Product Design and Manufacture, BEng (Hons), with industry placement

Course summary

Our four-year BEng Product Design and Manufacture course includes an industrial year during which students will gain real-world experience within design or a similar field. The course combines creativity with engineering principles and provide students with all the necessary skills to enter a design facing career.The world around us is full of problems, some small inconveniences and other global challenges such as climate change. Product Designers combine a broad range of creative, engineering and manufacturing skills to produce commercially viable solutions to these problems.Our course utilises modern technology - from digital sketching through to high end 3D printing, rapid prototyping facilities and virtual reality equipment, to ensure our graduates leave prepared for the modern world of product design.Students study a broad range of modules to develop practical design skills and knowledge in key areas including manufacturing, materials, ergonomics, marketing and more.Project work is a key part of the course, responding to challenges in a variety of sectors including medical, automotive, packaging, appliances and electronic goods and many more. Projects enable you to take a realistic approach to design, utilising your taught knowledge of manufacturing and engineering principles. You’ll develop products and components that are appropriate for mass manufacture and consider commercial factors.Our courses are delivered by academic staff who have industrial experience, in conjunction with Product Designers who currently work in industrial roles. This ensures that our course is relevant to the current needs of employers.On this course students could undertake their industrial year in between their second and third years of study. Our dedicated faculty placement team who provide guidance on applying for placements, host employer events and help with your transition back to university life. Whilst you are on placement you’ll receive visits and support from academic staff.

You will have gained an understanding of the key principles and practices of product design. In your first year you will cover a broad range of topics in engineering science and design, manufacturing processes, material selection and behaviour, mathematics and business studies. Modules include statistics and mechanics of solids, materials and manufacturing, drawing for design and many more. In your second year you will undertake a year working in industry. After completing your industrial year in your second year you will develop your design skills and commercial awareness. In your third year you will work on more challenging design projects including a major individual project.