Postgraduate taught 

Product Design Engineering MSc

Sketch of a product

The Masters in Product Design Engineering, taught in collaboration with the School of Design, Glasgow School of Art will develop your ability to design products with significant engineering content, address user needs, and optimise solutions for specific markets.

  • MSc: 12 months full-time

Why this programme

  • This exciting programme will enable you to benefit from the combined resources and complementary expertise of staff of two top ranking Scottish institutions, University of Glasgow and Glasgow School of Art.
  • Studio-based, student-centered learning based around design project activities. Students have access to state-of-the-art product design engineering prototyping and manufacturing processes in the PDE workshops at GSA and University of Glasgow.
  • There are increasing pressures, from both existing and emerging world marketplaces, for products which not only respond to the needs of function, user and society, but which can be brought to market ever more rapidly through state-of-the-art development and manufacturing processes. Industries which develop, manufacture and market today's products need high-caliber graduates equipped to handle these processes with management skill and creative drive, and this programme develops graduates with these skills.
  • The studio programme explores cultural, management, perceptual, process and psychological issues, offering a curriculum relevant to the needs of industry and an understanding of the role of the design engineer in society.
  • The MSc Product Design Engineering is accredited in the “Further Learning” category accredited the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED). This means that a student with an accredited BEng undergraduate degree can take the accredited "Further Learning" MSc to top-up their academic qualifications in order to meet the full academic requirements for conferral of the title of Chartered Engineer. This is an alternative route to the 5-year undergraduate MEng route.
  • The programme is in the process of gaining reaccreditation with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
  • The University of Glasgow has been delivering world-class engineering education and research since 1840.
  • The School of Engineering has an Athena Swan Silver Award, demonstrating the school’s commitment to supporting women in scientific studies and careers, and to improving the working environment for all.

Programme structure

You will attend lectures, seminars and tutorials and take part in lab, project, team and studio work, industrial visits, and workshops.

Core courses

Optional courses

Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.

Career prospects

Career opportunities include product research and development, system design, product manufacture and engineering design. The programme aims to provide opportunities to work on live projects with industry: this can lead to employment opportunities. Examples of companies that employ our Product Design Engineering graduates are Apple, DELL, Dyson, Jaguar-Land Rover, TomTom and Smart.

Fees & funding

Tuition fees for 2023-24

MSc

Fees available from the Glasgow School of Art.

Additional fees

  • Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
  • Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
  • Registration/exam only fee: £170

Funding opportunities

The Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship

The Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship is accelerating exceptional Disabled Students through masters’ programmes into leadership positions to create change.

Do you have ambitions to change the world? Are you pioneering in your field? Are you creating change for Disabled People? Let us open some doors.

 The Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship award will provide up to 30,000 for exceptional Disabled Students applying to study a master’s degree. We are investing in the influencers of the future. 

Please see Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship for details.

Postgraduate Student Loan (Scotland and EU)

Eligible full-time and part-time students, undertaking an eligible postgraduate course, can apply for a tuition fee loan up to a maximum of £5,500 towards their course. Eligible full-time postgraduate students can apply for a living-cost loan of up to £4,500.  

This support extends to online Masters or Postgraduate Diplomas, and not to the online Postgraduate Certificate courses.

For more information visit the SAAS website.

Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loans England only (PTFL)

If you’re an English student looking to study a taught Masters programme in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan. Students from England are able to apply for a non-means tested Postgraduate Master’s Loan of up to £11,570 to help with course fees and living costs. You have to repay your Postgraduate Master’s Loan at the same time as any other student loans you have. You’ll be charged interest from the day you get the first payment.

If you’re studying by distance learning, you can also apply.

Postgraduate Loans for Welsh Students

If you are a Welsh student looking to study a postgraduate programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a Welsh University.

* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes

Postgraduate Master's Finance

If you’re starting a full-time or part-time Postgraduate Master’s course (taught or research based) from 1 August 2019, you can apply for Postgraduate Master's Finance and receive up to £17,000 as a combination of grant and loan:

  • a maximum grant of £6,885 and loan of £10,115 if your household income is £18,370 and below
  • a grant of £1,000 and loan of £16,000 if your household income is not taken into account or is above £59,200.

For more information visit Student Finance Wales

Postgraduate Doctoral Loan

If you’re starting a full-time or part-time postgraduate Doctoral course (such as a PhD) from 1 August 2019 you can apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan of up to £25,700.

For more information visit Student Finance Wales

Postgraduate Student Loan (NI)

If you are a Northern Irish student looking to study a taught Masters programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a University in Northern Ireland.

Northern Irish students are able to apply for non-means-tested tuition fee loans of up to £5,500, to help with the costs of funding.

For more information visit www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/types-of-finance/postgraduate .

* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes

The scholarships above are specific to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database

Entry requirements

Entry requirements are normally a 2.2 Honours degree or equivalent (eg GPA of 3.0 or above) in a relevant subject area (product design engineering, mechanical engineering, electronic and electrical engineering being of particular relevance) or equivalent professional practice. Depending on your previous experience and qualifications you may be asked to complete a design engineering assignment as part of your application.

English language requirements

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)

  • 6.5 with no subtests under 6.0. 
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Common equivalent English language qualifications

All stated English tests are acceptable for admission to this programme:

TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)

  • 90 with minimum R 20, L 19, S 19, W 23. 
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test, this includes TOEFL mybest.

PTE (Academic or Academic Online)

  • 60 with minimum 59 in all sub-tests.
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE) 

  • 176 overall, no subtest less than 169
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Glasgow International College English Language (and other foundation providers)

  • 65%.
  • Tests are accepted for academic year following sitting.

University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses

  • Tests are accepted for 2 years following date of successful completion.

Alternatives to English Language qualification

  • Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
    • students must have studied for a minimum of 2 years at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have complete their degree in that majority-English speaking country and within the last 6 years
  • Undergraduate 2+2 degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
    • students must have completed their final two years study in that majority-English speaking country and within the last 6 years

For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.

Pre-sessional courses

The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We also consider other BALEAP accredited pre-sessional courses:

 

For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form

International students

We are proud of our diverse University community which attracts students and staff from over 140 different countries.

How to apply

Students should apply for this degree through Glasgow School of Art. The application procedures can be found at: Glasgow School of Art: how to apply.

More information about this programme

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Related links

Postgraduate Taught Online Event

3 May, 9am-7pm (UK time)
Chat to staff, students and academics to find out all about life as a taught postgraduate student at UofG

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Postgraduate prospectus