Design (Product, Ceramics, Silversmithing and Jewellery)

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# Design (Product, Ceramics, Silversmithing and Jewellery) BDes (Hons)

Undergraduate Full-time UCAS Code: W260 2027/28

A dynamic course with specialist pathways in Product Design, Ceramics, and Silversmithing & Jewellery, exploring innovation through design and making.

## If you're from the UK or Ireland

Apply via UCAS if you meet all of the following:

* You live in the UK or Ireland

* You are applying for full-time undergraduate study

* You are not applying as an international student

Apply via UCAS

## If you're an International Applicant

Use the international application route if you are from outside the UK or Ireland.

Apply via International Portal

UCAS Code

Qualification Type(s)

Bachelor of Design with Honours

Location

Start Date

September 2027

Study Mode

Full-time

Overview

Standard Entry Conditions

Careers and Opportunities

Fees and Funding

Sustainability

Disclaimer

## Overview

BDes (Hons) Design is a dynamic studio-based programme where you will develop an investigative and material-led design practice within one of three specialist pathways: Product Design, Ceramics, or Silversmithing & Jewellery. Situated within the Belfast School of Art, the programme encourages critical thinking through making, combining conceptual development with practical skill.

What does it mean to design something? Design shapes the world we live in. Every object, whether an artefact, a piece of jewellery, a chair, or a digital interface, has been designed. This programme invites you to examine how things are conceived, made, and understood. It asks you to see design not as a fixed process, but as a critical tool for questioning assumptions, disrupting conventions, and imagining new possibilities.

Design is approached as an active enquiry; one that is both critical and creative. It involves questioning established systems, testing ideas, and rethinking the purpose, value, and impact of designed objects, products, and experiences. Across all pathways, you will be encouraged to use design as a means of provoking reflection, initiating disruption, and engaging with complex ideas.

This may involve examining the function of an object, the material from which it is made, or the cultural and social narratives it expresses. Making is understood not simply as a method of production but as a speculative and investigative process in its own right. You will develop your ideas through both traditional and digital approaches, combining material skill with conceptual exploration to produce work that is critically grounded and contextually relevant.

The programme supports the development of a personal design language that is ethically aware, materially informed, and capable of responding to social, cultural, and environmental challenges.

In Year 1 (Level 4), you will engage with a shared curriculum across all three pathways. In Semester 2, you will select two of these to explore in greater depth through studio briefs and workshop practice. At the beginning of Year 2 (Level 5), you will specialise in one pathway: Product, Ceramics, or Silversmithing & Jewellery. This specialism will form the core of your study for the remainder of the course.

The Product Design pathway includes Product Design, Industrial Design, Furniture Design, Spatial Design, Service Design, and Critical Design. It is grounded in human-centred thinking and addresses the design of objects, systems, and services that respond to real-world needs and speculative futures. You will explore how designed experiences can shape behaviour, improve daily life, and question dominant assumptions about function and value.

The Ceramics and Silversmithing & Jewellery pathways prioritise material experimentation and the development of technical skill. You will explore both functional and sculptural approaches, using traditional processes alongside digital fabrication tools to produce contemporary and contextually rich work. A design-through-making methodology underpins these pathways, allowing you to reflect critically through the act of making.

Sustainability and ethical production are central to the course. You will examine how these themes influence material choice, methods of fabrication, and models of manufacturing, from small-batch studio practice to large-scale industrial production.

Throughout the course, you will study key design methodologies including design thinking, research, visual communication, prototyping, and 3D CAD. These are integrated into studio projects where you will develop both creative and professional competencies. You will also work on live briefs, attend field visits, and take part in lectures and workshops with visiting designers, makers, and industry professionals.

Studios are located across two floors of the Belfast School of Art, adjacent to fully equipped workshops for ceramics, metal, wood, plastics, jewellery, fine metals, and digital processes such as CNC routing, 3D printing, and laser cutting. You will have an individual studio space throughout your studies and benefit from close collaboration with academic and technical staff.

The course prepares you to become a reflective, skilled, and professionally engaged designer or maker. You will graduate with a distinctive body of work and a portfolio that supports entry into employment, independent practice, or further study.

### QS 5 Star Excellence

Discover Ulster University’s QS 5 Star ratings, a global mark of excellence recognising outstanding achievement across multiple categories.

### Rated 5 Stars: Excellent overall

QS Stars

Learn more about QS Stars

### We’d love to hear from you!

We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.

Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:

* Course specific information

* Fees and Finance

* Admissions

For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.

For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.

We look forward to hearing from you.

## About this course

### Rated 5 Stars: Excellent for Teaching

The course begins with a shared induction during Welcome Week, introducing students to the academic and studio environment of the Belfast School of Art. In Level 4 (Year 1), all students follow a common curriculum that introduces the three specialist pathways: Product Design, Ceramics, and Silversmithing & Jewellery.

Core modules such as Visual Investigation, Material Practices, and Design Research and Cultural Contexts 1 establish foundational design methods, material processes, and theoretical frameworks.

Within Design Studio 1, students select two of the three pathways to explore in depth through pathway-specific briefs. This dual-pathway model allows students to experience both design-led and material-led approaches, informing their choice of a single specialism at the start of Level 5.

From Level 5 (Year 2), students commit to one specialist pathway, which they pursue for the remainder of the programme. Modules such as Design Enterprise, Design Studio 2, Professional Practice, and Design Research and Cultural Contexts 2 support the development of advanced technical skills, conceptual thinking, and contextual understanding.

Students are encouraged to participate in study visits to London (Year 1) and a European destination (Year 2), providing insight into contemporary professional practice.

After completing Level 5, students may choose to undertake a placement year. Options include the Diploma in Professional Practice (DPP), Diploma in Professional Practice International (DPPi), or Diploma in International Academic Studies (DIAS) through Turing or Study USA schemes. An Enterprise Placement Year (EPY) is also available for students focused on entrepreneurship.

Level 6 (Year 3) consolidates disciplinary expertise through Design Futures, Major Project: Research and Context, and the final Major Project. This final body of work reflects each student’s creative identity, technical accomplishment, and critical engagement. Product Design students typically address human-centred briefs, while Ceramics and Silversmithing & Jewellery students explore materiality and form through a design-through-making methodology.

Throughout the programme, students are encouraged to engage with the wider design and making fields. Membership of professional bodies such as The Institute of Designers in Ireland the Chartered Society of Designers provides access to development opportunities, events, and awards.

By graduation, students will have developed a coherent design identity and a body of work aligned with their chosen pathway. The programme culminates in a public exhibition as part of the Belfast School of Art’s end-of-year show, offering a platform to present work to peers, industry, and the wider public.

### Associate awards

Diploma in Professional Practice DPP

Diploma in International Academic Studies DIAS

Diploma in Professional Practice International DPPI

### Attendance

Attendance is largely studio based, four days per week with 15 hours staff contact time and 35 hours self directed study per week.

### Start dates

* September 2027

### Teaching, Learning and Assessment

The BDes (Hons) Design programme is practice-led and studio-based, with an emphasis on learning through doing. Students are supported to explore design as a material, iterative, and conceptual process, culminating in the production of physical artefacts, models, and prototypes that respond to defined briefs.

The curriculum foregrounds core design skills, including drawing, visual communication, 3D modelling, CAD, and prototyping, alongside the theoretical and cultural contexts that underpin contemporary design and making practices.

Design education is delivered primarily through a dedicated studio environment, where students engage in individual and group-based project work. Each student has access to their own studio space throughout the programme, enabling sustained engagement with the design process. This is supported by access to specialist workshops and expert guidance from academic and technical staff with professional design and making experience.

Assessment takes place formally at the end of each module, with formative reviews and feedback integrated throughout the teaching period. All modules are supported by the University’s virtual learning environment (Blackboard Ultra), which provides access to key learning resources, schedules, submission portals, and feedback.

## Academic Delivery and Award Information

The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.

Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:

* the relevant generic national Qualification Descriptor

* the applicable Subject Benchmark Statement

* the requirements of any professional, regulatory, statutory and accrediting bodies.

Attendance and Independent Study

As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable.

For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.

#### Industrial Placement

During the year, you will develop your skills in studio, workshop, or technical environments, while also growing personally, socially, and professionally. If you successfully complete the placement, you will graduate with either a Diploma in Professional Practice (DPP) or, if your placement is outside the UK and Ireland, a Diploma in Professional Practice International (DPPI).

#### Enterprise Placement Year

This module is optional

This is an enterprising and innovative module which provides students with the opportunity to explore a business idea and transform it into a viable business or social enterprise as part of the Diploma in Professional Practice pathway. Students will be mentored and supported by experienced business advisors and industry experts to develop commercial and technical skills within their sectors, alongside developing professional behaviours and attributes.

### Year four

#### Design Futures

This module focuses on the key strategies that will prepare you for graduation, career development and employment. You will provide a professional e-portfolio, a 5-year strategic career plan and an opportunity to showcase skillsets in the end of year show (EOYS). Student learning is supported with online resources to allow you to tailor the resource material to specific career ambitions.

You are expected to independently research and compile the e-portfolio and five year plan for verbal and electronic submissions. The module will adopt a professional and entrepreneurial approach to planning a career within the creative industries.

#### Major Project Research and Context

This module allows you to develop skills as individual researchers and collaborative and informed practitioners. You will be asked to critically reflect on the interdisciplinary nature of your own practice, building an intellectual framework to support the final year project. You will establish a self-directed research topic following historical, contemporary and theoretical frameworks.

The module stimulates rigorous self-reflective, critical and analytical writing and research with its oral and textual articulation.

#### Major Project

The Major Project is your final practice-based module. It gives you the opportunity to bring together the skills, processes and knowledge you have developed throughout the course, including your placement year if you completed one. You will design and produce a substantial self-directed project that reflects your specialist pathway. Your final work will be presented as part of the end-of-year degree show, marking the culmination of your studies.

### Optional Modules

Optional modules are reviewed on a Programme each year and we may change the options available to you, to reflect our staff expertise, changes in Programme requirements or to reflect feedback that we have received from other Students, employers or other interested parties.

If your Programme contains optional modules, you will be provided with a list of these in good time so that you can choose the options right for you each year. Sometimes, we may not be able to run a particular optional module because not enough Students sign up for it or because a member of staff is not available to teach a module.

Where this may be the case, we will let you know when you are provided with your option choices, and you will be able to choose an alternative if one of your selected modules does not run.

International applicants

UK and Republic of Ireland applicants

## Standard Entry Conditions

We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements .

The entry conditions below apply to applicants presenting qualifications from Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland or Great Britain.

### Pre-offer Information

Applicants to this course are required to submit a digital portfolio.

### A Level Grades

### Applied General Award Profile

### Accepted BTEC/OCR Qualifications

We will also accept smaller BTEC/OCR qualifications (i.e. Diploma or Extended Certificate / Introductory Diploma / Subsidiary Diploma) in combination with A Levels or other acceptable Level 3 qualifications.

To find out if the qualification you are applying with is a qualification we accept for entry, please check our Qualification Checker

We will also continue to accept QCF versions of these qualifications although grades asked for may differ.

Please note that we do not accept the following Foundation Diplomas:

Pearson BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art, Design & Media Practice

SEG Awards Foundation Diploma in Art, Design & Media

UAL Foundation Diploma in Art and Design

### Irish Leaving Certificate

96 UCAS tariff points to include a minimum of five subjects (four of which must be at higher level)

### Irish Leaving Certificate - Additional Requirements

English at H6 if studied at Higher level or O4 if studied at Ordinary Level.

### UCAS Tariff Calculator

Use this calculator to add up your predicted or achieved Leaving Certificate grades to see your total UCAS Tariff points.

This calculator is for guidance only.  Always check the official entry requirements for your chosen course.

Your total Tap a grade to add it. Tap again to add more.

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### Access Course – NI/ROI

Overall profile of 55% (120-credit Access Course)

### Access to Higher Education – GB

Overall profile of 45 credits at Merit (60-credit Access to HE Diploma). You need all 45 credits at Merit level to meet the requirements.

### GCSE

English Language - GCSE pass at Grade C/4 or above

### Exemptions and Transferability

The majority of students enter this programme in year 1 at Level 4. However, applicants who provide evidence of previous relevant successful study may be considered for entry to Level 5 of the programme. Exceptionally applicants may be considered for entry at Level 6. Transfer will normally be admitted with exemptions depending on prior accredited knowledge.

## International Entry Requirements

We accept many international qualifications. For each course, we clearly explain the entry requirements and the level of English you need.

View international entry requirements

### A Level Equivalent

Grades CCC or higher and may include course specific subjects aligned to the degree.

Entry requirements will vary depending on your country of residence.

Check the specific entry requirements for your country here:

Check my country's entry requirements

In addition to academic entry requirements, there are also English Language requirements for each course:

### English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants

The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5 or an accepted alternative test .

### Verification of qualifications using Qualification Check

Applications to Ulster University are carefully reviewed and applicant supporting documentation, including qualifications are verified.

If we are unable to make the verification ourselves, we will require applicants to submit a verification check using Qualification Check.

If this applies to you, we will contact you to request for a Qualification Check.

If you have any questions related to entry requirements, please get in touch

internationaladmissions@ulster.ac.uk

## Careers and Opportunities

### Rated 5 Stars: Excellent for Employability

### Graduate employers

Graduates from this course are now working for:

* Big Small Design

* Leckey

* Freelance Designer Maker

* Teacher

* Lecturer

With this degree you could become:

* Product Designer

* Furniture Designer

* Industrial Designer

* Ceramicist

* Jewellery Designer

* Silversmith

* Designer Maker

Graduates from the BDes (Hons) Design programme pursue diverse career pathways across the creative and design sectors. Product Design graduates typically enter roles in consultancy or in-house design teams, working in areas such as industrial design, transport, furniture, lighting, user experience (UX), and service design.

Graduates from the Ceramics and Silversmithing & Jewellery pathways often establish independent practices as studio-based designers and makers, producing work for exhibition, commission, or retail. Others progress into roles within design-led companies, applying their specialist material knowledge and craft expertise to product development, bespoke manufacturing, and collaborative design contexts. Many also contribute to cultural institutions, curatorial projects, and education.

The programme provides a strong foundation for postgraduate study. Graduates who achieve a 2:1 or above are eligible to progress to taught Master’s programmes or to undertake research at MPhil or PhD level. These opportunities are available at Ulster University and at institutions across the UK and internationally. Graduates who complete a PGCE often pursue careers in education, teaching Art and Design or Technology and Design at secondary or tertiary level.

### Work placement / study abroad

The course offers a range of structured opportunities to develop specialist design and making skills, enhance employability, and support global mobility. These options, available after Level 5, add value to the degree and prepare students for professional and international contexts.

Through the Turing Scheme, students can study for one or two semesters at a partner university in Europe, gaining insight into diverse design practices. The International Student Exchange Programme (ISEP) allows students to study for one academic year at a U.S. institution in any subject area. Successful completion leads to the award of a Diploma in International Academic Studies (DIAS) at graduation.

Students may also choose to undertake a professional placement within a design/making related company. Academic staff support students in identifying suitable placements and preparing for interviews. This is reinforced by University Careers Fairs and a dedicated Employer Liaison Event, which connects students with industry professionals and placement providers. Successful completion leads to a Diploma in Professional Practice (DPP) or DPP International (DPPi).

Shorter global experiences are also available through Ulster’s Go Global initiative.

More information: ulster.ac.uk/goglobal/study

For students seeking to complete a Diploma in Professional Practice, Diploma in International Academic Studies or Diploma in Professional Practice International, it is the student’s responsibility to secure the relevant placement or study opportunity. We are on hand to support you throughout the process, including helping you prepare for interviews and the working or study environment.

## Fees and Funding

### 2027/28 Fees

Undergraduate fees are subject to annual review, 2027/28 fees will be announced in due course.

See our tuition fees page for the current fees for 2026/27 entry.

### Scholarships, awards and prizes

International Undergraduate Scholarship

* Open to all new international (non-EU) entrants on the first year of a full-time undergraduate course delivered on one of our Northern Ireland campuses, commencing September 2018.

£2,000 scholarship applied as discount to your annual tuition fee.

* Information on other scholarships available to international students

Other awards and prizes:

### Find the right scholarship for you

See if you can access financial or other forms of support, including mentorship to excel in your studies.

View available scholarships.

### Additional mandatory costs

Students purchase materials for their own coursework.

Consumable workshop contribution of up to £100 is optional and contributes to materials used by students.

Field trips may incur additional costs.

Student Trips: Approx £250 Year 1 & 2 (Elective)

It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.

Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.

There are additional fees for examination resits and library fines. Where a graduation ceremony is part of your course, please be aware that additional fees will apply.

Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.

See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.

## Sustainability

### Rated 5 Stars: Excellent for Environmental Impact

Ulster continues to develop and support sustainability initiatives with our staff, students, and external partners across various aspects of teaching, research, professional services operations, and governance.

At Ulster every person, course, research project, and professional service area on every campus either does or can contribute in some way towards the global sustainability and climate change agenda.

We are guided by both our University Strategy People, Place and Partnerships: Delivering Sustainable Futures for All and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Our work in this area is already being recognised globally.  Most recently by the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact rating where we were recognised as Joint 5^{th} Globally for Outreach Activities and Joint Top 20 Globally for Sustainable Development Goal 17:  Partnership for the Goals.

Visit our Sustainability at Ulster destination to learn more about how the University strategy and the activities of Ulster University support each of the Sustainable Development Goals.

* Sustainability at Ulster University

### Shape a Sustainable Future

Explore cutting-edge solutions to today’s global challenges. From climate change and renewable energy to sustainable leadership, design, and the arts, our programs empower you to make a real impact. Dive into Sustainable Societies and Justice, lead innovation in operations and management, and become part of the next generation driving environmental, social, and cultural change.

Join Ulster University and turn your passion for sustainability into action. Apply today!

* Find out more about Sustainability Courses

## Contact

### For more information visit

* Visit Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

* Visit Belfast School of Art

## Terms and Conditions

1. We prepare our prospectus and online information about our courses with care and every effort is made to ensure that the information is accurate. The printed version of the prospectus is, however, published at least a year before the courses begin. Information included in the prospectus may, therefore, change. This includes, but is not limited to changes to the terms, content, delivery, location, method of assessments or lengths of the courses described.

Not all circumstances are foreseeable, but changes will normally be made for one of the following reasons:

* to meet external, professional, or accredited body requirements;

* to provide for exceptional circumstances due to reasons beyond our reasonable control;

* to improve or enhance your experience, or to adopt changes recommended in student feedback, with the aim of improving the student experience and/or student outcomes; and/or

* to ensure appropriate academic standards are met, for example in response to external examiners’ feedback.

2. If there are insufficient enrolments to make a course viable, it may be necessary for the University to withdraw a course. If you have received an offer for a course that we subsequently have to close, we will contact you as soon as possible to discuss alternative courses. If you do not wish to study any alternative courses at the University, you may withdraw your application by informing us by email to admissions@ulster.ac.uk.

4. We will include a durable PDF when we send you an offer letter which will highlight any changes made to our prospectus or online information about our courses. You should read this carefully and ensure you fully understand what you are agreeing to before accepting a place on one of our courses.

5. The University will always try to deliver the course as described in the durable PDF you receive with your offer letter.

6. At any point after an offer has been made, students will be notified of any course changes in writing (usually by email) as soon as reasonably practicable and we will take all reasonable steps to minimise their impact where possible. The University will, where possible and reasonably practicable, seek the express consent of the student in regard to any changes concerning material or pre-contract information.

7. The University website will be updated to reflect the changed course information as soon as reasonably practicable.

8. If, after due consideration, you decide that you no longer want to study your course or to study at the University because of the changes, you may withdraw your application or terminate your contract with the University. In order to do so, you should notify us in writing by emailing admissions@ulster.ac.uk (and update UCAS if applicable). We will, on request, recommend alternative courses that you could study with us, or suggest a suitable course at an alternative higher education provider.

9. If you do not agree that the changes are fair, you can seek redress under the Student Complaints Procedures .

10. Providing the University has complied with the requirements of all applicable consumer protection laws, the University does not accept responsibility for the consequences of any modification, relocation or cancellation of any course, or part of a course, offered by the University. The University will give due and proper consideration to the effects thereof on individual students and take the steps necessary to minimise the impact of such effects on those affected.

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