St Paul’s Catholic School
PRODUCT DESIGN
What do I need to know or be able to do before taking this course?
The best foundation for success in A’ level Product Design (3 D) is a good grade at GCSE
Product Design (Graphics, Textiles or Resistant Materials). Above all, you should have an
interest in creating and understanding design and the determination to continue to develop
that interest.
What will I learn on this A Level course?
The main purpose of the course in product design is to encourage you to take a broad view
of design and technology, to develop your capacity to design and make products and to
appreciate the complex relations between design, materials, manufacture and marketing.
You will develop your imaginative and creative powers and your experimental, analytical and
documenting skills. You will also develop a specialist vocabulary and the knowledge and
understanding of the product design in history and in contemporary
The specific skills you acquire will be determined to some extent by the area of study you
choose – for example graphic design, photography, product design textiles. Whether you see
yourself as a product designer, graphic designer, software designer a fashion designer or an
architect, the same basic rules and skills apply. The majority of the A Level students move on
to a Foundation Course in Art & Design, where they finally decide on a specialism.
What kind of student is this course suitable for?
A Level GCE in Product Design is suitable for students:


who wish to study product design, engineering, graphics, textiles, architecture, Cad
designer, software designer at a higher level usually at art college or further education
who are looking to take up careers for which an design background is relevant, for
example careers in product placement, advertising, architecture, design studios,
fashion industry, marketing industry or teaching / lecturing, an interest in and aptitude
for the subject who do not intend to study it further, but who see it as an opportunity
for enjoyment, personal growth and expression.
Entry requirements
5 A* - C grades at GCSE preferably including Art, or BTEC Art & Design, Product Design.
Exam Board AQA
A Level
The course is designed to be fun, exciting and thought provoking for the students and builds
on your individual strengths. It is made up of two units:
A-level Design and Technology: Product Design (3-D Design) helps students take a broad
view of design and technology, develop their capacity to design and make products
and appreciate the complex relations between design, materials, manufacture and
marketing.
The specification retains much of the content of the previous A-level specification and
continues to provide students with the opportunity to design and make a product (or in the
case of AS, a number of smaller products) in both years of the course.
The course has 50 per cent coursework in order to recognise the importance of practical
work within this subject
AS Product Design 1st Year is made up of 2 units
AS Unit 1 (PROD1) Exam
This unit provides details of the subject content to be covered by candidates at AS level.
Candidates are required to use the knowledge and understanding stated when completing
their coursework unit at AS.
UNIT 1 - The content has been divided into three sections:
Section A: Materials and Components
Section B: Design and Market Influences
Section C: Processes and Manufacture
AS Unit 2 (PROD2) Coursework
This unit is the AS Centre-Assessed Component.
This is a design-and-make unit where knowledge of the AS subject content is applied to the
design and making of the candidates' own projects.
The Assessment Criteria for AS Coursework are given below. AQA will provide exemplar
material and detailed guidance to illustrate the standard of work required for this
coursework unit.
AS candidates' work will be marked out of a total of 80 marks.
Five criteria are produced for assessment and each criterion has five bands of marks. Each
band should be viewed holistically when making assessments; a weakness in one element of
a level, for example, can be balanced by strengths in another. Candidates who produce no
work for a criterion, or who produce work below AS standard, should be awarded a mark of
zero
Advanced Level (A2) Follows the same structure;
A2 Unit 3 (PROD3) Exam
This unit provides details of the subject content to be covered by candidates at A2 level.
The content has been divided into three sections:
Section A: Materials and Components
Section B: Design and Market Influences
Section C: Processes and Manufacture
A2 Unit 4 (PROD4) Coursework
This unit is the A2 Centre-Assessed Component.
This is a design-and-make unit where knowledge of the AS and A2 subject content is applied
to the design and manufacture of candidates' own projects.
The Assessment Criteria for A2 coursework are given below. AQA will provide exemplar
material and detailed guidance to illustrate the standard of work required for this
coursework unit. A2 candidates' work will be marked out of a total of 85 marks.
Six criteria are produced for assessment and each criterion has five bands of marks. Each
band should be viewed holistically when making assessments; a weakness in one element of
a level, for example, can be balanced by strengths in another. Candidates who produce no
work for a criterion, or who produce work below A2 standard, should be awarded a mark of
zero
For further information, please speak to Mr Gillespie.