AQA Design and Technology: Product Design
This creative and thought-provoking qualification gives you the practical skills, theoretical knowledge and confidence to succeed in a number of careers. Especially those in the creative industries. You will investigate historical, social, cultural, environmental and economic influences on design and technology, whilst enjoying opportunities to put your learning in to practice by producing prototypes of your choice. You will gain a real understanding of what it means to be a designer, alongside the knowledge and skills sought by higher education and employers.
A-level Design and Technology: Product Design requires you to engage in both practical and theoretical study. You will be required to cover design and technology skills and knowledge as set out below. These have been separated into:
Subject content
1. Technical principles
2. Designing and making principles
Paper 1 - What's assessed
Technical principles
How it's assessed
• Written exam: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• 120 marks
• 30% of A-level
Questions
Mixture of short answer and extended response.
Paper 2 - What's assessed
Designing and making principles
How it's assessed
• Written exam: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• 80 marks
• 20% of A-level
Questions
Mixture of short answer and extended response questions.
Section A:
• Product Analysis: 30 marks
• Up to 6 short answer questions based on visual stimulus of product(s).
Section B:
• Commercial manufacture: 50 marks
• Mixture of short and extended response questions
Non-examined assessment (NEA) - What's assessed
Practical application of technical principles, designing and making principles.
How it's assessed
• Substantial design and make project – you as the student set the context you design within.
• 100 marks
• 50% of A-level
Evidence
Written or digital design portfolio and photographic evidence of final prototype.
This qualification is linear, so you will sit all your Paper 1 and Paper 2 and submit all your non-examined assessment (NEA) at the end of the course.