Product Design - Limerick

The majority of companies today operate in changeable industries adapting to customer needs, promoting innovation, regulatory requirements and staying competitive. Due to these challenges, today's products are continually changing, e.g., making them lighter, smaller, faster, smarter. This has increased the demand for product development professionals such as engineers (mechanical, reliability, human factors, software), product/project managers, quality, risk management, and regulatory compliance leaders. The aim of the Level 9 Masters in Product Design Control Management is to equip learners with the competence to learn the primary concepts of product design control and the necessary skills needed to be successful in product development in a regulated environment. Particular focus on intended use, user needs, design input, design verification, design validation and design transfer. Learners will have the knowledge and skills to manage and contribute to each design stage: development planning, identifying design inputs, developing design outputs, verifying that design outputs meet design inputs, validating the design output meets the user needs, reviewing and approving design changes. Participating in design reviews, writing and approving design verification/validation plans, protocols and reports, and finally transferring the design to production, maintaining the product while meeting quality and regulatory standards. While also understanding the importance and role of Risk Management through each stage of the design development process.

As the Masters has been designed in conjunction with industry, various companies may provide work placement for students on the programme (subject to availability). The programme runs over two days, so students are placed two to three days a week. The work placement is optional and not a mandatory requirement for students to take up.

What modules will I study?

Semester 1
Process Design Standards and Regulatory Affairs Credits: 10
Product Design Control Credits: 10
Quality Management Credits: 10
Dissertation (Year-Long Module) Credits: 30

Semester 2
Design Verification and Validation Credits: 10
Product Risk Management Credits: 10
Project Management Credits: 10
Dissertation (Year-Long Module) Credits: 30

A minimum honours bachelor degree (Level 8) in any discipline.

Or

A minimum ordinary bachelor degree (Level 7) in any discipline with minimum two years relevant work-based experience and/or ability, evidenced by an RPL portfolio of prior experience and learning

Or

Equivalent Qualifications. Applicants with equivalent qualifications on the European and International frameworks will also be considered. International students must evidence a proficiency in English language for example IELTS 6.0

1 year

Are there opportunities for further study?
Students can apply for a PhD.

What are the career prospects?
This programme will enhance a learner's career in manufacturing, R&D and regulated companies by developing increasing levels of competence, professionalism, critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making necessary to work in the regulated industry. This equips graduates to work in regulatory affairs, quality or/and engineering and science environments. There are multiple roles a graduate from the programme can seek in areas such as: Product Design Control, Design Control, Product Risk Management, R&D Engineer, Design Assurance Engineer, Product Manager, Regulatory Engineer, Validation Engineer, Quality Engineers, Quality Control, Quality Management, Regulatory affairs Management, Project Engineer, Product Management and Process Engineer.