Study Guide

Objectives

Experimenting with eco-friendly design and looking for new things
You are creating a climate-positive and eco-friendly vision for the future in collaboration with pioneering organisations and manufacturers.

As a designer, you will contribute to creating an attractive, high-quality, and sustainable future. Through design, you can promote diversity, taking into account the needs of different users. Design encourages people to make responsible choices in their everyday lives. The design process involves problem solving, information gathering, brainstorming, and conceptualisation, as decisions about environmental impacts are already made at the design stage.

A degree in ecodesign will give you a good basis for working in design and development roles and developing your own competitiveness and skills in multidisciplinary professional teams and international networks.

Degree programme description

The degree consists of 240 ECTS credits and includes the following study modules of core competence:
Core competence 135 ECTS
• Common studies 15 ECTS
• Designer 15 ECTS
• Application of art 15 ECTS
• Visualisation 15 ECTS
• Creative economy 15 ECTS
• Practical training 30 ECTS
• Bachelor’s thesis 15 ECTS

After graduation, you will have a wide knowledge of ecodesign methods and an understanding of how to implement human-centred design, problem solving, ideation, and conceptualisation. Your professional skills will be based on your ability to use a range of design tools and your knowledge of materials and methods. Your knowledge of culture provides the basis for a holistic understanding of design.

During the common studies, you develop communication skills, and workshops allow you to understand the natural use, form, and manufacturing method of each material. In applied arts studies, you practice seeing and developing functional visual solutions in the design field. In visualisation studies, you learn how to use digital visualisation and 2D/3D software and sketch by hand.

The content of the degree programme emphasises an analytical approach and the critical application of knowledge to support design. In order to function in the world of work, you will need to be familiar with the characteristics of the creative economy. Your studies also equip you to work as a design entrepreneur.

The complementary competence includes the following study modules:
Complementary competence 105 ECTS credits
• Sustainable use of materials in design 15 ECTS
• Digital product design 15 ECTS
• Sustainable development in design 15 ECTS
• Responsible design 15 ECTS
• RDI - Research, development and innovation 15 ECTS

Upon graduation, you will know the basic concepts of bio-based materials and their properties. You know how to conduct creative experiments and different levels of conceptual and prototype designs based on new ideas, using different materials and technologies in new ways.

In digital product design studies, you develop the ability to create realistic and aesthetically pleasing 3D models using 3D modelling and manufacturing methods and virtual presentations using selected augmented reality methods. You can also apply the knowledge and skills learned in work-related projects.

After completing the Sustainable Development in Design module, you will perceive the environmental impact of products and services throughout their life cycle and understand the principles of the circular economy in the context of sustainable development. You are able to design sustainable solutions and assess their impact on business, focusing on practical examples.

After completing the Responsible Design module, you will understand the impact of design in addressing future challenges of the built environment, such as the climate crisis, and how ecodesign can contribute to sustainability and benefit culture, society, the environment, and businesses. You also understand how to create ways to design and implement an accessible and aesthetic design package that will last from generation to generation and be able to design a product, service, or application while considering ecological, economic, ethical and aesthetic requirements.

After completing the RDI - Research, Development and Innovation module, you will understand a project's key elements and phases and the importance of project organisation and management, teamwork, and key roles in its success. You can report and evaluate project management choices and use problem-solving techniques.


Complementary competence at Xamk

Complementary competence comprises students’ optional studies. Complementary competence deepens or expands the core competence of the degree programme and allows you to specialise in a particular area. For professional optional studies, you can choose from individual courses or study modules in accordance with your personal study plan. The complementary competence selection includes Xamk-level multidisciplinary online studies, field-specific studies, and degree programme specific studies.

Other optional studies included in complementary competence are higher education courses that students can freely choose. You can choose up to 15 ECTS credits of other optional studies. You may also complete complementary competence study modules or courses from the selection of other higher education institutions, where applicable. The scope of complementary competence is, depending on the scope of core competence studies, 45–120 ECTS credits in degrees comprising 210 credits and 60–120 ECTS credits in degrees comprising 240 credits.

Implementation of studies

Daytime studying is full-time, and contact teaching is organised on weekdays
The learning methods and environments range from face-to-face learning to independent learning assignments and exams, group work, e-learning, work-based projects and projects, and learning by doing. The studies are carried out at the Kouvola campus. The studies require independent work, including evenings and weekends.

If you have previous work experience and/or other relevant competence from the last ten years, you can apply for full or partial credit transfer for a course with equivalent work experience or studies (competence demonstration if no certificate is available). This option is suitable for students who are self-directed, goal-oriented and able to work independently.

If you work in a company, organisation or project provided by a higher education institution, you can complete all or part of the course or module in your workplace/project. In this case, you will be in contact with the course teacher at the beginning of the course and agree on a development assignment for your workplace/project. Learning requires that you are familiar with the topics covered in the course and that you master them both in theory and in practice. You will demonstrate your competence through a demonstration of competence, the scope and format of which will be determined by the learning objectives of the course.


Flexible study opportunities

At the beginning of the studies, you prepare your personal study plan (PSP), which helps you make choices related to the studies, practical training, bachelor’s thesis and international activities. We make every effort to ensure that you can plan your studies in the best way possible, according to your own life situation.

The studies are implemented using various methods:
· lectures
· independent assignments
· teamwork
· online studies
· projects with companies and other organisations
· projects carried out at South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences
· examinations
· practical training.

Career opportunities

Innovative designers have a wide range of career and specialisation opportunities in design-based sectors. As an ecological designer, you can work with experts in the field in multidisciplinary teams, in private and public sector projects and development projects, or as an entrepreneur in your own design company. Your studies will give you options to pursue career paths that match your own interests.

You could work as:
• designer
• product designer
• furniture designer
• wood product designer
• entrepreneur
• circular economy specialist
• sustainability specialist
• innovator
• project manager
• R&D manager
• development manager

RDI and cooperation with world of work

In ecological design, cooperation takes place between different fields of study at Xamk, as well as with partner institutions and companies in Finland and abroad.
Professional studies in the complementary competence are carried out in cooperation with companies. During your studies, you will participate in various projects that include design assignments related to the theme of your studies, in cooperation with your fellow students and industry players.

You can carry out practical training in various work-related projects in companies in the field or in Xamk RDI projects. Your tasks may include carrying out preliminary studies and implementing assignments as part of a team of experts. In the final phase of your studies, the curriculum will include a module related to RDI activities, focusing on topics and themes relevant to your field.

Your bachelor's thesis is a real-life work-related project related to your field. As a student, you can also develop your own business activities.

Learning environments

Xamk's learning environments are equipped with modern software and equipment commonly used in the industry to produce augmented reality virtual presentations, 3D scanning, 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC machining and traditional wood, plastic, and metal workshop machines.

VR equipment and software libraries allow you to explore metaverses and the possibilities they offer. The learning environments allow you to turn your ideas into miniatures and prototypes during your studies, from concepts to final products.