Everything you need to know...
International/EU: £13,995 per year (£1,200 for placement year)
Student satisfaction
This course scored 92% for overall satisfaction in the 2020 National Student Survey.
Course summary
- Learn the skills you need to become a professional product or service designer.
- Create visually compelling and innovative products and engaging service experiences.
- Develop real-world experience working on live projects with global brands.
- Benefit from exceptional connections with relevant industry and professional networks
This course prepares you for an exciting career as a globally-minded designer, equipped to identify and respond empathetically, sustainably and collaboratively to creative opportunities.
Creative Industries Federation (CIF) membership
We are members of the Creative Industries Federation (CIF), which means our art and design students are members as well until they graduate. With 10,000 members in its network, the CIF represents champions and supports the UK’s creative industries, advocating on the issues that matter the most to creative communities.
View our students' work
View our gallery of student work and learn more about the exciting projects they've been working on this year.
Student View
Watch student Ashley Granter talk about what it’s like to study on this course.
How you learn
Through studio-based learning and working on live projects, you'll gain a deep understanding of design culture and practice. You'll learn how to take creative risks and create innovative, viable, user-centred and sustainable designs – while also developing your own personal approach and career aspirations. You'll develop collaborative skills through interdisciplinary projects, as well as engaging globally with our established partner institutions in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
You’ll learn through
- studio-based design projects
- technical workshops
- lectures and seminars
- authentic work experiences and placements
- live design projects
- field trips
- presentations and feedback sessions
- studio-based design projects
- Blackboard online learning portal
- self-directed study
Take a look at the department's Instagram to see what innovations and creations our students have been working on.
Course leaders and tutors
Mark Fisher
Course LeaderMark is a product designer, researcher and course leader on the BA Product Design course.
Applied learning
Work placements
You'll have opportunities to arrange single or multiple work placement/s in between your second and third years. Placements give you real-world experience to prepare you for your future career. Previous students have secured placements with Design Futures, Morphy Richards, Lowe Alpine, BDP Lighting, Joseph Joseph and Mazda Europe. You may also be able to work or study abroad – with the possibility of funding (subject to the UK’s continued participation in the Erasmus+ programme following the Brexit transition period).
Live projects
You'll engage in authentic work experiences in each year of the course, working with external partners and exciting live briefs. Recent live projects have seen students working with RAB, the NHS, Astro Lighting and 257 Product + Brand Development. You'll have the opportunity to pitch project outcomes to company representatives and potentially receive payment for designs.
Field trips
We offer opportunities to go on study trips and visits in the UK and abroad – with free travel and accommodation for all mandatory field trips on the course. These could include workshops, design exhibitions or visits to practitioners’ studios and museums. Recent international trip destinations include Berlin, Copenhagen and Milan. There may be opportunities to further enhance your studies with optional field trips, though these will incur additional costs.
Networking opportunities
Sheffield Hallam's Careers Connect mentoring scheme allows you to gain professional insights and support from a personal mentor working in your field of interest. We also organise an annual two-day employability event, allowing you to network with commercial partners and participate in one-to-one portfolio reviews. Our annual degree show is a great opportunity for graduating students to showcase their work.
Competitions
We support you to enter national and international design competitions. Recent successes include the RSA Student Design Awards and four prizes awarded at the 2019 New Designers graduate exhibition in London, including the Joseph Joseph and 100% Design awards.
Come to an open day
Find out more at our undergraduate open days. Book now for your place.
Future careers
This course prepares you for future study and careers in
- product design
- user experience/user interface and service design
- design consultancy
- consumer insight and brand strategy
- strategic innovation
- running your own business
- designing and making
- digital visualisation
- education
- sales
- marketing
Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work for
- Dyson
- Volvo
- Ron Arad Associates
- Jaguar Land Rover
- Kenwood
- Next
- Fosters + Partners
- Panasonic
- Urbis Design
- VTech Hong Kong
- Mothercare
- Thomas Heatherwick Studios
- Design Futures
Course news
Sir Christopher Frayling, cultural historian and former chairman of Arts Council England, opened Sheffield Hallam University's David Mellor: Steel and Light exhibition. The exhibition celebrates the 100 years since the development of stainless steel by metallurgist Harry Brearley, and commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of Mellor's Symbol range of cutlery.
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of online lessons and face-to-face teaching with access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | Campus facilities | Keeping safe on Campus
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEquipment and facilities
You'll have access to a wide variety of facilities across the university campuses – including a 24-hour learning centre, Students’ Union, cafes and eateries, lecture theatres, exhibition spaces and more. You'll be based in a fully equipped and purpose-designed studio, with state-of-the-art facilities including
- industry-standard computer hardware and software
- extensive workshops for soft modelling and prototyping
- metal fabrication and fabrication (plasma cutting, welding, casting, bending and forming)
- precision-metal workshop with milling machines and lathes
- print, wood, plastics, metal, mixed media, casting and ceramic workshops
- CNC equipment including laser cutters, CNC routers (2D and 3D)
- electronics and coding lab
- 3D printing (including SLA, FDM, SLS, Polymer and metal 3DP)
- 3D digital tools (3D CAD, FEA), 3D scanning (Artec Leo)
- industry-grade spray painting and colour matching facility
- industry-standard XYZ CNC mills, DMG mill-turn lathes and EDM
- structural-integrity laboratory/metrology for testing materials and components
Entry requirements
All students
UCAS points
- 112
This must include at least 64 points from two A levels, or equivalent BTEC National qualifications (to include a relevant subject such as Art, Design or Graphics). For example:
- BBC at A Level.
- DMM in BTEC Extended Diploma.
- A combination of qualifications, which may include AS levels, EPQ and general studies.
You can find information on making sense of UCAS tariff points here and use the UCAS tariff calculator to work out your points.
GCSE
- English Language or Literature at grade C or 4
• Access - an Access to HE Diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3 and 15 credits at level 2. At least 18 level 3 credits must be at merit grade or above, in a media-related programme from a QAA-recognised Access to HE course, or an equivalent Access to HE certificate.
• Diploma in Foundation Studies (Art and Design) - pass
If English is not your first language, you will need an IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills or equivalent. If your English language skill is currently below IELTS 6.0 we recommend you consider a Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve an equivalent English score.
If your application is successful, you will be invited to attend a selection event with a portfolio of work to demonstrate your ability. Find out about the selection process and how to produce a strong portfolio.
We welcome applications from people of any age. We may be flexible in our normal offer if you can show a commitment to succeed and have the relevant skills and experience. This must show that you will benefit from and finish the course successfully.
Portfolio review
If your application is successful, you will be invited to attend a portfolio review, this is where you can showcase your relevant work and highlight any pieces you are particularly proud of.
In light of the updated advice from the Government about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we are not currently offering face to face portfolio reviews but are instead accepting portfolios through digital submission. Find out about what happens at a portfolio review and how you can prepare to produce a strong portfolio.
Please note the University will only admit students who are aged 18 at the point of enrolment.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page. You can also watch a video guide on how to apply.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.
You will be able to complete a placement year as part of this course. See the modules table below for further information.
Year 1
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Design Practices | Credits: 60 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Design Principles | Credits: 60 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Year 2
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Advanced Design Principles | Credits: 60 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
| Module: Professional Design Practice (Product Design) | Credits: 60 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Year 3
| Module | Credits |
|---|---|
| Module: Placement Year | Credits: - |
Final year
| Module | Credits | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Module: Graduation Design Portfolio (Product Design) | Credits: 120 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time undergraduate study in 2021/22 is £9,250 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
† If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2021/22 is £13,995 per year. During your placement year you will pay a reduced fee of £1,200.
Financial support for home/EU students
How tuition fees work, student loans and other financial support available.
Additional course costs
This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
Additional costs for Art and design courses (PDF)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
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