In the realm of product development, the difference between a good product and great one is usually the brilliantly seamless marriage between form and function. In other words, it’s not enough to create a product that works as it should; it has to be designed in a manner that makes it attractive and enhances its ease of operation.

To give you a better idea of how this principle has been put into practice, just look at products crafted by Apple, Sony, Coke (think their iconic bottles), IKEA, Nike and BMW.

So, what exactly will you learn in the degree programme which deals with the art and science of designing for practical usage?

Simply, this discipline is about balancing creative, conceptual thought with the industrial and practical constraints of getting the products manufactured, calling for an understanding of technology, materials and production processes.

As a Product Design undergraduate, you’ll be exposed to modules and subject areas such as concept generation, product architecture, industrial design, consumer psychology, ergonomics and marketing. Most Product Design degree courses will require students to enrol in an apprenticeship or internship programme during their undergraduate stint, so make the most of any such opportunity to glean crucial on-the-job insight.

Job prospects for degree-holders in Product Design are wide-ranging and promising, with graduates pursuing careers in a myriad of companies and specialities; including consumer and recreational product design, medical equipment design, automotive and transportation design and furniture design.

If you’ve got your (aesthetically-inclined) eye on a degree programme that will allow you to influence the world around you through design, Product Design might just hit the spot.

Need the right advice? Speak with our education planners online.