Examination
Board – AQA
Product Design - 3D Design
AS Modules in the Summer Term of the Lower 6th. Form.
A2 Modules in the Summer Term of the Upper 6th. Form.
Re-sits of one AS paper can be taken in the January of the U6th. Year.
Coursework in the AS consists of one Major Project. ( 20% total A Level
marks)
At A2 the Coursework element is in two parts of equal weighting ( 30% total A
Level marks) - Product Study & Major Project
In the L6 there are two examinations at AS, both 1.5 hrs in duration :
Materials and Components, which deals with the properties of materials and
why they are selected for use in particular designs and processes. (15% total
A Level marks) Design based paper – set around a theme given to the students
in March of the L6th. Year.(15% total A Level marks)
In the U6 at A2 level there is one synoptic paper, 3 hrs in duration, which is
based upon : Materials and Components – Design and Market Influences -
Processes and Manufacture (20% total A Level marks )
GCSE Course Requirements:
Grade B or above in Design and Technology at GCSE is required for entry to the A
Level Course in Product Design.
This is an AS/A2 Level Course designed for those who wish to develop their
‘Design and Making Skills’ further from GCSE. There is no examinable Electronics
in this course, but students will gain further experience in CAD / CAM and in
the use of specialist design software such as Pro -Desktop and the latest
version of 2D Design. Computer controlled machines are introduced, such as the
Vertical Milling Machine and the CNC Lathe, and students are encouraged to
explore the design opportunities available when using them.
Subject Combinations:
In the past students have selected along with Design and Technology other A
Levels such as Art, Mathematics, Physics, Electronics, and a range of other
subjects.
Careers:
A knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes is helpful, if not vital
for those entering University Courses in Product Design, Engineering and other
linked subject areas. Students who have taken this subject in the past have gone
on to good Universities where they have studied a range of Engineering
disciplines and Design based subjects, and Architecture. This is a subject which
encourages the development of a range of skills which lend themselves to other
disciplines. ‘Presentation skills’ both in terms of finished artifacts and the
ability to present work to an audience; the use of presentation software such as
PowerPoint, included within it Designs illustrated in ProDesktop. This is no
longer simply a workshop based subject, it requires a range of skills suited to
the demands of developing technology.
