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Design (with placement year)

  • BA (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Sandwich
  • 28/09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Main Site
More about Loughborough University

Course options

2025-20262026-2027
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Course summary

The BA Design (Hons) degree aims to develop the next generation of multi-disciplinary designers that can enter the workplace as empathic, creative, responsible, and persuasive facilitators of change.

The Design BA programme is multi-disciplinary, highly creative, and intellectually stimulating; encouraging students to experiment with independent design judgement and creative risk taking. It is designed for students that are more open-minded about their career trajectory in design.

The programme fosters an experience-driven approach to design, building within students a creative, compassionate, and systemic mindset.

Students can experiment with the design of a range of design outputs including physical products and objects, digital products and interfaces, digital and non-digital services, and the spaces and environments these might inhabit to creative positive economic, social, and environmental impact.

The course develops students’ core design practice capabilities (both physical and digital) and exposes them to contemporary and future-facing design theory and practice including interaction and user experience design, service design and design futures.

Modules

Years 1 and 2 of this course will provide all students with the fundamental knowledge and skills required to facilitate their education in design through a series of practical and skills-based modules. For more information, please visit the website: https://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/a-z/design/

Assessment method

All assessment is conducted through the submission of project coursework, conducted individually and in groups. The work that is assessed is varied and may include: sketchbooks and development folios; low, mid, and hi-fidelity physical and digital prototypes; presentation boards and posters; video and verbal presentations; research reports; and short essays.

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Main Site

Study options

  • BA (Hons) • Sandwich • 4 Years

Start dates

  • 28/09/2026

Apply by
14 January

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
W241
Institution code:
L79
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-
Points of Entry:
Year 1

Loughborough University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
W241
Institution code:
L79
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Open days

Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff

Not accepted

A level

ABB
ABB. All short-listed candidates are required to submit a design task and portfolio electronically.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM
BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Art and Design: DDM Preferred subject: Art and Design

Access to HE Diploma

Considered on a case by case basis. Please contact Loughborough University directly.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DD
BTEC Level 3 National Diploma: DD plus one A Level Grade B

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

D
BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate: D plus two A Level at grades BB

Scottish Advanced Higher

AB
AB, plus Highers at majority B grades

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

34 points
34 (6,5,5 HL)

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)

Applicants taking the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma will be asked to achieve the A level requirements for their course as part of their qualification. The Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted alongside two A levels as long as individual course entry and subject requirements are met.

Extended Project

We recognise the benefit of the Extended Project in developing independent research and critical thinking skills. We would consider this as evidence of motivation to study a specific subject in more depth, and while we do not generally include it as part of our offer conditions, it may be used to further consider an application upon receipt of final examination results. www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/entry-requirements/

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

We accept a wide range of international qualifications for entry as outlined on our website – please view the individual course typical offers on our website and choose Ireland in the Country/region drop down field for more information.

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

This qualification is accepted in combination with other qualifications. For details please contact Loughborough University

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE Maths and English Language grade 4/C

T Level

D
Distinction Overall B in Core Component T Levels in Digital Production, Design and Development and Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing with Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Control and Instrumentation Engineering or Structural Engineering Occupational Specialism are considered. Other relevant T Level subjects may be considered on a case by case basis. More information can be found on our website at https://www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/entry-requirements/

Loughborough accepts a wide range of qualifications for entry as outlined on our website www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/getting-started/applying/entrance-requirements/. This information details the general requirements and should be read in conjunction with the information given for each course.

Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.

Additional entry requirements

Portfolio
Applicants are selected on the basis of their UCAS application and also a portfolio submission and design task.
Other
Applicants are selected on the basis of their UCAS application and also a portfolio submission and design task.

English language requirements

All applicants are required to demonstrate that they have an appropriate level of English language http://www.lboro.ac.uk/international/applicants/english/

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

We consider contextual information as part of the assessment of an application to provide us with further insight into your achievements. This may lead to reduced offers, up to two grades lower than the typical offer requirements, as well as additional consideration when your results are received. For further information about Contextual Admissions at Loughborough including our Access Loughborough Contextual Offer please visit our website.

Learn more on the Loughborough University website

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
EU£29750Year 1
England£9535Year 1
Northern Ireland£9535Year 1
Scotland£9535Year 1
Wales£9535Year 1
International£29750Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

The fees stated above are for the 2025/26 academic year; fees for 2026/27 have not yet been confirmed by the UK government. We will update this information as soon as it is available. Fees are reviewed annually and are likely to increase to take into account inflationary pressures.

While the cost of your tuition covers lots of things, it doesn’t cover everything. For instance this course doesn’t cover the cost of any stationery, printing, books or re-assessments which you might need.

UK tuition fees align with the applicable fee caps set by the UK government, and as such they are subject to changes made to the agreed cap in a specific year.

All costs for direct engagement in taught modules are included as part of the tuition fees – this includes materials used in the workshops and safety equipment. From time to time students will need to cover the costs of project work and the creation of design folios. This amount will depend on what materials, manufacturing techniques and other creative choices the student makes.

The final mark awarded for all assessed submissions bears no relation to the amount of money spent on the work. Students will not gain any marking advantage merely through the costly development of work.

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