MFA Product Design Making Featured Image

Universities United Kingdom Edinburgh Napier University Courses MFA Product Design Making

MFA Product Design Making
at Edinburgh Napier University

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Tuition Fee £ 10,915
Country Rank-
Duration24 Months
Score IELTS: 6

Program Overview

Product Design is a rapidly changing discipline, elements of which are converging with craft-based practices to occupy new hybrid maker spaces and a growing redistributed manufacturing network. This programme develops your skills in a range of making methods, with both traditional tools and materials and digital prototyping technologies (including CNC routers, laser cutters and 3D printers).

Part of the MA/MFA Design Suite, the course benefits from bringing together designers from a range of disciplines into core modules, as well as modules specific to your chosen pathway such as 'Making as Thinking', 'Sketching & Prototyping in Hardware and Software' and ‘Design for Makerspaces’.

All students complete the Live Project and you will study 'Thinking: Research for Creative Practice', which will help you to determine your Research Portfolio (MA) or Major Project (MFA) topics.

The MFA is recognised as an advanced masters level degree and students already holding an appropriate MA can apply to enter the programme directly into the second year of study.

To ensure there is sufficient time to process your application, we encourage you to submit your application by 31st July.

Course Content
The programme aims to develop your creative practice through hands-on making and promotes “knowing-by-doing” and “making-as-knowledge”. You will undertake a number of projects led by material enquiry and processes and explore making as a process of growth. You will develop advanced workshop skills with hand guided tools and digital hardware. As your skills develop, you will work in the context of localised (re)manufacture and “manu-digi-facture”, seeking out entrepreneurial and/or social development opportunities. Sustainability and circular economic thinking are core values of the programme and you are encouraged to work with alternative consumer models.

The programme is supported by the Edinburgh Napier design team who are actively engaged in research, knowledge exchange and/or consultancy work as part of the Art & Design Research Centre (ADRC). We have a cluster of externally funded research projects focussing on making and materials, redistributed (re)manufacture and sustainability, led by Ian Lambert, Dr Sam Vettese, Paul Kerlaff and Colin Malcolm.

Ian Lambert is an Associate Professor and a practicing product and furniture designer. Specialising in making and sustainability, Ian is currently working on projects with Ocean Plastic, and improvised aluminium sand casting methods. Ian has over 25 years of experience in design education and has exhibited work widely across the UK, including at London Design week and the Lighthouse in Glasgow.

Dr Sam Vettese is a Reader in Design and Applied Arts. Trained as a jewellery designer, Sam has recently undertaken a number projects funded by the AHRC, Textile Forum Scotland and Interface. Sam is currently working on the integration of textile waste into 3D printing filament (Selvage PLA), as well as leather waste.

Paul Kerlaff trained as an architect before undertaking an apprenticeship in furniture making and becoming a furniture designer. He has almost 15 years of professional experience in design, 10 of which have also been in design education. He is currently working on a remanufacturing and repair project funded by the Manufacturing Institute of Scotland.

Colin Malcolm trained as a shipbuilder, and then worked in vehicle prototyping, before completing an MA in Product Design Prototyping. Colin has recently worked on several projects with the iconic band New Order. Colin is a highly skilled maker and active design researcher, and head of the design workshop.

You'll study a variety of modules during the course, including:
- Making as Thinking
- Sketching in Hardware and Software
- Maker Space module
Entry Requirement
You will be eligible to apply if you have gained a bachelors degree with overall grade of 55% or above.
For our MSC Computing with Professional Placement course you will need an overall grade of 60% or above.

Fees & Scholarships

Please note tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next.

Please note that the tuition fees liable to be paid by EU nationals commencing their studies from 1 August 2022 will be the Overseas fee rate. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries.

Career Prospect

Graduates from this programme pathway can pursue careers in:

product design
digital crafts
remanufacturing
furniture design
interaction design and prototyping

Cost Of Studying At Edinburgh Napier University

Interest rates as low as 8.9% ^*

250K+

Students Assisted

800Cr+

Loan Amount Disbursed

5000+

Loans Sanctioned

Check Loan Eligibility

MFA Product Design Making at Edinburgh Napier University