|
Programme: |
Product Design |
|
Level: |
Year 2 |
|
Semester: |
1 (start in September) or 2 (February - July) |
|
ECTS: |
30 |
|
Language: |
English / Dutch (please see below for more information on language) |
Programme for exchange students Product Design year 2 semester 1
| Module | ECTS Credits: | Code and description 2026-2027: |
|---|---|---|
| Design D | 14 | PRD-2-ONTD-21 |
| Design E | 14 | PRD-2-ONTE-21 |
| HKU-wide seminars | 2 | SEM-HKUxx-26 |
Module descriptions
- Click on this link.
- Copy and paste the module codes into the 'course ID/name' field.
This programme in short
- You work individually on design challenges and deepen your own design practice.
- You develop your personal way of working as a designer through experimentation, research, reflection and making.
- You work with a wide variety of media, materials, techniques and technologies.
- You strengthen your artistic, visual and conceptual skills.
- You explore the professional field and your own position as a designer.
- You gain access to workshops, labs and specialist facilities.
About the programme
Exchange students follow the first semester of Year 2 of the Bachelor Product Design programme. The programme consists of the modules Design D and Design E.
Throughout the semester, students work individually on design challenges while further developing their own methods, interests and signature as designers. The programme combines design projects, visual development, cultural studies, professional practice and experimentation in the labs.
Design D
In Design D, students focus on intensifying and developing their own design approach. They work on projects that explore the visualisation and representation of ideas, as well as design challenges that emerge through experimentation and research. The emphasis is on discovering and developing a personal mode of working.
Design E
In Design E, students continue building on this foundation and further develop their own design practice in relation to others and to broader cultural and societal contexts. Students deepen their competences while strengthening their ability to position their work within multiple perspectives.
Students work both independently and in dialogue with peers, lecturers and external perspectives. Throughout the semester they receive feedback, participate in discussions and reflect on their development as designers.
The programme includes:
- Design projects
- Visual development
- Cultural Studies
- Professional Practice
- Labs and experimentation
What you'll be learning
- Develop your own design methodology and personal signature.
- Experiment with different media, materials, techniques and technologies.
- Strengthen your creative and visual skills.
- Expand your cultural and contextual awareness.
- Learn to discuss, analyse and position design from different perspectives.
- Explore professional design practices and future career possibilities.
- Develop your ability to reflect critically on your own work and growth.
Learning goals
The modules Design D and Design E offer students the opportunity to deepen their capabilities as designers and further develop their own design practice.Students learn to:
- Develop an individual way of working.
- Conduct design-driven research and experimentation.
- Use feedback and reflection to support their development.
- Expand their frame of reference through cultural, social and professional contexts.
- Communicate and discuss their work with others.
- Strengthen their creative, reflective and collaborative competences.
Conclusions and assessment criteria
Assessment takes place through a growth interview at the end of each module.Students present the work they have produced during the module and discuss their development, learning process and competences with an assessment committee.
Assessment focuses on:
- Demonstrable development and experimentation in the work.
- Engagement with the programme activities and feedback process.
- Reflection on personal growth and design practice.
- Achievement of the intended learning outcomes of the module.
The grading scale is Pass / Fail.
Programme for exchange students Product Design year 2 semester 2
| Module | ECTS Credits: | Code and description 2026-2027: |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmos | 15 | DES-2-COS-25 |
| Design F | 15 | PRD-2-ONTF-25 |
Module descriptions
- Click on this link.
- Copy and paste the module codes into the 'course ID/name' field.
About this programme
Semester 2 consists of the courses Cosmos and Design F. During these courses, you will deepen your personal design vision while actively engaging with real-world contexts, external partners, and fellow design students.Design F focuses on developing your own design approach and artistic voice within product design. Guided by a team of tutors, you work on a design assignment that challenges you to explore visual communication and the full cycle of designing, from research and experimentation to making and presenting. You expand your technical and spatial skills, experiment with different media, materials and technologies, and learn how to translate ideas into compelling outcomes or series.
The Cosmos-course builds on this personal development by placing your work in a collaborative and external context. In this integrated project, you collaborate with other design students and external partners on a real question or assignment, often working on location. The emphasis is not only on the final outcome, but on articulating and deepening your own working method within a collective setting.
You exchange strategies, discuss processes, conduct research and shape the relationship with the external partner together. Whether working individually, in small groups, or as a larger constellation, you remain connected as a collective. Cosmos encourages you to take ownership of your design process, reflect critically on your position, and make your artistic practice visible in a real-world situation.
At the end of the project, you present your work to the external partner, share your process with peers, and write a reflective report. Through this trajectory, you strengthen your creative capacity, critical reflection, collaborative skills, communication, and ability to navigate complex design contexts.
Together, Design F and Cosmos offer exchange students an intensive and exploratory semester at HKU Product Design, one in which you develop your personal signature, expand your technical and conceptual skills, and learn how to position yourself as a designer within a broader artistic and societal landscape.
Place in the curriculum and related programmes
The courses of semester 1 and 2 are obligatory courses of Year 2 of the Bachelor of Product Design.
Language
The primary language of instruction is Dutch. While limited support in English may be available from lecturers and through peer support (e.g. a student buddy system), students are expected to take an active role in managing communication in Dutch where necessary.