Welcome to your Automotive & Transport Design course

Welcome to University of Staffordshire

We know you're already passionate about your subject, which is why we're excited you've chosen University of Staffordshire as the place to turn possibility into reality.

To give you an insight into what life as an Automotive & Transport Design student is like, your course leaders have prepared introductions to the course and further activities.

Welcome to BA (Hons) Automotive & Transport Design


You are about to join a highly successful, multi-award winning and long-standing course. We pride ourselves in success and nurturing young talent in becoming the next generation of successful Transport designers. This course will provide you the opportunity to explore the future of mobility whilst developing a broad skill set that you can apply to your career.

We hope you are enjoying your summer and look forward to meeting you all in Welcome Week.

Course Delivery

The course will utilise a range of teaching strategies that provide opportunities for students with varying learning styles to develop skills, knowledge and employability throughout the course. Assessment strategies and deliverable types also support students with different educational experiences.

The studio environment fosters creativity, teamwork and communication as well as providing a great base for a cohort to become a community.

Our visiting lecturer series will ensure students meet designers from diverse backgrounds and of different ages, gender, ethnicity and background. New course content will also be developed that considers the decolonisation of the curriculum, ensuring that the students we teach study work of designers from a range of backgrounds, nationalities and cultures. Students will also be encouraged to bring their own cultural experience to their work and project their own identity onto projects.

To support inclusive learning and flexibility of working location, a number of the modules taught on this course will utilise blended learning, with some sessions taking place online. Digital content for 24/7 streaming will also be accessible to allow students to work on-campus, or remotely at their own pace.

Approach to Assessment and Feedback

Module grades are achieved through formative and summative assessment strategies, which use a variety of modes that are designed to be exploratory and experiential, and to reflect the process of accumulating the ranges of knowledge, skills and understanding through the award. The integrated approach to teaching outlined above favours a continuous process of assessment, as opposed to exam-based assessment.

Most modules carry single assessment tasks/activities, based on the submission of coursework, the nature of which is determined by the project/s or assignment/s set within the module, but which may consist of any one or a combination of the following components:

  • Sketchbooks or logs, documenting the process of generating, developing and resolving thoughts and ideas and demonstrating the influence of research on practical work.
  • Studio concept development boards and portfolios.
  • Research files, documenting the gathering, sorting and presentation of research material.
  • Creative output professionally presented in the format required by the assignment, project or brief.
  • A report, written according to given guidelines as to word count and illustrated as required by the assignment.
  • The script for a seminar presentation, and the presentation itself.

Assessment Feedback is provided in two main ways; orally in tutorial, critique and studio situations, and in writing, via a feedback form at the end of the module. Most modules have single assessment tasks based on the submission of a presentation and folder of design work. The precise nature of the submission deliverables is governed by the specific brief. Throughout modules students are encouraged to critically evaluate and reflect on practical and contextual issues, resulting in the ability to exercise autonomy, initiative and self-direction in preparation for professional life.

Semester One Activities

First Modules:

Studio Skills:

This module introduces you to the background and the need to present ideas and information in two and three dimensions and its role within the professional practice of designing and making.

You will be introduced to different approaches to visual communication, including the importance and relevance of visual research to the designer. Various drawing methods and mark making techniques will be explored, with attention being paid to scale, colour and composition.

Material Investigation:

You will undertake practical skillsets that explore a range of process methods across a variety of materials that will develop your practical understanding and technical skill in becoming a more informed designer/maker. Like most processes, great practice is required to make objects successfully in any material and so you are encouraged to develop your expertise early on in the module by experimenting and making outputs that demonstrate the skills and processes that you have learned.

The emphasis of this module will be on experimentation and precision followed by skill. A feel for these core materials will be gained through practice and a ‘learn by doing’ approach. You will be shown a variety of processes in a series of studio and workshop demonstrations, and you will be expected to use your independent study time to explore these processes fully and fulfil a series of tasks.

Pre-learning

Starting a new course can be both exciting and a little daunting. Over the summer you might want to advance your knowledge so we strongly recommend that you visit the links below to stay informed of the current Design arena. We have also included a suggested reading list but don’t worry we don’t expect you to purchase all the books but perhaps choose one or two to explore before you start.

 

Core77

Designboom

WIRED

Fast Company

Yanko Design

Design Taxi

99u

Design Week

Dezeen

Car Design News

Car Body Design

Auto Design

Autocar

Auto Express

New Designers

 

  • Sketching: The Basics. BIS Publishers
    Eissen K. & Steur R. [2011]
  • Sketching: Drawing Techniques for Product Designers. BIS Publishers 

Eissen K. & Steur R. [2007]

  • How to Draw: drawing and sketching objects and environments from your imagination

Thomas Bertling, Scott Robertson [2013]

  • How to: Design Cars Like a Pro. Motorbooks International

Lewin T. [2003]

  • How to Draw Cars Like a Pro, 2nd Edition, Motorbooks Studio

Tom Taylor, Lisa Hallett [2006]

  • H Point: The fundamentals of car design and packaging, 2nd Edition

Stuart Macey, Geoff Wardle [2014]

  • Presentation Techniques: A Guide to Drawing and Presenting Design Ideas
    Dick Powell [1990]
  • Prototyping and Modelmaking for Product Design Laurence King Publishers Ltd.  Hallgrimsson B. [2012]
  • Models and Prototypes. Graphic Sha Pub Co.

Shimizu Y. [1991]

  • Professional Modelmaking: A Handbook. Whitney Library of Design.

Trudeau N. [1995]

Equipment and Software

Software link: https://staffsuniversity.sharepoint.com/sites/software/SitePages/Home.aspx

Equipment needed for Welcome Week:

  • Sketchbook
  • Black Biro or Fine liner
  • Markers (selection of Cool Greys, & colour as needed) (available in on-campus Art Shop)

Trips and Activities

Throughout your three years of study, you will get the opportunity to engage in both national and international trips, these are integrated within the course structure and offer many exciting opportunities and design studio visits to cities such as London, Copenhagen, New York, Milan, Barcelona and Stockholm.

Link to Video

 

Graduate Success

Since your portfolio review, we want to share with you our successes from this year’s graduating students and their successes in National Awards:

  • 1st Place Superyacht UK Young Designer Competition Winner
  • Car Design News Sketch Battle Finalists
  • Best Design Project – Chartered Society of Designers
  • Most Improved Student – Chartered Society of Designers
  • Best Sketcher – Chartered Society of Designers

Meet the team

Dan Lewis

Course Director

Dan is the Design Course Director and Course Leader for Automotive & Transport Design. Dan is also the Co-Course Leader for Product, Furniture, Ceramics. His Background in Product and Furniture Design feeds into his Emotional Design PhD and research.

Dan's profile

Richard Gilmartin

Lecturer

I’m an automotive designer with 25 years of industry experience. I have worked for major international OEMs on production and show car programmes. I’m a lecturer in Transport Design and an active vehicle designer.

Richard's profile

Nigel Turner

Senior Lecturer

Senior Lecturer for Automotive & Transport Design, and Product, Furniture, Ceramics, with 20 years’ experience as a luxury designer for Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Viners, Aspreys, and 10 years as a product development manager at Michelin Lifestyle.

Nigel's profile

Keeley Marshall

Senior Lecturer

Keeley is an expert in all aspects of industrial ceramic design and production, specializing in 3D design and decorative processes and currently exploring 3d printing in eco PLA’s and ceramics.

Keeley's profile

Timothy Forrester

Senior Lecturer

Tim Forrester is one of Britain's most innovative designers. He achieved great success whilst working in Milan before returning to the UK to design and manufacture his high quality, inspirational and versatile furniture ranges.

Timothy's profile

What to expect on Welcome Week

We're so excited for you to join us on campus and to welcome you to where you matter. During your welcome week you'll be able to meet our friendly student services teams, connect with new friends, join societies, explore on-campus venues attend club nights and much more.

for Career Prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Facilities

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023

for Social Inclusion

The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023

of Research Impact is ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Considerable’

Research Excellence Framework 2021

of Research is “Internationally Excellent” or “World Leading”

Research Excellence Framework 2021

Four Star Rating

QS Star Ratings 2021