Product Design Innovation MA at Coventry University

At the heart of the Product Design Innovation course is the belief that its students should be capable of effective and productive critical and creative thinking in equal measures. It is not enough to be able to draw well if there is no thinking; it is not enough to think logically if there is no creativity or imagination.

Design is a thinking act and the course educates thinking designers.

In an increasingly technologically complex world in which the interpretation of data and information is as least as important as the capacity for original imaginative ideas, designers are expected to be masters of creativity, communication and collaboration. They must understand the processes of innovation, problem solving and strategic decision making. They must understand how to research, to embrace change, to tolerate uncertainty and unpredictability. They must recognise the role and influence of cultural difference and they must understand the needs of the end-user, manufacturers and of the environment in which we must all live.

Why Coventry University?

An award-winning university, we are committed to providing our students with the best possible experience. We continue to invest in both our facilities and our innovative approach to education. Our students benefit from industry-relevant teaching, and resources and support designed to help them succeed. These range from our modern library and computing facilities to dedicated careers advice and our impressive Students’ Union activities.

Course information

We aim to prepare you for global industrial product design careers, enhancing your research and technical skills, together with your critical and creative thinking abilities. We adopt a user-centred, interdisciplinary approach covering areas such as branding, the social impact of design, design management, design innovation, design technology and global design issues.

Structured around the three themes of communication, collaboration and creativity, we focus on the design of products that interface directly with people and are manufactured through methods of mass production. Within competitive markets, the ability to interpret and manage ‘user’ perception and expectations is just as important within the overall design process as the functional, operational and production considerations. 

Career prospects

This course will develop your ability to design products with significant engineering or technological content to optimise solutions for specific consumer and professional markets and develop products which delight end users.

 It is designed to prepare you for leadership and decision-making positions within product design agencies, manufacturing companies, design consultancies, research and development departments, research institutions and government bodies. Specific careers might include acting as a design team leader, design project manager, design researcher and design policy maker. You may even decide to develop your own business.

 Professional enhancement is central to our ethos which is why we encourage collaboration with industry practitioners and work on ‘live’ project briefs. In addition to this, students undertake a compulsory 10-credit module accredited by the Chartered Management Institute which provides them with an internationally recognised certificate of qualification. Upon completion of the final major project the students take part in a degree show.

 Our Creative Futures employment team is on hand to offer tailored career and enterprise support if you wish to gain employment or take advantage of professional practice opportunities within course specific industries. It provides specialist careers information, advice and guidance to all our students from their first year through to final year and beyond graduation, helping them achieve their desired career outcome. Our dedicated enterprise officers also offer valuable assistance on how to begin as a freelancer/entrepreneur.

Where our graduates work

Recent graduates have gone on to win design posts in prestigious international companies, including:

• Lenovo – (Designer) China
• Asus – (Designer) Taiwan
• JBnJaws Production (Creative Lead) India
• TC Product quality people (Product Development Technician) UK
• Inclusive Product Design (Freelance Designer) UK
• Central Academy of Fine Art (Lecturer) China
• Shanghai Design Agency - (Designer) China
• Heshan Qing Ye Weaving (Manager) China
• Tata Interactive Systems (Designer) Germany
• Sismo Design (Product Designer) Paris
• Fine Group PLC (Concept Designer) UK
• Lear Brand Management Ltd. (Product Designer) China
• Progressive Digital Media Group (Analyst) India
• Haoli Design (two founders and owners) - China
• Lucent Lighting (Product Design Engineer (UK)
• Geely Design Global (Designer) China
• Mondottica (Product Designer) UK
• Pentagram (Product Designer) UK
• WeShape3D (Marketing Director) China

 Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and giving you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The University's Careers and Employability team provide a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career.