Why study Design and Manufacture?

This course allows you to explore the multi-faceted world of product design and manufacturing. Creativity is at the heart of this course and its combination with technology makes it exciting and dynamic.

Design and Manufacture provides you with skills in designing and communicating design proposals, allowing you to refine and resolve your design ideas effectively. The course stresses the integration of designing and making, highlighting the close relationship between designing, making, testing, and refining design ideas.

The skills you learn in this course give you a broad range of potential for jobs or careers; in the expressive arts, mathematics, science, information technology, as well as in craft, design, engineering and graphics.

Career Pathways

To see what career areas this subject could lead to and the routes to get there, download and view these career pathways:

Art and Design

Construction

Engineering

Health and Medicine

Manufacturing Industries

What do I need to get in?

This is at the discretion of the school/college but you would normally be expected to have attained one of the following:

• Higher Design and Manufacture

What will I study?

The course comprises two areas of study.

Design

You will:

• study the evolution of products, the design of products and the design process
• develop the skills, knowledge and understanding required to initiate, develop, articulate and communicate design proposals
• appreciate the impact design has on society, the economy and the environment
• enhance your understanding of the iterative nature of the design process by using the design, make and test process to reach a viable solution.

Manufacture

You will:

• study the manufacture of commercial products
• develop knowledge of materials, processes, assembly, production and planning systems, and strengthen your understanding of how these influence the design of products
• develop the knowledge and understanding how to develop a viable design proposal for a commercial product, and to plan its production. 

How will I be assessed?

The course assessment consists of two components totalling 200 marks (173 for the 2022-23 session):

• Component 2: question paper worth 80 marks (65 for the 2022-23 session)
• Component 1: project worth 120 marks (108 for the 2022-23 session)

For the project you will be asked to develop a solution to a complex design and manufacture task.

Both the question paper and the assignment are set and externally marked by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

The grade awarded is based on the total marks achieved across course assessment.

The course assessment is graded A-D.

Study Materials

• SQA Past Papers Design and Manufacture Advanced Higher
• SQA Specimen Design and Manufacture Advanced Higher Question Paper

What can I go on to next?

Further study, training or employment in:

• Art and Design
• Construction
• Engineering
• Manufacturing Industries
• Science and Mathematics

Which jobs are related to this subject?

• Design and Manufacture - Related Careers