Course content
We welcome students on this course for both full-time and part-time study.
This course can also be studied part-time. 2 years to masters level and over 3 years to PGDip level and then a 6 month project. During this course units are taught intensively, usually over 4.5 days, with assessment normally taking place 5-6 weeks after the delivery of the unit.
You will master a range of techniques, and gain the ability to handle contradictions in the knowledge base. You will develop analytical and critical thinking with respect to the planning of design and development projects as well as learn valuable leadership skills.
- Competitive Product Development (20)
You will develop a critical understanding of the business issues related to competitive product development on a domestic and on a global scale. You will gain an understanding of marketing appropriate knowledge of modern tools and processes required for competitive product design and manufacture.
You will develop a critical understanding of modern design management, the design process, product development, project planning, the integration of total quality, and decision making analysis.
- Design for Waste Minimisation (20)
You will develop a deep knowledge of sustainable development based on a multidisciplinary approach to waste minimisation. You will also learn to identify and quantify environmental impacts during the life cycle of a product/service from raw material abstraction to end of life disposal, and implement real-world sustainable development strategies.
- Business Innovation & Enterprise (20)
With an emphasis on strategic management, you will look at how to identify and exploit a company’s strengths. You will evaluate external opportunities that exist, together with conceiving strategies to overcome internal weaknesses and the threats that might be imposed by the industry environment.
You will develop key research skills in areas such as literature reviews, critical analysis of research findings, project proposals, planning, experiment design and analysis, and dissemination. This unit will adequately prepare you for writing a project proposal and for conducting and disseminating the Masters project.
- Individual Masters Project (60)
The individual project is designed to help you develop knowledge of the methodologies and techniques of research in your subject area. You will critically investigate, report and engage with complex issues. You will present an analytically rigorous and well argued case and gain problem solving skills by applying your knowledge across the discipline area. Finally, you will present a reflective, integrated discussion of the conclusion of the research, development and practice activity and its implications for the future. Projects that are worth 120 credits must be linked to an industrial research project.
The figures in brackets relate to the number of credits. Throughout this course units are taught intensively, usually over 4.5 days, with assessment normally taking place 5-6 weeks after the delivery of the unit.
