Design and technology – a decade of integrated curriculum development in product design at the University of Wolverhampton

This paper is a retrospective analysis of the development of an integrated curriculum in product design at Wolverhampton which brings together creative design, technology, materials, manufacture and computing. In the late 1980s the Schools of Art and Design, Engineering, Technology and Computing decided to introduce what at that time was a new type of degree in product design with a multidisciplinary approach that drew from expertise across the institution. The BSc (Hons) in computer aided product design which had its first student intake in 1989 aimed to develop a product designer with a richer blend of skills between design, technology and engineering, but which also put the student at the centre and developed a curriculum that fostered independent learning. Over the last decade a group of undergraduate honours awards have grown out of the successful computer aided product design degree including a BA in industrial design, a BSc in computer aided industrial design, and a BSc in computer aided engineering design. This paper reflects on the evolution of this curriculum in design over the last 10 years, concentrating on the following innovative areas: 1. development of independent learning to foster academic and practical design skills 2. integrating the technological and creative elements in the design project work 3. meeting future design, technological, and sociological needs through curriculum development.