Product Design (with Foundation Year)

Nottingham Trent University

Your Foundation Year will introduce you to the skills you’ll need to prepare you for your future studies. From perfecting freehand drawing and sketchbook use to learning about materials and fabrication, you’ll gain practical experience through real-world briefs and develop your confidence in presenting your ideas.This course has both eyes (and hands) on the technological side of design - the making and manufacturing of products, systems, and services. It’s a great option if you’re naturally curious about design engineering, and looking for a practical, hands-on approach.We’ll be analysing form and function in design, encouraging your creativity whilst also taking a specialist’s dive into areas like electronics and robotics, mechatronic techniques, materials testing, and manufacturing. We’ll explore the emerging trends - things like UX, smart technology, and sustainability.In product teardowns, you’ll ‘reverse engineer’ items from the inside, and then design out their flaws on site visits, you’ll receive live project briefs from some of the industry’s biggest players, who’ll review and feedback on your work. You could even test your skills on a year-long professional placement our previous assignments have included TATA, Samsung, Autodesk (San Francisco), and Hubs (Amsterdam).We’ve developed this course to ensure you’re not just an option for employers, but their priority. You’ll graduate with a designer’s eye for innovation, an engineer’s skill in manufacturing, and a CEO’s appetite for the bottom line. That’s a powerful package - and it’s why our graduates secure work with companies like Dyson, Tesco, PepsiCo, Disney, Unilever, and McLaren F1.

School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment