Bachelor of Science in Product Design and Technology

Student Profile - Maya Brennan

I chose to study at UL both for its amazing campus facilities and its unique selection of courses. UL is one of only a small handful of colleges in Ireland that offer my course (Product Design) and I have enjoyed every minute of it.

When I was deciding on a future career, I was torn between studying Art or Engineering. Then I discovered Product Design and Technology, the perfect mix of both! I was first drawn to the course’s hands-on approach to teaching, as there seemed to be a great balance of lectures, labs and workshops.

Product Design and Technology has a really great variety of modules. I especially enjoyed our Design Studio modules, where we learned about sketching, model making, graphics, problem solving and computer aided design. The best part is that we have our own studio space, workshop and computer lab open to all product designers.

Once of the best things about Product Design is that I was constantly pushed to learn different skills and explore new ideas. Each project allowed me to express my creativity, broaden my skillset and work with super talented people. The course also presented me with huge opportunities like winning the AutoCAD Design Student Award in first year, and the Johnson & Johnson’s Women in STEM2D Scholarship in second year.

I was lucky to go on Erasmus last year, to the world-famous TU Delft in Holland. Although my travels were cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, it was still an incredible experience. In the weeks I was there, I learned so much about design and dutch culture – I also made loads of new friends from all around Europe.

Outside of my studies, I have always enjoyed taken part in UL’s vibrant student life. The campus is fun and modern, with everything from restaurants, lecture halls and student villages all at walking distance from eachother. When I first started out at UL, I made loads of friends by joining the Drama Society and becoming First Year Rep. After that, I joined the Dance Society which was a great way to meet new people and stay in shape during my studies.

Student Profile - Chris Barrett

My initial draw to UL was the intriguing product design studio. At the open day, I was enthralled by the exciting studio environment, with busy students sketching, prototyping and photographing concepts.

The practical elements of sketching, model-making and prototype testing are complimented by a learned ability to create digitally through apps like Photoshop or Illustrator to CAD modelling on Solidworks.  I thoroughly enjoy our Design Studio modules, where we, the students, have a large amount of creative control and can a guide a project in whatever direction we’re interested in. In terms of technology, we have 3D printers, CNC machines and a laser cutter at our disposal, which are working non-stop developing prototypes.

A hugely rewarding element of product design is that by your third year, you’ll have a portfolio of work to an industry standard. This is brilliant for students, as it differentiates us from other courses, where we have a physical, tangible output at the end of every project.

In second semester of third year, I did a four-month internship with Circular Design Europe in Barcelona. I worked on a team of students from all around the globe, creating sustainable solutions for international clients. I can safely say it was the best few months of my life, with some unforgettable experiences. We’re blessed in UL to have this opportunity to travel and it’s genuinely the most enriching thing you could do.

Graduate Profile - Kieran Normoyle

As a child I loved playing with Lego, and spent endless hours in my dad’s garage building all sorts of crazy contraptions. At secondary school, I really enjoyed subjects like Technology, Tech Drawing and History so my careers advisor directed me towards Product Design & Technology here at the University of Limerick. The course is incredibly broad, and educates you on field research, concept generation, concept development, prototyping /model making, 3D Modelling, design for manufacture, and the creation of marketing material for your new innovative products. As a student on this course, you will receive an incredible amount of mentoring from the lecturers, who spend endless hours in the studio, offering constructive criticism on your work. As part of a relatively small course of 50 to 60 students, you will make some great friends.

In 4th year, you will develop your own product as part of your final year design project, in an area of interest to you. It is a lot easier to commit to designing a product that you believe in. As a trained pool lifeguard and a medic with the army reserve, I felt there was a fatal flaw in lifejacket design. Current lifejackets keep users afloat but fail to protect against hypothermia. In the research stage of my project, I got to go out and meet the men and women of the rescue services - people who risk their lives every day in the hope of saving the lives of others. They were incredibly generous with their time and resources, and I loved listening to their stories, recording pain points on existing designs and examining their equipment that they use, which included the Air Sea Rescue Helicopter. As a result, I came up with a new design – a three-piece lifejacket that mitigates the effects of cold water shock, sea spray, hypothermia and secondary drowning.

As a graduate of the Product Design course at UL, my product Hydros was shortlisted in the top 20 in the world in the James Dyson Awards. I also received awards from the Irish Design Institute Ireland, the Nexus Innovation Centre, and a €2000 summer research bursary at the University of Limerick. Since graduating, I have set up my own design consultancy Norm Design, where I complete graphic and product design projects. I am currently working on commercialising my final year design project. Product Design and Technology at the University of Limerick is a great course; if you work hard and believe in yourself, the design world is yours for the taking!

Graduate Profile - James D'Arcy

Since graduating from PD&T course at UL, I have worked in many different areas of product design. The creative skill set that I acquired meant that I was very much at ease with slotting in to various roles. The design process that you learn over the 4 years is mirrored in real world projects and it becomes second nature by the time you graduate. The different design projects that I worked on gave me a broad range of skills that are now invaluable in my everyday working life. Employers look for creative graduates with a good understanding of manufacturing and the technical aspect of this course at UL gives it a big advantage over many design courses at other universities.

For me, one of the best experiences from my time at UL was the opportunity to work in industry. I chose to work abroad in the Netherlands. You quickly realise that the skills you have learned from the course are exactly those that you use on a daily basis. The experience of working in a professional environment really helps in preparing you for life after college and also looks good on your CV. While on work placement, I was constantly using all the relevant computer-aided design applications and this meant I was well prepared for when I returned to UL for my final year project. My project was a summary of everything I learned during my time in UL and it was a really rewarding experience. At the end of the academic year, we were encouraged by our lecturers to enter our projects into the James Dyson Design award, which is a very prestigious competition. I designed the Flo2w oxygen delivery system and my invention was lucky enough to make it into the last 15 in the global final of the competition. For me, this success has been a tremendous spring board towards many different career prospects. I look back on my time at UL as a huge development path, both on a personal and professional level.

James currently works as Creative Director at NT-MDT Service & Logistics Ltd

Graduate Profile - Kate Corish

Since graduating from this course I have been working as an R&D Design Engineer for one of the world’s largest medical device companies. I’m based in the structural heart division where we work on heart valve replacement systems. I have been nominated by my company for the Graduate Employee of the Year award.

During my time in UL, my Final Year Project (FYP) won two national awards. The PD&T degree gave me so much of the practical skills I use on a daily basis. After graduation, this course gives you a useful and real world approach to problem solving, engineering and design by using practical tools and skills that are recognised as the standard in industry today.