Solent’s product design degree gets reaccredited

Our BA (Hons) Product Design degree has recently been re-awarded accreditation for a further five years by the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED).

The IED was established in 1945 and Incorporated by Royal Charter in 2012, the only organisation in the UK to represent those working in the many fields of engineering (and product) design.

This accreditation means students on the product design degree can enjoy free student membership for the duration of their studies, as well as their first year of graduate membership. There are many benefits to membership of the IED, most notably the opportunity to gain professional registration and recognition of expertise, to network with other designers and to continue professional development.  

The product design course at Solent has been running for 25 years, and provides students with opportunities to develop hands-on practical skills and design thinking to ensure they are prepared for the world of work. The course has excellent employability, not only because of the many strong links with industry, but also because of our Preparation for Employment unit in the final year, which provides students with the necessary CV, portfolio and interview techniques, giving them confidence when they apply for jobs.

Students are able to select their own projects in the final year, which also allows them to demonstrate relevant work experience to a company they are interested in working for. The course content has been designed in close collaboration with industry professionals, ensuring students graduate with the key skills employers are looking for.

Mark Jones, course leader for product design, told us, “I am really proud product design have been awarded the IED accreditation. This shows that although we are a BA (Hons) programme, the course has sufficient engineering content.

"The BA (Hons) Product Design degree is the marriage between art and engineering and we believe we have created a great course and student experience, something that is demonstrated by our score of 100% student satisfaction in the 2017 NSS.”