Product Design Education: Different Perspectives

This paper explores the differing approaches and experiences of two tertiary level courses provided by two UK University providers within the Product Design subject area. Both institutions provide quite different learning experiences for the students on their courses, both deemed valid in their own right. These differences include syllabus content and delivery, learning environment, to assessment methods. Exploration of student experiences, expectations and aspirations are compared and contextualized in the light of both of these different approaches, one rather engineering biased, the other more creative design focused. Graduate quality from both courses is high, valued by industry and validated by published data on graduate employment rates and roles as provided on behalf of the UK government/Higher Education Authorities. High Employment or further study rates support the assertion that both courses are valued and contribute enormously to the employability of the students undertaking these courses.