3D Design BA (Hons)
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Study
Interested in studying at Northumbria? With 31,500 students, Northumbria is one of the largest universities in the country, offering courses on either a full-time, part-time or distance learning basis.
Discover moreInternational
Northumbria’s global footprint touches every continent across the world, through our global partnerships across 17 institutions in 10 countries, to our 277,000 strong alumni community and 150 recruitment partners – we prepare our students for the challenges of tomorrow. Discover more about how to join Northumbria’s global family or our partnerships.
Discover moreBusiness
The world is changing faster than ever before. The future is there to be won by organisations who find ways to turn today's possibilities into tomorrows competitive edge. In a connected world, collaboration can be the key to success.
Discover moreResearch
Northumbria is a research-rich, business-focused, professional university with a global reputation for academic quality. We conduct ground-breaking research that is responsive to the science & technology, health & well being, economic and social and arts & cultural needs for the communities
Discover moreAlumni
Northumbria University is renowned for the calibre of its business-ready graduates. Our alumni network has over 237,000 graduates based in 178 countries worldwide in a range of sectors, our alumni are making a real impact on the world.
Discover moreIf you’d like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.
* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Please note: Last year of entry for this course is September 2023. For 2024 Entry, please see BA (Hons) Furniture & Product Design.
You will join a community of staff and students eager to explore the potential for beauty, usefulness and meaning in contemporary material culture. You will develop both the technical skills required of a designer, and the critical thinking skills necessary to understand design’s role in the social, economic and environmental context of today.
Our creative approach puts three-dimensional prototyping at the heart of the design process. You will be taught how to use the tools and techniques of workshops, computer labs and studio spaces to develop and evaluate designs in three-dimensions. You will gain a sophisticated understanding of how to work with materials, by sensitively incorporating their properties into your work. And you will be challenged to think carefully about the valuable role your furniture and products should play in people’s lives.
The Three Dimensional Design, Furniture and Product course vision is to create the most able graduates—people who understand both how and why to make things, and are ready to make meaningful contributions to professional design practice.
Top Department: Northumbria is ranked 6th in the UK for Product Design studies (Guardian University League Table, 2024).
Super Satisfaction: 100% of students studying Three Dimensional Design at Northumbria found it easy to contact teaching staff and believed their course was intellectually stimulating (NSS, 2023).
Excellent Careers Prospects: Product Design at Northumbria is ranked 6th in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Guardian University Guide, 2024). This is because 87% of our graduates are in highly skilled employment or further study 15 months after graduation.
Research Power: Art and Design at Northumbria is ranked 4th in the UK for research power (REF, 2021). This is a rise of 6 places compared to 2014.
See other similar courses you may be interested in: BA (Hons) Design for Industry
UCAS Code
W260
Level of Study
Undergraduate
Mode of Study
3 years full-time or 4 years with a placement (sandwich)/study abroad
Department
Northumbria School of Design
Location
City Campus, Northumbria University
City
Newcastle
Fees
Fee Information
Two years after graduating from Northumbria University – Collins launched his first consumer collection. Now, a year later, he has been awarded a medal in recognition of the impact he has made on the design industry.
Mac Collins
Emerging British designer has launched collection with Benchmark.
Mac Collins gains national recognition.
The 3D design graduate has been awarded the Emerging Design Medal by the London Design Festival.
Our School of Design covers Industrial, Fashion, Communication and Innovation Design. Our design community examines design in the context of use, beauty and social and cultural contexts.
The end of year showcase for our Creative Programmes
Explore our immersive 360 tours, informative subject videos, inspirational student profiles, ground-breaking research, and a range of life at university videos and articles.
Discover more about life in Newcastle and studying at Northumbria.
Accommodation
Discover our residences
There are many different reasons to choose to study at Northumbria but we got Alice, Reza and Jasmine to narrow it down to just three reasons each on why they wanted to come study here.
Newcastle
City Life
Student Life at Northumbria
Discover More
The Hub
Student Blog
Social Wall
#IAmNorthumbria
An inspiring Design curriculum will encourage you to develop a flexible and imaginative approach to problem solving through enquiry and practice-based learning. You will become an active participant, integrating design practice with academic and intellectual skills.
The course makes use of industry standard workshops and studios as places for you to learn, develop and rehearse both the practical and theoretical skill sets required of a professional product/furniture designer. Hands-on learning, rehearsal and exploration of making skills enable you to display evidence of creative thinking whilst understanding the importance of workmanship.
Contextual studies provide the social, cultural, economic and historical background to the subject discipline, developing your knowledge and insight into your own personal practice. A framework of industry facing projects/work provides you with the opportunity to hone specialist design skills, professional qualities, enterprise and entrepreneurial capabilities through real-life scenarios. Students have the opportunity to exhibit their work at national degree shows.
Throughout your degree you will work closely with a core team of academic staff, who are all actively involved in design research/practice and deliver a curriculum that is designed to develop the intellectual, and subject-specific skills you need to define your own professional practice. This team is further supported by other specialist disciplinary staff, which ensures our students are supported across all aspects of design learning.
Realising your ideas through making will play a huge part in your design learning experience and you will be supported to do this by a team of dedicated technical staff. This team has significant industrial experience and manufacturing skills across numerous materials and processes including furniture, engineering, fabrication, model making, CAD and digital 3D printing.
The nature of studio and workshop teaching allows individual academic support to be accessed as an inherent part of your learning experience. One to one academic tutorials with an academic member of staff at regular intervals during Level 4 and at key stages and after every project, that make up the larger portfolio based modules of levels 5 and 6 mean there are multiple check-points to monitor and feedback on academic progress. Your Personal Tutor is also available ensure you receive adequate personal and academic support should any matters arise.
Rickard has a background in furniture design for both production and limited edition. He teaches in a variety of contexts from graduate education through to community-based projects.
The technical facilities at Northumbria University are excellent. The Three Dimensional Design, Furniture and Product course is housed in industry-standard studios and workshops with facilities designed to allow a materials led and process driven approach to design practice. Studio and workshop culture promotes intellectual freedom and the development of a creative collaborative community.
You’ll have access to large well-equipped timber and metal workshops, specialist CAD laboratory, CNC machinery and 3D printing as well as several mobile laboratories that deliver IT facilities for creative working. The photographic studio is equipped to industry standards. Everything is supported by skilled technical staff who will help you make the best use of all the facilities that are available.
We use technology to enhance your learning with tools such as the ‘Blackboard’ eLearning Portal and electronic reading lists that will guide your preparation for seminars and independent research. Electronic Submission and Feedback (eSAF) facilitates feedback on your project work, while Turnitin reinforces a critical approach to research and the development of your own ideas.
We have large well-equipped timber and metal workshops, a specialist CAD laboratory, CNC machinery and 3d printing as well as several mobile laboratories that deliver IT facilities for creative working.
Our open plan studios offer adaptable spaces to accommodate all sorts of design projects. Each studio has a suite of iMacs and PCs equipped with the latest industry standard software.
Three Dimensional Design is a practice-based course that is driven by research and delivered by inspiring, research active and entrepreneurial staff. This creates an enquiring, analytical and creative approach to complex design challenges.
Throughout your studies, you will learn through research-informed teaching, and undertaking research yourself to encourage enquiry, and to define and refine your practice. Live projects allow you to contextualise your prior learning and further develop your practical competencies to work collaboratively to industry standards.
By your final year, your design practice will be informed by current critical debate, and you will have a creative and exploratory approach to your own specialism of practice.
Drawing on the community of practice that surrounds 3D Design and the Designers in Residence scheme, the Tools for Everyday life project results in both commercially viable artefacts and opportunities for the designers to articulate their position on the relationship between craft knowledge and industrial design.
This course is a creative platform with a track record in educating a significant number of respected designers. Our vision is to combine skilful and intellectually engaged design and making practices with academic learning to create the most able graduates – ready to make important contributions to their chosen field of professional practice.
You will develop the theoretical and practical skills that are required by professional practices in the creative Industries sector, where our graduates find employment.
Collaborative projects with external organisations allow you to be coached and advised by leading industry professionals. You will be encouraged to build and curate a portfolio of your own creative work, developing your own individual design identity that will enhance your future employability.
You will graduate as a highly employable, industry-ready professional, able to confidently offer solutions to complex and challenging design briefs. You will be able to demonstrate entrepreneurial capabilities and resourcefulness in the application of processes, aesthetics, function and materials.
Our graduates go on to forge successful careers as designers and makers across the creative industries sector. We also support entrepreneurial graduates who are keen to set up their own businesses through our Designers in Residence Scheme.
Our many success stories in Three Dimensional designing include: David Irwin whose work is produced by Another Country, John Lewis and Design Within Reach. Max Lamb whose work is exhibited and collected throughout the world. Ellen Thomas working at United Visual Artists. Neil Conley voted Elle Decoration Young Designer of the Year 2013. Elliot Brook and Dan Ziglam establishing the leading furniture and interior product Deadgood.
Take a look at our creative degrees showcase and hear from our graduates.
As a practice, Irwin works for leading manufacturers and design led companies such as Habitat, Deadgood and Juniper. Irwin operates specifically within the spectrum of contemporary furniture, product and lighting design.
Meet 3D Alumni Dan and Elliot who went on to setup their own successful Design and Manufacturing Company - Deadgood Ltd.
Following in the footsteps of Northumbria 3D Design graduates Phil Luscombe and Josh South in 2014, Will Baugh has been selected by Heals for their discovers programme.
You can boost your CV and develop your experience whilst studying at Northumbria.
Visit an Open Day to really get an inside view of what its like to study Three Dimensional Design at Northumbria. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the workshop facilities.
A portfolio of creative design work available for consideration at interview.
This portfolio containing examples of your work is to help us understand your creative experience and potential ability to undertake a degree in Design. It should evidence your interests in your creative specialism to date. It may include past and current school or college work, personal projects, work in progress and other work that you feel demonstrates your creative potential.
GCSE Requirements:
A good GCSE profile is expected including Maths and English Language at minimum grade C or equivalent. If you have studied for a new GCSE for which you will be awarded a numerical grade then you will need to achieve a minimum grade 4.
UCAS Tariff Points:
120-128 UCAS Tariff points including one or more of the following:
GCE and VCE Advanced Level:
From at least 2 GCE/VCE A Levels
Edexcel/BTEC National Extended Diploma:
Distinction, Distinction, Merit
Diploma in Foundation Studies Art and Design/Art Design and Media
The Diploma in Foundation Studies Art and Design/Art Design and Media is also accepted in combination with other qualifications
Scottish Highers:
BBBCC - BBBBC at Higher level, CCC - BCC at Advanced Higher
Irish Highers:
BBBBB - ABBBB
IB Diploma:
120-128 UCAS Tariff points including minimum score of 4 in at least three subjects at Higher level
Access to HE Diploma:
Award of full Access to HE Diploma including 18 credits at Distinction and 27 at Merit
Qualification combinations:
The University welcomes applications from students studying qualifications from different qualification types - for example A level and a BTEC qualification in combination, and if you are made an offer you will be asked to achieve UCAS Tariff points from all of the qualifications you are studying at level 3. Should the course you wish to study have a subject specific requirement then you must also meet this requirement, usually from GCE A level.
</p</p</p</p</p
Applicants from the EU:
Applicants from the EU are welcome to apply and if the qualification you are studying is not listed here then please contact the Admissions Team for advice or see our EU Applicants pages here https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/international/european-union/eu-applications/
International Qualifications:
If you have studied a non UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria, by selecting the country that you received the qualification in, from our country pages. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry
English Language Requirements:
International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.0 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications
UK Fee in Year 1: TBC
* The maximum tuition fee that we are permitted to charge for UK students is set by government. Tuition fees may increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, these are subject to government regulations and in line with inflation.
EU Fee in Year 1: TBC
International Fee in Year 1: TBC
ADDITIONAL COSTS
There are no Additional Costs
* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here
Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help. They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.
Northumbria University is committed to developing an inclusive, diverse and accessible campus and wider University community and are determined to ensure that opportunities we provide are open to all.
We are proud to work in partnership with AccessAble to provide Detailed Access Guides to our buildings and facilities across our City, Coach Lane and London Campuses. A Detailed Access Guide lets you know what access will be like when you visit somewhere. It looks at the route you will use getting in and what is available inside. All guides have Accessibility Symbols that give you a quick overview of what is available, and photographs to show you what to expect. The guides are produced by trained surveyors who visit our campuses annually to ensure you have trusted and accurate information.
You can use Northumbria’s AccessAble Guides anytime to check the accessibility of a building or facility and to plan your routes and journeys. Search by location, building or accessibility feature to find the information you need.
We are dedicated to helping students who may require additional support during their student journey and offer 1-1 advice and guidance appropriate to individual requirements. If you feel you may need additional support you can find out more about what we offer here where you can also contact us with any questions you may have:
All information is accurate at the time of sharing.
Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
Your Learning Experience
Find out about our distinctive approach at
www.northumbria.ac.uk/exp
Admissions Terms and Conditions
northumbria.ac.uk/terms
Fees and Funding
northumbria.ac.uk/fees
Admissions Policy
northumbria.ac.uk/adpolicy
Admissions Complaints Policy
northumbria.ac.uk/complaints
If you’d like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.
* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here
Masters study will take you and your skills to the next level. Whether you want to get the real world experience you need to progress in your career or the research skills you need to drive the direction of your discipline...
Information about all of our tuition fees, funding and scholarships.
Get an insight into life at Northumbria at the click of a button! Come and explore our videos and 360 panoramas to immerse yourself in our campuses and get a feel for what it is like studying here using our interactive virtual tour.
Back to top