Product Design Subject Guide

If you’re thinking about a postgraduate product design degree, you’ve come to the right place. This guide contains everything you’ll need to know about studying in this field, including what product design jobs you could go on to get, the entry requirements for your courses, and the best product design universities. 

Product design calls to graduates of various disciplines, so whether you’re coming from an interior design or a mechanical engineering background, or anything in between, you might find your place in product design. 

Read on to find out everything you need to know about postgraduate degrees in product design, what you’ll learn, and what doors they could open. 

CONTENTS

• Why do a product design degree?
• What qualifications can you get?
• What jobs can you do with a product design degree?
• What are the product design degree entry requirements?
• What product design courses are there?
• What topics does a product design degree cover?
• What do you learn in a product design degree?
• How will you be taught and assessed?
• How long is a product design degree?
• Where can you study product design?
• What similar subjects are there to product design?

Why do a product design degree? 

Product design is a broad, industry-focused field that is concerned with the design, creation, evaluation, improvement and re-imagining of all kinds of products. These might be everyday items, digital products, industrial outputs, complex machines, vehicles, interior spaces or anything else you can think of. 

It’s a fascinating field that draws on the knowledge and competencies of many different areas to deliver results. Various design and engineering disciplines come together, along with management and marketing insights, to create the items and objects that society relies on every day. 

It’s a popular choice for students due to the diverse product design jobs that await talented graduates. Product design offers an opportunity to grapple with and solve practical problems, deploying creative thinking to meet objectives in varied settings. 

What qualifications can you get? 

Postgraduate qualifications in product design engineering include short taught, master’s and doctoral research. 

Of the shorter qualifications, the postgraduate certificate and postgraduate diploma both offer students the chance to develop a postgraduate level understanding of their subject area or pivot away from the focus of their undergraduate studies in less than an academic year. 

Taught master’s courses include the MA, MFA, MSc and MDes qualifications, highlighting the breadth of product design courses available. These range from design focused, creative courses to engineering and science-based training programmes. 

Doctoral research options include MPhil and PhD qualifications. These research programmes allow students to train as professional researchers and conduct research that will further progress in their specialism. 

What jobs can you do with a product design degree? 

Studying at postgraduate level is an excellent way to open up a wider range of product design jobs and stand out to employers. Many product design courses focus on a specific industry, allowing students to develop an in-depth knowledge of technologies, developments and challenges in that sector. This is an addition to a host of transferable skills that are well-valued by employers. 

As a postgraduate, you could go on to product design roles such as: 

• Product designer 
• Interior designer 
• Exhibition designer 
• Materials technologist 
• Clothing technologist 
• CAD technician 

What are the product design degree entry requirements? 

Successfully applying for a postgraduate product design degree usually requires an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, such as design or engineering, at a 2:2 level or above. Some courses may ask for a higher minimum grade. In many cases, applicants without a degree (or a first degree in an unrelated area) who have significant professional experience will be considered if they can evidence their academic potential. 

Students applying for a doctorate will typically need a master’s degree or sufficient research experience, in a relevant area. 

What product design courses are there? 

A diversity of choice awaits you as a postgraduate student of product design. There are programmes with a broad focus as well as industry specific ones, such as: 

• MA Design: Products and Furniture 
• MSc Cyber Security and Human Factors 
• MSc Product Design Engineering 
• MSc Safety and Human Factors in Aviation 
• PhD/MPhil Human Factors Technology 

What topics does a product design degree cover? 

Product design is a wide-ranging subject that encompasses a number of specialist areas and links to various industries. As a result, postgraduate curricula can differ depending on the course chosen. However, many courses will have modules such as: 

• Product design engineering 
• Diversity and inclusivity by design 
• Research, planning and communication 
• Modern materials 
• Engineering research techniques, entrepreneurship and quality management 

What do you learn in a product design degree? 

As a postgraduate master’s student in product design, you’ll be immersed in the cutting-edge of practices, processes and technologies deployed in various product design industries. With many courses offering interdisciplinary curricula with a mix of classroom and lab/studio based learning, you’ll gain extensive industry knowledge as well as a range of technical skillsets. 

Students will have the opportunity to explore different aspects of product design, challenge existing practices and generate new opportunities for innovation and fresh ideas. Whether it’s one-off product creation or mass fabrication, digital manufacturing or industrial production, students will be able to become experts in their chosen niche. It’s possible to further develop a focus on vocational or research competencies, preparing for success in a variety of product design jobs. 

How will you be taught and assessed? 

Through specialised instruction led by seasoned production design experts, students on product design masters will delve into the intricacies of design theory and practical application. Hands-on workshops in a variety of materials and manufacturing techniques, as well as group discussions, one-on-one tutorials, real-world projects, and research excursions will all be integral components of the learning experience.  

Programs will often boast extensive resources, including workshops for wood, metal, ceramics, glass, plastics, laser cutting, and even 3D printing, to support the development of students’ practical design skills. 

Assessment will usually be through the completion of coursework or assessed practical working. Essays, portfolio creation and presentations may be used in evaluating your performance, along with exams in some cases. 

How long is a product design degree? 

The length of product design courses varies depending on the university running it, the type of qualification, and the design of the curriculum. 

Typically, you can expect to spend 12 to 16 months completing a master’s degree in product design if studying full time. For part-time students, course lengths will usually be double that. An MFA Master of Fine Art degree can take up to 2 years full time, or up to 5 years part time. 

Postgraduate certificates and diplomas will often take less than a year to complete, while a doctorate in product design will take 3 to 4 years with full time study. 

Where can you study product design? 

There are more than 60 postgraduate product design courses on offer at universities across the UK. Finding the perfect course can be tricky, but fortunately our university search tool is a great way to find the best product design university course for your needs. 

What similar subjects are there to product design? 

Before you commit to a postgraduate product design degree, you might want to consider similar subjects like: 

• Design 
• Graphic design 
• Marketing 
• Materials engineering 
• Mechanical engineering