Product Design AS/A2 level at The Rodillian Academy
Course description
Product Design seeks to develop students’ knowledge, understanding, skills and application for designing products. Product design encompasses a wide range of design disciplines but is firmly rooted in the skills required to design and make high quality products. The qualification consists of four modules.
Course content
Year 12
Unit 1: Advanced Innovation Challenge
This paper is a seven hour design challenge set by the exam boar. It is undertaken in two three-hour sessions over the period of a day and a one-hour session at a later date.
This provides opportunities for research but also allows you to demonstrate your creativity and innovation when reacting to a design situation.
Unit 2: Product Study
The product study consists of analysis and development of a familiar product. It is not envisaged that this task will involve the complete redesign of an existing product, but rather identify opportunities for its development or enhancement.
You will be assessed in the following areas:
- Product focus and analysis
- Comparison of strengths and weaknesses.
- Moral implications
- Brief and specification for improving the product
- Development of improvement
- Testing of final developed idea
- Summary of results
- Communication and presentation
Year 13
Unit 3: Design, Make and Evaluate
This unit of work will take up a major slice of your design technology time in A2 year. It requires a total of 75 hours, divided into:
- 35 hours developing a range of designing, making and evaluating skills.
- 40 hours producing the final project for assessment.
You will use and develop skills learnt in the two AS units to produce a coursework portfolio and product that will fully demonstrate your skills. Creativity, flair and innovation are important elements.
Unit 4: Product Design
This is an externally set and marked question paper that consists of two components:
- Component 1 focuses on products and applications and their analysis in respect of; materials, components and their uses, manufacturing processes and industrial and commercial practices.
Entry requirements
Year 12:
This qualification builds on, but does not depend on, the knowledge, understanding and skills of KS3 and KS4 Design and Technology. Students must have achieved a minimum of 5 GCSEs grade C or above from different subjects, including English and Maths.
Year 13:
Students must successfully complete all of the Year 12 units studied in order to continue with this course in Year 13.
Assessment
Unit 1
Advanced Innovation Challenge 7 hours
40% of total AS marks
20% total A2 marks
Unit 2
Product Study 75 hours
60% of total AS marks
30% total A2 marks
Unit 3
Design, Make & Evaluate 75 hours
30% total A2 marks
Unit 4
Product Design exam 2.5 hours
20% total A2 marks
Future opportunities
A qualification in Design and Technology (Product Design) will help candidates gain access to institutes of Higher or Further Education. Alternatively you may wish to use this qualification to help gain access to study a wide range of design based courses. Typically, Product Design A-Level could lead to a potential career in areas such as Civil Engineering, Automotive Design, Industrial Design, ‘3D’ Design, and Architecture.
How to apply
You can apply for this course through UCAS Progress. Add this course to your favourites so you can start making an application.
