Design and Technology: Key Stage 5

Subject: Design Technology: Product Design (603/1133/2)

Qualification: A Level

Exam Board: AQA

Course outline:

This is a qualification that reflects a modern and evolving society. The aim of the course is 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 be able to recognise design needs and develop an understanding of how current global issues, including integrating technology, impacts on today’s world. You will develop the confidence to innovate and produce creative design solutions as you develop your own design brief for a client/end user.

How you will be assessed?

Paper 1

Technical principles - how it's assessed

Written exam: 2 hours and 30 minutes
120 marks
30% of A-level

Questions Mixture of short answer and extended response.

Paper 2

Designing and making principles - how it's assessed

Written exam: 1 hour and 30 minutes
80 marks
20% of A-level

Questions are a mixture of short answer and extended response questions.

Section A:

Product Analysis: 30 marks
Up to 6 short answer questions based on visual stimulus of product(s).

Section B:

Commercial manufacture: 50 marks
Mixture of short and extended response questions

NEA (Non-Examined Assessment)

Practical application of technical principles, designing and making principles

Substantial design and make project
100 marks
50% of A-level

Written or digital design portfolio and photographic evidence of final prototype.

Where the course could take you?

Not only does this course give you outstanding experience in designing and making in new exciting way, it opens up a range of possibilities on leaving school in careers such as:

Architecture, Advertising, Fashion Design, Graphic Designer, Web Design, Typographer, Interior Design, Jeweller, Ceramicist, Product Engineer, Furniture Designer, Packaging, Communications, Film, Software, Transport, Product Engineering, Landscape, etc. The subject gives you a firm grounding in the skills of creativity problem-solving, communication and ICT which would apply to all careers.

Link to Specification:

https://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/design-and-technology/specifications/AQA-7552-SP-2017.PDF

Further information:

www.aqa.org.uk

FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES WITH PRODUCT DESIGN

Not only does this course give students outstanding experience in designing and making in new exciting way, it opens up a range of possibilities on leaving school in careers such as:

Architecture, Advertising, Fashion Design, Graphic Designer, Web Design, Typographer, Interior Design, Jeweller, Ceramicist, Product Engineer, Furniture Designer, Packaging, Communications, Film, Software, Transport, Product Engineering, Landscape, etc. The subject gives students a firm grounding in the skills of creativity problem-solving, communication and ICT which would apply to all careers. In a time when employers look for people who can add value, this is the subject that could give students their USP.