Product Design

Product design as a discipline is concerned with developing the next generation of products and services that address the social and environmental challenges facing the modern world. It is not only about making things look appealing, although aesthetics matter; it is about understanding user needs deeply, generating creative solutions, selecting appropriate materials and processes, and following an idea through to a manufacturable, sustainable, and commercially viable outcome. Great product designers are both imaginative and rigorous, comfortable moving between early-stage ideation and detailed technical problem-solving.

This three-year, full-time programme at the University of Lincoln includes a placement year, giving you the opportunity to work within a professional design environment and to see how design decisions are made in real commercial contexts. You will develop skills in research and insight generation, concept development, prototyping, digital design tools, materials knowledge, and the sustainability thinking that is increasingly central to responsible design practice. The programme is designed with a clear career focus, preparing graduates for the range of roles that product design skills open up in the modern economy.

Graduates work across a wide range of industries, including consumer electronics, furniture and interiors, medical devices, automotive, packaging, and the broader creative and manufacturing economy. Roles in product development, industrial design, design management, and innovation consultancy are common starting points, and many graduates move into senior design roles or founding their own studios as their careers develop. The placement year is often significant in helping graduates build industry relationships and secure their first professional position.

Further study in product design, design engineering, or innovation management is an option for those who wish to develop specialist expertise.