MSci (Hons) Design Enterprise and Innovation with Placement Year

This exciting course equips you with everything you need to take on design leadership roles, following in the footsteps of Steve Jobs or James Dyson.

Are you ready to shape the future through design entrepreneurship? Our MSci in Design, Enterprise and Innovation is at the forefront of a competitive global market and the only one of its kind in the UK.

Develop both the design and business skills necessary to thrive in the modern enterprise environment and prepare yourself for a career in product design leadership, entrepreneurship and the skills to set up your own enterprise. Entrepreneurship and design innovation are seen as fundamental aspects of the UK economy. Creating value through design is a challenge that requires being business savvy as much as it requires talent, methods and skills.

The course, delivered jointly by the School of Engineering and Physical Science and Aston Business School, will equip you with solid design skills as well as enterprise development competence to take on design leadership and entrepreneurship roles in future.

You will be supported by a wide network of entrepreneurs, mentors and investors from local and national communities such as Birmingham Skills for Enterprise and Employability Network (BSEEN), Birmingham Enterprise Community (BEC), Enterprise Nation and Aston’s Centre for Growth throughout your study.

What you'll learn

On this four year programme, you will achieve a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree. If you choose to take a year in industry the course length will be five years.

You will gain a grounding in the principles of design management in technology, manufacturing and concept development, combining both theoretical and practical skills training alongside relevant industrial experience. Plus, you’ll develop the skills necessary to stimulate design entrepreneurial activity, brought to life by our up-to-date and professionally focused curriculum.

Develop your specialist knowledge, build on your experience and become better equipped to contribute to entrepreneurial activity and develop your own fledgling enterprises.

If you choose to take a year in industry, you’ll be able to develop your learning and showcase your skills, improving your employability through real work experience, as well as gaining a deeper understanding of the roles and career path that best suit your interests and skills.

Modules

• Introduction to Engineering and Design
• Prototyping & Development
• Design Fundamentals
• Engineering Principles
• Engineering Practice

Modules

• Design and Engineering for the User
• Design Studio
• Digital Design Skills
• Product Experience
• Product, Market and Intellectual Property
• Design Management and Innovation*

*achieve satisfactory level in this module to progress to MSci level study

Optional placement year | Find out more about the Aston placement year.

Modules

• Product Design Final Year Project
• Advanced Design Management and Innovation
• Enterprise Creation
• Creating and Leading Effective Teams
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Modules

• Enterprise Management and Growth
• High Performance Teams
• Corporate Social Responsibility Challenge

Aston University is a diverse, close community and welcomes international students on many of our undergraduate programmes. Students from over 120 countries choose to study with us every year and Aston is not only a great place to study, based in the centre of Birmingham, it’s also a great place to live.

Aston’s professional work placements can improve your chance of securing a graduate job. Placements give you experience, confidence and opportunities and as an Aston student, you’ll be better prepared for your future career. One of the great things about Aston is our focus on employability and our close links with businesses, industries and professions make this possible.

Choosing to start your Aston journey with one of our foundation programmes will help you develop specialist knowledge to ensure that you are fully prepared to study your chosen undergraduate course. During your foundation year, you’ll have excellent support from academics and group projects will give you the chance to meet new people, make new friends and build a network of peers who will share your university journey.

We also have a Learning Development Centre that can provide additional support and offer pre-sessional English language programmes.

For International Students intending to do a foundation year, visit ONCAMPUS.