Product Design - BA / BSc (Hons) Degree

You study either a BA or BSc in Product Design – with the option to switch from one to the other after your first year, once you’ve established where your interests and ambitions lie.

BA
You’ll focus on the intellectual and creative skills you need to develop objects with purpose, beauty and social relevance. You’ll take a user-centred approach to design and consider how objects are used in social groups and cultural situations.

BSc
You’ll concentrate on design for manufacture and assembly – focusing on technical and engineering issues. You’ll develop your logistical and intellectual skills and use them to solve problems and develop products. 

Throughout your studies you’ll have full use of our extensive workshop facilities and specialist design studios – where you’ll gain practical knowledge of a variety of materials and develop skills in both traditional and new technologies surrounding core competencies, including:

• Design Process: User Centric Methodologies including Design Thinking and Human-Centred Design
• User Insights: Ethnography Research, Empathy as a Designers tool, User testing
• 2D and 3D Conceptualisation: Sketching, Rapid Prototyping, Hand Modelling
• Prototyping: Arduino/Electronics, Laser cutting, Computer Numerical Machining (CNC), 3D printing, Woodwork, Stitch, Metal work, Ceramics
• Design for Manufacture: Industry standard CAD software, CAD/CAM, Exploration of Manufacturing Processes and Material Properties
• Presentation Techniques: Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Keyshot
• Engineering Science (BSc): Mechanical Properties, Machines and Mechanical advantage, Power Transmission Systems, Analogue and Digital Signal and their processing, Electronics, Computer Programming, Electromechanical Systems

Both the BA and BSc degrees provide vital opportunities to experience how product design works in the real world – with live briefs, industry placements, research projects and options to study abroad. In your final year, you can choose to complete a business plan, technical report or dissertation to help you get closer to your career goal.

Year One

Subject: Design: Visualisation and Presentation - 40 credits
Subject: Design: Materials and Processes - 20 credits
In your first term, you’ll discover what it means to be a product designer in the 21st century. You’ll assess and evaluate how product designers have shaped relationships between humans and technology – and the key roles they play in addressing social, economic, cultural and environmental issues.

Research Basics - 20 credits*
This module aims to develop students' core academic research skills including locating sources, evaluating credibility, and analysing information. It will provide the foundations from which students will cultivate their confidence to engage in theoretical discourse and idea-driven dialogues which will be required throughout their undergraduate studies.

Interdisciplinary Understanding - 40 credits
This module aims to introduce you to the principles of Interdisciplinary working: collaborative working, critical thinking and reflection. Projects within the module will challenge you to work with another discipline to explore a societal and cultural theme or challenge​.

Year Two

Subject: The Practising Product Designer - 40 credits
Choose a design project and use it to develop a creative approach to concept generation and development. You’ll explore research expertise in areas like usability, market focused design, advanced product methodology, technical conceptualisation and materialist systems. And you’ll begin to recognise your individual specialty – and how you can shape your practice.

Constellation: Engineering Science - 40 credits (BSc only)
You’ll explore a number of topics in a series of lectures, seminars and laboratory and workshop sessions.

21st Century Challenges - 40 credits (BA only)
The 21st Century Challenges module builds upon the introduction to Interdisciplinary problem-solving developed at level 4 to continue to refine, and begin to apply, your skillsets through real-world projects and live briefs. Projects will tackle 21st Century Challenges to develop your leadership, collaboration, future literacy/critical thinking skillsets.

Real-World Contexts - 20 credits
The Real-World Contexts module challenges you to apply the situated awareness and future-thinking skills to deploy your own practice in the creation or promotion of value for a variety of external stakeholders and communities.

Research Proposal - 20 credits*
The Research Proposal offers you an opportunity to strengthen your research skills, consolidate your research experience and orientate your level 6 contribution around an enquiry of your choosing that is inspired by your learning across all modules at level 4 and 5. This research proposal will be used to continue your personal and professional development at level 6 where you will identify a route for your own enquiry.

Year Three

Subject: The Product Design Professional - 60 credits
This is the time to take your creative practice and professional ability further. You’ll take on a brief from a national or international product design competition – or work to solve a market need that either you or your industry sponsor has identified.

Positioning in Practice - 20 credits
The module aims to support your readiness in developing your unique professional career. It will embed attributes reflective of the requirements of real-world practice aligned to your specialist discipline. You will have the opportunity to reflect upon how your experiences over the last 3 years have allowed you to position yourself as a professional in preparation for graduate level work, continued study, research, and entrepreneurial ventures.

Contribution - 40 credits*
Your practice is underpinned by your knowledge. Demonstrate your research and analysis skills in your final research submission, where you explore ideas in both written and practical forms​.

*modules available through the medium of Welsh

All undergraduate programmes within the School of Art & Design are taught within an interdisciplinary learning environment.

Our sector-leading curriculum has been designed in relation to current literature and best practices across the UK and Europe, providing students with authentic learning opportunities with a focus on real-life situations and solving real world problems. Our graduates are ready for, and adaptable to, 21st century working and living, driven by creativity, social responsibility, futures literacy and entrepreneurial thinking and behaviours. You can read more about our undergraduate curriculum here.

Studio-Based Learning

All programmes are delivered through a studio-based learning approach, with an authentic environment that encourages collaboration, independent exploration, and a shared learning experience. Studio spaces are designed to meet the specific needs of your discipline, offering a range of learning opportunities such as group seminars, critiques, presentations, one-on-one tutorials, technical workshops, and guided independent study. This environment supports the development of student-led learning, where you can shape your research focus and expertise, working autonomously with guidance from expert academic and technical staff.

Hands-On Practical Workshops

You will engage hands-on in practical studio sessions and workshops, building core skills in materials and processes relevant to your discipline. Lectures provide a theoretical framework that complements your studio practice, while smaller group seminars offer targeted support for practical growth. Collaborative group projects create opportunities to build connections and develop teamworking skills that may extend into extra-curricular or personal projects. Regular critiques (studio crits), briefing sessions, and presentations are designed to develop critical thinking, effective communication, and build confidence to present work both visually and verbally.

Project-Based Learning

Learning strategies aim to develop professional competencies while promoting critical and creative thinking. A strong focus is placed on project-based and problem-based learning, where you will tackle projects that vary in scope: from set briefs to student-led and real-world live projects. Each project challenges you to analyse problems, conduct research, make decisions, and develop both technical and creative solutions. Projects will have defined objectives, but you are encouraged to develop an individual interpretation.

Self-Reflection

Students are further supported through a structured Personal Development Plan (PDP), which encourages self-reflection and professional development. This document serves as both a record of growth and a portfolio, highlighting your evolving body of work. Throughout your studies you will be introduced to real-world scenarios, often collaborating with external industry professionals, guest speakers, or on placements, giving you valuable exposure to industry standards and practices.

Virtual Resources

Additional support is available through personal academic tutors, who provide guidance on academic matters and your journey through the degree, contributing to student well-being and helping you to find a professional path within the programme. A Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) complements in-person learning by offering a range of resources, discussion forums, and self-assessment tools. This platform also enables formative assessment and facilitates communication within the programme.

This integrated learning and teaching approach ensures that students acquire both foundational knowledge and advanced, discipline-specific skills. By blending theoretical understanding with practical application, the course prepares students for sustained, lifelong learning and equips them with the competencies to navigate and contribute to their chosen fields.

Throughout the duration of your studies, you will be evaluated on three main criteria, which underpin all of the disciplines being taught at CSAD:

SKILLS: The practical, technical and conceptual skills you acquire during your course.

CONTEXT: Your understanding and knowledge of broader intellectual context within which your discipline and work is located. This includes historical, environmental and ethical issues and will often be explored in your 'Theory and Context' modules.

IDEAS: Your understanding of intellectual and creative ideas from within and beyond your discipline; plus your ability to acquire new concepts and form new ideas. Ideas will be explored in your written work, as well as being evident in your practical progress.

Each of these criteria is given equal weighting during the assessment process. That is to say that they are seen as equally important and critical to your development; an emphasis which is designed, for example, to enable a more well-rounded skill set from a student who may be skilled technically, but weak in generating ideas, or a student with much creative flair who may struggle to hone a broad concept into a strong, individual design.

We provide a number of ways for you to track your progress en route to submitting your work for marking. Understanding that the emphases will revolve around the core areas of skills, context and ideas, you will also become familiar with the structured assessment form used by your tutors and learn to relate to your work back to the intended learning outcomes of each brief.

The main types of formative assessment are; academic (feedback from your tutors); peer (from your course-mates or project partners); and self-assessment (which is your own critique, in light of other forms of feedback). You won't just be receiving feedback at the end of a brief, however – your tutors will often assess your progress as your work develops, providing formative feedback at crucial moments where it is hoped to encourage you to take risks, maintain your motivation or shape-up your ideas ahead of deadline.

Both the BA and BSc give you vital opportunities to experience how product design works in the real world. You'll engage in live briefs, interdisciplinary projects, and challenge your creativity by taking part in competitions. Our commitment to your growth and success extends globally, with the opportunity for invaluable industry placements, research projects and the option to study abroad. We will equip you with a comprehensive set of experiences and skills ensuring your readiness for the dynamic world of product design.

​Our graduates have gone on to forge successful careers in a wide range of contexts with Dyson, Panasonic, Jaguar Land Rover, Safran, DS Smith, Frontier Medical, Olympus Surgical, Haughton Designs, Bisley, Orangebox, Royal Mint, Kinner Dufort, PDR, Cyden, Principality and DVSA. Others have progressed to postgraduate study with Cardiff School of Art & Design.​

You can elect to take a route through your second and final years of studies where you can engage with businesses or launch your own for the moment you graduate. In your final year, rather than submit a dissertation, you have the option of devising a detailed business plan.

Throughout your time at CSAD, you will be meeting and hearing from professionals within your industry, honing your skills and ideas for commercial and professional advantage. Cross-disciplinary projects will prepare you for teamwork later on, whilst live briefs will prepare you for deadlines and the demands of tight specifications.

Typical Offers

• Tariff points: 96-120
• Contextual offer: See our contextual offers page.
• GCSE: Preferably five GCSEs at Grade C / 4 or above to include English Language / Welsh First Language, Mathematics / Mathematics – Numeracy.
• English Language Requirement: Academic IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in all elements, or equivalent.
• A level: Minimum three A levels. Science, Mathematics or Technology subject required for the BSc at Grade C or above. Welsh Advanced Skills Baccalaureate considered as a third subject.
• BTEC National / Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: MMM-DDM
• T Level: Science, Mathematics or Technology subject required for the BSc.
• Access to Higher Education Diploma: Science, Mathematics or Technology subject required for the BSc.
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: 24 points. Science, Mathematics or Technology subject required for the BSc.
• Irish Leaving Certificate: Science, Mathematics or Technology subject required for the BSc. Higher level subjects only considered with a minimum grade H4.
• Scottish Advanced Highers: Science, Mathematics or Technology subject required for the BSc at Grade D or above.
• Other requirements: Successful portfolio review. For more information please read our Advice for Applicants page.

Combinations of the above qualifications are accepted if they meet our minimum requirements. If your qualifications aren’t listed, please contact Admissions or refer to the UCAS Course Search.

Further information on Overseas qualifications can be found here.

If you are a mature applicant, have relevant experience or RPL that you would like us to consider, please contact Admissions.

How to Apply

Further information on how to apply can be found here.

What’s included?

We offer a wide range of specialist facilities for our creative programmes, with dedicated studios, purpose-built workshops, and extensive technical equipment. You will have access to these workshops following successful inductions, and will be supported by a highly skilled technical team.

You will not be charged a studio fee and will be provided with all the essential materials that you need to learn the processes that your course requires.

Cardiff Met is an Adobe® Creative Campus, and CSAD students have access to the full Adobe® Creative Cloud at no additional cost.

We pride ourselves on leading the way in sustainable studio and workshop practices. Whether that’s carbon literacy, re-use, waste reduction and material science, you will be encouraged to use materials consciously as you develop your own way of working. You will also get:

• Dedicated studios for independent work or group study
• UK-based study trips that are core to your learning experience
• Creative digital facilities tailored to your course, such as specific software, print facilities or digital visualisation tools
• IT and library facilities, which include an extensive range of artists’ books, publications, journals, magazines, and digital resources to support your learning and research

What is an additional cost?

When developing individual projects, you will select and provide your own materials, many of which can be purchased at cost price on campus. We will support you in sourcing additional materials depending on your creative ambitions and budget, and in keeping with our sustainable and safe practices.

You may require course-specific equipment and tools, but this will vary depending on your practice. A joining pack will be sent to you before you start, containing detailed information about any recommended equipment including laptop specification advice. We recommend that you don’t make major purchases before receiving the joining pack or speaking with a member of staff.

Some examples of additional costs:

• Students will find a laptop or tablet helpful and will need to allow for the purchase of apps and software
• Optional UK or overseas study trips and exchange programmes
• Placements and associated costs such as travel and accommodation
• Optional access to Cardiff FabLab which is subject to charges for equipment use and materials
• Material costs when opting to use specialist equipment independently, such as digital fabric printing, 3D printing and laser cutting
• Other costs such as printing, copying, and the purchase of textbooks

For up-to-date information on tuition fees and financial support that may be available whilst at Cardiff Met, please visit www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/fees.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact us.

For general enquiries please contact the Admissions Team on 029 2041 6044 or email askadmissions@cardiffmet.ac.uk.

For course specific enquiries, please contact the Admissions Tutor, Clara Watkins cwatkins@cardiffmet.ac.uk

For commercial product design project enquiries and information about running a live industry project with us please contact BA/BSc (Hons) Product Design Admissions Tutor, Joe Venables: Email: jvenables@cardiffmet.ac.uk