Product Design and Technology BSc (Hons) degree

This module aims to assist students with the transition into university design education - becoming familiar with the process of Design at Loughborough. Both individually and in teams, students will be encouraged to develop and foster imaginative and creative capabilities across the core design practice competencies of sketching, model-making, and CAD.

The aims of this module are for students to To further develop a fundamental understanding of design practice skills by extending and enhancing the design development and concepting skills introduced in module DSA301: Design at SDCA. Students will also become familiar with user research as the basis to design compelling product experiences.

The aim of the module is to develop a fundamental understanding of the mechanics of solids and machines, relevant to the needs of product designers. Understanding will be developed through mathematical description and analysis, alongside practical investigations, to develop analytical skills and independent thinking as applied to mechanical design.

The aim of the module is to develop an understanding of digital manufacturing techniques, materials, and related mechanical considerations when creating functional prototypes and products as parts of the wider product design cycle.

The aim of this module is to introduce design students to prototype planning and significant three-dimensional manufacturing techniques that they will need in order to prototype and realise their designs. Students should become familiar with the decision-making processes needed to plan appropriate prototyping strategies and to appropriately communicate design intent using engineering drawing and notation.

The aim of this module is to introduce Product Design students to fundamental contemporary electronics. Students are expected to select and use appropriate modelling methods to predict the performance of basic analogue and digital electronic systems relevant to product design, and subsequent practical implementation. This module seeks to develop skills associated with scientific methods as well as the capability to learn and act independently.

The aim of this module is to introduce the methods that allow rigorous testing and user evaluation of product prototypes using both physical and virtual means.

This module aims to support students in extending and enhancing key communication and presentation techniques for the creation of an outward facing professional design identity.

This module provides students with the opportunity learn, utilise, and demonstrate responsible design practices, prototyping, and precision manufacturing within the context of a full design-to-manufacture (injection moulding) product development process.

Students on this module will investigate selected phenomena from the mechanics of material, machines and systems dynamics applicable to product design. They will further develop their analytical skills for the resolution of problems in mechanical science, and develop an experiential base for the exercising of judgement and perception in mechanical design.

The aims of this module are for the student to engage in the activities of industrial design practice to develop a compelling proposition and proposal for the design of a connected device which utilises the benefits of internet of things connectivity. This module allows students to experience an industrial design-focused new product development process that emulates that of professional practice.

The aim of this module is for students to practice the development of a product proposal in response to a top-level brief suitable for presentation within the initial phases of a consultancy project.

The aim of this module is for the student to engage in activities so that the student explores the practical application of knowledge and skills in relation to the further development of fundamental electronic systems to support the prototyping of appropriate electronic functionality for product design.

The aims of this module are to:

• give students an awareness and understanding of arts management as a discipline, in the context of arts organisations and the creative industries;
• provide students with a context in which to explore ideas and practices related to professional environments they may wish to progress to post-graduation;
• present students with the opportunity to evaluate and apply information, resources and ideas to a scenario relevant to their career futures.

The aim of this module is to equip students with both the skills and mindset to uphold and reflect on the values of Responsible Design, namely design that is ethical, pluriversal, planet-centric, decolonial, transdisciplinary, and optimistic, in both the processes and outcome of the creative agenda.

This module highlights the social production of art. It explores the extent to which art and cultural production contributes to protest movements and activates social and political transformation. Addressing historical and contemporary connections between art and activist practices, it will provide students with an understanding of the complex relationship between art, politics and wider social movements.

In addition to facilitating the development and contextualisation of their own socially-engaged studio or cultural practice, it will provide students with an opportunity to develop specialist interests for future study in Part C and to engage in the creation of a community of learners and researchers.

The aims of this module are to:

• explore how creative interventions can transform how spaces function
• develop theoretical and practical understanding of how creative practitioners can actively work to inform placemaking.

The aim of this module is to broaden the student's perspective, understanding and appreciation of cultural heritage, and the range of approaches, methods, tools, and emerging technologies, available to support the preservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage.

Students will practice the generation of speculative ideas through appraising academic literature and existing research, emphasising sustainable thinking in the context of preserving cultural heritage.

The aims of this module are to:

• Raise student's awareness of identity and representation issues in character designs.
• Equip students with transferrable character design skills that could be applied to a wide range of creative arts subject disciplines.

The aim of this module is to teach students how designed experiences and creative practice influence human wellbeing and how designers and/or creative practitioners can impact upon the positive wellbeing of people through their design and creative practice.

The aims of this module are to: learn basic elements of creating narratives for the story industry, to include film, TV, stage, animated film, and video games, and to provide a forum in which these skills can be practised.

The module will enable students to analyse and explore their own creative practice. They will design and develop their own short outline for a dramatic story, under the supervision of tutors.

The aims of this module are to:

• Understand the core principles of human-centred design and how they apply to fashion and fashion products.
• Develop effective communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills in multi-disciplinary teams for the successful execution of fashion design products for a specific consumer.
• Compile a portfolio showcasing individual and team contributions to fashion design products, highlighting the integration of human-centred design principles.

The aim of this module is to encourage students to consider the ethical implications of the use of generative AI tools in design practice. Students taking the module will undertake an experimental design project entailing brief setting, secondary research gathering and analysis, ideation, design development, and the visual presentation of a chosen proposal using generative AI tools throughout the process, combined with reflective writing at each stage on the pros and cons of using generative AI tools.

Students conclude with reflection on learnings and findings, any changed perceptions, and future forecasting of Generative AI in their chosen field of study. After completion of the module students will have gained an appreciation for what generative AI tools are available, foresight of how these tools are developing, and what the ethical implications are for the use of generative AI in their field of study.

The aims of this module are to:

• Introduce a range of theories and concepts related to costume and clothing, pertaining to fashion in film.
• Apply these concepts to a variety of relevant cinematic contexts including historical period, the wearing of uniform, the construction of fantasy, the function of specialist dress, fashion as symbols of community, ritual and identity.

The module aims to provide a design sprint experience that allows students to nurture the skills required in a design consultancy to respond rapidly to client briefs.

The module offers a selection of briefs provided by companies and design consultancies, with a design process being undertaken by students over a compressed period. The students are required to select one brief and to generate a design proposal that is then sent to the companies for feedback in combination with the University assessment procedures.

A sub-aim of the module is to provide occasions for students to interact with industry and nurture their professional skills.

The aims of this module are for the student to:

• integrate and apply knowledge, skills and values from modules studied throughout the programme in a significant design project, over a period of two semesters;
• to demonstrate core competencies in Design, creative approaches to innovation, and practical skill related to design development.

The ability to integrate practical electronics and mechanics for prototyping products is a fundamental quality of a well-rounded designer. This module aims to provide the opportunity and environment for students to extend their knowledge and skills in electronics and mechanics and to practice integrating these skills by designing and creating a functioning prototype within a specified budget.

This module aims to prepare design students with the knowledge and skills required to develop innovative sustainable design solutions.

The aims of this module are to develop research, project management and report writing capability by investigation which aims to further the development of a design topic.

The aim of this module is to broaden the experience and skills of the student designer to include knowledge of, and competence with, human centred design principles and screen-based product design and communication.

The aims of this module are for the student to gain a greater understanding of Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Manufacture (CAM), and what computer supported technologies bring to the design process. The module will allow the student to build on core CAD/CAM skills developed in Parts A and B of the programme through the theoretical and practical application of advanced CAD/CAM techniques, but with particular focus on 3D data acquisition and surface modelling for high quality production models.

The aims of this module are for the student to gain a greater understanding of 3D Printing (also known as Additive Manufacturing) and how to design components and products that fully exploit the advantages of 3D Printing within in the limitations of the technologies. The module is aimed at producing end-use parts and not prototypes. The module will allow the student to build on CAD skills developed in Parts A and B of the programme through the theoretical and practical application of appropriate design guidance, 3D printing preparation software and low-cost polymer material extrusion 3D Printing.