Top universities for Product Design

From working for a design consultancy to setting up your own studio, an MDes opens the door to a wide range of careers in design. You will have developed creative, theoretical and practical expertise which can directly lead to roles in fields including advertising, animation, graphic design, illustration, print-making, and production design for theatre/television/film, among others.

Some courses, such as the Textiles with Business Studies BA (Hons) MDes, offered by the University of Brighton, help prepare students for the business side of the industry, combining creative and managerial skills.

To enter careers in design, you will need to get as much work experience as you can and make as many contacts as possible. You will also need a portfolio of your design work to show to potential employers.

Popular careers in design include:

Graphic designer

Graphic designers are responsible for creating design solutions to convey a desired visual impact and message. The role involves working to a brief, which is provided by an external client or by a creative director or account manager within the same company. On a daily basis, graphic designers will be focused on creating visuals to meet one or more briefs, liaising with clients and other team members to ensure objectives are achieved within deadline.

Interior designer

Interior designers plan and supervise the design and decoration of the inside of buildings. This can include private homes, as well as public spaces such as offices, hotels, restaurants and shops. A successful interior designer will need a combination of creativity, strong organization and project management skills, and excellent communication skills – in order to ensure clients’ needs are incorporated and reflected in the final outcome.

Illustrator

An illustrator uses creative art and design skills to visualize a story, message or idea based on a commercial brief provided by a client. Illustrators usually specialize in a particular design medium, such as drawing, photography or digital illustration. A postgraduate qualification is not required to become an illustrator, but a master’s degree specializing in graphic design or illustration may be beneficial, particularly for illustrators who are interested in teaching.