About This Course
This degree is the only Product Design BSc (Hons) in the UK to offer 3 separate industrial work placements. You will put what you have learnt in lectures in to practice and gain hands-on experience in bringing innovative products to market, managing commercial projects professionally and helping companies to be more effective, competitive, and relevant in the world today.
If you’re interested in making your imagination a reality this is the course for you. You will study a wide range of design sectors and be immersed in the design and manufacture of products. You’ll study human-centred design and design thinking methodologies. On this course you'll consider what is product design? Is it...
Making people’s lives better? Improving the way things work? How we organise things? Improving the ways we communicate? How we think strategically? Using imagination to create real things? Making change to communities? Imagining and designing the future? Designing experiences and products that people love? Improving and innovating products and services? Starting creative businesses? Making difficult decisions? Working with others for the greater good? Making the world a better place?
See more of what we do on Instagram, Facebook or YouTube or read our publications.
This is an English-medium course. The UCAS code for the Welsh-medium course is different.
Why choose Bangor University for this course?
- No.1 in the UK for Product Design (The Guardian University Guide 2025).
- Only UK Product Design course with three separate industrial work placements.
- Develop skills enabling you to bring innovative products to market, making life better, easier and more productive for consumers and companies.
- Learn to manage commercial projects professionally, allowing companies to be more effective, competitive and relevant in the world today.
Watch - What will you study in your first year?
[00:04] The main focus in year one is to develop students' creativity, the creative process, and to develop their technical skills and manufacturing skills.
[00:13] So we will do that through a number of different ways, really.
[00:15] So they will be taught sessions where you as a student will be taught how to use particular softwares for SolidWorks,
[00:22] for CAD, the Adobe Creative Cloud. We will also apply the knowledge through practical creative projects.
[00:29] At the start of year one those projects will be fairly short,
[00:32] so we get a quick turnaround and that will be building up into longer projects towards the end of the year.
[00:37] For the first semester we have like dedicated lecturers towards just going around and learning
[00:42] the machines and everything... Learning how to use them safely and most efficiently and everything.
[00:51] What we've noticed over the last few years is the students like to work through some of the technical elements at their own pace.
[00:58] So on a weekly basis, our students receive a tutorial, a guide in a way, for specific skills within those specific softwares.
[01:06] And on the timetable there will be a drop-in session.
[01:09]
So any student that struggles with a particular element can come to that session and we are there to give you support.
[01:16] Usually just over half of the class would be there in each drop-in session to get that extra support.
[01:21] You can just walk into this building and someone's there to help you that there's always someone around.
[01:26] But it's very easy to get that full support from lecturers.
[01:29] So if you have a problem, you can come in to the workshop and talk to all of them because one of them will be definitely around at all times.
[01:35] We did metal working... A lot of us had never done metal-working before, but working with a company where we had to do that,
[01:41] it was good because then you still, you're learning a new technique, but you're still getting like a nice end product at the end of it.
[01:49] Like it still quite, quite a professional standard for a year-one thing.
[01:55] So there's two key places that you can find information.
[01:59] Go to the Bangor University website and you can find all the information required about the course there.
[02:03] Secondly, I suggest that you go and check us out on Instagram.
[02:07] So search for @product design bangor. That gives you a maybe more of a realistic view of what happens here on a daily basis.
Additional Course Options
This course is available with a Placement Year option where you will study for 1 additional year. The Placement Year is undertaken at the end of the second year and students are away for the whole of the academic year.
The Placement Year provides you with a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and develop valuable skills and contacts through working with a self-sourced organisation relevant to your degree subject. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually you would spend 10-12 months with a placement provider. You would normally start sometime in the period June to September of your second year and finish between June and September the following year. Placements can be UK-based or overseas and you will work with staff to plan and finalise the placement arrangements.
You will be expected to find and arrange a suitable placement to complement your degree and will be fully supported throughout by a dedicated member of staff at your academic School and the University’s Careers and Employability Services.
You will have the opportunity to fully consider this option when you have started your course at Bangor and can make an application for a transfer onto this pathway at the appropriate time. Read more about the work experience opportunities that may be available to you or, if you have any questions, please get in touch.
This course is available with an International Experience Year option where you will study or work abroad for 1 additional year. You will have ‘with International Experience’ added to your degree title on graduating.
Studying abroad is a great opportunity to see a different way of life, learn about new cultures and broaden your horizons. With international experience of this kind, you’ll really improve your career prospects. There are a wide variety of destinations and partner universities to choose from. If you plan to study in a country where English is not spoken natively, there may be language courses available for you at Bangor and in your host university to improve your language skills.
You will have the opportunity to fully consider this option at any time during your degree at Bangor and make your application. If you have any questions in the meantime, please get in touch.
Read more about the International Experience Year programme and see the studying or working abroad options on the Student Exchanges section of our website.
Course Content
This design course is unlike any other in the UK as it allows you to tailor your experiences to becoming a changemaker, innovator and leader.
During this 3 year course you’ll develop skills which enable you to bring innovative products to market, making life better, easier and more productive for consumers who value a new way of doing things. You’ll learn to manage commercial projects professionally allowing companies to be more effective, competitive and relevant in the world today. We are committed to ensuring that you gain the skills needed to make a difference, and help put into action what’s best for people and the planet.
Our graduates have a firm belief that their energy and contribution allow them to perform a role that is highly valued by industry, over 90% of our students graduate into jobs with many of them securing a post at their second or third year placement companies.
What will you study on this course?
The course is designed to give you a broad foundation in design through live projects with companies and industrial experience which consists of four modules in each year:
- Workplace Experience
- Design Subject Study (two modules)
- Professional Practice
This is the only course in the UK to offer three workplace experiences, one every year in a company of your choice. This enables you to tailor your experiences to match your career aspirations and allows you to specialise or gain a wide breadth of experience which future employers will value.
A range of briefs will challenge and develop you both creatively and professionally. Projects with industrial partners will ensure a grounding and context of how industry works. Your challenge is to be creative and ensure innovation within the given challenge.
Our graduates are highly employable, and their design-thinking skills are now used to make the world a better place, they solve problems for customers, users, clients and companies all over the world.
Workplace Experience consists of 24 weeks over three years:
• 8 week block during each year
• Supported by experienced mentors
• Visits by college link tutors
• Excellent portfolio generation
• Collaboration experience
• Involvement in real projects
• Personal and Professional Development
• Career driven experiences
The skills and talents learnt on work placement and during University study are transferable to the real world, with many of our students continuing to work for their third year work placement company after graduation. Some of the placements companies that our students have gone to include:
- Unilever
- Bentley
- International Safety Components
- CK Tools
- Fifth Wheel Company
- Prism Medical UK
- JCB
- Jaguar Land Rover
- Westbridge Furniture Design
- DMM
- Survitec
In the Design Subject Study modules you will study human centred design and design thinking methodologies. These include:
- Principles of Design Thinking
- Creativity
- Design Communication and Modelling
- Computer Aided Design (CAD)
- Computer Aided Manufacture (CAM)
- Manufacturing Skills
- Prototyping
- Sustainable Development and the Circular Economy
- Presentation Skills
The Professional Practice lectures are designed to make you competent in the issues that affect product designers in industry you will study:
- Design Innovation for industry
- Strategic leadership
- Project Management
- Organisations and Management
- Marketing
- Presentation Skills
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on the Product Design (English Medium) BSc (Hons) Modules page.
Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.
Facilities
Product Design facilities
We have a multi-materials prototyping workshop. You have full access to the equipment which allows you to develop and produce fully working prototypes and be able to improve your production skills to be become aware of practices in industry. This space is continuously supported by technical staff and lecturing staff as part of dedicated teaching sessions to develop your skills.
Specific equipment includes:
- Pillar drills
- A range of sanders and metal linishers
- Bandsaws
- Metal lathes and milling machines
- Hot metal forming areas
- Shot blasting cabinet
- Plastic heat forming areas
- Laser cutters and vacuum formers
- Specific wood machining facilities and equipment
- Composite and silicone moulding facilities
- Paint spray booth and finishing areas
- Vinyl cutting and sublimation printing equipment
- CNC lathe, milling machine, plasma cutter and routers
- Industrial 3D printing and wash tank facilities
- Studio spaces with access to 20 small 3D printers
We have a CAD suite with 35 high spec machines. This room is used for taught lectures (CAD, digital graphics, professional practice) and also for students to use autonomously as required (students will also be supplied with specialist software including Solidworks, Adobe Creative Suite & Microsoft office).
General University Facilities
Library and Archive Services
Our four libraries provide a range of attractive study environments including collaborative work areas, meeting rooms and silent study spaces.
We have an extensive collection of books and journals and many of the journals are available online in full-text format.
We house one of the largest university-based archives not only in Wales, but also the UK. Allied to the Archives is the Special Collections of rare printed books.
Learning Resources
There is a range of learning resources available, supported by experienced staff, to help you in your studies.
The University’s IT Services provides computing, media and reprographics facilities and services including:
- Over 1,150 computers for students, with some PC rooms open 24 hours a day
- Blackboard, a commercial Virtual Learning Environment, that makes learning materials available on-line.
Course Costs
General University Costs
Home (UK) students
- The cost of a full-time undergraduate course is £9,250 per year (2025/26).
- The fee for all integrated study abroad years is £1,385 (2025/26).
- The fee for an integrated year in industry as part of a sandwich programme is £1,850 (2025/26).
More information on fees and finance for Home (UK) students.
International (including EU) students
Additional Costs
There are also some common additional costs that are likely to arise for students on all courses, for example:
- If you choose to study abroad or take the International Experience Year as part of your course.
- If you attend your Graduation Ceremony, there will be a cost for gown hire (£25-£75) and cost for additional guest tickets (c.£12 each).
Course-specific additional costs
Depending on the course you are studying, there may be additional course-specific costs that you will be required to meet. These fall into three categories:
- Mandatory Costs: these are related to a particular core or compulsory module that you’ll be required to complete to achieve your qualification e.g. compulsory field trips, uniforms for students on placement, DBS Check.
- Necessarily Incurred Costs: these may not be experienced by all students, and will vary depending on the course e.g. professional body membership, travel to placements, specialist software, personal safety equipment.
- Optional Costs: these depend on your choice of modules or activity and they are shown to give you an indication of the optional costs that may arise to make sure your choice is as informed as possible. These can include graduation events for your course, optional field trips, Welcome Week trips.
Entry Requirements
Interview: Applicants who meet the entry requirements will be invited to a portfolio review meeting (interview).
Offers are tariff based, 96 - 128 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g.:
- A Levels: including a grade C in Design and Technology or an Art/Engineering subject. General Studies and Key Skills not normally accepted.
- BTEC National Extended Diploma: MMM - DDM
- Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: MMM- DDM
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical Extended Diploma (1080): considered on a case-by-case basis
- International Baccalaureate Diploma: accepted
- Access: pass required
- Welsh Baccalaureate: We will accept this qualification in conjunction with other level 3 qualifications
- T Levels: T Levels in a relevant subject considered on a case-by-case basis
- Extended Project Qualification: Points can include a relevant Extended Project (EPQ) but must include a minimum 2 full A-levels, or equivalent.
We are happy to accept combinations of the qualifications listed above, as well as alternative Level 3 qualifications such as City & Guilds, Access and Cambridge Technical Diplomas.
We also welcome applications from mature learners.
International Candidates: International Candidates: school leaving qualifications that are equivalent to A levels/Level 3 and/or college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information can be found on our International pages.
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com.
Interview: Applicants who meet the entry requirements will be invited to a portfolio review meeting (interview).
Offers are tariff based, 96 - 128 tariff points from a Level 3 qualification* e.g.:
- A Levels: including a grade C in Design and Technology or an Art/Engineering subject. General Studies and Key Skills not normally accepted.
- BTEC National Extended Diploma: MMM - DDM
- Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma: MMM- DDM
- City & Guilds Advanced Technical Extended Diploma (1080): considered on a case-by-case basis
- International Baccalaureate Diploma: accepted
- Access: pass required
- Welsh Baccalaureate: We will accept this qualification in conjunction with other level 3 qualifications
- T Levels: T Levels in a relevant subject considered on a case-by-case basis
- Extended Project Qualification: Points can include a relevant Extended Project (EPQ) but must include a minimum 2 full A-levels, or equivalent.
We are happy to accept combinations of the qualifications listed above, as well as alternative Level 3 qualifications such as City & Guilds, Access and Cambridge Technical Diplomas.
We also welcome applications from mature learners.
International Candidates: International Candidates: school leaving qualifications that are equivalent to A levels/Level 3 and/or college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements). More information can be found on our International pages.
*For a full list of accepted Level 3 qualifications, go to www.ucas.com.
General University Requirements
To study for a degree, you’ll be asked for a minimum of UCAS Tariff points. For a fuller explanation of the UCAS Tariff Points, please see www.ucas.com.
We accept students with a wide range of qualifications and backgrounds and consider each application individually.
All students need to have good basic skills and the University also values IT and communication skills.
As part of the University’s policy, we consider applications from prospective disabled students on the same grounds as all other students.
We also consider applications from mature students who can demonstrate the motivation and commitment to study a university programme. Each year we enrol a significant number of mature students. For more information about studying as a mature student, see our Studying at Bangor section of the website.
EU and International Students' Entry Requirements
For detailed guidance on the entry requirements for EU and International Students, including the minimum English Language entry requirement, please visit the Entry Requirements by Country pages. International applicants can also visit the International Education Centre section of our website for further details.
Bangor University offers International Incorporated Bachelor Degrees for International students whose High School qualification is not equivalent to the UK school leaving qualification. The first year (or Year 0) is studied at Bangor University International College, an embedded College on our University campus and delivered by Oxford International Education Group.
Careers
Currently our Applied Product Design degree course has one of the highest rates of employability across the country. This is due to the structure of the course which turns our graduates into highly professional and employable designers and all of our students agree that the course provides an excellent preparation for employment in a wide range of industries.
Previous students have been employed as:
- Agency designers
- Product designers in consultancies
- Technical specialists in engineering and CAD
- Production engineers
- Production managers
- Technical designer
- Interior design
- Furniture design
- Design engineers
- Graphic designers
- Digital designer
- Jewellery designers
- Marketing managers
- Business development managers
- Innovations solutions lead
- Strategy managers
- Self-employed business owners
- Independent consultants
- Teachers in secondary education
Opportunities at Bangor
The University’s Careers and Employability Service provides a wide range of resources to help you achieve your graduate ambitions.
The Bangor Employability Award (BEA)
The BEA is a comprehensive online course that you can work through at your own pace, taking you through all the steps you need to take to explore, prepare and apply for your dream career.
Internships
Bangor University runs a paid internship scheme within the university’s academic and service departments.
Student Volunteering
Volunteering widens your experience and improves your employability. Find out more about volunteering on the Students’ Union’s website.
