Product Design BA (Hons)

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Available with:

  • Foundation Year

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Course Summary

Our Product Design course will spark your imagination, fuel your curiosity, and build your confidence as you embark on an exciting journey of creativity, digital exploration and hands-on craftsmanship. Through the lens of design thinking, you will tackle real-world challenges by creating innovative, product-driven solutions. Our course offers a sense of purpose and creative fulfilment as you work on projects that are not only meaningful but personal to you.

Our course encourages you to become future-focussed; you will experiment with emerging technologies, progressive design methods, and sustainable materials. You will engage with the very latest digital tools, use virtual reality and artificial intelligence, and learn how to use advanced 3D modelling techniques to produce photo-realistic product renderings. At the same time, you’ll hone traditional craftsmanship in our fully equipped workshops, blending digital making with hands-on fabrication to create functional prototypes and polished final products.

You'll become proficient in ‘Design Thinking,’ a versatile problem-solving method applicable across creative and non-creative industries alike. You’ll learn to generate ideas, think creatively, and explore both physical and digital worlds, taking a playful approach to design that’s imaginative, sustainable, and commercially viable.

Being part of our creative community, you'll share common ground with students from Fashion Design, Graphic Design, and Interior Design. This collaborative experience will expand your knowledge, introduce you to diverse perspectives, and enhance your exposure to different industries. By working with students across disciplines, you’ll broaden your network, gain fresh skills, and be better prepared for success in your chosen career path.

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Why You'll Love It

Learn real-world skills from design professionals with industry experience

You'll dive into the professional world of product design through live briefs with expert designers. Our strong connections with product manufacturers and design-focused businesses will give you a deeper understanding of how products are made, and you'll gain valuable insights on pitching, marketing, and selling your ideas. Plus, you'll have opportunities to attend field trips to exciting cities like New York, Barcelona, and London, expanding your design perspective and network.

A lecturer teaching two students in a Product Design class

Physical and digital tools for product design at your fingertips

You will have access to everything from bandsaws and sand-casting forges to laser cutters, CNC machinery and VR with an integrated approach to AI. Our specialist technicians are on hand to host workshops and to work with you one-on-one when you want to take your technical skills to the next level. At Chester, we specialise in Solidworks, the industry-standard software for 3D modelling with the chance to earn industry-recognised Solidworks certification.

An art student using a virtual headset to explore visual artwork.

Develop your unique design portfolio with supportive, high-contact learning

Our Product Design course offers a friendly, collaborative environment with plenty of one-on-one support. You'll work on both individual and team-based projects, developing creative solutions to real-world design challenges. With high contact time from experienced tutors and technical staff, you'll receive the guidance needed to refine your skills and build a portfolio that showcases your personal design style—preparing you for success in the competitive design industry.

Happy Product Design students sat in a class
Product Design Programme Leader Rebecca Falcon

Product Design BA (Hons)

What You'll Study

The Creative Industries, Media and Performance Foundation Year route encourages you to operate as a creative community, developing new skills while learning from each other. You will build knowledge of your chosen area alongside transferrable practical and academic skills to support future employment.

Students have access to a wide range of specialist facilities. For art, design and innovation students this includes painting and sculpture studios, 3-Dimensional design, printmaking workshops, sewing and fashion workshops and graphic design suites. The performing arts and media students are introduced to our television studios, music production studios, editing facilities, green screen, the ‘black box’ and the ‘white box’.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

The Product Design BA course contains a blend of specialist and interdisciplinary modules at each level of study.

At Level 4, you will learn digital and physical making skills to enable the visualisation of their design ideas, alongside specialist 2D and 3D CAD drawing workshops to support the communication of your designs. You are introduced to the fundamental principles of design where you will gain an understanding of Design Thinking, and the historical and contemporary context within which Product Design sits as a discipline.

The University also offers several optional modules to provide you with the opportunity to learn a language and study abroad.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

Level 5 builds upon this foundation to develop a deeper understanding of materials and the skills to design for manufacture and an introduction to the commercial aspects of product design. A focus on contemporary issues for tomorrow’s designers, creates opportunities for collaborative working on live briefs whilst an Experiential Learning module prepares you for the workplace.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

At Level 6, you will develop your specialist practice and undertake design research and investigation in preparation for your Final Major Project. This is a self-directed, independent project that integrates the knowledge and skills acquired throughout their studies with a focus on professionalism and commercial product design. This is complemented by a Workplace-Readiness module which focuses on portfolio development and prepares you for graduate employment.

The information listed in this section is an overview of the academic content of the course that will take the form of either core or option modules and should be used as a guide. We review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects. If during a review process, course content is significantly changed, we will contact you to notify you of these changes if you receive an offer from us.

How You'll Learn

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This course is designed around in-person study

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Curriculum developed to match workforce priorities

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You will be assessed in a variety of ways

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There may be some online learning activities

This course is delivered in three terms of ten weeks each. In each term, students study 40 credits comprised of either one or two modules. Scheduled contact hours range between approximately six and twelve hours per week, depending upon the level of study and the complexity of the material being taught.

The course is delivered in person with online learning where more appropriate for content, delivery or accessibility. You can expect to take part in studio sessions for:

  • designing activity
  • practical workshops for making and prototyping
  • computer labs for computer-aided design
  • one-to-one tutorials
  • small group seminars
  • lectures
  • and specialist online learning platforms.

You should expect to spend an average of 30-34 hours per week on independent study; which might include following asynchronous learning material on the University’s VLE, using the University’s library, working with peers and preparing work for assessment.

The course is assessed through ongoing coursework and there are no written exams. There will be a broad range of deliverables that you are expected to produce for assessment, to ensure that you are exposed to the different types of tasks that they might encounter in the workplace.

For example, this might include coursework in the form of:

  • physical artefacts
  • development work
  • curated client books & technical packs
  • pitch presentations (verbal and visual)
  • posters
  • and written work (both long and short form).

We continuously review the assessment methods to ensure that they authentically represent the requirements of employers in current workplace roles and adequately prepare you for future graduate-level employment.

All teaching is delivered by experienced academics and practitioners, with the fundamental principles of the Chester Future Skills Curriculum at its core - building your subject competence, confidence, and key transferable skills to shape you into a world-ready Chester graduate.

Creative Campus, Kingsway Tours

Study at our Creative Campus, Kingsway, home to some outstanding art, design and performance-based courses for the University’s School for the Creative Industries. Scroll through our 360 tours to explore our state-of-the-art facilities.

Fashion Design Industrial Workshop

A student stood next to a mannequin

TV Studio

A person operating a camera in a broadcasting studio

Music Performance Studio

A group of music students performing on stage.

Music Recording Studio Control Room

Students in music production studio

Photo Studio

student taking picture of someone in costume in studio

Music Rehearsal Studio

Student singing in performance studio

Music Production Suite

Music editing equipment

Animation Suite

Photography Darkroom

student taking a picture with camera

Workshop

Student holding a globe shaped glass and pencil

Studio

Professional Dance students performing

Outdoor Ampitheatre

A group of students taking part in an outdoor performance with people watching

Common Room

Entry Requirements

112UCAS points

UCAS Tariff

112 points

GCE A Level

Typical offer – BCC-BBC

BTEC

BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM

International Baccalaureate

28 points

Irish / Scottish Highers

Irish Highers: H3 H3 H3 H3 H4

Scottish Highers: BBBB

Access requirements

Access to HE Diploma, to include 45 credits at Level 3, of which 30 must be at Merit or above

T Level

Merit

OCR Cambridge Technicals

OCR Extended Diploma: DMM

Extra Information

Shortlisted applicants will be required to produce a portfolio and attend an interview.

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A Level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

English Language Requirements

  • IELTS Academic: Undergraduate: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
  • Postgraduate: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.

72UCAS points

UCAS Tariff

72 UCAS points 

GCE A level

72 points overall, including grade D in one of the following subjects: Art & Design, Fine Art or Textiles.

BTEC

BTEC Extended Diploma (Art and Design): MMP

International Baccalaureate

24 points including 4 in HL Visual Arts

Irish / Scottish Highers

Irish Highers: H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 including Art

Scottish Highers: CCDD including Art and Design

Access requirements

Access to HE Diploma (Art and Design) – Pass overall

T Level

T Level (Craft and Design): Pass (D or E on the core)

Extra Information

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer.  We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs.

If you are a mature student (21 or over) and have been out of education for a while or do not have experience or qualifications at Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels), then our Foundation Year courses will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed in your chosen degree. 

Fees and Funding

£9,535per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2025/26 are £9,535 a year, or £1,590 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

You can find more information about undergraduate fees on our Fees and Finance pages.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£14,450*per year for a full-time course (2025/26)

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 are £14,450 per year for a full-time course. This fee is set for each year of study.

The University of Chester offers generous international and merit-based scholarships, providing a significant reduction to the published headline tuition fee. You will automatically be considered for these scholarships when your application is reviewed, and any award given will be stated on your offer letter.

For courses with a Foundation Year, the tuition fees for Year 1 are £10,750 and £14,200 for Years 2-4 in 2025/26.

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes. 

We aim to minimise student costs where possible and provide clear, detailed information to help students plan their finances effectively. 

As part of the Product Design BA course, students may incur additional costs for various activities and materials essential for their studies. These costs can include specialised equipment, study trips and materials. 

Specialised Equipment

There are standard workshop tools and graphics equipment that are essential to all product design students, and you will need to build up your own set of tools and equipment over the course of your study. Alternatives will be provided by the University's facilities where possible.

Estimated Cost: £200-£500 (one-time over 3 years).

Optional Study Trips

Organised to enhance learning through practical and guided exposure to real-world design environments, different cultures and inspiring places. Study trips are optional and students are not required to participate in order to successfully complete the course.

Example costs: (2024) European City £450, New York £1200 per trip plus spending money.

Materials

Where possible, materials will be provided by the University for compulsory projects, in the first and second year. For the Final Major Project in the third year, students will be expected to pay for their own specialist materials. This includes materials such as wood, metal, plastics, 3D print filament, boards, paint etc.

Estimated Cost: £50 - £250 per academic year.

The University of Chester supports fair access for students who may need additional support through a range of bursaries and scholarships. 

Full details, as well as terms and conditions for all bursaries and scholarships can be found on the Fees and Finance section of our website.

Who You'll Learn From

Rebecca Falcon

Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Product Design
Rebecca Falcon

Professor David Raffo

Senior Lecturer, Product Design
Professor David Raffo

Chris Millward

Lecturer and Technical Demonstrator Art & Design
Chris Millward profile photo

Gareth Price

Lecturer Graphic Design
Gareth Price

Your Future Career

Job prospects

In a rapidly changing world, there is a rising demand for innovative and user-centred solutions. Product Design equips you with a versatile skill set that can be applied across businesses both within creative industries and beyond. 

Our graduates are employed across many sectors including product design, manufacturing, education, user experience, research, CAD, sales & marketing, business operations and product management.

Careers service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extracurricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

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