“I have always had an interest in how things work and design in all its forms"

Mälardalen University (MDH) is an inspiring place to study and provides many opportunities. This is the opinion of Elin Mellberg, who has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree specialising in Product Design and has now chosen to study for a Master of Science in Engineering.

"I’m a creative person who likes to make things, from drawing and painting to photography. It was that particular side of me that got me apply to the programme I'm studying. I have always been interested in how things work and found design inspiring in all its forms, which made the programme a natural choice for me," says Elin Mellberg.

After completing upper secondary school, Elin decided to work and travel. She lived in the United States for a year and then worked full-time before continuing her studies. She explains that studying at university is a mix of freedom and responsibility.

"You are responsible yourself for ensuring that you pass the course, have everything you need and keep to the time schedule. I love being able to decide my 'working hours' myself and being able to study pretty much anywhere, leaving aside lectures and teaching sessions.

Big difference from upper secondary school

According to Elin Mellberg, the main difference from studying at upper secondary school is that you only take one or two courses at a time and then take those exams. This gives you a completely different focus than when taking several courses at the same time.

“In the first year everything is new, and it can take a while to get into a study routine that suits you and it can be difficult to plan your student life. It's good go in with the attitude that it is what you make of it. That's what's so great about being a student – you can arrange your life exactly the way you want it and what suits you!

Cooperation with companies during studies

During both the Bachelor and Master of Science in Engineering programmes in Production and Product Design, students have access to various types of labs and workshops with equipment for Virtual reality (VR), Augmented reality (AR) and 3D-printing for instance. There, students have the possibility to test materials, create prototypes and print 3D models. Indeed, already during their studies, students make connections with companies in various ways.

"One of the best things about the courses and study programmes is that we get to meet people from industry and take part in practical examples such as construction and leadership. In the product development courses, we get to turn ideas into reality – our own or on behalf of companies. We also get the opportunity to test ideas in both AR and VR," says Elin Mellberg.