Product Design BA
Driven by a passion for understanding people and technology – exploring innovative solutions driven by real opportunities, addressing challenges faced by industry and society
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Our product design degree gives you the knowledge, practical skills and industry experience to build a portfolio that will help you launch a career in a wide-range of sectors.
Why choose Product Design BA Honours at Middlesex?
This course is driven by our passion for understanding people and technology; exploring innovative solutions driven by real opportunities, and addressing challenges faced by both industry and society. Our product design degree gives you the confidence, knowledge, practical skills and industry experience to build a portfolio that will help you launch a career across a wide range of creative sectors. We develop product designers who are innovative, creative, confident, and insightful in responding to user needs, and who have a fundamental understanding of how to design and make things that work.
Accreditations
Our BA course is accredited by the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED) and meets the educational requirements of Registered Product Designer (RProdDes). This accreditation validates the relevance and content of the degree programme to current industry requirements and practice. Accredited courses are fully supported by the IED, and student membership is free to full-time students for the duration of their studies.
Student work
Find us on Instagram @MDXPD, follow our hashtag #mdxpd and take a look at our annual MDXPD magazine that showcases staff and student work.
What you will gain
You will develop not only an essential industry skill set, but a creative, flexible and professional mindset that supports your interests and career ambitions. We sit within the Faculty of Science and Technology, so you will have access to our state-of-the-art facilities for physical and digital prototyping and 3D Computer-Aided Design (CAD). Our staff expertise and industry connections will give you the tools, experiences and networks you need to enter the profession.
What you will learn
Through our project-based design practice, we will support you with the experience, advice, feedback and encouragement you need to grow as a competent and confident product designer.
Our evidence-based approach develops core critical thinking skills and allows students to work across a broad spectrum of creative projects. You will build an extensive portfolio of work that can propel you into industry, developing creatives who value curiosity, collaboration, problem solving, decision-making and communication.
The course content is enriched with industrial engagement and collaborations, such as live projects with industrial partners, external competitions, workshops, projects run by staff in professional practice, and our industry guest lecture series. Through these experiences, you will come to understand design in a commercial context and appreciate the nature and breadth of the design industry.
You will gain a range of practical skills and knowledge required to enter the profession including:
- Effective communication skills: including sketching, graphical communication and presenting and pitching ideas and concepts
- Digital proficiency: experience and expertise in a range of industry standard software including Adobe Creative Suite, Solidworks, and other software applications
- Design research: designing and applying a breadth of methods and tools
- Design process: learning how to identify opportunities and respond to a range of creative briefs, generating and iterating design solutions to meet client needs both individually and in teams
- Prototyping: in both physical and digital form
- Design for manufacture: understanding commercial constraints and the impact of our choices on the environment
- Innovation: exploring contemporary practice and strategies
- Time and project management: you will develop skills in managing your time effectively and meeting project deadlines.
We ensure that all our graduates are inspired and equipped to address the key socio-political and environmental challenges facing the world, and within the programme we address relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals, including:
- Industry, innovation and infrastructure: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation (Goal 9)
- Responsible consumption and production: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns (Goal 12)
- Climate action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (Goal 13)
3 great reasons to pick this course
About your course
The course has been designed to provide a core skill set and understanding of the discipline that reflects professional practice, developing the appropriate knowledge, skills, attitudes and attributes required to enter the profession. From day one you’ll learn to practice as a product designer through hands-on projects, workshops and creative exercises. You will develop the skills and professional confidence to conceptualise, analyse and develop ideas across a breadth of design practice.
In year 1 you will explore the role of the product designer in professional practice and the historical and contemporary environment in which product design operates. You will develop core skills in 2D and 3D design including sketching, ideation, visualisation and physical prototyping, driven by an underpinning knowledge of manufacturing processes and materials.
This module introduces core skills in studio practice and contextual studies. It develops your knowledge of historical and contemporary practice within your discipline and introduces creative processes, critical thinking, visualisation techniques and core study skills. This knowledge and skillset are developed and applied through a series of exercises and projects.
This module introduces you to core skills in prototyping, material selection and processes, and mechanical and electrical principles. The focus of the module is developing confidence, awareness and practical applications of this core skill set for different stages of design and engineering practice.
This module introduces design projects and studio practice. It develops your knowledge and understanding of design methods and models and applies these to a series of exercises and design projects. You are equipped with the skill set required to generate, iterate, critique and communicate ideas in response to a given design brief.
This module offers an introduction to core computing and communication skills for design practice. You will develop skills in computer-aided design (CAD) modelling, design visualisation, design communication and modelling/prototyping. It introduces strategies for engaging with distributed communities of practice and developing an online presence.
In year 2 you will develop and extend this expertise through your knowledge of designing for people, manufacturing processes, materials and ethical and sustainable design practices. You will engage in live projects with industry.
This module develops your advanced computer-aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) capabilities using industry-standard software. It focuses on advanced surface and feature-based modelling, and computer-based analysis tools. You will develop competence to improve designs and help solve technical problems. The module develops your understanding of reverse engineering, mass manufacture design requirements, product lifecycle analysis and provides an introduction to related design optimisation and analysis techniques such as finite element analysis (FEA).
This module provides the opportunity for you to apply your design knowledge and experience to a series of design projects. You will focus on deepening theory, process and contextual knowledge through a series of workshops, and learn how to apply this when responding to complex design briefs. In addition, the module builds your core employability skills, through the development of a professional design portfolio and digital presence.
This module develops your understanding of the commercial, legal, financial, ethical and environmental context of design and engineering processes and their impact on society. We will cover issues such as sustainability goals, recognition of obligations to the society, the professional practice and a commitment to professional standards and code(s) of conduct relevant to your discipline (such as the Engineering Council). The module also covers other wider issues such as materials and their impact on environmental factors, waste management, ethics, EDI in a workplace, enterprise and entrepreneurship, security concerns, globalisation (global manufacturing, operating in global markets, cultural issues, financial concerns, risk etc) and its impact on business operations.
This module equips you with prototyping methods and approaches to enable you to successfully engage in a range of prototyping activities to develop, test and optimise design and engineering proposals. The module will develop the capability to analyse design problems, develop effective prototyping strategies and explore creative approaches to prototyping. You will engage with the learning content by building functioning prototypes, at a range of fidelities, using methods appropriate to the design and engineering task.
This module will strengthen, extend and apply the knowledge, skills and experiences you have gained from your course in a working environment, and to complement, stimulate, reinforce and encourage the development of discipline-specific technical knowledge, and your transferable skills. You will gain knowledge of professional requirements in an industry context and record and critically reflect on your personal practice
In your final year of study, after an optional placement year, you will explore contemporary innovation practices, culminating in a final-year project tailored to your design interests and career trajectory, building a professional portfolio and profile. You will have the opportunity to showcase yourself and your work through our graduate design show.
This module helps develops a systematic understanding of product design development, prototyping, validation and specification at the forefront of current and emerging product design practice. You will develop a body of coherent and detailed knowledge of development frameworks and methods in a range of product/service/interaction/experience sectors. You will deploy this knowledge in a series of practice-based projects to create compelling, feasible and plausible products and experiences suitable for a professional portfolio and career launch.
This module equips you with the skills to understand the process of innovation in design and engineering contexts and be able to appreciate the way it impacts sectoral professional practice. You will further develop research and written communication skills through the identification of evidence-based innovation opportunities
This module gives you the opportunity to synthesise prior learning and develop your planned graduation trajectory through a self-selected, self-initiated and self-directed major project and complementary professional practice components including EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) principles. The direction of the project is a personal choice supported by appropriate staff to help you best synthesise your course experiences into a project that develops your working practice and professional profile to a quality and in a direction suited to your exit trajectory. You will develop a body of coherent and detailed knowledge of project development, management and communication frameworks and methods in an appropriate professional sector.
To find out more about this course please download the BA Product Design course specification (PDF).
We review our courses regularly to improve your experience and graduate prospects so modules may be subject to change.
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Teaching
We will support you in developing your personal design practice through interactive and engaging hand-on design activity, supported by academic staff who are active design practitioners/researchers. We keep our student cohorts small, building a strong community within the course and ensuring that everyone gets the support, guidance and help they need to succeed. You will participate in learning sessions and independent activity in a supportive and well-equipped environment. You will be provided with a free student license for our industry-standard Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software, and for the Adobe Creative Cloud suite of programmes.
You will learn by attending seminars, classes and practical workshops, and undertake creative exercises and projects, attend guest talks and visits and undertake self-directed study.
You will be based at our north London campus with access to industry-standard equipment and software within our design studio, CAD and workshop facilities.
You will work with us on campus for 12 hours per week (over three days). These learning sessions will include:
- Interactive guest talks
- Practical workshop activities
- Creative exercises
- Project-based learning (from directed through to self-initiated and self-directed)
- Laboratory-based IT classes
- Visits
These sessions are supported 36 hours per week of independent study, including activities such as design research, developing software skills, continuation of project work etc.
Here is an indication of how you will split your time:
Year 1
|
Percentage |
Hours |
Typical activity |
|
24% |
288 |
Teaching, learning and assessment |
|
76% |
912 |
Independent learning |
Year 2
|
Percentage |
Hours |
Typical activity |
|
26% |
312 |
Teaching, learning and assessment |
|
74% |
888 |
Independent learning |
Year 3
|
Percentage |
Hours |
Typical activity |
|
26% |
312 |
Teaching, learning and assessment |
|
74% |
888 |
Independent learning |
Whether you are studying full or part-time – your course timetable will balance your study commitments on campus with time for work, life commitments and independent study.
We aim to make timetables available to students at least 2 weeks before the start of term. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on-campus sessions.
Our excellent teaching and support teams will help you develop the skills relevant to your degree from research and practical skills to critical thinking. Our Sheppard Library is open from 7am to 11pm Monday to Sunday during term time. And we offer free 24-hour laptop loans with full desktop software, free printing and Wi-Fi to use on or off campus, even over the weekend.
As product designers, we learn, and are assessed, through our design practice. This can include portfolios of work, oral or recorded presentations, completed projects (both individual and group work), physical and/or digital product prototypes, through to reflective activities and more formal design documentation. Incorporating authentic assessment strategies, you will engage in practical activities and project work that reflect real-world scenarios and industry approaches.
Assessment is 100% coursework, with no additional exams.
The first year is graded as pass/fail (with extensive feedback throughout). This provides a supportive learning environment that supports exploration, experimentation, risk taking and making mistakes as a core component of design practice.
You will receive regular feedback on your work and progress and will be supported in developing the skills and confidence to engage in creative conversations around design ideas. Your feedback may include peer feedback, individual tutor feedback, interim project submissions etc. We recognise that each student is different, and we ensure that everyone gets the time, attention and support that they need to reach their full potential.
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North London campus
Our north London campus is just 20 minutes from central London, giving you easy access to everything this vibrant city has to offer. Make the most of incredible professional opportunities, cultural experiences, and more affordable living, all within a supportive and close-knit campus community.
Learn moreFacilities and support
Our Sheppard Library has over 1000 study areas with and 600 computer spaces, with some areas open 24 hours a day
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Student support
We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health, and disability support.
Additional needs
We'll support you if you have additional needs such as sensory impairment or dyslexia. And if you want to find out whether Middlesex is the right place for you before you apply, get in touch with our Disability and Dyslexia team.
Wellness
Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions, workshops, support groups and useful guides.
Work while you study
Our Middlesex Unitemps branch will help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above. Visit the Middlesex Unitemps page.
Financial support
You can apply for scholarships and bursaries and our MDX Student Starter Kit to help with up to £1,000 of goods, including a new laptop or iPad.
We have also reduced the costs of studying with free laptop loans, free learning resources and discounts to save money on everyday things. Check out our guide to student life on a budget.
Careers
How can the BA Product Design support your career?
We provide an authentic practice-based approach to working in the creative industries, through a course enriched with industrial engagement and collaboration. You will be fully supported in planning your career entry point, developing your portfolio, CV and online profiles.
The course is accredited by the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED), which means our graduates leave us with knowledge and skills aligned with contemporary product design practice. Potential employers exist across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Graduates enter employment taking up positions such as: industrial designer, product designer, service designer, interaction designer, UX/UI designer, designer/craftsperson, creative technologist, and more.
Our alumni are in employment across the globe in organisations such as Lego, dyson, Apple, Sony, LAYER and Native Design.
Check out our 'five years on' and 'ten years on' alumni showcase.
Graduate testimonials
1) "Middlesex university was the best decision I made in my design journey! I was always intrigued by how things were made, building things and problem solving - this passion lead me to product design, and I knew it was the course for me. The team never failed to make me feel at home and included, and helped me learn that failure is part of the journey to success and learning! I felt safe surrounded by my lecturers and peers. During my placement year I had the incredible opportunity to intern at a renowned company, and found my passion which lead me to the job and career I have now!"
Zoe Needham, BA Product Design graduate [2022]
Current employment: Industrial Graphics Design Engineer at ELGA LabWater
2) “I've always been fascinated by problem-solving, product functionality, and manufacturing processes. When I discovered that product design encompassed all of these, I knew it was the perfect course for me. I chose to study at Middlesex University because of the passionate staff and students, and the exceptional facilities. During my placement year, I had the opportunity to intern at two renowned companies. These experiences were truly invaluable, as they allowed me to hone my existing skills whilst acquiring new ones.”
Harry Miller-Adams, BA Product Design graduate [2023]
Current employment: Industrial Designer at LAYER.
Winner of the Product Design award in the 2023 Global Graduate Design Show
3) “Throughout my time at Middlesex, I experienced a thriving community filled with diversity, and I never felt out of place. In fact, I learned to be more open-minded, and my class felt like a close-knit family. The lecturers went beyond their roles as educators and supported my professional and personal growth throughout my university journey. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have experienced this unique and exceptional university environment.”
Faaiza Ali, BA Product Design graduate [2023]
Current employment: 3D Conceptual Designer at Kesslers, London.
MDXworks
Our employability service, MDXworks will launch you into the world of work from the beginning of your course, with placements, projects and networking opportunities through our 1000+ links with industry and big-name employers in London and globally.
Our dedicated lifetime career support, like our business start-up support programme and funding for entrepreneurs, has put us in the top 20 UK universities for business leaders and entrepreneurs – Business Money 2023 and a top 10 university for producing CEOs (Novuana, 2023).
MDXcelerator Student Start-Up Support
Want to be your own boss? You'll have the chance to pitch your business to gain mentoring and grants of up to £15,000.
Global network
You’ll study with students from 122 countries who’ll hopefully become part of your global network. And after you graduate, we'll still support you through our alumni network to help you progress in your chosen career.
Work placements
The course offers a 4 year sandwich option with a year long a professional work experience placement at the end of year 2. Successful completion of this placement year results in an additional qualification - a Diploma of Industrial Studies. The placement experience can take place in between 1-3 companies in the UK or overseas.
Placements and internships can greatly improve your future job prospects after you graduate. They offer a huge boost to your employability through an enhanced portfolio, CV and the development your own creative confidence, and can raise future academic results by giving you the opportunity to practice what have learned in a professional setting.
Our specialist employability service MDXWorks will support you in finding placement opportunities You’ll be supported by a member of the programme team whilst on placement to ensure the success of your time in industry.
Previous students have taken placements in companies ranging from product design consultancy through to innovation consultancy, furniture design and biomedical engineering. For some students, their experiences on placement has led to employment in the company after graduation.
Entry Requirements
At Middlesex, we're proud of how we recognise the potential of future students like you. We make fair and aspirational offers because we want you to aim high, and we’ll support you all the way. We’ll always be as flexible as possible and take into consideration any barriers you may have faced in your learning. And, if you don’t quite get the grades you hoped for, we’ll also look at more than your qualifications. Things like your work experience, other achievements and your personal statement.
Qualifications
- UCAS Points
- 112 points including GCSE: Grade 4/C in English and mathematics
- A-level
- BBC
- BTEC Requirements
- DMM
- Access Requirements
- Overall pass: must include 45 credits at level 3, of which all 45 must be at Merit or higher
- Combinations
- A combination of A-Level, BTEC and other accepted qualifications that total 112 UCAS Tariff points
We'll accept T Levels for entry onto our undergraduate degree courses (including our extended courses with a foundation year) with the standard application of science requirements and GCSEs in line with UCAS tariff calculation.
Our entry requirements page outlines how we make offers.
Foundation year
We welcome applications from mature candidates, including those without formal qualifications if you can demonstrate relevant experience and ability.
Mature students (over 21)
We welcome applications from mature candidates, including those without formal qualifications, provided you can demonstrate relevant experience and ability.
Academic credit
If you have a qualification such as a foundation degree or HND or have gained credit at another university, you may be able to join us in year two or three. Find out how you can transfer courses.
If you have relevant qualifications or work experience, we may be able to count this towards your entry requirements.
We welcome students from the UK and all over the world. Join students from over 122 countries and discover why so many international students call our campus home:
- Quality teaching with top facilities plus flexible online learning
- Welcoming north London campus that's only 30 minutes from central London
- Work placements and networking with top London employers
- Award-winning career support to get you where you want to go after university.
Qualifications
We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the accepted qualifications on your country's support page. If you are unsure of the suitability of your qualifications or would like help with your application, please contact your nearest international office.
English language
You will need to meet our English language requirements. And, don’t worry If you don't meet our minimum English language requirements, as we offer a Pre-sessional English course.
Visas
To study with us in the UK, you might need a Student visa. Please check to see if this applies to you.
Entry onto this course requires a portfolio of work. Please view our interviews and portfolios page for more information.
Your portfolio is an important part of the application process for the programme. It helps us to understand a little more about you, and supports meaningful conversation about your interests, skills, and experiences. It is important to remember that when we review portfolios we are looking for passion and potential, rather than a complete set of existing skills. You are coming to university to learn to be a designer, so we don’t expect you to know how to do it all already (that’s what we’re here for!)
Please apply via UCAS using the UCAS code W240.
Need help with your application? Check out our undergraduate application page.
The following study tools are included in your fees:
- Free laptop loans for up to 24 hours
- Free e-books and e-journals for key course texts
- Free access to everything on your reading list
- Free specialist software for your course
- Free printing for academic paperwork
- Free online training with LinkedIn Learning
Scholarships and bursaries
To help make uni affordable, we do everything we can to support you including our:
- MDX Excellence Scholarship offers grants of up to £2,000 per year for UK students
- Regional or International Merit Awards which reward International students with up to £2,000 towards course fees
- Our MDX Student Starter Kit to help with up to £1,000 of goods, including a new laptop or iPad.
Find out more about undergraduate funding and all of our scholarships and bursaries.
Fees disclaimers
1. UK fees: The university reserves the right to increase undergraduate tuition fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions. The tuition fees for part-time UK study are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.
Based on the current fee, for a typical three-year degree, the total costs for your studies will be £28,605.
2. International fees: Tuition fees are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.
Any annual increase in tuition fees as provided for above will be notified to students at the earliest opportunity in advance of the academic year to which any applicable inflationary rise may apply.
Chat with our students about life at Middlesex
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Unistats information
Discover Uni provides applicants with Unistats statistics about undergraduate life at Middlesex.
Please select 'see course data' on the following course option to view the full Unistats data for Animation.
We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.
Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.
Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.
At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.