Interior Design and Decoration (Top-up)

Why study this course

This is a top-up version of our Interior Design and Decoration BA (Hons) degree. A top-up degree is the final year (Level 6) of an undergraduate degree course and is for those who have a foundation degree, Higher National Diploma or equivalent qualification, or those wishing to study the final year of their degree in London.

This undergraduate degree course gives you the knowledge and creative skills you need for a successful career in interior design and decoration. You’ll work in design studios that combine spatial, 2D and 3D decoration and explore the relationship between furniture, textiles and interiors. You’ll also develop your abilities through material and technological workshops, and experience the industry through live briefs, visiting speakers and competitions.

In the most recent Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey, 100% of all 2017 graduates from this course were in work or further study within six months.

More about this course

You’ll study the history of interior design, discover its ceremonial and ritualistic role in society through the ages and develop the hands-on skills and techniques you need to succeed in the industry.

Taught by experts in the field, you'll learn about the different decorative, sculptural and textural elements of interior design and examine the relationship between furniture, design, user, product and place. As you develop your skills through hands-on practice and research, you’ll explore your own creative responses to light, colour, acoustics, and graphic and illustrative patternation. You’ll also work with a range of material processes in studios and workshops and use creative and imaginative narratives to develop sensory, intellectual and aesthetic spaces that make an impact on the audience and user.

During the course, you’ll study structural model-making with a range of materials including wood, metal, concrete, upholstery and ceramics. In addition, you’ll gain skills through traditional and digital workshops, helping you develop a comprehensive, clear design vision of residential and/or retail environments. You’ll also have access to important archives kept at institutions such as the V&A and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), which will allow you to research methods and approaches that are so often relevant today.

Led from a sustainable stance, each project will see you discuss the suitability of the materials and processes involved and look at best practice throughout the world. You'll also work with informed and ecological agencies such as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the Building Research Establishment (BRE), as well as material libraries, to take into account the importance of using sustainable resources, recycling, upcycling and reusing in order to create a circular economy.

Allied to both the architecture and design school, this course is perfect if you’re interested in either discipline. If you’re keen to focus on decorative interior design, you’ll work closely with a team of furniture, textile and upholstery designers to develop your skills and vision. If you’re more architecturally minded, you’ll work with experts in structural environments, manipulating the qualities and looks of surfaces and materials to create impactful spatial experiences. In both cases, you’ll develop your skills and knowledge to create your own personal design style. You’ll also have the opportunity to undertake a work placement at a leading London design practice, helping you develop the practical skills and contacts you need for your career.