Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Product Design Innovation at Institute of Technology Carlow

Product Design Innovation is a creative and collaborative activity which uses design-led approach to identify and develop new products and services to enhance and improve people’s lives.

From the physical products we engage with every day, such as homewares, entertainment, sports and gaming electronics to specialist high-end technology tools and medical devices, all are carefully designed to be intuitive, efficient and engaging. The complex systems and interfaces which support these products are also part of a carefully considered eco-system.

Through creative problem solving, enterprise and leadership, Product Design develops deep insight into how people choose to live, work and play. Using design-thinking, research, process and practice, human-centred and elegant solutions are created to assist people engage and perform at their best.

Special Features:

• All learning is project-based in a studio environment, with a continuous assessment approach. The course structure ensures full integration of all creative, academic and technical module components. Project activity is both individual and group-based to help each student develop a wide range of social, research and creative skills required for the design and development of new commercial product and service opportunities. Creative problem solving, collaborative action and design-thinking are utilised and developed to address broad social and organizational issues.

• Facilities for students include: customised studios and design offices; dedicated access to computing and industry standard design software, printing/plotting resources, multiple 3D modelling and rapid-prototyping solutions as well as traditional model workshop equipment, testing labs and finishing booths to demonstrate design proposals.
• Deep collaboration with industry partners across all years of the course to allow students to experience the design process in action.
• One semester work placement or study abroad option in year 2.
• Students are encouraged to enter national and international design competitions and have a strong record of success including the Dyson Awards, FP7 Marie Curie Awards, Universal Design Awards and Student Graduate Awards.
• SHOWCASE and exhibition of work occurs throughout the course allowing students present their work to industry, commercial partners, agencies and the community.
• The designCORE Research Centre is the postgraduate research and industry-facing facility of the undergraduate course, working on cutting-edge design and design-led research for the SME sector. Enterprise Ireland has identified Institute of Technology Carlow as the National Gateway through DESIGN+ in Design, which coordinates high-level multidisciplinary research action for economic development.
• Exit award – Higher Certificate in Arts in Industrial Design (NFQ Level 6) after Year 2 and BA in Industrial Design (NFQ Level 7) after Year 3.

What will I be able to do when I finish the course?

Graduates of Product Design Innovation at Institute of Technology Carlow, have membership in the IDI, Institute of Designers of Ireland.

Our graduates are employed across a wide range of sectors from services, manufacturing, hi-tech and pharmaceuticals. Specialisms include: product and industrial design consultancy; furniture and environmental design; visual communications; packaging and the print sectors; web; digital technologies and user-experience (UX). Ireland’s ever expanding indigenous SME industry offers superb opportunities as they seek commercial and competitive advantage through excellent design.