Interior Design [with placement year]

Develop your creative vision and learn how to work with clients to create exciting, intriguing and functional interior spaces.

Learn how to work with homeowners, public bodies and businesses to create residential or commercial places that people enjoy using and want to return to again and again.

You’ll find out how to use furniture, lighting, flooring, artwork and decoration, décor and colour palettes to tell stories that facilitate important social connections.

Our expert tutors will help you become a resilient interior designer with a distinctive creative voice.

Benefit from small studio groups, where your tutors can really get to know you and your work.

Display your work at our final-year Graduate Showcase, and local and national exhibitions.

Find inspiration on European field trips or by studying abroad for a semester.

Get into industry with an optional placement year.

Careers

Our degree will prepare you to work with architects or in spatial design practices on residential, commercial, hospitality, health, lighting, entertainment or furniture design projects.

You might also put your management skills to use by setting up your own interior design practice, or in project management roles on creative projects.

You could additionally deploy your creative skills in the visual arts, film, television, event and theatre design, or exhibition and museum design.

Graduation doesn’t need to be the end of your time with us, of course. You might choose to continue your studies with one of our full- or part-time Masters degrees. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.

As a BA (Hons) Interior Design student, you'll be able to access resources, exhibitions and competitions by becoming a student member of th British Institute of Interior Design, The Society of British & International Design and Interior Educators.

As part of your course, you can see your designs become reality in ‘live briefs’ with our partner organisations. Our students recently worked with Cambridge Library Services to re-design the café interior at Cambridge Central Library. We additionally provide ongoing support to find placements and work experience.

You’ll also be able to access resources, exhibitions and competitions by becoming a student member of the British Institute of Interior Design, The Society of British & International Design, and Interior Educators, and foster professional relationships through Design Bench, a series of industry networking meetings.

Teaching

You’ll begin by exploring what it means to be human in a designed environment. You’ll also learn how to test and communicate your ideas, starting with 2D and 3D hand drawing.

In your second and third years, you’ll continue to develop your knowledge and skills in these areas, so that you’ll be well-equipped to complete the major design and research projects that round off your degree.

Throughout your course, you’ll have your future career in mind, building crucial skills and reflecting on your creative practice and what you’ve learned.

Year 1: Design Context and Technology; Studio Culture 1; Visual Communication; Into ARU.

Year 2: Critical Issues and Debates; Digital Media in Application; Studio Culture 2; Ruskin Module.

Year 3: Placement.

Year 4: Studio Culture 3 (Major Project); Human Behaviour Research Project.

Our studio projects will allow you to focus on your creative development, while you’ll also demonstrate your process and creative decisions through a combination of portfolio, written and practical studio work.