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.

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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 accredited by 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 2025-26

MSc

Fees information at 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

Glasgow School of Art Scholarships

The Glasgow School of Art administers a range of scholarships that students on this programme can apply to. These are normally published in March/April for students starting in September.

Please see visit the Glasgow School of Art scholarship webpage for more details.

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.

We are searching for individuals who choose to use their lived experience of disabling barriers to make a difference. To create change.

Applications open 15 January 2025.

Please see Snowdon Trust, Investing in Disabled Students website for more 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 £7,000 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 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

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

2.2 Hons (or non-UK equivalent) 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 and Academic Online (not General Training)

  • 6.5 with no subtests under 6.0
  • IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
  • 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 for entry to this programme

TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)

  • 90 overall with Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements, this includes TOEFL mybest.

Pearsons PTE Academic

  • 59 with minimum 59 in all subtests
  • 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.

Oxford English Test

  • 7 overall with no subtest less than 6
  • 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.

LanguageCert Academic SELT

  • 70 overall with no subtest less than 60
  • 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.

Password Skills Plus

  • 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 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.

Trinity College Tests

  • Integrated Skills in English II & III & IV: ISEII Distinction with Distinction 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.

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 completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
  • Undergraduate 2+2 degrees 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 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 would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:

  • direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS)
  • essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University
  • flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.

For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see:

We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:

  • Heriot Watt
  • Kingston Upon Thames
  • Middlesex University
  • Manchester University
  • Reading University
  • Edinburgh University
  • ST Andrews University
  • UCL
  • Durham.

 

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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