LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY

Course Specification BA (Hons) Product Design

2018-19 BAHPD

www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Record of Enhancement

No. Detail of modification (Provide a brief description of the modification and where the Course Specification has been updated)

Date Effective (Indicate the academic year of entry and course level(s) to which the modification will apply)

1 University Validation Panel – change of title from BA (Hons) Design Product to BA (Hons) Product Design

From September 2018/19

2 Amendments following re-validation event on 02/10/17

From September 2018/19

Version Control

Version Control

Version number and date effective v2 from Sept 2018

For completion by Quality Assurance Services only:

Next Re-validation date Prior to August 2024

Target award, course title and programme code: BAH Product Design BAHPD

Level of qualification: 6

Course Rationale and Philosophy: The BAH Product Design Design course believes in human centred design and addresses human needs through design thinking and appropriate product design solutions. Innovative research methods allow our students to gain an insight into user needs, economic, environmental and ethical considerations and industry capabilities to inform the design of their products. A wealth of live industry briefs ensure that our students are working in real world contexts to design products that make a positive contribution to the world around us. The BAH Product Design Design curriculum is characterised by four distinct areas that combine to form the identity of the course; Human centred design research allows our students to gain human insight into diverse design issues. Design Thinking engages them in a reflective and iterative process of design development and learning through doing. Design Realisation allows students to communicate their design ideas through compelling product design outcomes. Operating as a Designer helps them develop their transferable skills to work effectively as a product designer in real world contexts.

Overview and Aims: The BAH Product Design Design programme encourages creativity for purpose and for the fulfilment of human need. Our students become design thinkers who address real world challenges through creative input, technical capability, contextual insight and empathy for people. By working through a sequence of challenging design projects students acquire a wide range of creative and technical skills which enable them to realise the design of products from the stages of client/user consultation through to final presentation. The course provides students with a learning environment to conceptualise and validate their ideas by observing, challenging, questioning, suggesting and testing through iterative design processes. Through individual and group projects involving external stakeholders students determine their own design methodology and identity whilst building a portfolio of work that will locate them in their desired professional context. Students have the opportunity to complete a year in industry as part of the course. If they choose this route, they will gain invaluable experience of product design in real world contexts. By studying on this course students develop as creative product designers who focus on a particular area of specialism by the end of their final major project in the third year. The course will provide students with a varied and exciting educational experience that prepares them to pursue various career options upon graduation. The programme is designed so that students gain all the necessary creative, technical, research, design and presentation skills needed to work within product design practice. Graduates of the course go on to work as Product Designers in a wide variety of roles in design studios, companies, design consultancies and freelance positions. Some set up their own studios and some will also progress to postgraduate study.

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The course aims:

to produce confident, enterprising, independent, self-aware and adaptable product design graduates (Course Learning Outcome 4)

to enable students to achieve their full potential with the requisite skills to enter global product design practice (Course Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4)

to create graduates who will be able to challenge popular notions about product design and propose ethically and culturally responsive product solutions (Course Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4)

to develop students’ skills in effective and compelling communication and presentation (Course Learning Outcomes 3 and 4)

to create graduates who can operate effectively through the practice of design as a collaborative and participatory discipline (Course Learning Outcome 4)

to develop effective, reflective, self-reliant and self-directed graduates capable of life-long learning (Course Learning Outcome 4)

Course Learning Outcomes By the end of this course you will be able to:

1 Human-centred design research (who, why)

Explore, analyse, synthesise and apply primary and secondary design research to the design process to gain human insight into diverse design issues. Critically evaluate the impact and relevance of historical, contemporary and future design issues in the context of a defined and justified brief.

2 Design Thinking: design methods and creative and critical thinking skills (how) Select, critically justify and apply appropriate design methods and iterative processes to initiate and support design development. Demonstrate creative design thinking within a reflective and evaluative process of learning through doing.

3 Design Realisation: product design outcomes and communication (what)

Deliver effective and significant product design outcomes communicated appropriately through physical and digital methods and critically reflect on how enterprising behaviour and practice can be developed through product design.

Level Learning Outcomes

Level No. Learning Outcome At Level 4 you will be able to:

4 1 Human-centred design research (who, why)

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Level No. Learning Outcome Gather and organise sources of human centred design research to gain human insight into diverse design issues. Make connections between historical, contemporary and future design issues in the context of a defined and justified brief.

4 2 Design Thinking: design methods and creative and critical thinking skills (how) Justify appropriate design methods and iterative processes to initiate and support design development. Demonstrate creative design thinking within a reflective and evaluative process of learning through doing.

4 3 Design Realisation: product design outcomes and communication (what) Deliver rudimentary product design outcomes communicated appropriately through physical and digital methods and have an understanding of how enterprising behaviour and practice can be developed through product design.

4 4 Operating as a designer: transferable skills (where, so what?)

Respond to diverse real world design challenges through effective project management, appropriate communication and reflection. Demonstrate a basic awareness of working ethically and responsibly either autonomously or as part of project teams.

Level No. Learning Outcome At Level 5 you will be able to:

5 1 Human-centred design research (who, why) Organise, connect and make informed judgements about sources of design research to inform the design process and gain human insight into diverse design issues. Evaluate the impact and relevance of historical, contemporary and future design issues in the context of a defined and justified brief.

5 2 Design Thinking: design methods and creative and critical thinking skills (how) Select, justify and apply appropriate design methods and iterative processes to initiate and support design development. Demonstrate creative design thinking within a reflective and evaluative process of learning through doing.

5 3 Design Realisation: product design outcomes and communication (what)

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Level No. Learning Outcome Deliver relevant product design outcomes communicated appropriately through physical and digital methods and reflect on how enterprising behaviour and practice can be developed through product design.

5 4 Operating as a designer: transferable skills (where, so what?)

Respond to diverse real world design challenges through effective project management, appropriate communication and ongoing reflection. Demonstrate developing skills in working ethically and responsibly either autonomously or as part of project teams.

Course Structure All modules are core LEVEL 4 The focus of Level 4 is the acquisition and application of skills including design thinking, concept development, digital communication and making skills, physical making skills, presentation and transferable skills. It provides a ‘skills toolkit’ to take forward to Level 5 of the course.

SEMESTER 1

P4.1 (20 credits): INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN THINKING

AND PRODUCT DESIGN

IAD/P4.3 (20 credits): CRITICAL AND CONTEXTUAL STUDIES 1 P4.2 (20 credits):

DESIGNING THROUGH MODELLING

SEMESTER 2

P4.4 (20 credits) THE DESIGN PROCESS

P4.5 (20 credits): HUMAN CENTRED DESIGN RESEARCH

P4.6 (20 credits): RESPONSIBLE DESIGN

LEVEL 5 The focus of Level 5 is a broad selection of industry informed or external context live projects. Students put into practice the skills they have learned in Level 4 in order to build upon their practice as product designers.

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SEMESTER 1

P5.1 (20 credits): EXTERNAL CONTEXT BRIEF 1

IAD/P5.3 (20 credits): CRITICAL AND CONTEXTUAL STUDIES 2

P5.2 (20 credits): DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURE

SEMESTER 2

P5.45 (40 credits): EXTERNAL CONTEXT BRIEF 2

P5.6 (20 credits): DESIGN FUTURES

------------------------------ OPTIONAL SANDWICH YEAR -------------------------------

LEVEL 6 The focus of Level 6 is self directed and negotiated project briefs in order to consolidate students’ learning and allow them to define their individual approach to their design practice. A strong emphasis on employability gives students the skills they need to launch their career post-graduation.

SEMESTER 1

P6.12 (40 credits): DESIGN FOR THE REAL WORLD

P6.345 (60 credits): FINAL MAJOR PROJECT

SEMESTER 2

P6.345 (continued) FINAL MAJOR PROJECT

P6.6 (20 credits): PRODUCT LAUNCH

Contained awards available:

CRTHE Product Design 4

DIPHE Product Design 5

BA Product Design 6

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Length of programme, FT/PT and mode of study:

Learning and Teaching The course is delivered in the award winning Broadcasting Place building, housing both dedicated studio spaces and model-making workshop provision.

On the ground floor B building (Arts) there is a substantial workshop facility used by students throughout the School of Art, Architecture and Design. Students are inducted into this facility in Level 4 and encouraged to explore the possibilities it provides through their project work. Some of the processes available for model making include vacuum forming, laser cutting and three dimensional printing (rapid prototyping). Experimental and focussed work can be carried out with wood, metal and plastics. A dedicated team of Learning Officers with experience of art and design practice manage the workshops and provide point-of-need support for students. Students can access photographic and audio visual equipment outside normal working hours through the AAD School loans system or use the University loans system located in the Library. The studio spaces have been designed as a multi-purpose facility that allows individual and group working, taught and independent study, and are equipped with high spec-networked computing facilities for CAD, DTP and general office/study software. The wireless environment accommodates the use of laptops and the wall screens and studio units provide display space for design reviews to be held.

Studio spaces also include seminar, data projection and exhibition/product showcase spaces. As required students may have contact and independent sessions in associated spaces

including formal classrooms, workshops and library spaces.

With regards to Graduate Attributes, the course adopts three key themes of Digital Literacy, Being Enterprising and having a Global Outlook: Digital Literacy: The course develops students’ confidence and critical use of both discipline specific and transferable information and digital technologies to enhance academic, personal, and professional development. It does this in an embedded manner whereby skills are introduced, taught, learned, developed and assessed within both the practical project and critical studies

Programme Length (years)

FT/PT (please specify)

Mode (campus based/DL or other)

BAH Product Design Design

3 FT Campus

BAH Product Design Design

6 PT Campus

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modules. In this way the relevance of skills, the need to know, are explicit with immediate opportunities for application in a holistic and authentic context. Specific skills embrace: information literacy, media literacy, representations and communications, networking, study practices and resources, self and portfolio promotion and careers related digital skills. While specific skills, devices and software might be emphasised in particular modules all modules contain some aspect of digital literacy. Enterprise: The course is founded on the concept of being enterprising with emphasis on such things as ownership, risk taking, critical thinking and critical action, problem solving, creativity and innovation, challenging archetypes, reflective practice, social enterprise and employability. In addition to thinking entrepreneurially in the context of design development, the spirit of enterprise is evident in the course’s student focused approach and the opportunities for self- directed and self-initiated studies (notably P6.12 Design for the Real World and P6.345 Final Major Project at Level 6). Enterprise in the professional context is addressed through the external context briefs (P5.1 External Context Brief 1 and P5.45 External Context Brief 2 at Level 5), visiting and part time lecturers and the embedded Personal and Professional Development elements of practical project work. Global Outlook: The course’s approach to curriculum content, delivery and assessment embraces consideration of diversity and difference which are themselves perceived as valuable stimulants for creativity. As students progress through the course, project work increasingly requires them to expand their thinking beyond the familiar and to consider users, environments, issues, cultures and behaviours which may be alien to their own experiences. While valuing and validating students’ personal tacit knowledge they are consistently asked to explore and research scenarios from others’ perspectives and to develop design solutions which meet the requirements of diverse users even within cognate communities. The course ethos of developing responsible designers generates the need to consider global resources (in the broadest sense including human and cultural resources), sustainability and environmental impact.

Learning and Teaching Approaches The key approaches to learning and teaching, as informed by the Leeds Beckett Education Strategy 2016-2021, are that the course is: o constructed around creative design projects with embedded skills and knowledge

o student centred o based in studio and workshop environments

The focus on embedded learning within projects means that students’ motivation and engagement is enhanced through the explicit “need to know” with immediate opportunities to apply learning. Projects enable students to learn in a holistic and authentic manner, with continuous formative feedback. The student centred approach to learning and teaching is achieved primarily through the development of self-awareness and by offering a flexible but supported and structured programme. Students are supported in identifying and articulating personal interests and aspirations so that where appropriate they are able to reinterpret briefs to suit personal

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practice, make informed choices about their learning, be self-directed and independent learners and, ultimately, capable of self- initiating learning experiences.

The studio and workshop environments are crucial to learning by being the most appropriate and practical spaces for the types of activities students engage with. Furthermore, they offer benefits to the learning experience by offering a home base (thereby promoting the sense of belonging and of ownership of learning); by enabling fluid and flexible teaching, learning and assessment processes; by enabling peer learning and by replicating realistic professional environments and working practices.

Learning and Teaching Activities As the course’s approach to Learning and Teaching is guided and informed by the Leeds Beckett Education Strategy 2016-2021, the learning and teaching activities also conform to the same vision document. The majority of all students’ study time is involved in undertaking project work and therefore there is an emphasis on studio tutoring – one to one and small group demonstrations, discussions and critiques of work in progress. Some modules and most project work is further supported by more formal contact sessions including lectures, tutor and student led seminars and student presentations. In common with most art/ design disciplines a significant number of students are dyslexic or have associated learning difficulties and in recognition, interaction commonly involves multiple forms of communication e.g. verbal, written, diagrammatic and visual so as to embrace different learning styles and students are encouraged to audio record sessions as an alternative or to supplement note taking. On request tutors will meet with DSA students and their support workers to discuss and support students’ learning needs. The combination of studio environment and project based learning offers opportunities for delivery of contact sessions to be fluid and flexible and staff are able to monitor progress and respond to students’ needs almost immediately. Furthermore, this flexibility extends to the ability to exploit ad hoc opportunities e.g. contact with external agencies, exhibitions and other related events. All studies are supported by guided independent study, which may include secondary and/or primary research, experimentation/exploration and testing/evaluation as appropriate to module and assignment. Additionally, there may be visits or field trips and professional practitioner input as visiting and part time lecturers. Where students are genuinely unable to participate e.g. illness, lack of personal resources, caring responsibilities, course materials (powerpoints, handouts, recordings of lectures) are made available with opportunities for follow up tutorials. Where only a few students/staff are able to attend a significant field trip they are asked to create a presentation so as to share their experiences with others. All studies are supported through the course’s virtual learning environment (CAGD) as described below.

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In adopting these approaches the course believes it complies with the Leeds Beckett Education Strategy 2016-21.

Use of Blended Learning While the course embraces a varied approach to curriculum delivery, the course does not deliver blended learning preferring a face to face model of contact.

Use of VLE Along with all courses in AAD, this course uses CAGD as its VLE. The course makes extensive use of the CAGD virtual learning environment enabling students to upload work progressively, work remotely where appropriate, receive feedback and communicate with the larger student community within the school. The website also allows staff to contact students, communicate course information, publish calendar events and disseminate documents in support of module content. It has a number of valuable features appropriate to and exploited by the course including:

a GUI relevant to art/design (fit for purpose) as demonstrated by student feedback, ALT awards and HEIF 5 funding

the ability to handle multimedia information and large file sizes

openness and equality (with built in and optional privacy functions) across the school including equity between students and staff

ready access to the site’s designers, administrators and developers so that it can continue to grow and improve in response to need and actual usage

The course makes use of the following CAGD functionality:

repositories and showcases for staff and student work - both on-going and completed

repositories of the work of others with relevance to own practices

communication of course related materials e.g. module hand-outs, lecture notes and presentations, reading lists, links to sites of interest

presentation and submission of students’ work for feedback and summative assessment purposes

formative and summative feedback

recording of tutorial/seminar notes

reflections

communications/networking /messaging

course level, year group or custom group announcements

calendar of events and structured time tabling

The VLE is in continual use across all modules and beyond the formal curriculum delivery.

Student Support Network If you have a question or a problem relating to your course, your Course Administrator is there to help you. Course Administrators works closely with academic staff and can make referrals to teaching staff or to specialist professional services as appropriate. They can give

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you a confirmation of attendance letter, and a transcript. You may also like to contact your Course Rep or the Students’ Union Advice team for additional support with course-related questions. If you have any questions about life at our University in general, call into or contact the Student Hub on either campus to speak to our Student Experience Team. This team, consisting of recent graduates and permanent staff, are available to support you throughout your time here. They will make sure you have access to and are aware of the support, specialist services, and opportunities our University provides. There is a Student Hub on the ground floor of the Rose Bowl at City Campus and one in Campus Central at Headingley. You can also find the team in the Gateway in the Leslie Silver Building at City Campus. The telephone number is 0113 812 3000, and the e-mail address is StudentHub@leedsbeckett.ac.uk. Within MyBeckett you will see two tabs (Support and Opportunities) where you can find online information and resources for yourselves. The Support tab gives you access to details of services available to give you academic and personal support. These include Library Services, the Students’ Union, Money advice, Disability advice and support, Wellbeing, International Student Services and Accommodation. There is also an A-Z of Support Services, and access to online appointments/registration. The Opportunities tab is the place to explore the options you have for jobs, work placements, volunteering, and a wide range of other opportunities. For example, you can find out here how to get help with your CV, prepare for an interview, get a part-time job or voluntary role, take part in an international project, or join societies closer to home.

Assessment Strategy As a consequence of the course being constructed around creative design projects with embedded skills and knowledge the most frequent form of assessment is based on project work. A project assessment requires a range of evidence to be submitted to demonstrate that students have met the related learning outcomes and have progressed in the development of their graduate attributes e.g. visual presentations (including posters, digital images, PowerPoint presentations, three dimensional artefacts, exhibitions), verbal presentations and critiques, multimedia presentations, reports. As students progress through the course they take on increasing responsibility for determining the most appropriate means for communicating project processes, outcomes and evidence of meeting learning outcomes. It is through regular tutorial contact that a student project is discussed in relation to the module learning outcomes so that understanding is developed as to how varied individual responses can meet learning outcomes. This formative feedback loop continues throughout a project empowering students to act on the feedback within the project but also build on the continuing feedback from module to module in a progressive manner. This cyclic approach to project work through the levels fosters deep learning in the core aspects of design project work. AAD adopts synoptic assessment as a particularly useful tool to support project based and authentic learning. It enables students to retain focus on the Learning Outcomes for each module while at the same time enabling integration and application of learning from across

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modules in a manner that reflects the reality of professional practice. It further enables students to revisit and enhance work carried out in earlier modules in light of later project learning. Consequently Learning Outcomes are blended and interdependent and synoptic assessment is the most appropriate method of assessing the reality of the student learning experience. Outside of project work students evidence learning outcomes through means such as reports, essays, poster presentations, logs, folios. Formative feedback is provided either through the week to week studio contact over work in progress in project based modules and/or through students submitting draft work (more often in the case of written assignments) for comment. In addition Critical & Contextual Studies, Professional Skills and PPD work receives formative feedback through discussion at tutorials and seminars.

Feedback on Assessed Coursework In general terms the course’s feedback strategy is to provide continuous feedback (much as promoted by Schon in Educating the Reflective Practitioner1) rather than to wait for specific assessment points. Students are introduced to and made aware of this approach at induction and through clear timetabling of contact sessions. Students receive continuous verbal formative feedback from peers and tutors on project work through studio activities. At significant presentation points of project work in progress this verbal feedback is supplemented by written formative feedback. Wherever practical, formative feedback is provided for draft written work in addition to the on-going discussion in tutorials/seminars supporting these assignments. Most project work culminates in presentations where verbal summative feedback is provided. Written qualitative and quantitative feedback is provided for all summative assessments and students are encouraged to log their own reflections following summative assessment.

1 Schon, D. (2014). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Module Assessment Methods

Module Titles

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Exa

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Ass

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Rep

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Dis

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on

Po

rtfo

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Pro

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Ora

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Pra

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kills

Ass

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Set

Exer

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s

P4.1 Introduction to Product Design & Design Thinking

100%

P4.2 Designing Through Modelling

100%

IAD/P4.3 Critical and Contextual Studies 1

30% 70%

P4.4 The Design Process 100%

P4.5 Human Centred Design Research

100%

P4.6 Responsible Design 100%

P5.1 External Context Brief 1 100%

P5.2 Design for Manufacture 100%

IAD/P5.3 Critical and Contextual Studies 2

100%

P5.45 External Context Brief 2 100%

P5.6 Design Futures 100%

P6.12 Design for the Real World 100%

P6.345 Final Major Project 100%

P6.6 Product Launch 100%

Employability and Professional Context The course will aim to seek PSRB accreditation in the coming years to sit us in line with our key competitor institutions and to further enhance the employability of our graduates. The majority of students graduating the course find jobs and careers within the creative industries. In recent years students have progressed to design positions in a range of organisations including consultancies, manufacturing industry, retail and charities. Some students prefer to work freelance and some set up their own businesses as consultants, others as designer makers.

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A small number of graduating students decide against being design practitioners, preferring to use their transferable skills to shift sideways into such things as design management, design research, design education (at all levels) and design related journalism. A key Learning Outcome of the course (Course Learning Outcome 4), reflected at each level, is concerned with Personal Professional Development with a gradual progression from awareness of personal interests and inspirations, through increasing independence and responsibility for learning, to a clear articulation of a personal approach to creative practice and career aspirations as evidenced through self-initiated project work, PPD work and, most importantly, the portfolio of creative work. Throughout the course students are exposed to authentic, work related tasks through projects which become increasingly holistic, self-managed and complex. In both Level 5 and Level 6 students work on external context briefs (sometimes known as Live Projects) which further add authenticity and expose students to the expectations of professional practice. At Level 5 there is a stand-alone module in Semester II (P5.6 Design Futures) with the express intention of establishing expectations for professional practice, raising students’ awareness of job and career opportunities and preparing them to promote both themselves and their work. At Level 6 students use the final Semester to self-initiate a major body of work, to develop their professional portfolio of creative work (with embedded PPD elements) and to launch their product/s to their intended audience. In addition to the project work PPD teaching and learning activities include such things as CVs, business cards, personal statements, physical and digital promotional materials, job and internship hunting, applications and interviews. Learning is supported by studio exercises, lectures e.g. Business Start Up, Careers and Professional Practitioner talks and studio support from practitioners. Students are expected to carry out independent study such as collecting and collating inspirations and influences, critically engaging with and reflecting on the work and careers of practitioners, job hunting and job analysis and accessing support materials. The CAGD e-portfolio tool provides a range of opportunities for students to enhance employability and the professional aspects of their studies. CAGD features an alumni section, which provides graduates with a direct and sustainable connection with their course after they leave the University, including access to their online work. This enables graduates to maintain relationships with their peer group, their tutors, and with students who are currently studying. This School-specific professional network has led to placement and employment opportunities for students, as alumni are able to easily reconnect with the courses, and identify suitable students for placements and potential employment. A key feature of CAGD is the ability to publish an external online portfolio. The contents of this portfolio are curated by students using an intuitive interface, and can be edited at any time. The URL is fixed, and can be emailed to potential employers, or used as a static address for URL masking. Each portfolio can be styled using a range of pre-set templates, designed by students and tutors within the School. More ambitious students can apply their own style sheets to create a unique look. This feature provides all students with their own website, without them having to learn how to be a web designer and developer, or pay for web design

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services or hosting. The ability to apply CSS also provides a gentle introduction to HTML for those who might need to delve more deeply into this method of self-promotion.

Recently published statistics indicate that 80% of our recent graduates are in graduate level jobs with a further 15% either continuing to study or a combination of study and work. While some graduates are pursuing related careers the main graduate job titles are Designer and Junior Product Designer. Work Related Activities The course does not contain work based learning modules requiring students to work on supervised work placements. It does contain an optional sandwich year providing direct benefits of work related learning for those students wishing to participate. The practical aspects of the course provide appropriately challenging and authentic experiences as specified by the University’s Work Related Activities requirement. Project modules are designed to enable application of learning from previous modules and often contain embedded skills and knowledge as an integrated part of a holistic, thematic project. While individual project modules may emphasise particular Learning Outcomes, students experience holistic approaches to learning and doing in a manner that reflects the reality of professional practice. This authenticity is furthered in specified modules where the theme, or brief, is drawn from real case studies and/or engagement with an external stakeholder, in some cases acting as client. These engagements provide students with the experience of communicating and negotiating with a client at all stages of the design process from agreeing the brief, through design development to persuasively presenting final outcomes in a professional manner. Students are encouraged and supported in recognising the work related and employability aspects of all their studies, ‘live’ projects included, and are encouraged to articulate their experiences and abilities through PPD activities and, ultimately, their professional portfolio on graduation. In addition to the core curriculum students are encouraged and informally supported to engage with work experience, internships and voluntary activities outside of scheduled study time. Evidence from such experiences can then be included in the Personal and Professional Development (PPD) aspects of discipline modules such that this extra curricular activity contributes to assessment.

Holistic project modules are present at all three Levels.

External context briefs occur at Levels 5 and 6.

Evidence of extra curricular work related activity can occur at any level and be included as part of the developing professional portfolio, and assessed as an element of PPD. Students are engaged in practical project modules every week of the course. Clearly some of these activities are more akin to the notion of ‘work related activity’ than others but it is an

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intention of the course that students are made aware of the relevance and relationship of their educational experience to employability and career aspiration. Students become aware of this interdependency by staff continually affirming the link through PDP work, project tutorials and feedback sessions and professional practice lectures which all take place throughout the course.

External context briefs represent 5 modules of Level 6 study.

Placement or Work Related Activity Level: Full time sandwich year

Placement or Work Related Activity Length in Weeks: 40 weeks

The optional placement year can be referred to as a ‘sandwich year’, ‘internship’ or ‘work experience’. An industrial placement is an excellent opportunity to improve your employability and job prospects. Through practical work experience an industrial placement will help you acquire and evidence the skills employers want and make valuable contacts within the product design industry.

The industrial placement year involves sourcing and undertaking a placement between your second and third year of study, effectively making your degree 4 years in length. Whilst there is a support network in place to help you source and obtain a placement, you must take responsibility for your own placement and actively engage with the process.

Placement year students are expected to find employment in the product design industry/subject area for a minimum of 40 weeks. This may consist of up to three separate placements although it is recommended that students complete the placement year with one company for the entire duration of the placement year, or two placements of approximately equal length. Staff will help students with the process of finding and applying for a placement but it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to secure the placement and the student must then get this approved by a member of their course teaching team before commencement of the placement. The placement may be paid or may offer reimbursement of expenses. This will be the responsibility of the placement provider to ensure they are working ethically and offering an appropriate reward for the work undertaken. Ultimately it is the student’s decision as to whether they are willing/able to take up the placement for the pay or reward being offered. The formal relationship is directly between the student and the company. While they are on their placement students have to remain registered with Leeds Beckett University. The University accepts no liability for any loss, damage or expense as a result of the work experience placement.

Type of Placement or work related activity:

Students may engage in work related activity during the summer breaks or in holiday periods in addition to/instead of taking up the placement year.

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The placement year is an excellent opportunity for students to gain extensive first-hand knowledge of the product design industry. It also enables students to try aspects of a diverse industry and ascertain if they wish to continue with a particular career path upon graduation. During the placement year students will be visited by staff at least once, with those students on multiple placements being a priority for more than one visit. During the visit the tutor will examine the nature and extent of the professional experience, discuss placement learning, and monitor and guide performance and progress. Pastoral support may be supplemented by contacting the course team at any point that the student feels support is needed. Students may choose to complete a placement in the UK or abroad, although those working abroad may not be visited in person. While on placement, the students and their prospective employers are required to complete a Health and Safety assessment form, satisfactory completion of which is required for the placement to be approved. Students are required to record their experiences during the placement year in the form of a reflective report. Ethical consent may be requested by the university or the employer in line with the university’s ethics approval process. Useful contacts:

Placement Office: Email: aetplacements@leedsbeckett.ac.uk tel: 01138 127403 Careers Advice: Email: careers@leedsbeckett.ac.uktel: 0113 812 5995 My Hub: www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/myhub INPLACE https://my.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/webapps/portal/execute/tabs/tabAction?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1

Reference Points used in course design and delivery All our courses leading to Leeds Beckett University awards have been designed and approved in accordance with UK and European quality standards. Our courses utilise the Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) and where relevant subject benchmarks (where these are available) and professional, statutory and regulatory body requirements (for professionally accredited courses). We have taken reference from the University's Education Strategy (2016-2021). The Learning Pathways (Levels 4-6) have directly shaped the course and the focus of the three levels. Level 4 focusses on 'Engagement', integrating students into their learning environment and

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preparing them for Levels 5 and 6 "with a sound understanding of the key concepts and knowledge required for successful completion". Level 5 focusses on Contextualisation. Students work through live client/external context briefs to consolidate their learning and put their skills into practice. Students are encouraged to reflect critically on their work and are "supported and encouraged to put their knowledge and skills into practice in an employment-related context". Level 6 focusses on Independence with students developing as critical thinkers and reflective practitioners. Students demonstrate their abilities through two sustained projects and "they will be able to demonstrate the application of their knowledge and skills within real-world contexts". The outcomes have also been influenced by the QAA subject benchmark statement. Art and Design Benchmark Statement can be found here: http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/SBS-Art-and-Design-17.pdf The statement has helped the course team define what might be expected of a graduate of product design and therefore in terms of what they might know, do and understand at the end of their programme. The course embodies the Art and Design benchmarks and our Course Learning Outcomes and proposed course structure particularly reflect the following: 1.2: "A responsibility towards sustainable development and to equipping students to work in a way that contributes to society, the economy and the environment, both in the present and for the future". 1.6: Encourages "the development of an enquiring, analytical and creative approach, and develops entrepreneurial capabilities. It also encourages the acquisition of independent judgement and critical self-awareness". 1.8 "Art and design skills, particularly those in 'making', contribute to cognitive development and engage learners. Through engagement with materials, processes and ideas, 'making' develops creativity, inventiveness, problem solving and practical intelligence". 2.5 "In learning about the contextual setting of their discipline(s), students also engage with appropriate related theories within global, historical/contemporary and cultural/environmental settings, which inform that context and add purpose to their activity. As a consequence, students develop and may challenge their own critical disposition in relation to their discipline(s) and even the conventions of the discipline". 3.11 "Art and design also involves both analysis and synthesis, and is frequently solution-focused, culminating in the creation of design outcomes as prototypes, models or proposals". 3.8 "The practice of art and design is a creative endeavour that speculates upon and challenges its own nature and purpose and that demands high levels of self-motivation, intellectual curiosity, speculative enquiry, imagination, and divergent thinking skills... Similarly, art and design practice demands the ability to position the individual's practice within an appropriate contextual framework".

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5.6 "The pedagogic approach to art and design education is essentially integrative and holistic enabling students to draw upon all their learning to identify and solve complex problems. The primary delivery mode is through projects and assignments of varying length. Generally, these are tutor-led initially, becoming increasingly student initiated as learning develops and requiring sustained periods of independent study". 5.9 "Knowledge and understanding of commercial and professional practice is developed in a variety of ways. Externally-set, 'live' projects, placements and internships are a common feature of many programmes". 5.11 "The development of students' independent learning skills is promoted through self-directed and self-initiated study, which may be formalised through individually negotiated learning agreements". We review our courses annually and periodically, responding to student feedback and a range of information to enhance our courses. Our University is also subject to external review by the Quality Assurance Agency. Our latest report can be found on the QAA web site at http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews-and-reports We appoint External Examiners to verify that our University sets and maintains standards for awards which adhere to relevant national subject benchmark statements and the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (UK), ensure standards and student achievements are comparable with other Higher Education Institutions in the UK, with which they are familiar, and ensure that assessments measure achievement of course and module learning outcomes and reach the required standard. External Examiners may also provide feedback on areas of good practice or potential enhancement.

Staff Teaching on the Course You can find details of our highly qualified permanent teaching staff on our website, who are involved in teaching, research and administration associated with the course.

Regulatory Exemption details: The course adheres to the University Academic principles and Regulations with one exemption. Level 5 does not count towards final degree classification. The course has also applied for exemption from the UG Curriculum framework with regards to a 40cp dissertation module at Level 6.

Scheduled Non-Modular Contact Hours: In addition to formal contact teaching as part of modules students can expect to benefit from personal tutorials, lecture programmes which may be offered across the course and/or the School and from extra curricular study trips. It is difficult to quantify these contact sessions but an approximation might be: 5 hours for personal tutoring, 12 hours for a ‘public’ lecture programme and five days of study trip.