School of Design
The newly formed School of Design traces its roots back to 1897 when the subject of Art and Design was central to the establishment of Leicester’s technical college. Today, the school brings together staff with world leading reputations in teaching, research and commercial consultancy to deliver a diverse range of undergraduate and postgraduate design courses.
The school encompasses undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, teaching more than 300 students. Our undergraduate programmes are divided into three subject areas:
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Design Products
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Design Crafts
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Interior Design.
Our postgraduate programmes parallel these subject areas and have an emphasis upon both design practice and design theory, allowing students to extend their knowledge in distinct design areas.
All of our programmes have a reputation for excellence as demonstrated through our students’ success at a national and international level and through the careers that they choose to pursue. Leading organisations and design consultancies from around the world employ students from the school and the work they produce makes a valuable contribution to the societies in which we live.
You are supported by 24 academic members of staff and a 15-strong technical team all situated centrally within the university campus. Our extensive workshops and prototyping facilities provide students, staff and our research community with first-rate technical and creative resources in a wide range of processes.
Responding to today’s ‘grand challenges’
Our curricula responds to today’s ‘grand challenges’| and the work produced by both staff and students reflects the needs and aspirations of the world in which we live. These challenges are shaped by a changing environment, an aging population and a need to ensure that our societies are sustainable. Our school’s outputs play an important part in resolving such challenges through society’s engagement with the products and environments in which we live.
Design Products catologue 2011 (PDF)|
Focus on: Design Facilities
Lively studio facilities allow you to analyse design concepts with others, and to make contact with professional designers and manufacturers.
Our graduates are expected to work as specialist designers and managers within a range of industries. Graduates have gone on to work for companies such as Nokia, Habitat, Adidas and Dyson and within design consultancies such as Seymour Powell.
"Becoming a commercially viable designer is one of the strongest points of this course" - Sam Dinwiddy - MDes Product Design
Design Research
Research remains at the centre of the school’s activities and manifests itself, most evidently, through the New Product Development Centre, a £2million research and consultancy facility that embodies our approach to design and supports our students and school in engaging with the design, craft and manufacturing community.
Discover more about Reseach in the School of Design|