Product Design Engineering MSc
Postgraduate online event:
Thursday 7 May 2026, 9am – 5pm
Chat to staff, students and academics to discover what it's like to study at our world changing campus as a postgraduate student at UofG
Postgraduate Study Finance & Funding Event:
Monday 18 May 2026, 5pm - 7pm
Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow
Come along to information sessions about finance and funding, meet university service teams and get a tour of the campus
The Masters in Product Design Engineering, taught in collaboration with the School of Design, Glasgow School of Art will develop your ability to design products with significant engineering content, address user needs, and optimise solutions for specific markets.
- Academic contact: c.whittet@gsa.ac.uk
- Teaching start: September
- Glasgow School of Art and Glasgow: Gilmorehill campus
- MSc: 12 months full-time
Why this programme
- This exciting programme will enable you to benefit from the combined resources and complementary expertise of staff of two top ranking Scottish institutions, University of Glasgow and Glasgow School of Art.
- Studio-based, student-centered learning based around design project activities. Students have access to state-of-the-art product design engineering prototyping and manufacturing processes in the PDE workshops at GSA and University of Glasgow.
- There are increasing pressures, from both existing and emerging world marketplaces, for products which not only respond to the needs of function, user and society, but which can be brought to market ever more rapidly through state-of-the-art development and manufacturing processes. Industries which develop, manufacture and market today's products need high-caliber graduates equipped to handle these processes with management skill and creative drive, and this programme develops graduates with these skills.
- The studio programme explores cultural, management, perceptual, process and psychological issues, offering a curriculum relevant to the needs of industry and an understanding of the role of the design engineer in society.
- The University of Glasgow has been delivering world-class engineering education and research since 1840.
- The School of Engineering has an Athena Swan Silver Award, demonstrating the school’s commitment to supporting women in scientific studies and careers, and to improving the working environment for all.
Programme structure
You will attend lectures, seminars and tutorials and take part in lab, project, team and studio work, industrial visits, and workshops.
Core courses
- Microelectronics in Consumer Products 4
- Advanced Manufacture
- Core Research Skills for Design
- PDE Introduction Project M
- GSA Elective M
- PDE Human Factors M
- Integrated Engineering Design
Optional courses
- Advanced Programming and Software Engineering 3
- Fault Detection, Isolation And Recovery
- Instrumentation and Data Systems 3
Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours
to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw
or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.
Career prospects
Career opportunities include product research and development, system design, product manufacture and engineering design. The programme aims to provide opportunities to work on live projects with industry: this can lead to employment opportunities. Examples of companies that employ our Product Design Engineering graduates are Apple, DELL, Dyson, Jaguar-Land Rover, TomTom and Smart.
Accreditation
The MSc Product Design Engineering is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED) on behalf of the Engineering Council as meeting the academic requirement for Further Learning for registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng). Candidates must hold a CEng accredited BEng/BSc (Hons) undergraduate first degree to comply with full CEng registration requirements.
See www.imeche.org and www.ied.org.uk for further information.
Fees & funding
Tuition fees for 2026-27
MSc
Fee information is available on the Glasgow School of Art website
Fee status
Additional fees
- Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
- Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
- Registration/exam only fee: £170
Funding opportunities
Glasgow School of Art Scholarships
The Glasgow School of Art administers a range of scholarships that students on this programme can apply to. These are normally published in March/April for students starting in September.
Please see visit the Glasgow School of Art scholarship webpage for more details.
ScottishPower Master Scholarship
ScottishPower will provide scholarships for the 2026/27 academic year for postgraduate studies at universities in the United Kingdom in the following areas of knowledge:
- Electrical / Mechanical / Civil / Electronic Engineering
- Data / Cyber / Cyber Security / Telecoms / Business Analytics / Cloud Computing
The Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship
The Snowdon Trust Master’s Scholarship is accelerating exceptional Disabled Students through masters’ programmes into leadership positions to create change.
Do you have ambitions to change the world? Are you pioneering in your field? Are you creating change for Disabled People? Let us open some doors.
We are searching for individuals who choose to use their lived experience of disabling barriers to make a difference. To create change.
Please see Snowdon Trust, Investing in Disabled Students website for more details.
GyanDhan Scholarship
The GyanDhan Scholarship 2026 is a test-based program for students across the globe, reflecting GyanDhan’s commitment to rewarding talent fairly. Open to students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, it supports higher studies in India and abroad, ensuring that ambition isn’t limited by past academic scores.
Chevening Scholarship
Please note that the Chevening Scholarships are now closed for application for the 2026/27 academic year.
Chevening Scholarships are the UK government's global scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and partner organisations. The scholarships are awarded to outstanding scholars with leadership potential. Awards are typically for a one year Master’s degree at universities across the UK. There are over 50,000 Chevening Alumni around the world who together comprise an influential and highly regarded global network.
For further information, please refer to the Chevening website.
DAAD-University of Glasgow 1-year Master’s grant
The University of Glasgow will offer a full tuition waiver to those students that successfully apply and are nominated by DAAD to the University. DAAD offers a monthly stipend and travel bursary, as well as health, accident, and personal liability insurance coverage in addition to the full tuition fee waiver from the University of Glasgow.
Wichtige Hinweise zu DAAD-Stipendien - DAAD (general info on DAAD tuition fee reimbursement)
Current list of tuition reduction / waiving offers (not including U Glasgow yet) : Stipendien für ein Masterstudium im Ausland - DAAD - Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst
Commonwealth Scholarship Schemes
Commonwealth Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, and are offered to citizens from low and middle income Commonwealth countries. The majority of Scholarships are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), with the aim of contributing to the UK’s international development aims and wider overseas interests, supporting excellence in UK higher education, and sustaining the principles of the Commonwealth.
Colfuturo Fundacion para el Futuro de Colombia
The University of Glasgow offer discounts to all successful Fundacion para el Futuro de Colombia (Colfuturo) scholars who enrol at the University of Glasgow to complete a postgraduate programme.
Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loans England only (PTFL)
If you’re an English student looking to study a taught Masters programme in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan. Students from England are able to apply for a non-means tested Postgraduate Master’s Loan of up to £11,570 to help with course fees and living costs. You have to repay your Postgraduate Master’s Loan at the same time as any other student loans you have. You’ll be charged interest from the day you get the first payment.
If you’re studying by distance learning, you can also apply.
Postgraduate Loans for Welsh Students
If you are a Welsh student looking to study a postgraduate programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a Welsh University.
* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes
For more information visit Student Finance Wales
Postgraduate Student Loan (Scotland and EU)
Eligible full-time and part-time students, undertaking an eligible postgraduate course, can apply for a tuition fee loan up to a maximum of £7,000 towards their course. Eligible full-time postgraduate students can apply for a living-cost loan of up to £4,500.
This support extends to online Masters or Postgraduate Diplomas, and not to the online Postgraduate Certificate courses.
For more information visit the SAAS website.
Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans
Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans are EU-guaranteed loans with favourable pay-back terms. They’re designed to help prospective students finance their Master’s courses in an Erasmus+ Programme country while leaving as little of a lasting economic footprint as possible.
The scheme is designed to provide postgraduate students with the means to pay their tuition and living expenses – thereby allowing individuals to focus on their degree instead of managing their bank balance. The programme aims to be as inclusive as possible, working under the following guidelines:
- No need for collateral from students or parents - ensuring equality of access
- Favourable, better-than-market interest rates
- Pay-back terms that allow graduates up to two years to find work before beginning repayment.
Please visit the Erasmus+ Master Degree Loans website for more information.
Postgraduate Student Loan (NI)
If you are a Northern Irish student looking to study a taught Masters programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a University in Northern Ireland.
Northern Irish students are able to apply for non-means-tested tuition fee loans of up to £5,500, to help with the costs of funding.
For more information visit www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/types-of-finance/postgraduate .
* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes
Carnegie Masters Grants
If you have any questions about the scheme or would like to discuss your eligibility before applying, please contact: grants@carnegie-trust.org, the Scholarship team at the University of Glasgow will not be able to provide further information on this scheme.
Postgraduate study can open doors to better careers, new opportunities and higher earning potential, however cost can be a major barrier. Funding options for study at this level in Scotland are limited, but the new Carnegie Masters Grant from Carnegie Education Fund (CEF) help to address this problem.
This new scheme helps students from low-income Scottish households undertake masterʼs programmes of study at Scottish universities. It helps to cover the cost of tuition fees and, in some cases, will offer additional support for study costs.
The scheme aims to:
- Support people from low-income backgrounds who want to return to higher education to upskill or reskill to change career.
- Increase the numbers of low-income students undertaking postgraduate study in Scotland
- Equip graduates with the skills and expertise to meet current and emerging skills gaps in Scotland.
About Carnegie Education Fund Carnegie Education Fund is an independent charitable trust that aims to support participation in and improvement of Scotlandʼs higher education system through grants and research. It was established in 1901 as the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland (SC015600).
Travel Bursary for Forced Migrants
The University of Glasgow is offering travel bursaries to assist with public transport travel costs, to support undergraduate and postgraduate students are currently asylum seekers and who could face financial difficulties in taking up their place to study at the University for 2026 entry. The value of the bursary is 50% of your monthly public transport travel costs to get to University, up to a maximum value of £50 per month.
Glasgow Highland Society Scholarship
The University of Glasgow is excited to promote this scholarship opportunity on behalf of the Glasgow Highland Society.
The Glasgow Highland Society is offering multiple grants of up to £500 for new and continuing students of Glasgow university who fit the eligibility requirements of the scholarship
The scholarships above are relevant to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database
Entry requirements
2.2 Hons (or non-UK equivalent) in a relevant subject area (product design engineering, mechanical engineering, electronic and electrical engineering being of particular relevance) or equivalent professional practice.
Depending on your previous experience and qualifications you may be asked to complete a design engineering assignment as part of your application.
English language requirements
For applicants from non-English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Government, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)
- 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
- IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Common equivalent English language qualifications accepted for entry to this programme:
TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)
Tests taken up to 20 January 2026
- 90 Overall, no subtest lower than Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test, this includes TOEFL mybest.
Tests taken from 21 January 2026
- 92 Overall, no subtest lower than Reading 22; Listening 20; Speaking 23; Writing 21
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test, this includes TOEFL mybest.
Pearsons PTE Academic
- 65 overall with no subtest less than Reading 60; Listening 60; Speaking 65; Writing 60
- Online PTE not accepted for entry
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)
- 176 overall with no subtest less than 169
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Oxford English Test
- 7 overall with no subtest less than 6
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
LanguageCert Academic/ Academic Online
- 70 overall with no subtest less than 65
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Password Skills Plus
- 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Trinity College Integrated Skills in English II
- Two subtests at 96 or higher, and two subtests at 80 or higher
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Kaplan Test of English
- Any two subtests at 480 or higher, and any two subtests at 450 or higher
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses
Tests are accepted for 2 years following date of successful completion.
Alternatives to English Language qualification
- Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
- students must have studied for a minimum of their final year at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
- Undergraduate 2+2 and 3+1 degrees from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
- students must have completed their final year of study in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.
Pre-sessional courses
The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:
- direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS);
- essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University;
- flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.
More information on our Pre-sessional courses.
We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:
- Heriot Watt
- Kingston Upon Thames
- Middlesex University
- Manchester University
- Reading University
- Edinburgh University
- ST Andrews University
- UCL
- Durham
For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form
International students
We are proud of our diverse University community that includes students and staff from more than 140 different countries.
How to apply
Students should apply for this degree through Glasgow School of Art. The application procedures can be found at: Glasgow School of Art: how to apply.
More information about this programme
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