the United Kingdom
University of Wales Trinity Saint David| The award | How you will study | Study duration | Course start | Domestic course fees | International course fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BA | Full-time | 3 years | find out | GBP 9000 per year | GBP 14900 per year |
Course Overview
The single lifetime paradigm of the product is no longer a viable description of designing and making. Instead, deeper considerations for durations of use, re-valuing products and their component parts, the methods of manufacture and sourcing are paramount responsibilities and must originate as the roots of designed products. The thinking and explorations of the designer, afford original and innovative after-values, and these can be adapted to, and evolve. For example, a great deal can be learnt from the identification and analysis of so-called 'mundane' objects, and with care, these can be held as exemplars of design.
This programme explores the human-centred aspects of product design. You are encouraged to explore, innovate and then incorporate your own understanding of aesthetics and other complexities understood through form-making and product concepts and interactions.
Approaches for idea generation, form development and product interaction are taught through studio and workshop practice, allied with a sound understanding of materials and manufacturing. The programme integrates traditional studio and workshop practice with state-of the-art digital tools, with students utilising the latest versions of industry- standard computer-aided design and visualisation software, 3D printing and prototyping facilities.
Through an emphasis on communication using drawing and sketch model-making, as a student you will be able to enjoy exploring the issues raised by nurturing your growing appreciation and ability to formulate a range of approaches that understand and can usefully address problems of sustainability, an artefact's wider cultural meanings, and to evaluate appropriate user-mediated responses focused on prototyping and manufacturing.
On graduation, you will possess the necessary subject-specific and transferable skills and attributes required to generate ideas, concepts, and detailed design proposals in response to specified needs and be able to function effectively in a (multidisciplinary) design studio environment.
Key Features
Our small student groups mean you can always find a tutor to help you with your work. The teaching team consists of highly experienced designers who are either engaged in industrial practice or are research active, supported by industrially trained technical staff. This ensures that the course delivers a qualification and experience that is highly relevant to the changing needs of the industry.
The course includes live design projects that enable students to engage with both major companies and small entrepreneurial businesses. This industrial contact allows students to develop their skills in response to real world scenarios and prepares them for the demands of employment. External client projects across a range of industry sectors from toys to medical products are undertaken each year, recent client companies include Cyden, Recaro, Hasbro, Freshwest, Rehau, Clinique, Cogent Seating and Calon Cardio Technology.
In addition to this, students are actively encouraged to enter national and international design competitions. Over the years, our students have been successful in both national and international competitions such as RSA Awards, Innovation in Plastics, Electrolux Design Lab and the Lighting Association Awards.
The School is located in the newly refurbished Alexandra Road building in the Swansea Arts Quarter, with excellent facilities including dedicated design studios with individual workstations, traditional modelling workshops supported by a comprehensive range of advanced CAD/CAM and Rapid Prototyping machines. Students can gain experience of working with wood, metal, plastics, glass, ceramics and automotive styling clay. Our studios and CAD facilities are equipped with Wacom Cintiq displays for freehand digital sketching and the latest versions of industry standard design and visualisation software such as Autodesk Alias, Sketchbook Pro, SolidWorks, and Adobe Creative Suite.
Modules
Year 1 Modules:
These modules are designed to establish a common platform for all students and encourage the development of core design skills, knowledge and experience required by industry:
Year 2 Modules:
Second year modules are specifically designed to develop skills and experience in:
Year 3 Modules:
In the final year students select and manage their own Major and Minor projects so that they can demonstrate their core skills and develop:
Advanced awareness of their intellectual and creative ability.
Professional Accreditations
The programme is not accredited by any single professional body. The programme team encourages students to participate in the work of professional bodies such as the Chartered Society of Designers and the Royal Society of Arts. The programme also benefits from close collaboration with industry through annual live projects. This flexible relationship with industry and the professions allows students to engage with events and projects from a broad spectrum of external bodies.
International
Erasmus
During your time with us you will have the opportunity to study abroad with the Erasmus exchange programmes currently running with Universities in Norway, Barcelona and Sweden.
Study Abroad
Students can also take up the opportunity to study a semester in the USA and Canada.
For more information please click here.
Course Tutor(s)
Assessment
The three main modes of assessment used on this programme are;
Studio Projects - work undertaken to fulfil the demands of a given or student generated brief. Projects are set to examine the student's abilities to master the integration of new design principles and skills to his/her design practice. Studio projects may be set and take place in a variety of forms and over a range of durations, and include activity within the schools Workshops, CAD Studios as well as traditional Design Studios. Students may be required to present a variety of types of work for assessment such as; portfolios, sketchbooks and project journals, presentation boards or three-dimensional models.
Written Assignments - work undertaken by the student in his/her own time. Written assignments may take the form of an illustrated paper or report. In both cases the student is expected to demonstrate critical insight and proficiency in articulating the results of a practice or research based assignment.
Seminar Presentations - this form of assessment requires the student to demonstrate conceptual understanding and evaluate the rigour and validity of published research, extrapolate the underlying principles, and apply this knowledge in new contexts of professional practice.
Career Opportunities
The range of experience and knowledge acquired on this course provides graduates with the necessary creative thinking and communication skills so highly desired in today's dynamic workplace and ensure that the career paths for successful product design graduates are flexible and diverse. Graduates are prepared for the challenges of commercial design practice and can pursue employment opportunities as designers within established consultancies, in-house design teams of manufacturing companies or by setting up their own creative businesses. The University's Life Design Centre supports and guides graduates, giving them the opportunity to take their ideas and make them a reality.
Graduates from the Product Design courses have found employment with some of the worlds established leading names in manufacturing and design consultancy such as Panasonic, SeymourPowell, Lego, Native, Hasbro, Acumen, Gurit, Zodiac Aerospace, Ecophon, Arkam, the Culture Group and Recaro. Some of our graduates have decided to establish a new generation of consultancies such as FKCreate and MeeCreative or to develop specialised design centres for charities such as Cerebra with the support of the University. Alternatively, some graduates have continued their educational development on postgraduate courses studying at PGCE (for teaching), Masters or Doctoral level at UWTSD Swansea and further afield, including specialist postgraduate schools such as the RCA and Domus Academy.
The School of Design & Applied Arts has an annual in house exhibition of final year student work, and attends New Designers in London as a launchpad for your design careers.
Further Information
To keep in touch with day-to-day life in the School you can follow us on Instagram: #discoverdesignproduct
Product, Automotive & Transport Design Prospectus:
http://issuu.com/trinitysaintdavid/docs/industrialdesign
Swansea College of Art Video: https://youtu.be/4vihnej8WiQ
For further information please contact the Course Director.
Related Courses
Additional Costs
Our students have access to a diverse range of equipment and resources, which in most cases are sufficient to complete their programme of study. We provide the basic materials necessary for students to develop their practical work within our extensive workshop and studio facilities. However, it is likely that art and design students will incur some additional costs to extend their investigation of their personal practice. For example, purchasing their own specialised materials and equipment, joining in optional study trips, and printing.
Students are expected to bring their own personal art and design equipment with them when they commence the course. We can advise on the correct equipment needed for your programme of studies and signpost appropriate suppliers if you wish to purchase essential items before or during your studies. A basic 'art and design kit' will cost approximately £100 but you may well already have much of the equipment required so check with us first. Also, although we have extensive dedicated digital design studios (PC and MAC) for you to undertake your coursework you may wish to bring your own digital devices, again check with us first before making a purchase. Depending on distance and duration, optional study visits can vary in cost from approximately £10 to visit local galleries and exhibitions to £200+ for overseas visits - these costs cover things like transport, entry to venues and accommodation and are normally at reduced rates for our students.
Entry Criteria
We are interested in creative people that demonstrate a strong commitment to art and/or design and therefore we welcome applications from individuals from a wide range of backgrounds. To assess student suitability for their chosen course we arrange interviews for all applicants at which your skills, achievements and life experience will be considered as well as your portfolio of work.
Our standard offer for a degree course is 120 UCAS tariff points. We expect applicants to have a grade C or above in English Language (or Welsh) at GCSE level, together with passes in another four subjects. Plus we accept a range of Level 3 qualifications including:
Qualifications are important, however our offers are not solely based on academic results. If you don't have the required UCAS points then please contact the courses admissions tutor or email [email protected] as we can consider offers to applicants based on individual merit, exceptional work, and/or practical experience.
See our Interview Guide for more information.
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