Product Design Innovation MA

Course overview

You will be expected to work collaboratively in an internationalised, cross-disciplinary and transcultural context. The focus of the course is on employing research and critical and creative thinking skills to solve complex 3D design problems, with imagination and insight.

• Research and critical and creative thinking are at the heart of all projects, as is ensuring you recognise sustainable and ethical approaches.
• You will have the option to apply for a ‘professional experience’ opportunity², designed to further develop your skills and knowledge with the aim of maximising your employability prospects. See the ‘Modules’ section for more information.

Why you should study this course

You will be guided towards creative, imaginative and innovative ways of problem-solving and investigation.

We aim to provide you with multiple options for the expression of creative explorations, including academic writing, multi-media outcomes, model making, oral and visual presentations, digital portfolios and online content.

Key features of the course are the opportunities for working with live client projects² and where possible, Collaborative Online International Learning projects (COIL)².

• Specialist design studios⁴ feature drawing tables, presentation equipment and wireless internet access, supported by a dedicated print bureau for 2D outputs up to A0 size and the CSAD Art Shop.
• Extensive facilities⁴ include state-of-the-art laser cutting, rapid prototyping, desktop CNC milling, 3D printing facilities, paint spraying, scanners, two large block material workshops and handwork shops.
• Computing suites⁴ offer modelling, animation and analysis software, as well as graphic and word-processing packages, including Alias, Maya, Adobe Creative Suite, Rhino, Vector works, RAMSIS and Jack ergonomics software. Visualisation is supported with software such as Bunkspeed, Showcase and VRED.

Careers and opportunities

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• undertake research and evaluative reflection in order to synthesise and articulate an advanced knowledge of the theoretical and thematic concerns within product design and innovation practice
• deploy skills, techniques and technologies with originality and imagination in relation to a defined discipline for continued product design and innovation practice at an advanced level
• realise complex and ambitious artefacts/projects for identified and diverse audiences and contexts
• contribute to the shaping of a global contemporary discourse by engaging with innovative, experimental, hybrid and creative approaches to design practice
• demonstrate advanced personal skills, judgement and critical awareness enabling problem-solving and innovation applicable to a wide range of creative, professional, social and collaborative contexts
• critically and creatively engage industrial design insights and experience to manage innovative design activity and effective stakeholder/professional engagement.

This course encourages you to develop your ability to design products with significant engineering or technological content, to optimise solutions for specific consumer and professional markets, and develop products which delight end users.

It is designed to prepare you for leadership and decision-making positions within product design agencies, manufacturing companies, design consultancies, research and development departments, research institutions and government bodies.

Professional enhancement is central to our ethos which is why we encourage collaboration with industry practitioners and work on ‘live’ briefs².

Upon completion of your final major project, you will have the chance to take part in a degree show².