15|16

Product Design 

Programme Handbook 

Design Section 

15|16 

School of Arts and Media 

Teesside University

Wanting to be a product designer means that you care about the 

future, you have a very creative and inquisitive nature, you love 

problem solving, you question the things that we use every day and 

you enjoy a challenge. 

At Teesside we have two courses designed to help you reach your 

goal. If you are more concerned with the visual aesthetic, the end 

user and ergonomic aspects of product design, then the 

BA ( Hons) Product Design course is the one for you. But if you 

want to know how things work and how they are produced and you 

are keen to learn about the more technical issues involved in the 

design process, then the BSc (Hons) Product Design course is the 

right choice. 

Either way, Product Design at Teesside will help you pursue a 

career which enriches the world around us and make a difference in 

the way we live.

The School of Arts & Media 

‘The School of Arts & Media is a diverse and 

enterprising group, spanning practice-led subjects 

like Art and Design and TV production as well 

as English Studies, History and Media Studies. 

We are committed to providing you with the very 

best educational experience in a supportive 

environment.’ 

‘We incorporate field trips, live projects and 

competitions into the curriculum, where possible, 

to extend your knowledge and understanding 

of your subject. The School has an excellent 

reputation in a number of areas. The high quality 

of History and Art and Design courses has been 

nationally recognised by the Quality Assurance 

Agency. English Studies was commended for the 

‘positive learning experience’ enjoyed by English 

students by the QAA.’ 

http://www.tees.ac.uk/schools/sam/facilities.cfm 

Welcome to your Programme 

Product Designers generate concepts and 

produce 3D design proposals for manufacture 

that reflect current and future trends in the way 

we live. They fuse creative and business skills 

with an understanding of technologies and 

human factors. 

Product Design at Teesside has a long 

tradition of educating leading designers who 

now work at the top of their field in all aspects 

of industry, including car design, consumer 

electronics, furniture design and visualisation 

for film and TV. 

Your course focuses on creative ideas for 

the form of products and how they relate to 

consumer needs and tastes as well as their 

environmental impact. You apply your creative 

skills to a variety of market-led design projects 

such as transportation, furniture, lighting, 

consumer goods, toys, sports equipment and 

packaging. You nurture your creativity and 

develop the skills, knowledge and experience 

needed to gain employment. 

100% Student 

Satisfaction 

National Student 

Survey 2013 

Mark Freary 

Programme Leader 

and Third Year Tutor 

01642342370 

m.a.freary@tees.ac.uk 

Peter Reid 

Second Year Tutor 

01642 342369 

p.reid@tees.ac.uk 

Paul Denison 

First Year Tutor 

01642 384085 

p.denison@tees.ac.uk 

Mark Beckwith 

Tutor 

01642 384674 

m.beckwith@tees.ac.uk 

Emmanouil Chatzakis 

1st Year Tutor 

e.chatzakis@tees.ac.uk 

You’ll find that we’re keen to help you 

to make the most of your time here. 

This handbook is intended to give you 

an overall idea of what to expect from 

your programme, especially your first 

year. 

Any questions, please just ask one of 

your tutors...

How do I find my way around? 

Cook Building 

Athena Building 

Middlesbrough Tower 

Product Design Studios 

The SAM ICT Help Desk 

School Office 

Cook Building 

Athena Building 

Floor 5 of Mbro Tower 

Floor 1 

Ground Floor 

9-5 Mondays to Thursdays 

Opening hours are posted 

For all IT queries 

9-4.30 Fridays 

at the Cook entrance. 


Phone: 01642 384019 

The Design Workshops 


Phone: 01642 342488 

Aurora House 

Athena 

Building 

Aurora 

Hoiuse 

Student 

Union 

Library 

Cook Building 

Ground Floor 

For 3D modeling 



sam@tees.ac.uk 

Out of hours IT helpline 

Phone: 0800 694 488 

Text: 07781 482786 

ooh@tees.ac.uk 

For borrowing Media 

equipment such as 

cameras and video 

recorders. See the 

Aurora House module 

for the procedure: 

Cook 

Building 

Middlesbrough 

Tower 

The Student 

Centre 

https://eat.tees.ac.uk 

The Student Centre 

For support and advice on: 

Constantine 

Building 

finance, housing, disabilities, 

student health, counselling, 

careers, international student 

support and much more.. 

The Library 

Opening hours are posted on 

the Library web site: 

www.tees.ac.uk/lis

What is the TUSC and why do I need it? 

The TUSC is your library card and University ID card. 

Your TUSC will be issued by your School. Your Library 

borrower number is printed on the bottom right hand 

corner of your TUSC. Set your PIN by visiting https:// 

myaccess.tees.ac.uk/pcs 

Use it to borrow and renew books in the Library 

Use it to renew and reserve books online (borrower 

number and PIN) 

Use it to print and photocopy with the MyPrint system 

Use it to gain entry to buildings and studios 

Keep your TUSC with you all the time . 

A TUSC lasts for the duration of your programme. 

Don’t lend your TUSC to anyone else as you are 

responsible for all items issued to your TUSC... 

But if you require someone to collect Library items on 

your behalf, you should give them your TUSC along 

with a signed letter of authority from yourself giving 

BUT... what if I lose it? 

A lost TUSC card should 

be reported to Library 

staff immediately. Phone 

(01642) 342100 or go to 

the Library Information 

Desk. 

You’ll be issued with a 

replacement card that has 

a new issue number on 

it. Your old card will no 

longer be valid. There is a 

£5 fee for a replacement

How to succeed in your studies 

Develop the habit of learning 

Studying at University is different. Although your 

lecturers will provide considerable support, the onus 

to learn is placed firmly on you. Each module typically 

has around 200 hours of ‘learning time’. Some of these 

hours will be spent in timetabled sessions with tutors. 

The remaining learning time is for you to use to work 

independently on your assignments and to deepen your 

understanding of the subject. 

General Regulations 

These are mainly regulations and policies that apply 

to all members of the University community, such as 

health and safety procedures, emergency procedures, 

our Equal Opportunities Policy, A Guide to 

Promoting a Mutually Respectful University Community, 

and the University’s statement on how we communicate 

with students. 

The University regulations that apply to students can be 

found online: 

tees.ac.uk/sections/about/policies.cfm. 

Attend regularly 

All students are required to attend all formal teaching 

sessions, to engage with their studies, and to inform a 

designated member of staff if they are unable to attend 

classes. If you persistently fail to attend or to engage 

with your studies the University reserves the right to 

withdraw you and report your withdrawal to external 

authorities (e.g. SLC, UKBA) as necessary. 

International students should be aware that it is a 

condition of your visa that you attend all your classes 

and maintain contact with the University. You will 

therefore be required to sign in regularly throughout 

your studies, to ensure compliance with UKBA 

regulations. We will supply you with more information 

when you arrive. 

What if I’m having difficulties? 

All students are required to attend all formal teaching 

sessions, to engage with their studies, and to inform a 

designated member of staff if they are unable to attend 

classes. 

If you are ill, and not able to attend classes or 

scheduled contact hours, you should inform the School 

Reception desk by telephone before 10am. You should 

do this on every day of your illness. 

If you are an international student, this will also apply if 

you are going to miss a required sign-in session. 

Please note that if you are ill for five days or more, you 

will be required to provide a note from your doctor, 

certifying your illness. 

How do I contact my 

module leaders if I can’t 

attend? 

E-mail is the best method. 

Remember that this must 

be done via your University 

e-mail account to ensure 

your message is not filtered 

as spam. 

If the telephone is your only 

means of communication you 

can contact the School Office 

(01642) 384019 and ask for 

a message to be sent to each 

of the module leaders you 

are due to see that day. 

What should I do if my 

contact details change? 

Your current term time and 

holiday addresses must be 

on file to avoid any important 

messages going astray. 

Please e-mail the School 

Office with any changes: 

sam@tees.ac.uk. 

And if you change your 

mobile number, please keep 

us informed.

Who do I contact if I need support? 

Academic Support 

Disabilities Support 

If you are experiencing 

difficulty coping with the 

material in any module, 

please explain the 

problem to the Module 

Leader. It is primarily 

the Module Team’s 

responsibility to deal with 

these difficulties. If you 

can’t resolve the problem 

in this way, then you can 

approach your Year Tutor 

or Programme leader. 

An issue of general 

concern can be raised at 

the Staff-Student Liaison 

Meetings, through your 

class representative and, 

if appropriate, at the 

Programme Board. 

Sean Hughes 

Vice President 

Philips Healthcare 

If you have a disability or have a special need that 

may affect your study or assessment, the University 

provides confidential help and support. For instance, 

many of our creative arts and design students are 

dyslexic and benefit from this support. Specialist staff 

in University Student Services assess the disability or 

learning difficulties to ensure that appropriate support or 

allowances are provided. 

In the first instance, students who require special 

needs provision should contact the Design Specific 

Needs Coordinator, Mark Beckwith: 

m.beckwith@tees.ac.uk. 

Mark will make arrangements for expert assessment 

of needs, and be able to communicate agreed 

arrangements to relevant teaching staff in the School. 

If you require special needs provision you are also 

advised to discuss your situation with your Programme 

Leader. Confidentiality is always respected. 

Declaring your needs will be to your advantage. 

The aim is to enable you to participate fully in your 

programme through additional support that may be in 

the form of finance, equipment and/or a helper. Please 

see: 

http://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/studentsupport/

Financial advice 

Our finance advisers are available throughout the year 

to give you advice and information on money matters. 

Whether it’s about tuition fees, grants, student loans or 

welfare benefits, they can offer guidance and help with 

any difficulties which arise. They can also help you to 

apply to the funding schemes we administer, such as 

the Access to Learning Fund. 

Contact the Student Support Unit on 01642 342297 

or e-mail studentfinance@tees.ac.uk. 

Student Health Service 

The Student Health 

Service has a registered 

nurse who can provide 

confidential advice 

about any health-related 

problems that you may 

have. Where appropriate, 

treatment is available 

and drop-in clinics are 

held daily. Advice on 

health matters can be 

sought from the University 

Student Health Advisor: 

Phone 01642 343202. 

A student counselling 

service is available. More 

details of these and similar 

services are available at 

http://www.tees.ac.uk/ 

sections/studentsupport/ 

Introducing Ellen... 

“My name is Ellen Robins. As Student Support Officer 

within SAM it is my role to support students through any 

problems or issues they are experiencing which may 

impact on their time at Teesside. 

Starting University can seem quite daunting as there 

will be lots of information, new people to meet and new 

things to learn. I am available to all students within 

SAM to discuss any concerns or queries, no matter how 

small or large. 

I am not an academic member of staff but I am 

available to talk through concerns or answer questions 

that students may be unwilling or reluctant to discuss 

with their personal tutor, and can initiate contact with 

departments, individuals or organisations as required. 

I am also available for a chat or a coffee for anyone 

wanting support. 

I am based in the main office on 5th floor of 

Middlesbrough Tower Block and am available Monday, 

Tuesday and Wednesday morning.” 

Email: e.robins@tees.ac.uk 

Phone: 01642 384087

Course Reps 

Course representatives are a point of contact for any 

student enrolled on a programme and are elected by 

students from each programme.They represent the 

views of students to the University and to the Students’ 

Union through the School representatives. Course 

representatives can raise any concerns they may have 

or share ideas and best practice across the University. 

This year our representatives were instrumental in 

restructuring the delivery of our level 4 project modules. 

All course representatives receive support, advice, 

guidance and training from the Students’ Union. 

For more information about course representatives visit 

http://www.tees-su.org.uk/content/725313/course_representatives/, 

contact the Representation department 

on 01642 342247 or email: representation@tees-su. 

org.uk. 

Student Protocol 

The University produces a Student Protocol in which it 

sets out the contractual relationship between you and 

the University. 

The Protocolis supplied to all students before 

registration and is also available on our website. 

The Protocol includes sections on: 

• the contractual relationship between you and the 

University 

• the University’s promise to you 

• your obligations as a student 

• notification of key regulations 

• the duration of the Protocol. 

If you have not received a copy of this document, 

please contact your School (or college) office or 

Academic Registry. You can also access 

the Protocol at http://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/stud/ 

handbook/student_protocol.cfm

This programme aims: to provide a broad and 

progressive education in Product Design; to prepare you 

for a career as a product designer and problem solver 

within a range of design and business contexts with 

a particular emphasis on form and usability; to enable 

you to develop and communicate creative approaches to 

design proposals; to enable you to acquire and develop 

knowledge of a user-centred approach to product 

design; to enable you to evaluate products in cultural 

and professional contexts to inform your practice and 

develop your critical abilities; to enable you to acquire 

and develop transferable skills in order to create 

or respond to career opportunities or to undertake 

further study; to foster your commitment to your own 

intellectual and personal development.

What will I be doing this academic year? 

Over the next few pages you’ll get a broad overview of 

the structure of the whole programme during 2013-14. 

You’ll receive a copy of your own year’s timetable from 

your Year Tutor. You’ll also be able to see a detailed 

timetable for each module on the virtual learning site: 

e@t. Your tutors will keep you informed of any updates 

as the year progresses.

How will I learn? 

Project-based learning 

Projects form the basis of your learning and provide 

a wide range of experience in various areas of the 

discipline. This is the basic form of staff/student contact 

and the projects vary in length and focus, depending 

on the material being covered. Staff will monitor, 

encourage, advise and guide you through your work 

and there are many opportunities for peer discussion. 

Lectures and briefings 

Lectures and briefings are used to impart knowledge 

to larger groups. These tend to be tutor-led and aim to 

inform, inspire and engage. But don’t expect just to sit 

and listen! These types of learning are not passive and 

include note-taking, question and answers and/or small 

group debate. They are usually illustrated by a wide 

range of media. 

Seminars 

Seminars enable structured discussion and analysis 

to take place between groups of students and a tutor. 

Seminars are interactive and they facilitate the free 

exchange of ideas through which you learn the process 

of argument and reason. At times you may be asked to 

present a short, researched talk on a particular subject, 

after which the group will discuss the matters raised. 

Skills workshops 

You’ll be introduced to essential techniques 

and processes during workshops that include 

demonstrations and the opportunity to practice new 

skills in the context of project briefs. 

Individual Tutorials 

Individual tutorials take 

place with one student 

discussing their work or 

their general progress and 

pastoral situation with one 

member of staff. 

Group Tutorials 

Group tutorials consist of 

small groups of students 

and a tutor discussing 

individual student’s project 

work or team efforts. 

These are interactive, and 

are intended to promote 

the exchange of ideas, 

brainstorming, analytical 

skills and feedback on 

project work. Group 

tutorials normally occur at 

regular intervals during the 

course of a project. 

Dan Walker 

Concept Artist/illustrator 

Film and TV

Presentations 

The confidence and skills 

required to give effective 

presentations are acquired 

over the whole duration of 

your programme. These 

skills are useful in many 

walks of life and contribute 

greatly to the usefulness 

of your degree in many 

areas of employment. 

Personal Development Planning (PDP) 

One of the great strengths of your programme is the 

way that it enables you to make sense of your learning 

through personal development planning. PDP sessions 

are embedded at every level of learning. For this you’ll 

keep a personal, illustrated progress file to record your 

goals and reflections on your progress towards them, 

in the context of your career aspirations and your 

developing knowledge of professional practice. PDP 

also involves regular portfolio reviews with your tutors… 

Portfolio Reviews 

At key points throughout your whole programme 

you’ll present and discuss examples of your work at 

a portfolio review. This enables you to reflect critically 

on your achievement across projects and modules, 

using the various types of feedback you have received 

on your work. The portfolio review also helps you to 

prepare for ‘portfolio surgeries’ offered to graduates by 

professional designers. 

Independent learning 

This is a very important part of degree level work. Your 

success will depend on your ability to develop the skills 

that will enable you to learn independently, using your 

own initiative and resourcefulness to achieve your 

goals. 

e@t 

e@t is the University’s 

Virtual Learning 

Environment, accessed 

through the internet: 

https://eat.tees.ac.uk 

You’ll be introduced to 

e@t early in your first 

academic year. It will 

be used during your 

programme in various 

ways; for example 

keeping you in touch 

with programme and 

module information, 

online discussions, wikis, 

blogs, useful links, online 

assessment and also 

copies of module briefs/ 

handbooks will be held 

there. 

It is therefore important 

that you actively engage 

in the use of the e@t 

environment. You’ll 

be expected check for 

postings on a daily basis.

Level 4 

Design Projects 1: 

Form and Function 

40 credits 


Consumer Products 

40 credits 

Manufacturing and Materials 

1 

20 credits 

TRAD and CAD: Design 

Visualisation 

20 credits 

Week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 

0 Welcome Week 

1 Intro & briefing Intro Online PDP Intro 

2 Workshop Induction 


4 Workshop Induction Presentations 

5 Feedback 

6 Briefing 



9 Workshop Induction Presentations 

10 Assessment Feedback 

11 Briefing Portfolio hand-in 

Winter Break: tthree weeks 

12 Online PDP 

13 

14 Factory visit Presentations Hand-in 


16 Briefing Factory visit 

17 

18 Hand-in 

19 Presentations 


21 Briefing 

22 

Spring Break: three weeks 

23 Case Study Online PDP 

24 Bank Holiday Case Study 

25 Case Study Hand-in 

26 Case Study Presentations 

27 Assessment Hand-in Feedback 

28 Portfolio Review Portfolio Review 

29 Bank Holiday Creative Arts Week: Design Exhibitions

What will I learn in the first year ? 

The first year is at Level 4 (Foundation and Orientation). 

Your first year establishes a basic range of knowledge and skills from which more advanced creative, technical and conceptual abilities will develop. 

On successful completion of Level 4 you’ll have gained the required 120 credits by passing the following modules: 

Design Projects 1: Form and Function 

40 credits 

The product designer is concerned with the form of 

a product constrained by materials, manufacture, 

ergonomics and visual criteria underpinned by 

knowledge of a range of contextual factors. This module 

introduces creative and imaginative approaches to 

problem solving. It covers the core skills required to 

create and convert ideas into forms that other people 

can understand. 

. 

Design Projects 2: Consumer Products 

40 credits 

This module introduces product development 

techniques and creative principles as part of a 

consumer-led approach to design. You’ll learn about 

how to bring to the market any consumer product, 

brand or service. You’ll begin to integrate marketing 

and research principles into your design project work 

through a series of progressively more complex 

projects. You’ll also have the opportunity to prototype 

and test aspects of your design development work. 

Manufacturing and Materials 1 

20 credits 

The module is designed to give you a basic 

understanding and appreciation of the manufacturing 

techniques used across Product Design so that you’ll 

be able to specify suitable materials and processes for 

making components or products. 

TRAD and CAD: Design Visualisation 

20 credits 

The communication of information is fundamental to 

the design process, particularly in the form of drawings, 

illustrations and models. This module introduces you to 

the range of traditional methods and digital tools used 

for modelling, drawing and illustrating product design 

proposals. 

Part time students 

If you are enrolled as a part-time student you can 

undertake up to 100 credits in any one academic year 

over a maximum of six years.

Level 5 

Design Projects 3: New 

Product Development 

40 credits 


Design for Industry 

40 credits 

Design Contexts 

20 credits 

Computer Aided 

Product Design 

20 credits 



1 Portfolio reviewsws Portfolio reviewsws Online PDP Intro Intro 

2 Intro & briefing 

3 

4 


6 Feedback 

7 Briefing 

8 

9 


11 Assessment Feedback Hand -in 

Winter Break: three weeks 

12 Briefing Briefing Online PDP 

13 

14 



17 Intro & briefing 

18 

19 



22 Briefing 

Hand -in 


24 Bank Holiday Online PDP Hand -in 

25 

26 


28 Assessment Feedback Portfolio Review Portfolio Review 


What will I learn in the second year ? 

Your second year is at Level 5 (Development and Exploration) 

The second year enables you to take more personal initiative as you explore and experiment to develop a more specialised portfolio in your chosen area(s). 

On successful completion of Level 5 you’ll have gained another 120 credits by passing the modules listed on this page. 

You’ll then have 240 credits in total, enabling you to progress to Level 6. 

Design Projects 3: New Product Development 

40 credits 

Here you’ll undertake projects that develop your 

knowledge and skills in project management, research 

methods, the design process, manufacturing and taking 

the needs of end-users into account. In particular you’ll 

focus on new product development and the ways in 

which designers work with external clients and as part 

of teams. 

Design Projects 4: Design for Industry 

40 credits 

This module further develops knowledge and 

understanding of the product design process and 

range of activities undertaken by product designers. 

It concludes with a significant project that draws 

your design skills together and gives you more 

independence in preparation for work at the next level. 

Design Contexts (BA) 

20 credits 

This module is designed to help you understand the 

issues, theories, debates and contexts which connect 

with product design You’ll explore debates about 

postmodernism, emotional design, sustainability, 

interaction, product-service systems and the impacts 

of new technologies and materials. You’ll also develop 

your skills in research and written communication. 

Computer Aided Product Design 

20 credits 

This module develops your digital knowledge and skills, 

particularly in terms of 3D geometry to show the form 

of an object and its component parts as well as how it 

is assembled. This information is used for marketing, 

manufacture and the making of rapid prototypes and 

you’ll learn about a variety of techniques. 

Manufacturing and Materials 2 (BSc) 

20 credits 

This module aims to develop the student’s understanding of 

current manufacturing processes and the materials involved 

in these processes. Students are encouraged to develop 

an integrated approach to the selection of manufacturing 

processes and materials consistent with current best practice. 

Students will also be encouraged to consider alternative 

materials and manufacturing methods in order to reduce costs 

and natural resource consumption 





Level 6 

Design for External 

Evaluation 

20 credits 

Final Project: Product 

Design 

60 credits 

Writing Design 

20 credits 

Professional Skills 

20 credits 



1 Intro & briefing Intro Intro 

2 Careers Tutorials 



5 Careers Research Presentation Tutorials 

6 PF Review Tutorials 

7 PF Review Tutorials 

8 Dissertation Week Draft hand-in 

9 Graduate Marking 

10 Hand-in 1 Marking 

11 Design Interim Critique Tutorials 

Winter Break: three weeks 

12 Design Tutorials 

13 Design Final Presentation Tutorials 

14 Intro & briefing Design Tutorials 

15 Dissertation Week Final hand-in 

16 Hand-in 2 

17 Hand-in 3 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 


23 

24 

25 

26 Bank Holiday 

27 

28 Presentation & Assessment 


What will I learn in the third year ? 

Your third year is at Level 6 (Consolidation and Expertise) 

The emphasis is on building your expertise and professional understanding as you work more independently towards your chosen career. 

On successful completion of Level 6 you’ll have gained another 120 credits by passing the modules listed on this page. 

You’ll then have the 360 credits required for an honours degree. 

Design for External Evaluation 

20 credits 

This module is based on project work which responds 

to competition briefs, both national and international. It 

develops the skills required to produce unambiguous, 

informative and visually compelling work for a range 

of external situations, where the designer may not be 

available to help explain the solution verbally. 

Writing Design 

20 credits 

Here you’ll carry out extended independent research 

on a topic of personal interest within the field of product 

design. The aim is to promote in-depth understanding 

through research and critical analysis. You’ll present 

your findings in a negotiated final format, such as a long 

essay (dissertation) or pieces of journalism. 

Final Project: Product Design 

60 credits 

Here you’ll design and prototype a product suitable 

for manufacture which is underpinned by a sound 

understanding of the user, business and technical 

issues that relate to it. The choice of project and 

associated brief comes from you, with advice from staff, 

so as to be pertinent to your interests and/or career 

aspirations. The realisation of the project is through 

physical and digital models, associated visual material 

and a technical report. 

Professional Skills 

20 credits 

This module seeks to develop your knowledge and 

understanding of the changing role of designers and the 

ways they work. It encourages you to reflect on your 

personal development and career aspirations and you’ll 

produce a range of self-promotional material to aid you 

in gaining employment. 





How will I be assessed? 

There are no exams on your programme; the work you 

produce is the work that will be assessed. There are two 

main classes of assessment: formative and summative. 

Summative assessments are marked and the 

mark counts towards the final module mark. 

Formative assessment is sometimes used to aid your 

learning. This is where you are set an assignment that 

receives either a mark or some feedback but does not 

count towards the final module mark. 

Design Projects 

Projects are a key form of assessment. For these you’ll 

need to show your design development work as well 

as your finished proposals and solutions. Development 

work typically includes sketchbooks, digital portfolios 

and sometimes prototypes, with annotations that 

demonstrate your research findings and your thought 

processes and decision-making as you develop, test 

and evaluate your ideas. 

Reports 

Sometimes you’ll be asked for project reports to show 

the design process in the context of client and user 

requirements and your understanding of the broader 

contexts of the assignment. 

Project critiques 

The critique (or ‘crit’) is 

an assessed presentation 

of your design work. 

This is your opportunity 

to positively present and 

explain your creative ideas 

and solutions to tutors 

and peers and receive 

valuable and immediate 

feedback. 

Essays and exercises 

Other forms of written assignment include research 

packs of short exercises (e.g. magazine articles, reviews, 

glossaries, analyses, blogs), essays and a longer 

contextual research project in the final year. 

Progress file 

You’ll also produce an illustrated progress file as part of 

the very important ‘personal and professional development 

planning’ you’ll undertake throughout your time on 

the programme. This will include self-reflection on your 

work in the context of your career aspirations. It also 

enables you to receive credit for the efforts you make to 

engage in extra-curricular activities such as volunteering, 

mentoring, organising trips, making personal study 

visits, entering competitions etc. 

Career-related material 

Your developing portfolio of project work will be key to 

securing career opportunities but you’ll also produce an 

assessed cv to support this in your second year and a 

personal web site in year three.

What do I need to know about handing in my work for assessment? 

Module Leaders will explain exactly what you need 

to hand in for each module. You’ll be asked for digital 

copies of all work in addition to printed work and/or 

prototypes where applicable. Samples of submitted 

work will be kept by your tutors. It is always important to 

keep back-up copies of your work. 

An Assessment Board meets at the end of the 

academic year to look at all your marks and decide 

whether you can progress, resit or repeat study. The 

Assessment Board will take into account whether you 

have attempted all assessments. It is much more likely 

to give you an opportunity to take resits or repeat study 

if you have attempted all assessments. It is less likely to 

give you this opportunity if there are some assessments 

which you did not attempt at the first opportunity. 

Key points 

Always submit something for every assessment. 

If you are unclear about 

this information or feel 

you are at risk of not 

being able to attempt any 

assessment you should 

contact a member of 

academic staff (module 

teacher, programme 

leader or personal tutor) 

for further advice before 

the hand-in date as there 

are a variety of ways in 

which support can be 

given. 

You must attempt all assessments at the first opportunity. 

You must do each assessment (essay, project, report, 

portfolio etc.) for every module. You should do this even if 

you don’t think you can fully complete them. 

You do not have an automatic right to resit or to repeat a 

year of study. 

Extensions 

In exceptional cases it may be possible to grant 

extensions to submission deadlines at the discretion of 

the Module Leader (up to one week) or the Assistant 

Dean (more than one week). Requests must be 

submitted to the Module Leader before the hand-in 

date. Forms are at the reception desk of the School 

Office on the 5th floor of Middlesbrough Tower. Please 

consult the Student Handbook for details: 

http://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/stud/handbook/ 

Mitigating Circumstances 

If you believe that your academic work or assessment 

has been affected detrimentally by special 

circumstances, you may apply to the School’s 

Mitigating Circumstances Board. Application forms 

are available from the School Office. Completed forms 

must be returned to the School office, with supporting 

documentary evidence (e.g. Medical Certificates). 

Please consult the regulations on this in Student 

Handbook for further details: 

http://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/stud/handbook/ 

Resubmission 

If you have submitted an 

in-course assessment 

by the defined hand-in 

deadline and are deemed 

by the Module Leader 

not to have passed the 

assessment (but it is 

considered that you have 

made a genuine attempt), 

you may be allowed to 

undertake further work on 

the assessment prior to 

the work being formally 

considered by a Module 

Assessment Board. 

Only one resubmission 

opportunity is possible for 

any in-course assessment 

component.

How will my marks be decided? 

Your work is assessed in terms of its ability to 

demonstrate the learning outcomes for the module. 

You’ll see the exact assessment criteria in each module 

handbook. The levels of achievement are categorized 

in percentages. 

Marks at module level 

70 -100% Excellent 

60 - 69% Very good 

50 - 59% Good 

40 - 49% Adequate 

0 - 39% Not good enough to achieve a pass 

How marks are used in degree classification 

The final degree classification is formulated as follows: 

70 -100% 1st Class Honours 

60 - 69% 2nd Class Honours Upper Division (2:1) 

50 - 59% 2nd Class Honours Lower Division (2:2) 

40 - 49% 3rd Class Honours 

How will I receive feedback on my work? 

Your learning is supported by regular group tutorials 

and project critiques where formative feedback is given 

by peers and tutors so that you can improve your work 

in progress. 

Feedback on work for summative assessment is 

given in electronic form for ease of access. You will 

receive this within 20 working days after the hand-in 

deadline, sometimes sooner, although any reference to 

marks will always be provisional until confirmed by the 

Assessment Board in the Summer. 

You’ll be expected to reflect critically on your 

achievement across projects and modules during 

‘personal and professional development’ tutorials and 

portfolio reviews where you’ll be able to make use of 

the various types of feedback you have received on 

your work. 

Where can I find the University’s assessment 

regulations? 

Your progression from Level 4 to Level 5 and from Level 

5 to Level 6, and your graduation and classification, 

are all subject to satisfying the University’s assessment 

and progression regulations. These regulations are 

available on the University Website: 

http://www.tees.ac.uk/docs/ 

index.cfm?folder=student%20 

regulations&name=Assessment%20Regulations 

Click on ‘Academic Regulations’ where you will find 

‘Framework for assessment, Award and Progression 

Regulations’. There is also a section explaining 

‘Assessment Review’ Regulations and student 

complaints procedures. If you have any difficulty 

accessing or understanding the information, please do 

discuss this with one of your tutors.

Who owns the rights to my work? 

External Examiners 

Students often ask questions about how we know that 

their degree is broadly of the same standard as degrees 

awarded for similar courses by other universities. In the 

UK we have a system called external examining, which 

is one of several ways that we confirm that standards 

are met. An external Examiner is generally an 

experienced lecturer from another university who offers 

an independent view as to whether the work of students 

on the course is of the correct standard. The External 

Examiner does this by looking at a sample of work (e.g. 

assignments, exam answers, dissertations), discussing 

the work with your lecturers and attending the 

assessment boards to endorse results. They then 

produce an annual report which tells us about any 

concerns they have and any good practice they have 

identified. The External Examiners’ reports are made 

available to student representatives and School 

representatives. You can also request the relevant 

External Examiner report for your course by emailing: 

QMEResponse@tees.ac.uk 

In common with other Higher Education Institutions, 

undergraduate and taught master’s degree students 

own the intellectual property rights in the work that 

they produce for their programmes of study. However, 

there are limited exceptions to this, and these are set 

out, in full, in the Student IP Policy. This Policy, along 

with the University’s Regulations, can be found on the 

Student pages of the University Website: http://www. 

tees.ac.uk/docs/index.cfm?folder=student%20regulations 

The main External Examiner for Product Design is 

Gordon Young and he works at Sheffield Hallam 

University. Sometimes your modules may have a 

different External Examiner and your module leader can 

provide details, on request. Please note that students 

are not permitted to contact External Examiners directly 

and External Examiners will not respond to any 

communication from individual students. If you have 

any concerns about your course, then please speak to 

your programme leader.

Academic Misconduct: essential reading! 

What follows is only a brief summary of the University’s 

procedure and should be read in conjunction with the 

Regulations relating to Academic Misconduct (Taught 

Components and Programmes) available at: 

www.tees.ac.uk/docs/index.cfm?folder=student%20 

regulations&name=Academic%20Regulations 

You are strongly recommended to read those Regulations. 

They provide a detailed explanation of academic 

misconduct, the procedures which must be followed 

when an academic misconduct offence is suspected 

and the possible penalties. 

In order to avoid academic misconduct, the University is 

committed to continually educating its students on how 

to develop good academic practice and writing skills. 

The following support is available and it is recommended 

that you take advantage of this: 

Advice and guidance from The Link based in the 

Students’ Union and/or Student Services: 

http://www.utsu.org.uk/thelink/content/117945/advice/ 

Briefings on academic misconduct provided at student 

induction events and during relevant modules 

Academic misconduct is defined by the University as 

any activity or attempted activity which gives an unfair 

advantage to one or more students over their peers and 

is treated very seriously. 

To ensure that students are treated fairly and equitably, 

academic misconduct is divided into the following three 

types: 

Academic Negligence 

This is regarded as the least serious offence and covers 

first time minor offences. It includes plagiarism that is 

small in scale, not related to the work of other students, 

and which is considered to have resulted from ignorance 

or carelessness. 

Academic Malpractice 

This covers extensive paraphrasing of material with no 

acknowledgement of the source, systematic failure to 

reference, submitting work which has already been submitted 

for another assignment, and subsequent cases 

of Academic Negligence. 

Academic Cheating 

This is regarded at the most serious offence and covers 

Plagiarism in dissertations/final year projects/taught 

doctorate modules, collusion with other students, theft, 

commissioning/purchasing work, falsification of results/ 

data, and all examination irregularities. 

If suspected of academic misconduct, you will be 

required to attend either an informal or formal meeting 

and if subsequently found guilty, you will receive 

a penalty, the most serious of which can be exclusion 

from the University. The processes and penalties are 

described in Appendix 2 of the Regulations. If you are 

found guilty of academic misconduct after the end of 

your programme, any award that you have received 

may be withdrawn. This can be done after you have 

graduated. 

The University has an Exceptional Cases Procedure, 

which can be used when it is suspected that a piece of 

work submitted by a student is not their own work. You 

could be interviewed to determine the authorship of 

work. You are therefore strongly advised to retain 

materials used in developing work. 

The Learning Hub 

Our Learning Hub is on the ground floor of the Library. 

We offer guidance to all students on developing their 

skills as independent learners and on related areas 

including maths and statistics. Drop-in workshops on 

topics such as referencing, finding information and writing 

essays are available throughout the year. Learning 

Hub staff collaborate with your School to ensure that 

you have in-depth help available to you. 

Online information on topics such as referencing, 

academic writing and information literacy can be 

accessed online: lis.tees.ac.uk. 

T: 01642 342100

DO 

√ Familiarise yourself with the Academic Misconduct 

regulations and the penalties that can be incurred. 

√ Make sure that you know how to correctly acknowledge 

other people’s work or opinions, and get feedback 

from your Tutor on whether or not you are doing this 

correctly. 

√ Take care when making notes from books or articles. 

Always keep a record of whether your notes are a 

paraphrase of the source or a direct quotation, so that 

you don’t inadvertently include quotes without proper 

acknowledgement. (This is a frequently cited reason 

students give when accused of academic misconduct.) 

√ Seek support from your Module or Programme 

Leader if you are experiencing difficulties in completing 

your work on time. 

DON’T 

X Cut and paste (or reproduce) chunks of material 

from electronic sources or books/articles. Even if you 

acknowledge the source, material not stated as being a 

direct quotation will make you vulnerable to an accusation 

of academic misconduct. 

X Loan your work to other students. If it is then copied, 

you may be accused of academic misconduct. 

X Borrow work from current or previous students. 

Submit the same work for different assessments. 

X Get someone else to do your work. Essay-writing 

web sites don’t always keep their promises and have 

been known to inform universities of students who have 

purchased work. 

√ Check your work for accidental plagiarism using the 

Turnitin software. 

Marek Reichman 

Design Director 

Aston Martin

What kind of resources will I be able to use? 

PC STUDIO: Cook Building Room CK3.01 

A 30-workstation PC studio, designed specifically for 

CAD use. All computers are of high specification with 

DVD writer/CD-RW combo optical drives and 20” monitors. 

The PC studio is also equipped with an interactive 

whiteboard, scanners and a printer. 

System Software 

• Windows 7 

Application Software 

• Autodesk 3ds Max 2011 

• SolidWorks 2010-11 

• SketchUp Pro 7 

• Adobe CS5 Design Premium 

• AutoCAD , Architectural Edition 2011 

• Corel Draw Graphics Suite X3 

• Microsoft Office Professional 2010 

• Microsoft Project Professional 2010 

Studio PCs 

There are also PCs with the same spec available in the 

Product Design and Spatial Design studios. 

Digital Printing / Photocopying 

You can make photocopies and also print proofs of 

your work using the “MyPrint” system that is standard 

throughout the University. Charges are currently: 

• 3p per mono A4 

• 6p per mono A3 

• 9p per colour A4 

• 18p per colour A3 

Use your TUSC card to collect your printing, having 

first credited your account in the Library or by using 

one of the self-service units around campus using 

cash or a credit/debit card. In addition to this you can 

top up your MyPrint account on line at 

http://unishop.tees.ac.uk. 

Collect your printing from any “MyPrint” printer in the 

University. These are nearest to the Design studios: 

First floor of the Athena Building (mono and colour) 

First floor of the Cook Building (mono) 

Third floor of the Cook Building (colour) 

There are also A3 colour and A4 B&W copiers in 

Athena Room A1.05 for more specialized use. For 

these you buy payment cards from the Finance Office 

(Main Tower) at a cost of £3.00 for 50 units. 

Large scale printing is available in the Athena Building 

– please see the Arts & Media helpdesk (ground floor 

reception of the Athena Building) for individual prices 

and specifications.

Cook Building Design Workshops 

Model making is an integral part of the design 

programmes and specialist facilities and equipment 

are available to enable you to work with materials 

such as wood, metal and plastics. 

The role of Rapid Prototyping is being developed 

using solid modelling software, FDM output and 3,4,5 

axis machining. There is also a capability to laser and 

mechanically etch and cut hand drawn and computer 

produced artwork. Laser scanning of large and small 

3D objects is available. 

A team of highly skilled technical staff with specialist 

expertise undertake specific roles and are available 

throughout the workshops to ensure safe practice. 

Before you can use the workshop facilities you’ll need 

to attend a health and safety induction.

What about the Library? 

The Library and Information Services (L&IS) 

http://lis.tees.ac.uk (01642) 342100 

libraryhelp@tees.ac.uk 

Library & Information Services (L&IS) seeks to provide 

a high quality service based upon an extensive 

collections of print and electronic resources, inspiring 

spaces for learning and support from qualified staff. 

To make the most of the 

services available to you 

contact the Arts & Media 

team in the Library 

University Library 

The main Library is situated on Southfield Road in 

Middlesbrough next to the Students’ Union Building. 

There is also a library at the Darlington campus. Details 

of facilities available can be found here: http://lis.tees. 

ac.uk/darlington 

Opening hours 

Library opening times are posted on the Library web 

site at http://lis.tees.ac.uk/opening 

Personal Identification Number (PIN) 

You need your PIN to borrow and renew items, check 

your loans, reserve and renew on or off-campus. You 

can set up your PIN by visiting https://myaccess.tees. 

ac.uk/pcs 

Jane Burke 

(01642) 342123 

j.burke@tees.ac.uk 

Val Sonley 

(01642) 342123 

v.sonley@tees.ac.uk 

Laura Marflitt 

(01642) 738287 

l.marflitt@tees.ac.uk

Layout of the Library 

The Library provides varied study spaces in silent, quiet 

and group study areas, and over 400 networked PCs. 

You can connect to the University’s Wi-Fi network. The 

Library has four floors: 

Ground Floor 

• social learning zone for informal study and networking 

• bookable learning pods and the Hive 

• self-service machines to borrow, renew and return 

books 

• Touchdown PCs available for 20 minutes for quick 

access to printing and emails etc. 

• Learning Hub (http://lis.tees.ac.uk/learninghub/ ) 

where staff can answer questions about referencing, 

literature searching and refer you for additional 

academic skills support 

• iZone for general enquiries 

• MyPrint hub: A4 and A3 photocopying, printing and 

scanning 

• Learning Café 

Floor 2 

• quiet study zone 

• books and audio visual material (e.g. DVDs) between 

shelf numbers 600-999 

• bookable group rooms 

• PC areas 


scanning 

• information desk where staff are available to answer 

your queries 

• individual study rooms 

Floor 3 

• silent zone for individual study 

• print journals 

Floor 1 

• group zone for quiet discussion and collaborative 

learning 

• books and audio visual material (e.g. DVDs) between 

shelf numbers 001-599 

• bookable group rooms and group PCs 

• PC areas 


scanning 

• individual study rooms

Learning resources for Product Design 

Reading lists for your modules may be accessed via 

E-Learning@Tees. 

The online LibGuide for Product Design http://tees. 

libguides.com/productdesign is the best place to start 

to discover the resources that are available. You will 

be using a variety of print or online resources, such as 

e-books, e-journals and databases which are available 

both on and off campus using your ICT username and 

password. 

Use the Catalogue to find out about the books that are 

available from the Library. You can access this both 

online from the Library homepage (http://lis.tees.ac.uk) 

and at Catalogue points on all of the Library floors. 

The Learning Hub 

The Learning Hub offers guidance to all students on 

developing their skills as independent learners. Support 

includes advice at the Learning Hub desk, drop-in 

Succeed@Tees workshops, one-to-one tutorials and 

online resources. Guidance is available on a wide variety 

of academic skills, for example literature searching, 

referencing, writing and maths. 

Referencing 

It is important that when you carry out a piece of 

research for an essay, project or an assignment you 

include details of any sources of information you have 

used. Whenever you quote from or paraphrase work 

written by another author, you must acknowledge that 

you have done so. The process is made up of two 

parts: 

1. Citation: the acknowledgement in your text, giving 

brief details of the work (e.g. Jones, 2008, p.10). 

2. Reference list: the list of references at the end of 

your work. These should include the full information 

for you citations so that readers can easily identify 

and locate each piece of work that you have used. 

It is important that these are consistent, correct and 

complete 

You will be using the Harvard system of referencing. 

Details of this are given on the Product Design 

LibGuide, where you will also find a link to ‘Cite Them

Supporting You 

Help is available so that you can get the most from the 

Library: 

• Staff at the Learning Hub, Information Desk and 

iZone are available to answer queries and help you 

ind the information you require. Staff are also on 

duty throughout the Library to assist you. 

• Sessions to enable you to develop your skills in 

literature searching can be arranged. 

• All students are welcome to attend the 

Succeed@Tees workshops which develop academic 

skills. Details are available from the Library web site. 

• A great deal of information is available from the 

Library web site at http://lis.tees.ac.uk 

Working Together 

Our aim is to provide you with the learning resources 

and a study environment to help support you in your 

studies at University. To enable all users to benefit fully 

from L&IS, we need your active co-operation to ensure 

that we can deliver this aim. The Library’s regulations 

and policies can be viewed at: 

http://lis.tees.ac.uk/regulations

What should I be able to do by the end of my programme? 

The intended learning outcomes of the BA Hons 

Product Design programme are listed here. When you 

graduate this is the kind of information that will be 

needed for potential employers. 

Tom Crisp 

Design Director 

Design Partners 

San Francisco 

In terms of your knowledge and understanding, 

you should be able to: 

• Negotiate, plan, undertake and evaluate a selfmanaged 

major project relevant to the subject 

discipline with appropriate critical and contextual 

criteria 

• Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of product 

design which encompasses an understanding of the 

market, users, trends and issues. 

• Demonstrate a detailed knowledge of product 

design which encompasses a well-developed 

understanding of design methods, observation and 

experimentation 

• Demonstrate a well-developed understanding of the 

relationship between form, function and aesthetics 

In terms of your cognitive and intellectual 

development, you should be able to: 

• Make independent judgements through synthesis 

of a variety of sources utilizing skills in research, 

information retrieval and evaluation 

• Confidently assess and apply information and 

experiences through reflection, review and 

evaluation, to articulate reasoned arguments in 

response to the critical judgement of self and 

others. 

• Demonstrate and apply intellectual flexibility and 

openness to new ideas with an ability to refine them 

through a range of techniques 

• Confidently generate and evaluate ideas and 

proposals independently and/or collaboratively in 

response to complex scenarios 

In terms of your practical and professional 

skills you should be able to: 

• Employ effective working practices in the 

appropriate use of materials, methods, 

technologies and ethical strategies associated with 

the subject discipline 

• Manage a project through to completion with limited 

supervision or direction. 

• Define the parameters of the brief and respond 

accordingly through the use of a well grounded 

design process. 

• Apply resourcefulness and initiative to identify 

opportunities for professional practice. 

• Manage and use appropriate methods of 

communication to develop and articulate ideas and 

information 

• Demonstrate creativity and aesthetic understanding 

And in terms of skills that can be transferred 

to many different kinds of careers, you should 

be able to: 

• Plan, manage and evaluate new found knowledge 

and skills as part of a lifelong learning strategy, 

identifying personal strengths and needs 

• Demonstrate both employment potential and ability 

to manage future professional development 

• Confidently apply a range of ideas and methods for 

communicating visual, oral and written information 

• Apply appropriate numerical skills in a range of 

contexts. 

• Demonstrate confidence in the selection and use of 

appropriate IT tools for different tasks 

• Interact effectively with others, identifying the 

factors that enhance group processes and 

• team-working

DISCLAIMER 

The information contained in this Handbook is, as far as 

possible, accurate and up-to-date at the time of printing. 

The express permission of Teesside University must be 

obtained to reproduce any, or all of this 

publication, other than for personal use or for those 

purposes permitted by law.

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