Description
The Product Design undergraduate degree trains designers to produce attractive and innovative, durable and economical products that of value to industry and society. The development of the skills that these professionals require is based on theoretical-practical and laboratory learning, which becomes more in-depth throughout the course. Knowledge of materials, as well as production, handling and manufacturing technologies and systems, prepares future graduates for the creation of innovative solutions through integrated project development (design-manufacturing-assembly-distribution) both in design teams, the industrial sector, and in R&D units.
Throughout the course, students will be asked to develop a wide range of skills that traverse product design, such as drawing, history, theory, ergonomics, psychology, marketing, economics and management, materials, prototyping and manufacturing technologies. This course works with and benefits from the resources and laboratories of IDEGUI - Instituto de Design de Guimarães (Guimarães Design Institute), in the city’s Historic Centre.
The Product Design undergraduate degree is based on active learning - “learning to do by doing” - based on a close partnership between students and lecturers. The practice of Project, a central feature of the course, combines the development of critical and autonomous thinking skills with communication and idea development, interdisciplinary and team work, and contact with other research projects underway at the University, as well as with the surrounding business fabric.
Key learning outcomes
1. To design and develop attractive, durable and economical products, which are suitable for industrial production
2. To collect and systematise different types of information, reflecting on transdisciplinary themes
3. To create the ability to interact with surrounding areas, in terms of materials and technologies
4. To perform semiotic readings capable of expressing trends, in terms of visual language or concept
5. To critically analyse the tangible and intangible characteristics of products
6. To produce prototypes and portfolios for the presentation of works
7. To use communication strategies appropriate to different contexts
8. To consider ethical, social, environmental and cultural issues related to the practice of product design
9. To understand the professional practice of a designer in a multidisciplinary context
Access to higher education
This course provides the technical and scientific capacity to access the courses of the second cycle (Master's)
Careers
The Product Designers who graduate from the University of Minho are qualified to practice a range of professional activities, which include being able to work as technical staff in institutions and companies or as liberal professionals. They are qualified to develop activities related to design, to higher education, and to research.
