About this course
- Entry year: 2012/13
- Course code: W200
- Level: Undergraduate
- Tariff points: 300
- Department: Engineering, Design and Mathematics
- Campus: Frenchay
- Duration: Four years sandwich, three years full-time.
- Delivery: Full-time, sandwich
- Programme leader: Kurt Gauss
- Key fact: This new course brings together UWE's existing nationally recognised disciplines - product design and robotics - into a new and creatively challenging course.
Introduction
Modern society increasingly demands 'smarter products' - physical objects which can change their behaviour in response to their environment and to how they are used. Society is full of them. A simple internet search will return lists from smart toys for just about any age, smart transport options, (the new Volvo XC60 with auto braking is just one recent example), communication and entertainment (mobile phones which sense your location and movement and offers you new applications, MP3 players and more) and a wide range of products to meet social needs - interactive whiteboards in schools and even food scales which can give you the nutritional value of the food you are about to eat!
There is growing demand for multidisciplinary innovators and creators who are able to turn their 'smart product' ideas into reality and into the marketplace. America and Japan currently lead this innovative design and manufacturing market. UK Plc is crying out for enterprising individuals who are skilled at creating physical products with associated behaviours to compete.
The BSc(Hons) Design for Smart Products aims to prepare you for a future career in product design and innovation. You will develop a thorough understanding of the technologies underpinning effective product design and development. Alongside this, you will also gain an insight into robotic systems and the practical skills needed to embed artificial intelligence within your product. We will develop you into a creative design practitioner, with a strong understanding of the business, social and ethical context of the profession you will be entering.
Structure
Content
Year 1
The first year introduces you to the nature of design and design activity. You will also be introduced to practical electronics, robotics as well as programming using C. You will start to use the design tools that will become increasingly important in the latter years of the course, and work on group design projects. You will also be introduced to practical electronics, robotics as well as programming using C.
Year 2
You will develop your understanding of materials science and associated manufacturing processes, and gain practice in embodying your ideas using the wide range of product processes available to produce prototype designs. In particular you will be introduced to the very latest computer simulation tools used for product and design optimisation. You will study modules covering embedded microprocessor systems and machine vision. You will also work on a substantial group project, developing your smart product ideas.
Final year
A major proportion of your final year is taken up with an individual project. You may be able to use the links we have with local companies in order to base your project on a real industry-based design problem. You will also continue to develop your use of real and virtual modelling tools available for reducing design lead times and time to market, and will explore the relationships between design and business.
Assessment
All material is normally assessed by a mixture of assignments and examinations, depending on the nature of the module. This course places considerable emphasis on the practical application of learning - so assessed project work will also play a key role. There will be group project work and the presentation of a portfolio of design and development studies.
Special Features
Placements
If you are successful in finding an industrial placement period, which could be from just a few weeks to a full year, you will discover that the experience of being in a company, typically working on a project as part of a team, is an excellent preparation for your future career and invariably improves your final year performance. The Placement team will show you how to prepare your CV correctly, advise you on how to write letters of application and help you learn successful interview techniques.
Careers/further study
Meet Our Partners
Our degrees can lead to a wide variety of career choices. To ensure that our degrees make you as employable as possible, the UWE Department of Engineering Design and Mathematics works closely with seven major partner employers.
Partner Employers
Entry
Typical offers
- Tariff points: 300
- GCSE: Maths and English Language at grade C or above required.
- Specific subjects: Design and Technology or similar
- Access: Achievement of the Access to HE Diploma; achievement of level 3 credits in Design and Technology; achievement of level 2 credits in Maths and English Language.
- Baccalaureate IB: Accepted (se the UCAS website for the UCAS tariff points that you can gain from the IB to put towards our points requirements above)
Entry requirements
In addition to the 'typical offer' given here, please read the general information about entry requirements.
For further information
Page last updated 14 December 2011