Ravensbourne
Innovation in digital media and design
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BA (Hons) Design Products
The BA (Hons) Design Interactions and BA (Hons) Design Products course brings product and interaction design closer together to create a truly dynamic discipline to produce adaptable, creative thinkers with a high level of technical skills who are able to embrace a multi-disciplinary approach, have strong team working skills and fully understand emerging technologies and processes. As a result, the course will prepare you for a variety of careers in the areas of product design.
The course offers students of both pathways a joint first level to explore areas that are essential to both disciplines that will underpin your studies in future years. Students explore principals of design including research and brainstorming skills, communication and visualisation, graphic design, target markets, user centred design, human factors, design process, materials, computational media and creative technologies. Learning is largely project based; however it looks into the wider contexts such as the responsibilities of the designer and issues of sustainability.
In Level 2, you will work in a collaborative and multi-disciplinary capacity, with other courses at Ravensbourne; and you will specialise and develop your strengths and primary interests within your chosen products pathway. However, the interactions and products pathways remain closely connected, sharing resources and staffing and maintaining a cross disciplinary mindset.
The BA (Hons) Design Products pathway deals with form, aesthetics, sustainability, manufacturing, emerging technologies, basic electronics and processes applicable to the wide-ranging functionalities of product design. Digital prototyping is encouraged at pinnacle stages, either as a means of learning about digital workshop processes or as the final stage in the model-making phase. You will be introduced to emerging technologies and basic electronics that enable creative prototyping in various capacities.
The course reflects the evolution of the design industry as it responds to rapid changes in technologies and innovations. A product designer’s traditional role has combined art, science and technology to create tangible three-dimensional goods. But as digital tools evolve, the profession is ever-broadening in response to new manufacturing processes and digital tools that allow ideas to be developed in a much more dynamic way than ever before.
These designers are equipped to work in the artificial context of bits, pixels, input devices, users’ conceptual models, user-centred design and the organisation of metaphors, through rapid prototyping, ubiquitous computing, nano-technologies, bio-technologies, and the evolving business models.
Industry projects
You will be exposed to ‘live’ industry projects as a means of informing and enriching your experience. The course has established relationships with a wide range of national and international companies that have sponsored ‘live’ projects or supported student workplaces in the past, including: Motorola, Samsung, Habitat, Audi Designs of Substance, Hasbro, Nokia, and Adaptive Paths.
Level 1
Level 1 will provide an opportunity to underpin your studies by exploring areas essential to both the interactions and products disciplines. Learning is largely project based; and looks into the wider contexts such as the responsibilities of the designer and issues of sustainability.
You will study the following subject areas:
contextual studies: theory and context; opportunities, trends and ideas; professional context; communication and visualisation; introduction to design; human factors and user centred design; shaping your idea into a design; and design prototyping.
Level 2
You will study the following subject areas, alongside those on the Interactions pathway:
contextual studies: debate and polemic; contextual studies: dissertation preparation; marketing strategy; advertising and promotions.
Specialist Product subject areas include: form and aesthetics; design realisation; service design for communities; and sustainable design.
Level 3
At level 3 you will take a more self-directed approach to your work supported by access to mentoring and guidance from staff on both pathway disciplines. You will work on an independent major project within your chosen Product pathway as well as engaging in a collaborative major project with either your opposing pathway peers or another discipline within Ravensbourne.
At Level 3 you will study the following subject areas:
contextual studies: dissertation; enterprise and entrepreneurship – making it happen; major project report; major project (collaboration); and negotiated brief.
Programme Specification
Click here for the full programme specification.
Contextual Studies, and Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
The adaptability necessary to succeed as a design or media specialist comes not only from deep disciplinary knowledge. Graduates also need a breadth of knowledge and skills which some commentators have referred to as being ‘T-Shaped’. These additional skills include the ability to work with and increasingly work across disciplines, entrepreneurial attitudes and a knowledge of the business contexts in which they will operate. All undergraduate Ravensbourne programmes incorporate curriculum and learning activities designed to develop these skills in our students. Cross-disciplinary collaborative projects offer students the opportunity to work in teams with other disciplines.
The course structure draws on the creative synergies and frictions of the different disciplines at Ravensbourne and provides physical and intellectual opportunities for students to meet, learn and work together with students from different disciplines.
Students study subject specialist units, shared units and core units. Subject specialist units focus on subject specialist methodologies, technologies and processes and offer project-based learning that simulates contemporary professional practice.
Shared units are units which bring together courses in analogous specialist subject areas and allow students to gain skills common across these specialist subject areas, or to develop skills complimentary to those of the other specialisms and to work together on collaborative projects in the kinds of interdisciplinary teams common in industry. They therefore begin to introduce students to the real world context of specialism, a world where inevitably specialists work in inter-disciplinary teams.
Core units provide fundamental knowledge, skills and contexts which we believe are necessary for all the creative professionals who graduate from Ravensbourne and set students up with a model of the types of knowledge they will need continuously to update throughout their careers. Core units equip students with the ideation, visualisation and communication skills required in the creative process characteristic of design and media industries and common across our disciplines. They also provide the conceptual skills, theoretical frameworks and professional contexts necessary for students to position their work and develop their professional identity. Additionally, they ensure that students gain the promotional, marketing and enterprise skills necessary to make success happen in the real world.
Three years full-time
Ravensbourne’s BA (Hons) Design Products course is available as a full time three-year course.
Assessment
You will be assessed through the completion of practical and written work including essays and a range of programmes, online and interactive content, pitches, presentations and project reports.
The course helps you to develop and reflect on your practice and allows you to develop and improve and support to give you feedback to help you succeed.
Learning and support
You will learn a mixture of problem-based learning, design and prototyping, studio tutoring, and traditional teaching. You will be guided by professionally qualified and experienced teaching staff and visiting speakers from industry.
Laptops
You are required to own or have access to a laptop from the beginning of your studies. Laptops are an essential tool to support personalised learning and give you access, when and where you want it, to many of the creative tools and educational resources you will encounter during your studies.
Laptops are used extensively in all of our courses. You will need one to access our network, and to research, communicate and collaborate during your studies.
Career prospects
As a product design graduate, you will have opportunities in both independent design consultancies and in-house design teams. You could be involved in a wide-range of interface, product design, manufacturing and experience design roles. Job titles may include design roles in packaging, interaction, service and multimedia.
Duration
Three years full-time
Entry requirements
Students will normally be expected to possess five GCSEs (grade C or above) or equivalent (including English and Mathematics) and also to hold at least one of the following or equivalent UK or international qualification:
• 2 A levels (grades A-C) or 4 AS levels (grades A-C)
• 2 vocational A level (grades A-C)
• Level 3 Foundation Diploma or National Diploma
• Advanced Diploma (grades A-C)
• International Baccalaureate (28 points or above)
Progression
Successful completion of this course can lead to one of a number of postgraduate degrees including: MA/MSc Interactive Digital Media, MA/MSc Interactive Product Futures, or MSc Applied Technologies – Rapid Prototyping and Digital Technologies.
How to Apply
UCAS code: W240 (3 year route)
Institution: RAVEN RO6
Term starts
September 2012
Fees
£8,300 per year
Validated by
City University London
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