MA Product Design

Institution Nottingham Trent University
Method At the institution
Location Nottingham
Type Masters
Course fee By request

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MA Product Design

Objectives The MA Product Design course is one of three dynamic postgraduate courses available to study in the field of Product Design, sitting alongside MA Computer Aided Design and MA Product Design Innovation Management. All three courses are located within 'Product Futures' and allow students to future-gaze in an area of personal interest through tailored study routes. All courses are committed towards achieving the highest order outcomes. They aim to deliver, via agreed project objectives, postgraduate awards to individuals that identify trends, opportunities and strategies in new product development. The aim of the Product Design course is to initiate and encourage experimentation and innovation within a variety of new ‘hybrid’ product design practices. All three courses pull together a wealth of academic, creative and business talent from a variety of different disciplines, in particular entrepreneurs, designers, technologists and software developers. MA Product Design enables students to develop virtual and non virtual products using industry standard visualisation and prototyping resources. It aims to harness new opportunities fuelled by new technological developments, in areas such as virtual and smart products, software and games development and new media solutions. All postgraduate courses located within the 'Product Futures' area have been designed to allow students to consider a range of career opportunities in a variety of creative, design related industries. Students are encouraged to be expressive and communicate design concepts in a range of exciting media. Whether wishing to set up a business, work as a consultant or practitioner, wanting to continue professional study and development in design, then the range of individually agreed activities incorporated in the course allows students to select the outcome of their choice.
Entry requirements Entry requirements Prospective applicants should be (or about to become) graduates of a British university or equivalent institute of Higher Education. Preference will be given to good honours graduates although exceptional applicants from a non-academic background will also be considered. If applying for a design specialisation, you are also required to show a professional portfolio of work. Competence in written and spoken English is essential. For overseas students, IELTS Level 6, CBTOEFL score of at least 207, TOEFL score of at least 540 or IBTOEFL 76 is required. Language tuition and support in english is available. There is an opportunity for overseas students to enrol on the 10 week Language and Culture Bridging Programme which begins in June, providing they have secured a place on an MA course the following September. This will allow for a higher score to be achieved and for students to have Art and Design specialist tutorials in preparation for Masters study.
Academic title MA Product Design
Course description Course content
One year in duration, the course commences annually in September and consists of two modules – module one (60 Credits) and module two (120 Credits).

Module one, which lasts approximately 12 weeks, comprises school related activities (66%) and subject related activities (33%). School related activities relate to the wider needs of the individual in relation to progression, support, academic and community issues in postgraduate study. Subject related activities relate to the three pathways which comprise product design futures, Resulting in a negotiated student learning agreement for activities and support in module two. Students have the opportunity to migrate to any of the three courses within the 'product futures' area, in consultation with the programme team.

Module two, which immediately follows module one and lasts approximately 28 weeks, comprises the core teaching and learning activities for MA Product Design, MA Computer-Aided Product Design and MA Product Design Innovation Management as agreed in module one.

Resources and facilities
The School of Art and Design works closely with the HIVE Business Incubator Unit, based at Nottingham Trent University. Each course is studio based, with immediate access to a dedicated IT suite (the HUB) for postgraduate use, incorporating recent updates of relevant hardware and software, modelling and prototyping equipment. Students also have access to traditional modelshops for woods, metals and plastics, subject to an appropriate health and safety induction.

Study routes
The course is one year full-time, and commences each September. Applications for this course of study can be considered at any time during the year. Applications should normally be received by the beginning of July for a September start.

Overseas students can commence at the end of June on a ten week Language and Culture Bridging course.

Special benefits
The 'hybrid' nature of courses located within Product Futures allows students to work closely with others within the same subject discipline. It is hoped that close collaborative activities will result in the possible formation of companies and complimentary product solutions. The team will work closely with each student to help secure any Intellectual Property Rights resulting from the course activities.

Research opportunities
Each course encourages students to engage with real issues and external connections, and would support links with other institutions through collaborations and research activities.