Industrial Design BA (Hons)

Compulsory

• Design Process and Research

  Aim: To enable students to familiarise with the design process and engage with the broader context of design research methods, their application within visual, market, user-centred, inclusive and other design fields. To also understand design’s ethical position and the relationships between societal, economic and environmental dimensions in global and local contexts relating to design decisions.

• Design Communication

  Aim: To enable students to have an appreciation of visual literacy in the context of design and visual expression, appreciating the context of visual thinking and to develop visual thinking techniques and processes through a variety of media. To help students develop foundation skills in visual communication, graphic communication, visualisation, design and the use of computer-generated media methods.

• Materials and Manufacturing

  Aim: To enable students to develop the fundamental knowledge of materials science and materials engineering, properties for various materials, the selection process and manufacturing methods. To also help students to establish links between materials, production volumes and manufacturing processes in product design.

• Introduction to Mechanics

  Aim: To introduce basic concepts and methods of engineering mechanics including statics and dynamics, relevant to the analysis of existing products using mathematical elements that underpin engineering mechanics. To enable students to make informed judgements about load, product geometry, mechanics of materials and energy considerations.

• Computer Based Design

  To introduce students to the basics of computer-based design methods and techniques including model representations, geometric sketches, constraints, and 3D features. To develop understanding and skills required to produce computer generated digital models, technical drawings, material simulation and rapid prototyping approaches within a CAD environment. 

• Creative Engineering Practice

  Aim: To provide students with a solid foundation in electronic engineering and mathematics, including an in-depth knowledge in electronic components in terms of their functionality and applications. To also provide working knowledge in computer software to simulate and solve electronic circuits and associated mathematics.

Compulsory

• UX Design and Graphics

  The module offers the opportunity to develop students’ critical awareness, understanding and skills to think and communicate visually across all stages of the design process including branding, design, usability and function.

• Design for Manufacturing and Advanced CAD

  The module will help students to develop awareness of the range of suitable manufacturing processes for key materials such as plastics and metals, by also considering the manufacturing constraints and potential defects. To better identify the design rules necessary to avoid product quality issues and to establish the proper links between virtual prototyping in CAD, physical prototyping, scaled production volumes and efficient assembly/joining methods. 

• Technical Design Applications

  The module offers students the opportunity to consider creative technology principles, applications, models and methodologies to develop technological solutions. Students will study aspects of creative technology applications, and apply the knowledge gained to the design of electro-mechanical systems and their interfaces, within a product design context.

• Design Practice and Minor Projects

  This module enables students to develop their ability to use methodologies to conceive, explore, develop, evaluate, synthesise, realise, externalise and communicate the design of products and solutions through virtual modelling and simulation. By tackling design challenges through innovation, they systematically apply design process tools within a variety of contexts, with consideration to design, engineering and manufacturing issues.

• Fundamentals of Design for Sustainability

  The module introduces students to concept such as sustainable development, key environmental issues, Life Cycle Analysis etc. Students carry out a streamlined environmental review of a product in the earliest stages of the design process. Students will gain an in-depth knowledge of product eco-design and design for circular products, and to be able to apply these approaches in practice.

• Fundamentals of Innovation

  This module enables students to develop capabilities relating to personal innovation and creativity, to enhance entrepreneurial thinking and manage innovation. Students will be introduced to the concepts and relevant theories of innovation and entrepreneurship, while instilling their importance during the introduction, growth and survival of new products, services and businesses.

Compulsory

• Industrial Design Major Project (Research)

  This module enables students to research and define the requirements of a self-defined or industry-based project.    They will demonstrate the comprehensive skills acquired through their academic programme and apply these to define an industrial design opportunity. Students will demonstrate a deep level of knowledge of the design and innovation process and develop individual specialisations and creative differentiation.

• Industrial Design Major Project (Development)

  From the insights and definition gained during their major project research module, students will combine all the skills acquired during their course to develop an innovative design proposal though iterative design thinking, user interaction, experimental visual design language, materials and manufacture.  Students will realise their designs using 3D CAD and digital manufacture combined with traditional model making techniques.

Optional

• Advanced Design for Sustainability Project

  This module enables students to tackle sustainability challenges by shaping production-consumption systems (product-service system design, design for circular systems), individual behaviour (emotionally durable design, design for sustainable behaviour) and collective behaviour (design for social innovations). Students will analyse a complex sustainability challenge, identify critical issues and apply a combination of design for sustainability approaches to address the challenge.

• Advanced UX and Interaction Design Project

  The module aims to provide a working knowledge of interaction design, user experience and user interface principles. Students will be introduced to various interaction design approaches and design tools including participatory and co-design techniques. Students will participate in the critical evaluation of digital products and develop appropriate methodologies, processes and techniques for creative data and systems visualisation. 

• Advanced Design Innovation Project

  This module offers the opportunity to develop advanced design innovation methodologies and approaches that enable a broader understanding of the current and future contextual issues facing our world and identify creative solutions that respond to real human needs.   The module combines design process, brand re-positioning, detailed product visual language, product family image and the production of high-quality visual appearance models.

• Product Design Engineering Analysis Project

  This module will develop students’ ability to analyse the stress distribution of components both theoretically and using Finite Element Analysis (FEA), the ability to analyse the structure, dynamics and mechanisms of products theoretically and interpret and present the results to optimise a design. Students will develop technical and analytical skills in the real-world of product design.

• Embedded Systems for Product Design Project

  This module provides an environment for students to develop and demonstrate skills and knowledge in the application of microcontroller interfacing techniques, to understand theoretical and code-related principles associated with embedded systems and to design dedicated electronic and electromechanical embedded systems that can be transferred to their major project and that can be used for prototyping products of commercial quality.