Product Design (BA)

Design products people actually need, and make them real. On BA Product Design you’ll create useful, sustainable and meaningful products through studio-led learning at Winchester School of Art, supported by the University of Southampton’s strength in research, innovation and emerging technologies.

You’ll bring together creative thinking, technical skills and cultural awareness to design products and services rooted in real needs. With access to workshops, maker labs and upgraded campus facilities, you’ll prototype and iterate across physical, digital and hybrid design. From furniture and household products to wearables, IoT devices, AI-enabled products, smart connected objects and user experiences.

On this BA Product Design degree, you will also:

• use design thinking, user research and human-centred approaches to understand people’s needs
• experiment, make and test materials and manufacturing processes across physical and digital spaces
• explore circular and responsible design, creating innovative design solutions that address global sustainability and climate concerns
• build AI literacy and work with digital design tools such as computer-aided design (CAD), prototyping and generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the design process
• take part in live, collaborative and cross-programme projects with industry partners, research labs and students studying other disciplines
• develop a professional portfolio that shows your process, prototypes and finished product outcomes

Throughout the course, sustainability, inclusion and social impact are central to your design decisions. You will learn to design for diverse users and think about accessibility, ethics and environmental impact as part of your creative process.

The full-time course runs over 3 years. In year 1 you build foundations in creative methods, visual literacy, prototyping and contextual knowledge, and learn how to research, develop and communicate design ideas.

In year 2 you deepen your user-centred and collaborative practice through studio briefs, live projects and cross-disciplinary work.

In your final year you focus on advanced studio projects, design futures and a major Final Design Project that reflects your interests and career aims, while also developing a professional portfolio. You can apply for a Year in Employment between year 2 and year 3 to gain extended industry experience before you return to complete your degree.

Your learning experience

Our studio-based environment reflects professional practice, and studio projects will help you develop ideas through research, sketching, modelling, prototyping and testing, supported by regular tutorials and critiques.

You'll have access to:

• dedicated studios and maker spaces, including digital studios with modern tools for prototyping and testing and professional photography facilities
• specialist workshops for wood, metal, ceramics, plastics and digital fabrication
• additive and subtractive manufacturing equipment such as 3D printers, laser cutters and CNC machines
• support from experienced technical staff across these facilities

Digital tools are a key part of the course. You develop skills in digital sketching, technical drawing and 3D modelling, and explore how AI, smart materials and connected devices shape new products and services.

Collaboration is central to your experience. You work with students from other design disciplines and, where possible, other subject areas, and may join research groups and live projects with external partners. You can also take part in wider opportunities across Winchester School of Art and the University, including WSA Exchange, WSA Talent and events such as Green Week and Design Week.

Teaching and assessment follow inclusive principles. You build portfolios, prototypes and presentations, supported by accessible materials and varied feedback that help you progress.

When you graduate from our BA Product Design course, you will be prepared for roles across the design economy and related sectors, such as:

• product and industrial design consultancy
• furniture, homeware and consumer product design
• wearable technologies, e-textiles and smart products
• UX, UI and interaction design
• design for health and wellbeing
• sustainable and circular design
• design for social impact
• in-house design teams in technology, creative and manufacturing companies

You will also have the skills to pursue freelance and entrepreneurial routes, or to progress to postgraduate study in design and related fields.