Furniture and Product Design (with Foundation Year) FT BA (Hons)

Your Foundation Year will introduce you to the skills you’ll need to prepare you for your future studies. From perfecting freehand drawing and sketchbook use to learning about materials and fabrication, you’ll gain practical experience through real-world briefs and develop your confidence in presenting your ideas.<br/><br/>Embark on a journey of creativity with our Furniture and Product Design course. Explore crafting innovative products for diverse markets, striking a balance between commercial and conceptual work. Immerse yourself in a hands-on, empirical approach that emphasises designing through making, fostering experimentation with materials and processes<br/><br/>Well explore function, form and the relationships we forge with the everyday objects with which we live. Alongside technical skills like sketching, model-making and prototyping, we’ll look at key human issues of ethically responsible design, analyse the ways that our lifestyles are changing and how this impacts on consumer choice, and experiment with innovative means of furniture and product production. You’ll test your skills across live projects, and you can even complete a year-long work placement, throwing yourself into the cutting edge of real-world industry.<br/><br/>We don’t produce cookie-cutter designers. Our students graduate as distinct individuals — some become successful freelancers, and others secure diverse roles with companies like Habitat, John Lewis, DFS and The Design Council. Some are designer-makers; others become journalists and curators. By exploring your craft, developing your own design identity, and making the most of some genuinely unique opportunities, you’ll be a stand-out prospect in the world of design.<br/><br/>**Key Features**<br/><br/><br/>- Professional Accreditation | Our course is accredited by the Chartered Society of Designers (CSD), recognising the quality and relevance of our course content. It also means you can become a student member of the CSD for free whilst studying.<br/><br/><br/>- Inspiring Spaces | You’ll be using the same equipment as the pros. From 3D printers to water-jet cutters and bandsaws, plus dedicated workshops for wood, metal and concrete working, we’ve got the lot — minimising the jump from uni to industry.<br/><br/><br/>- Live Projects | We’re industry-focused with great connections. Through live projects, you’ll be working face-to-face with leading companies such as John Lewis, Pearson Lloyd, Hasbro, Philip Watts Designs, and deVol Kitchens.<br/><br/><br/>- Exhibitions and Shows | Exhibit your work at our final year Degree Show and nationally at events including New Designers in London.<br/><br/><br/>**Key Features**<br/><br/><br/>- Top 2 Ranking | NTU is 2nd for the number of undergraduate students studying Design subjects (HESA 2021/22).<br/><br/><br/>- Top 2 Ranking | NTU is the 2nd most sustainable university in the world (UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 2023). <br/><br/><br/>- Top 15 Ranking | NTU is ranked top 15 for Art & Design (Complete University Guide 2025). <br/>

If you’re looking for somewhere that’ll get you credibility, plenty of real-world experience, and the attention of employers, at Nottingham Trent University (NTU), you'll find all that and so much more.<br/><br/>They offer a huge range of undergraduate courses that have been created with careers in mind, built in collaboration with industry experts and accrediting bodies, with employer facing work experience included as standard – you’ll be sure to find a course to suit your interest and ambitions. <br/><br/>Choose to study at one of their university sites across Nottingham, and be a part of one of the UK’s top student cities with a reputation for being an affordable and friendly place to live. Or study in a vibrant capital city, at their newest campus in London, right in the creative core of one of the world’s top-ranked student cities. <br/><br/>Ranked 2nd in the UK for Student Life (University Compare 2026) and with NTU's accommodation gurantee, it's a place everyone can call home. Your first year of accommodation in Nottingham is guaranteed if you are offered and accept a place through Clearing (T&Cs apply). <br/><br/>Join NTU this September and enjoy GOLD-rated teaching, long-lasting employability support and incredible extracurricular opportunities at one of the UK’s largest and most applied to universities.<br/><br/>“Studying here has allowed me to challenge my perspectives and think critically. The support from tutors is second to none, and I've grown so much as a person and as a student.”<br/>Mary Jarvis, Psychology