Product Design BA (Hons)
Study level: Undergraduate
We take a user-centred approach to designing innovative, sustainable and forward-thinking products for volume production, including furniture, healthcare products, toys and consumer electronics.
Year of entry
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Sandwich
Duration
3 years full-time
4 years sandwich
Course code
W24D
Start date
September 2023
Course overview
Our long-established degree course aims to prepare you for a range of roles in the creative industries, including product design, UX design, research, development, modelling, visualisation and design management.
- Visualising and Prototyping: You will explore a range of hands-on and digital tools and techniques with access to our extensive workshop facilities.
- Human-centred Design: You will design products informed by insights and trends identified through focussed research, that deliver a rich user experience.
- Design for Manufacture: You will balance aesthetic and functional requirements to optimise products for sustainable production.

Joint Top Modern University for Career Prospects
Guardian University Guide 2021 and 2022
5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities
QS Stars University Ratings
Top 5 UK Student City (Coventry)
QS Best Student Cities Index 2023Why you should study this course
- Our studio-based course will allow you to explore, create, collaborate and develop the skills required to design innovative products, supported by peers and guided by experienced practitioners.
- Extensive workshops include laser cutting, rapid prototyping, CNC/robotic milling, 3D scanning and clay modelling facilities, hack spaces and immersive studios4.
- Digital suites offer industry-standard CAD modelling, rendering, graphics, animation and video-editing software.
- Our visiting speaker programme makes use of our extensive alumni and industry network, with previous talks from Zoe Laughlin (Institute of Making), John Tree (Jasper Morrison) and Map Project Office (subject to availability).
- Gain an international perspective with our international participating institutions, who provide opportunities for shared learning and the potential for travel and study abroad2.
“In the course there’s lots of room for people with all types of skillsets.” – Oliver Sinclair (2020)
Coventry Degree Show 2023
The Coventry Degree Show is an annual event to celebrate and showcase our graduating students’ work.
Explore the work of our talented students

What you'll study
This course has a common first year.
The common first year enables you to work alongside students doing similar courses to you, to widen your knowledge and exposure to other subject areas and professions. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other students, so you can share your insights and experience which will help you to develop and learn.
If you discover an interest in a specific subject you have studied, upon successful completion of your first year, you could swap degrees with another course in your common first year (subject to meeting progression requirements).
Common first year courses
- Automotive and Transport Design BA (Hons)
- Graphic Design BA (Hons)
- Product Design BA (Hons)
We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
How you'll learn
The School of Art and Design teaching and learning mirrors the needs of the Creative Industries with the aim of ensuring that our graduates are equipped with the skills and attributes to become industry specialists, leaders and innovators to drive social responsibility and design global change.
The ability to be entrepreneurial, innovative and embrace change underpins our Art and Design courses. Our studio and workshop culture ensures you are socially responsible in our creative community and develop critical thinking in research and making processes. Our global initiatives will give you skills to become collaborative communicators and make you culturally competent in the ever-changing world of Art or Design.
As the creative arena is an ever-evolving space, being curious and adaptable learners is key to our school’s graduates. You will learn how to recognise your strengths and learning needs, how to self-reflect and grow. You will identify your personal development and drive your projects for ambitious career aspirations.
Teaching contact hours
You will typically have 15 to 18 hours per week in your first year, 12 to 15 hours in your second year, and 9 to 12 hours in your final year. The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online activities.
Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study each week of approximately 15 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.
We understand that everyone learns differently, so we’ll look to manage your learning journey to match your strengths and aspirations. Your learning experience on each of our courses will consist of structured teaching sessions, which can include:
- On campus lectures, seminars and workshops
- Group work
- Self-directed learning
- Work placement opportunities2.
If you would like more information, you can request information about teaching hours.
Part of university life is undertaking self-directed learning. During a typical week you will have time that allows you to work independently to apply the skills and knowledge you have learnt in taught or facilitated sessions to your projects or assignment briefs. This self-directed learning allows you to use your research skills, consolidate your knowledge or undertake collaborative group work.
As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2023/2024 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Assessment
You will be assessed using a variety of methods which could vary depending upon the module. In the School of Art & Design we design our assessment methods to replicate the creative industry ways of working. This ensures that you have the chance to learn skills for future career opportunities.
Assessment methods may include reports, practical coursework and presentations as part of individual assignments or group work elements.
The Coventry University assessment strategy aims to ensure that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
International experience opportunities
There are opportunities for exchange with students on a similar course in overseas universities. European cultural visits will be offered to students in all years2.
Throughout the course, design briefs are written with an international focus, enhancing your global experience and broadening your mindset. You may engage in Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects with participating institutions and other international universities around the world.
The product design course has allowed me to grow and become who I am today. It has offered me countless opportunities to develop my skills and push myself to become a confident individual ready to take on the world.

Entry requirements
Typical offer for 2023/24 entry.
Fees and funding
2023/24 tuition fees.
Student | Full-time | Part-time |
---|---|---|
UK | £9,250 per year | Not available |
International | £19,850 per year | Not available |
If you choose to do a work placement2, you should consider travel and living costs to cover this. There is also a tuition fee3 of £1,250 that will cover your academic support throughout your placement year.
For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.
We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.
The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:
- Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
- Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad)
-
How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the government's Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.
If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.
Facilities
The Faculty of Arts and Humanities is joining two of our school’s completely refurbished Art and Design buildings and adding a range of new facilities4.
These will include a hyper studio designed for cross-disciplinary projects; immersive studios with cutting-edge virtual reality and mixed-reality technologies. Our aim is to offer you sector-leading facilities in a unique environment. The new Delia Derbyshire facility is planned to open in 2023.
Our current digital and industrial workshops are of industry-standard quality and house 3D rapid prototyping, laser cutters and milling machines. These facilities are available to all students on our courses at no extra cost. These are subject to availability.
We also have a ceramic and small-metal-working workshop, a large digital print bureau, and clay modelling studios where you can realise your creative artistic and design solutions.
The fashion workshops have digital embroidery machines, digital printers and a printmaking workshop that includes etching, screen printing and a letterpress studio.
In our Mac and PC CAD labs, you can become digitally literate in presentation and design skills using the Adobe suite of software. You can also learn other software packages including Alias, Toom Boom, Revit, and Maya that maybe relevant to your studies.

Workshops
Our extensive workshops will allow you to model in wood, metal, plastics, glass, ceramics and styling clay, with additional facilities for 3D printing, CNC milling and laser cutting. (Location: Delia Derbyshire Building)

Software suites
Our PC and Mac labs are equipped with the latest 2D and 3D software, including Adobe Creative Cloud. (Location: Delia Derbyshire Building).

Studio Spaces
You will have open access to specialist design studios in which to work and collaborate. (Location: Delia Derbyshire Building)
Careers and opportunities
The structure of the course, the experiences and support made available to you are all designed with a view to developing the skills, competencies and imaginative thinking necessary for a creative career in a demanding, competitive and rapidly changing work environment.
Whether you choose to enter employment in a design consultancy or studio upon graduation, or wish to study further, the course aims to produce graduates that are flexible, responsive and resilient. Whatever your career trajectory, we can work together with the aim of making you industry ready.
Our Talent Team is on hand to offer tailored career and enterprise support if you wish to gain employment or take advantage of professional practice opportunities. It provides specialist careers information, advice and guidance to all our students from their first year through to final year and beyond graduation, helping them achieve their desired career outcome. Our dedicated enterprise officers can also offer valuable assistance on how to begin as a freelancer/entrepreneur. (Talent Team and enterprise officers are subject to availability).
Your creative thinking, problem-solving and communication skills are highly valued by employers and could lead to roles in product design and related practices, such as design engineering, packaging design, digital modelling, trend forecasting, UX design, design management, marketing or academia.
Where our graduates work
Previous graduates have gone on to work at some prestigious companies including:
- Boss Design
- DCA
- Dyson
- IDEO.org
- Jaguar Land Rover
- LAYER
- Paul Smith
- Puma
- PriestmanGoode
- Stanley Black & Decker
Further study
How to apply
-
UK students
Full-time students applying to start in September 2023 can apply for this course through UCAS from 6 September 2022. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
Part-time students should apply directly to the university.
If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form
-
International students
International codes:
AHU089Full-time students applying to start in September 2023 should apply directly to the university.
How to applyFor further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International hub.
You can also download our International guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation and tips for travel.
Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form
-
Disclaimers
Coventry University together with Coventry University London Campus, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the “University”) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.
1Accreditations
The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
2UK and international opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or International opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the visa requirements, please contact the International Office.
3Tuition fees
The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.
For International Students, we may increase fees each year but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.
4Facilities
Due to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. The 2023/24 Contract is currently being updated so please revisit this page before submitting your application. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
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