BA(Hons) Product Design
This course is open for applications
Introduction
Learn from tutors and professionals with extensive design experience and graduate ready to join industry or start your own creative venture.
Accreditations and partnerships:
Why study product design?
We have reached a point where many products work well and meet our everyday physical needs - but how well do they satisfy and enhance our lives on an emotional level?
There is always a need for highly skilled designers who can explore questions like this.
Product design is an area that rewards those who take risks, challenge conventional thinking and design products, services and user experiences that surprise and delight.
You may also be interested in our BSc(Hons) Product Design Technology course.
Why UWE Bristol?
BA(Hons) Product Design will help you develop your creativity.
If you often look at the things around you and think 'this could have been made so much better', then this course will show you how to go about it.
Develop an empathetic, intuitive understanding of people and how we use and respond to products. Learn about form, ergonomics and materials. Learn from friendly tutors with extensive industry expertise and work on a series of projects in our well-equipped Design Studio.
Gain advanced skills in concept sketching and 3D form, verbal and visual communication, model making, computer-aided design (CAD) and the business of design.
Work on design briefs for a range of industry clients. Past organisations have included Jaguar Land Rover, Dremel Bosch, Omlet and Virgin Marussia Formula 1. Take part in exhibitions and grow your network at industry presentations.
Showcase your work to talent scouts and potential employers at the final year Degree Show.
Graduate with the skill and confidence to create innovative products and build a successful career in the creative industries.
What can I do with a product design degree?
As a graduate, you'll be ready to go into industry or start your own business venture.
Career opportunities are available in service design, graphic design, brand consultancy, user experience design, brand and retail design, design research, marketing and packaging design.
Many graduates are inspired to launch their own products or establish themselves as freelance design consultants.
The image above shows the fantastic work from one of our students (Tom Worton, 2022 Product Design graduate).
Watch: Why I chose Product Design
Structure
Content
The programme sits within the wider Design community within the School of Art and draws on expertise spanning the field of design. We respond to current thinking and practices in the professional design industry as well as developments with cutting edge research and so these areas of inquiry may be subject to change. Through a series of structured briefs each year you'll develop your skills and tailor your practice in a multi-discipline approach. Topics and skills you'll cover include:
Year one
- A focus on human needs at the centre of the design process
- Analysis of a wider critical realm and investigating design in context
- Graphic design
- Physical/digital modelling and communication techniques
- Studio-based practice
- The fundamental skills required to begin your design journey
Year two
- Aesthetics and product language
- Development of digital and CAD based skills
- Engineering for designers
- Further development of your studio practice
- Materials and processes
Placement year (if applicable)
If you study on the four year (sandwich) course, you'll spend a year away from the University on a work placement after Year two.
You'll complete a Work-Based Research Project.
See the Placements and Fees sections for more information.
Final year
- Critically responding to a creative context and developing your own concepts within a clear design direction
- Design research methods
- Future focused design exploration based on emergent trends in; society, technology, materials and the environment
- Honing your studio-based practice with an individually driven project
- Learning to professionally communicate your project work
- Producing a final portfolio project to demonstrate everything you have learned on the programme and help you gain employment.
The University continually enhances our offer by responding to feedback from our students and other stakeholders, ensuring the curriculum is kept up to date and our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for the real world. This may result in changes to the course. If changes to your course are approved, we'll inform you.
"We had the chance to work with a big brand company on a competition, giving us real-world industry experience. My team won this competition, which helped me to stand out when applying for graduate jobs. Since then, I've started my career in kitchen and bathroom design." Maisie, Product Design graduate.
Learning and Teaching
Our lecturers all have years of professional practice within the design industry. Along with an emphasis on hands-on learning, this gives the course professional practice focus that will prepare you for your career in design.
The course is project-led and taught mainly in studios. Apply your new skills and knowledge to diverse projects that solve human-centred problems through design practice.
Get intensive one-to-one mentoring with tutors for practical guidance on your work. Attend guest lectures with professional designers and receive help with your CV and interview skills from our partner organisations.
Lay a foundation in professional design skills including 3D design, sketching, concept generation, presentations, computer-aided design (CAD) and practical workshops. Gain an understanding of people and their complex emotional relationships with products.
Learn about human-centred design, co-design and innovative design processes, materials and manufacturing and form and aesthetics development.
Work on a range of studio projects with real companies (Brabantia, Dremel, Bloodhound and Piper Moto). Research, develop and create a product that will demonstrate your skills in the design area you'd like to grow in.
See our full glossary of learning and teaching terms.
Showcase your work
Showcase your final year projects to family and friends, as well as regional employers at the annual degree show. Take a look at some of our students' stories.
Graduates also exhibit at the New Designers exhibition in London, where awards and media interest are a springboard for careers.
Assessment
You'll be assessed mostly on your project work and the presentation of a portfolio of design and development studies. Four modules include conventional exams as a form of assessment.
Learn more about assessments.
Features
Professional accreditation
This course is accredited by the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED), giving you professional recognition, access to events and opportunities on their website.
Placements
Students who get work experience tend to graduate with better degrees. Experience also hones your skills, industry knowledge and professional network, making you highly employable on graduation.
We have placement opportunities in the UK and Europe, US and China. Past students have worked for in-house design teams, consultancies and manufacturers such as Opel cars, Disney, Omlet, Kinneir Dufort, Trunki, Mathmos and Mira Kohler.
You'll get help to find your placement and support throughout from staff within the School and our award-winning careers service.
Fieldwork
We arrange day trips so you can visit study locations and meet people that can inform your work. We also arrange residential field trips locally, nationally and internationally.
Study facilities
Learn in modern, well-equipped school facilities that simulate industry.
Study and collaborate on group assignments in our dedicated Project Room. Brainstorm concepts in our dedicated design studios.
Develop CAD, model-making, design and drawing skills in integrated studios.
Make models and prototypes and use 3D printers, laser cutters and computer numerical control (CNC) routers in our product design workshop.
This mix of traditional and highly creative learning environments enables you to learn essential knowledge and real-world skills, standing you in good stead for your professional career.
Learn more about UWE Bristol's facilities and resources.
Take a personalised virtual tour of the Design facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.
Life
Accommodation
An excellent range of options for all of the Bristol campuses and the city centre.
Bristol
A stunning city for student living with all the qualities to make you want to stay.
Sports, societies and activities
There is more to your experience here than study. Choose to make the most of it and try new things.
Health and Wellbeing
We provide support in the way you need it.
Campus and facilities
Discover our campuses and the wealth of facilities provided for our students.
Careers
Careers / Further study
After graduating, you'll find career opportunities all over the world.
Potential creative roles include product design, service design, interiors and retail design, marketing and brand consultancy, user experience, graphic or web design, teaching, and exhibition and packaging design.
Many graduates have launched their own products or established themselves as freelance design consultants.
We have strong links with local companies who provide graduate jobs. Most of our graduates go straight into product development roles for design consultancies or join in-house design teams for manufacturers and major brands.
Watch how studying at UWE Bristol led James to win an RSA award for his toaster design.
Get inspired
Our award-winning careers service will develop your employment potential through career coaching and find you graduate jobs, placements and global opportunities.
We can also help find local volunteering and community opportunities, provide support for entrepreneurial activity and get you access to employer events.
Visit our employability pages to learn more about careers, employers and what our students are doing six months after graduating.
See also:
Fees*
Full-time; Sandwich course
Indicative Additional Costs
Supplementary fee information
*The UK Government recently proposed that tuition fees for Home students will increase by 3.1% to £9,535 from 1st August 2025. This increase is subject to Parliamentary approval and the vote is expected to take place later this year.
Any tuition fee which is impacted by this change will be updated following approval.
Please see GOV.UK for further information.
Your overall entitlement to funding is based on how long the course is that you're registered on. Standard funding is allocated based on the standard number of years that your course lasts, plus one additional year.
You'll apply for funding each year that you study and Student Finance will take into account how long the course is in each year that you apply. So if you register for the four year course and then transfer to the three year course, the number of years you can apply for funding will change. Student Finance will reassess your funding based on how many years you have been in study, not just those years for which you received student finance.
Always seek advice before taking any action that may have implications for your funding.
Additional costs
This refers to items you could need during your studies that aren't covered by the standard tuition fee. These could be materials, textbooks, travel, clothing, software or printing.
Entry
Typical offers
- Tariff points: 112
- Contextual tariff: See our contextual offers page.
- GCSE: Grade C/4 in English and Mathematics, or equivalent.
- English Language Requirement:
International and EU applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Please visit our English language requirements page.
- A-level subjects: Art and Design; Design and Technology
- EDEXCEL (BTEC) Diploma: Art and Design; Creative Media Production; Production Arts. For information on required Guided Learning Hours please see our minimum entry requirements page.
- Access: 15 Level 3 credits at Merit in Art and Design or Design and Technology.
- Baccalaureate IB: To include a pass at Higher Level in Design Technology; Visual Arts; Art and Design; Creative Media Production; Production Arts
- Irish Highers: Higher Level in one of the following: Art or Design and Communication Graphics
- Welsh Baccalaureate: We accept tariff points achieved from the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales in conjunction with other Level 3 qualifications. This qualification cannot be used to satisfy any subject specific entry requirements.
- Cambridge Technical: You must be studying one of the following: Art & Design or Digital Media
- T Levels: Craft and Design; Media, Broadcast and Production; Digital Production, Design & Development
Selection process
Applicants may be required to submit a digital portfolio for review within three weeks of their application being received. For more details on the process, please visit our selection page.
Entry requirements
International applicants
For country specific entry requirements please find your country on the Country Information pages.
If you are applying to study at UWE Bristol and require additional support to meet our English language requirements, you may be able to attend one of our pre-sessional English courses. Read more about our Pre-Sessional English Programme.
Read more about entry requirements.
How to apply
Read more about undergraduate applications.
Read more about international applications and key international deadline dates.
For further information
- Email:
UK applicants
Admissions@uwe.ac.ukInternational/EU applicants
International@uwe.ac.uk - Telephone:
UK applicants
+44 (0)117 32 83333International/EU applicants
+44 (0)117 32 86644