be working with highly
qualified and experienced academic staff all of whom are themselves
practicing designers. Additionally you will be supported by
qualified technical demonstrators in workshops and studios. The
skills that you will acquire on our Product Design course are
considered by many employers in the creative industries as being
indispensible for a successful working future in the modern global
economy. You will be creating innovative new products for
manufacture in a wide range of the creative industries, often
working collaboratively on exciting design commissions with our
partner/employer network, a process that narrows the gap between an
educational and professional experience.
Product Design is located on the University
campus right in the heart of the city of York. Nowhere provides you
with such a prestigious and stimulating location for you to
undertake your studies and to prepare yourself for the design
challenges that face us all in the future.
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Why Study Product Design at York St John?
• You will be looking for an exciting and challenging
programme of study in which you will develop and apply high levels
of creative, technical, managerial, and professional skills.
• You will be looking for a sustainable and career relevant
degree course, one that you can see has real connections to the
world of work.
• You will be ambitious and eager to engage with practising
designers who teach you on the course.
• You will be enquiring and want to discover new ways of
researching and practising as a designer.
• You will have access to and work experience with employer
partner networks.
• You will have the opportunity to undertake part of your
degree studies at one of our partner universities in America or
Europe.
• You will practice in a professional design environment with
state-of the-art technical workshop and ICT facilities.
• You will have already appreciated that your degree is
conducted in the centre of one of Europe’s most vibrant, exciting
and beautiful cities -York - attracting 6 million visitors a year
with lots of part-time jobs for students and not least a great
full-on student atmosphere and range of facilities.
• You will aspire to the job record of our alumni-graduates
who occupy prestigious managerial design positions in such places
as Umbro, Mothercare, Priestman’s, Carleton Furniture, ASA, Nike
and VW.
How can I study Product Design?
Product Design can be studied as a Specialist
degree or as a Joint Honours subject alongside Business Management,
Film & TV Production, Fine Arts, Information Technology and
Music.
What will I study?
Year 1
In year 1 you
will concentrate on developing your knowledge and understanding of
key product design concepts and principles. You will improve your
studio based communication skills, your drawing and presentation
techniques, project management and model making in multimedia
workshop practice. You will also engage with a range of computer
aided design software packages and contextual studies.
Modules include:-
• Design Research & Communication
• Computer Aided Design
• User Centred Design
• Project Practice
• Design for Manufacture
• Design in Context
Year 2
In year 2 you will continue to
develop and apply your skills at an increasingly higher level,
undertaking work on more advanced studio and workshop based
projects set by practising designers, international competitions
and our industrial partner forum. You will also undertake a period
of work experience and elect to study some modules at our partner
institutions in America and Europe if you desire.
Modules include:-
• Design Project Practice
• Design and Global Culture
• Business Studies for Design
• Collaborative Design Project
• Work Placement
• Client Design Project
Year 3
In your graduate year you will propose areas of design research and
development that you consider appropriate for projects to support
your immediate to medium term career goals. Typically, design
projects of a user centred, sustainable and ecological nature are
eligible, by negotiation, for advanced level 3 study.
Modules include:-
• Major Design Project Practice (Research)
• Major Design Project Practice (Development)
• Special Design Study (Dissertation)
• Professional Design Portfolio
• Professional Design Project Practice and
Exhibition
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How will I be assessed?
You will have regular tutorials throughout the course,
particularly when you are planning your project work. You will
normally be assessed through presentation of your course work at
the end of each module. You will then receive written and verbal
feedback on your progress
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What costs will I incur?
Your tuition fees will cover the cost of basic materials.
However, if you are using a large amount of materials, further
costs may be incurred. In addition, there may be trips throughout
the course which you will need to pay for, but costs are kept as
low as possible.
What sorts of jobs do our graduates get?
We have an established record of producing
highly motivated and award winning graduates. Many Product Design
graduates are working as designers in well known organisations such
as Umbro, Diadora, Mothercare, Skopos, Nike, VW and Carleton
Furniture. Others are running their own small businesses, some
within our brand new Phoenix incubator units or studying at
postgraduate level.
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Fact file
You can study our Product Design Degree as a Specialist degree or as part of a
Joint Honours degree.
Specialist degree
Joint Honours degrees
Product Design and:
Attendance: 3 years full-time, 5-8 years
part-time
Study abroad: Yes - see our study abroad web pages for more information
Entry requirements
200 points for the Specialist degree / 200 points for the Joint
Honours degrees plus three GCSEs at grade C or above (or
equivalent), including English Language (GCSE Maths at Grade C or
above, is also needed for the Business Management option)
How do I apply?
If you wish to apply for full-time study, you need to apply
through UCAS. All part-time
applications should be made direct to YSJ. Visit our how to apply web pages for more information.
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HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE?
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