Product Design and Innovation

Product design and innovation is the discipline concerned with the conception, development, and realisation of objects, systems, and experiences that meet human needs in better ways than what existed before. It combines creative and aesthetic thinking with an understanding of materials, manufacturing processes, user research, and the commercial context in which new products must succeed. Innovation in the title signals that the degree is not only about design craft but about the processes by which genuinely new ideas are developed, tested, and brought to market.

At Aston University, which has a strong tradition in applied engineering and business, this three-year full-time degree gives you a curriculum that spans the full product development process. You will develop skills in design thinking, sketching and CAD, materials science, prototyping, user research, and project management, alongside an understanding of the business and entrepreneurial dimensions of bringing a product to market. A sandwich year is built into the programme, giving you the opportunity to work in a design or manufacturing organisation before your final year, an experience that almost always transforms your understanding of how design actually works in industry.

A year abroad is also available, and work placement activity supports your development throughout.

Graduates of product design and innovation degrees work in product design consultancies, manufacturing companies, consumer electronics firms, automotive companies, healthcare technology, packaging, and the sustainability and circular economy sector. The innovation and entrepreneurial skills the degree develops also suit roles in new product development within larger organisations and in start-up ventures. Aston's strong employer connections and its location in Birmingham, a major manufacturing and design centre, support good employment outcomes.

Postgraduate study in product design, design engineering, or innovation management is available for those who want to specialise further or pursue research.