Furniture and Product Design BA (Hons)

Creative Studio 1 is a blended learning module where you will have the opportunity to collaborate and work on one or more live or simulated industry related briefs, international competitions or speculative design scenarios. The module is characterised by an intensive period of collaboration followed by a shorter period of independent reflection and portfolio building.

The different project briefs will be managed by academic staff and will run either independently or collaboratively through teamwork. The projects will be varied and will provide you with the opportunity to hone your specialist skills, professional, enterprise and entrepreneurial capabilities through real-life scenarios – providing an authentic learning experience. You will be encouraged to develop a flexible and imaginative enquiry-based approach to the design projects. You will become an active participant, integrating your design practice with distinguishable practical and intellectual skills whilst recording your process for summative assessment. At the end of the module, you will be given time to reflect, complete and relate this work to your own professional portfolio allowing an opportunity for independent and autonomous study.

This module supports the development of industry specific skills and techniques. It enables you to understand what it means to be a design practitioner build professional ambition, how to work autonomously and how to prepare for future employment.

It is anticipated that all projects will run successfully in a blended delivery mode to allow you to work on campus or at distance as and when required. Note, international students will be expected to meet in person with their tutors at least once per month to order to fulfil their visa requirements.

Creative Studio 2 is a blended learning module where you will have the opportunity to collaborate and work on one or more live or simulated industry related briefs, international competitions or speculative design scenarios. The module is characterised by an intensive period of collaboration and a shorter period of independent reflection and portfolio building.

The different project briefs will be managed by academic staff and will run either independently or collaboratively through teamwork. The projects will be varied and will provide you with the opportunity to hone your specialist skills, professional, enterprise and entrepreneurial capabilities through real-life scenarios – providing an authentic learning experience. You will be encouraged to develop a flexible and imaginative enquiry-based approach to the design projects. You will become an active participant, integrating your design practice with distinguishable practical and intellectual skills whilst recording your process for summative assessment.

Dependent on the start date of your live or simulated design briefs, you will be given independent time at the beginning or end of the module develop your professional portfolio and complete your assessment tasks.

This module supports the development of industry specific skills and techniques. It enables you to understand what it means to be a design practitioner build professional ambition, how to work autonomously and how to prepare for future employment.

It is anticipated that all projects will run successfully in a blended delivery mode to allow you to work on campus or at distance as and when required. Note, international students will be expected to meet in person with their tutors at least once per month to order to fulfil their visa requirements.

In this module you will have the opportunity to complete either one or several placements working in the creative industries, which will enable you to explore possibilities for your future career within the sector. With the support of your Academic Tutors and the placement support staff you will be encouraged to source, apply and confirm your chosen placement(s). This will help you to develop a network and become confident in applying for opportunities within creative industries.

A single placement or series of placements can run continuously or sporadically throughout the placement period as long as a minimum of 15 weeks or 600 hours of design-related placement work and study is achieved. A placement can also seamlessly transfer into the Placement 2 module. This flexible opportunity offers you a potentially broad insight into how the design industry operates in differing market and innovation sectors. Being part of a design agency or in-house team means a greater understanding of design processes, market and product development cycles.

Through this work experience, you potentially gain exposure to design related professions such as brand strategy, marketing, social media content creation, manufacturing processes, as well as developing your own visual and general communication skills. Furthermore, the experience of applying your academic studies in a real work environment gives context and will help you to develop a confident and professional attitude and it will encourage you to become career ready, actively making informed decisions about your future. To consolidate this aim, you will be encouraged to maintain a digital diary of your learning, and professional experience, documenting the new skills and knowledge you acquire during your placement semester encouraging deep thinking, questioning and you will be asked to critically reflect and contextualise this learning in relation to your own professional practice.

Note, if you intend to continue with ‘Design Placement 2’ in semester 2 but are unable to complete or secure an industrial work placement in advance of the module starting you will have the opportunity to switch to the 'Creative Studio 2' elective which connects to industry live design briefs, competitions and speculative design scenarios that thrive on mirroring real-world design. However, please also remember that the Creative Studio modules are full-time taught modules and therefore attract full tuition fees.

In this module you will have the opportunity to complete either one or several placements working in the creative industries, which will enable you to explore possibilities for your future career within the sector. With the support of your Academic Tutors and the placement support staff you will be encouraged to source, apply and confirm your chosen placement(s). This will help you to develop a network and become confident in applying for opportunities within creative industries.



A single placement or series of placements can run continuously or sporadically throughout the placement period as long as a minimum of 15 weeks or 600 hours of design-related placement work and study is achieved. A placement can also seamlessly transfer into the Placement 2 module. This flexible opportunity offers you a potentially broad insight into how the design industry operates in differing market and innovation sectors. Being part of a design agency or in-house team means a greater understanding of design processes, market and product development cycles.



Through this work experience, you potentially gain exposure to design related professions such as brand strategy, marketing, social media content creation, manufacturing processes, as well as developing your own visual and general communication skills. Furthermore, the experience of applying your academic studies in a real work environment gives context and will help you to develop a confident and professional attitude and it will encourage you to become career ready, actively making informed decisions about your future. To consolidate this aim, you will be encouraged to maintain a digital diary of your learning, and professional experience, documenting the new skills and knowledge you acquire during your placement encouraging deep thinking, questioning and you will be asked to critically reflect and contextualise this learning in relation to your own professional practice.



Note, if you intend to continue with ‘Design Placement 2’ in semester 2 but are unable to complete or secure an industrial work placement in advance of the module starting you will be encouraged to switch to the 'Creative Studio' elective which connects to industry live design briefs, competitions and speculative design scenarios that thrive on mirroring real-world design.

This module will give you the opportunity to undertake a semester abroad studying at a partner university completing the equivalent to 60 UK credits. This gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning. With the support of the Study Abroad team you will be encouraged to source, apply and confirm the course of study abroad. This opportunity will allow you to network and become confident in applying for opportunities within partner institutions. Your module credits, performance and attendance will be recorded by the host University via your learning agreement. The module will be assessed by conversion of graded marks from the host University.

Learning outcomes on any year-long modules on which you are unable to attend via the home institution must be met at the host institution, and marks from the host are incorporated into the modules as part of the overall assessment.



You will be encouraged to maintain a digital diary of your learning, documenting the new skills and knowledge you acquire during your study abroad period encouraging deep thinking, questioning and you will be asked to critically reflect and contextualise this learning in relation to your own professional practice.

This module will give you the opportunity to undertake a semester abroad studying at a partner university completing the equivalent to 60 UK credits. This gives you access to modules from your discipline taught in a different learning culture and so broadens your overall experience of learning. With the support of the Study Abroad team you will be encouraged to source, apply and confirm the course of study abroad. This opportunity will allow you to network and become confident in applying for opportunities within partner institutions. Your module credits, performance and attendance will be recorded by the host University via your learning agreement. The module will be assessed by conversion of graded marks from the host University.

Learning outcomes on any year-long modules on which you are unable to attend via the home institution must be met at the host institution, and marks from the host are incorporated into the modules as part of the overall assessment.



You will be encouraged to maintain a digital diary of your learning, documenting the new skills and knowledge you acquire during your study abroad period encouraging deep thinking, questioning and you will be asked to critically reflect and contextualise this learning in relation to your own professional practice.