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Department of Product Design

We pride ourselves on producing student designers in their own mould. Our exceptional academic and technical staff promote freedom, experimentation and individuality in design, as students explore their own practice.

The department is embedded in industry through practice, consultancy and research and has specialisms ranging from materials to medical devices and virtual reality to robotics.

We deliver world-class research that changes people’s lives. We develop revolutionary medical products to improve people’s health. We create sustainable technologies to support developing nations, helping people make water from air and cook food in ovens powered only by the sun.

Our degree courses are renowned in industry for their quality and relevant to practice, embodied by our professional accreditations and track record in producing successful, industry-ready design graduates who are making an impact on the industry across the world.

Our academic offices and workshops are based in the Maudslay building, right in the heart of the University's City Campus. If you’re interested in visiting, studying, or working with us, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Study with us

Undergraduate and postgraduate study

Our courses balance theory and practice to address the challenges of modern design. We’ll give you the support to develop as a creative and analytical thinker, and the freedom to discover and progress your own individual design style, vision and philosophy.

Creative short courses

We offer a range of introductory and professional-level courses delivered by expert tutors at our City Campus. It includes daytime, evening and Saturday classes throughout the year, as well as intensive courses during July and August.

Course accreditation

International opportunities

We are committed to developing a culture of internationalisation and making a contribution to the world through everything we do. Find out more about the impact we have on student experience, research, student and staff mobility, partnerships, collaborations, and our global alumni network.

Our Research Groups and Centres

Product Innovation Centre

The Product Innovation Centre conducts internationally leading research and offers sustainable solutions for providing products and services in a circular economy.

Design Matter Research Group

Design Matter is a product design research group, based at Nottingham Trent University, that undertake product design projects for commercial clients in a wide range of industries including medical, capital equipment, transport, point of sale, homewares, apparel and telecommunications.

Road Safety Research Group

The Road Safety Research Group develops, applies and tests innovate technological products through user centred design approaches to address a variety of road safety challenges across a variety of transportations modes.

Advanced Design and Manufacturing Engineering Centre (ADMEC)

The Advanced Design and Manufacturing Engineering Centre (ADMEC) conducts research in product innovation and development supported by design, manufacture and multi-disciplinary engineering technologies.

The Creative and Virtual Technologies Lab

The Creative and Virtual Technologies Lab is a multidisciplinary research environment where architects, artists, designers, engineers, computer scientists and human scientists collaborate to explore the potential of new visualisation techniques and digital design models and processes. This will enhance the quality of our buildings and cities in a sustainable way meeting user expectations.

Sustainable Consumption Research Group

Sustainable Consumption is a multidisciplinary research group that focuses on people’s influence on sustainability as users of products and services, ranging from consumer durables and clothing to buildings.

Featured facility: Newton and Arkwright

The University has invested a massive £90 million in the regeneration of two Grade II* listed buildings, Newton and Arkwright, at the heart of the City Campus. Arkwright is home to our inspiring studio spaces where our students are encouraged to work collaboratively and experiment with ideas.

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