Tuition fees: £9,000 (£1,000 during placement year) for UK/EU students. (2012).
More on fees
3 years full-time / 4 years full-time with integrated placement year
UCAS Code: H331
Typical offer level
A Level: BBB-ABB
BTEC National Diploma: DDD in relevant National Diploma
IB: 32 points (including a science subject at Higher Level)
Specific subject requirements
A Level: A Science or Technical Subject
General Studies accepted
GCSE: Maths Grade B and English Grade C
A suitable combination of two A Level and two AS Level subjects may be accepted
Applicants receiving offers are invited to an open day.
Information on visas for international students
Emphasis on practical applications through case studies, exhibitions and ‘live’ projects
Ranked in the UK's top 15 for Production and Manufacturing engineering in the Times Good University Guide 2010
Management and communication skills integrated into the programme
Flexibility of transfer between Product Design programmes with common first year
Extensive, paid industrial placement opportunities
Active Student Design Society
General Engineering at Aston rated grade 5 for Research
To design is to create something new. This requires innovative thinking. Looking at products do you sometimes say “I could have designed this better”?
Do you want to work in an innovative and enterprising arena that would challenge your creative and problem-solving abilities? Our Product Design programmes offer all these opportunities.
A fast moving and rapidly developing product design sector. This programme will encompass a wide range of design opportunities using a mix of technological applications and innovation with function and style. Live projects include the Formula Student racing team - design, build and race a car against other universities. We also have excellent placement links with the UK automotive industry.
Jump to:
In the School of Engineering and Applied Science we aim to develop a new generation of creative product designers with knowledge, skills and ideas that will be valued by all sectors of design, development, production and business. This aim is achieved by providing project driven degree programmes that include creative thinking and design visualisation, in parallel with studies in engineering science, materials and manufacturing and the management of innovation.
All our first year programmes give you a grounding in the principles of Product Design together with flexibility to change streams at the end of the first year to reflect your own design interests.
In the second and final year you will experience a common core of six design modules to support your specialist stream of four subject specific modules. In addition you will develop design projects that integrate your design specialism with the core aspects of Product Design.
Our design courses are stimulating, relevant, challenging and rewarding. We aim to provide you with the knowledge of materials, production processes and technology as well as skills in aesthetics, ergonomics and management that will enable you to develop a successful career in design. These aims include:
- developing your understanding of the significance of design to the profitability of business, commerce and the economy as a whole
- continual development of relevant skills including presentation, ICT and team working which are sought after by employers
- expanding your knowledge, confidence, professional values and attitudes essential for a successful career in Product Design
Year 1
Modules
Year 2
Modules
- Industrial Design 2
- Product Modelling2
- Quality Engineering
- CAD 2
- Design for Manufacture
- Design Project (2 modules)
- Ergonomics
APD specific modules
- Health & Safety in Vehicle Design
- Aesthetics
- Automotive Instrumentation & Control
- Automotive Technology
Year 3 - Optional placement year
See placement year section or find out more about the Aston placement year.
Final Year
Modules
- Operations Strategy (2 modules)
- Energy Efficiency [
- Individual Main Project (4 modules)
- Design Failure Analysis
- New Product Proposal
- Automotive Technology
Plus one option from:
- Project Management 2
- Design & Engineering Competition
- Design Project (Sustainability)
Our programmes are application-led through a provision of core case studies and projects, the majority of which are team-based and simulate the actual work of product development. You will also undertake individual projects throughout your studies, which will enable you to create a balance between group and individual work. Each year you will also carry out ‘live’ design projects with industrial partners.
To ensure you gain a thorough understanding of fundamental engineering principles as well as practical skills, the programme encompasses relevant analytical material, which is provided through lectures, tutorials, labs and directed study. The programme is supported by additional lectures and seminars provided by specialists from industry. Assessment is by a combination of continuous assessment, case studies, design projects and written exams.
This course is accredited by the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED).
Career opportunities exist for our graduates in design, general management and consultancy, technology, engineering and education (e.g. teaching), areas where Aston graduates have been successful over many years. Our students are able to demonstrate creative design skills alongside sound technical knowledge and experience, a balance which employers consider to be an advantage.
Recent graduate destinations include design or technical roles for companies such as Laing, Goodrich, Husio International, The Eden Project, J Engineering, SMK, The Marketing Company, Sainsbury’s, TNA Europe, Hives, Rolls Royce and Calsonic Kansei.
Recent graduate roles include:
- Design engineers
- CAD specialists
- Management trainees
- Further study in Industrial Design
- General management, education and administration
You will have access to state-of-the-art computing facilities, including CAD (Computer Aided Design) labs loaded with some of the latest CAD software, design studios and PCs for word-processing and self tuition. You will develop your computing skills and use computers to help solve design problems. We provide extensive laboratories to demonstrate engineering and manufacturing principles as well as dedicated design studios and modelmaking labs for project work.
Chris Evans
Programme Director Product Design
BA Industrial Design
Chris Evans has been a design educationalist since 1989. His strong interest in Industrial Design education is underpinned by 20 years of professional work designing and managing within leading manufacturing organisations. These include Mettoy Ltd (Corgi: die-cast toys); Ogle Design Consultancy (toys, consumer electronics, transport systems); Prestige plc (kitchen cookware); Crown House Tableware (glass, ceramics) and Hasbro Europe (toys). Although Arts School trained, Chris believes that design students must combine their creativity skills and innovative flair with appropriate engineering and technological knowledge plus have an effective understanding of markets and the real user requirements.
Christian McLening
Lecturer in Product Design
Christian is a designer and academic based at Aston University since 2009 with a research interest in sustainable design and creativity. His main area of industrial experience has been within the automotive and architectural product design industries, working on concept vehicles, electric vehicles and the design and manufacture of automotive interiors for a range of large car companies.
In recent years he has been involved with the Product Design group within ARUP associate London, involved in design development of a number of architectural product and environmentally sensitive projects, such as Pocket Habitat a green roofing system.
Dr Gareth Thomson
PhD
Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering
Gareth joined Aston University in January 2009, having previously been the course director of the Mechanical Engineering course at the University of Dundee. In his time at Dundee he was involved in not only the Mechanical Engineering programme but also set up a joint Product Design degree with Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art. Prior to this he was a researcher involved in laser applications at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.
Professor Geoff Tansley
PhD CEng FIMechE
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Prof Tansley developed his engineering modelling skills through industrial consulting, research projects in universities, and as Chief Mechanical Engineer in an Australian Medical device company where he led modelling and manufacture of an artificial heart. Prof Tansley has expertise is in computational fluid dynamics of blood flow and in the design and development of implantable medical devices; his current research projects include an aortic balloon pump, a rotary blood pump and blood cell dynamics in Couette flow.
Dr Philip Davies
DPhil
Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering
Philip Davies is a member of the Sustainable Environment Research Group. His main research activities are in developing renewable and efficient energy systems and in the treatment of water for drinking and sanitation. Philip has held appointments at the University of Oxford, the Universidad Politécnica in Madrid, the University of Warwick, and in manufacturing and consulting companies. He holds a B.Sc in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College, London, and D.Phil from the University of Oxford.
Dr Mark Prince
PhD
Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering
Mark is a former Aston graduate with experience in mechanical design and analysis. His research interests are in ophthalmic and medical device development and he has experience in designing microsystems for biological structure interfacing, and exploiting vision technologies. Mark has expertise in 3D computer solid modelling, rapid prototyping and rapid manufacture, computer aided engineering, electronic/mechatronic design, and optical and contact microscopy and imaging techniques.
EAS Undergraduate Admissions Office
+44 (0)121 204 3400
engineering@aston.ac.uk
Main University navigation links
