BA (Hons) Interior Design

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BA (Hons) Interior Design

Institution code: N39
Course 3 Year UCAS code: W250
Course 4 Year UCAS code: W251
Course length: 3 or 4 year options

Your creativity and professional craft, creative expression and problem-solving skills will grow at NUA as you explore interior design as a way of addressing human needs and social challenges.

Our BA (Hons) Interior Design degree will encourage you to consider how people react to spaces as you gain experience of designing for a range of interiors: from homes and housing projects to hotels and shops, restaurants and offices.

Professional and design skills

Working in our Interior Design studio and workshops, you will explore how scale, light, colour, materials, texture and their acoustics affect human reactions as you consider the social implications of design.

And with the support of our expert academics and technicians, you’ll master a variety of techniques and visualisation methods, including:

Sketching by hand
Industry-standard 3D digital platforms
Collage
Photography
Model-making.

Engage with the Interior Design industry

You’ll explore cultural trends and innovation in materials and technology that are shaping the industry as you prepare for a career in interior design and start to build a professional portfolio. Visiting professionals will share their insight through lectures and seminars and live projects.

Graduates work in a broad range of careers including

Interior Designer
Space Planner
Colour Consultant
3D Model Maker
Theatre Set Designer
ExhibitionDesigner

Lighting Designer
Project Manager
Visual Merchandiser
Design Contractor
Architectural Visualiser
Design Technologist

You’ll also get specialist creative careers advice from our team in the Ideas FactoryNUA to help support you as you plan your career.

All courses run as a blend of on-campus and digital teaching and learning, and follow current UK government safety advice. Applicants and students will be notified directly if any changes need to be made.

Course specifications
Three year degree
Four year degree
Course costs

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Course content

Year 1
Understand the principles of ideation and communication in interior design through a range of projects, workshops, experiments and exercises
Explore the diverse and interdisciplinary nature of the interior and its cultural and historical context
Examine new technologies and sustainable materials, as well as manufacturing techniques and their application to interior design
Integrate research, analytical and reflective techniques into your creative practice.

Year 2
Create work from concept to realisation with particular focus on understanding design briefs and user needs
Communicate your design ideas through 2D and 3D methods, including technical drawings, 3D visualisation, sketching and model making
Apply a flexible and imaginative approach to problem solving through enquiry-based learning, using storytelling and lateral thinking to solve design problems
Study cultural, theoretical, and professional issues and apply social, historical and professional contexts to the subject discipline
Explore working in a team and developing a creative role through course and university-wide collaborative projects.

Year 3
Explore materials and technologies for the construction and operation of building interiors with particular focus on sustainability, environmental and performance issues
Deliver a final major design project, embracing the full interior design process and demonstrating your approach to, and engagement with, contemporary interior design issues
Complete a Research Report that provides broad contextualisation to your practice
Participate in national competitions to further enhance your portfolio and professional profile.

Student work

Tap to expand

Alice Garner - Interiors moodboard, with a scale room drawing. Abstract decor and floral arrangements on the ceiling

Alice Garner - Exterior and interior abstract art installation concept

Alice Laycock - Cultural moodboard of sculpture, tattoos, fashion and protest photography

Alice Laycock - Interior design concept for a fashion workspace, with mannequins, rolls of fabric, sewing machines and fabric offcuts

Alice Laycock - Moodboard of various objects such as fashion garments, art installations, mismatched furniture, discarded items

Amanpreet Kaur - Communal lounge design with a bar area, stairs to an upper level and planted areas

Amanpreet Kaur - Interior design concept for a hotel style room, with luxe furniture and seating area

Chloe Read - 3D scale model of a building with several rooms

Gabrielle Austin - Interiors moodboard including furniture, glass walls, pastel grey swatches and plants

Gabrielle Austin - Interior design concept with various types of seating area in all pastel colours

Isabella Elsworth - Public seating area design inside a wooden structure, with a living roof filled with greenery and flowers

Jose Peralta - 3D structure made out of origami/geometric shapes, with areas lit white and green

Leah Walker - Lounge design concept for St Pancras International train station. Including an area for business travellers and families

Leah Walker - Interior design concept featuring an abstract art installation hanging from the ceiling

Liz Barrell - Photo of a block of housing with linear drawing over to outline how the shape can change and become more modern

Liz Barrell - Urban design layout using concrete and graffiti

Madeleine Greeves - Interior design concept for a two floor bar. With bar seating area, film posters and planting

Madeleine Greeves - Interior design concept featuring a bar area, communal seating areas and stairs, in gold, cream and pink colours

Madeleine Greeves - Interior design plan and styling for a bar

Mina Kim - 3D structure of a metal container building with workspace inside

Natalia Radomska - Scale cross section drawings of the structure of a children's play area, labelling different materials used

Natalia Radomska - Scale drawing of an indoor children's play area, separated into three themed sections

Natalia Radomska - Interior design artwork for a children's play area

Patricia González - Panoramic interior design render for a gallery space, with space for installations and a cafe

Philippa Robinson - Interior design plans for an office space

Rebecca Lambert - Interior design layout of a collaborative workspace, with desks, seating and yoga areas

Rebecca Sayer - Interiors moodboard for a modern studio, including fabrics, paint colour swatches, a girl holding a camera and plants

Rebecca Sayer - Interiors moodboard of a modern apartment, with exposed brick wall, floor to ceiling windows, modern minimalist furniture and a man on a mobile phone

Tempany Martin - Interiors moodboard of furniture, plants, lighting and carpentry

Molly Broomfield - BA Interior Design student work by Molly Broomfield showing a mock up of a hair dressers salon.

Leonor Peixoto - BA Interior Design student work by Leonor Peixoto showing a large triangular structure on the beach.

Leah Walker - BA Interior Design student work showing the inside of a hair salon named 'Signature'. Purple chairs, purple ceiling and brick walls with flowers on the wall by Leah Walker.

Jurgita Stankunaite - BA Interior Design student work by Jurgita Stankunaite, a design proposition and drawings of a hair salon called 'Signature'

Jurgita Stankunaite - BA Interior Design student work by Jurgita Stankunaite of a mock up of a hair dressers salon.

Jurgita Stankunaite - BA Interior Design student work by Jurgita Stankunaite of an inside shop facility in a shopping mall.

Jurgita Stankunaite - BA Interior Design student work by Jurgita Stankunaite of the interior of a shop with handbags in the window

Jurgita Stankunaite - BA Interior Design student work by Jurgita Stankunaite at Norwich University of the Arts showing a shop with a woman walking out holding a handbag

Isabella Elsworth - BA Interior Design work by Isabelle Elsworth showing a render of a shop front/hairdressers

Cairo Hill - BA Interior Design work by Cairo Hill showing a beach with hoarding

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Convention

Entry requirements
Portfolio guidance
Fees and funding
Four year degree

Typical UK offers

A / AS Levels – GCE
GCE A/AS Levels 3 A-level qualifications at grades BBB. Where candidates are not taking 3 A-levels, NUA will consider combinations of A-level/AS-level and other Level 3 qualifications.

BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction, Merit, Merit in an art, design or media related subject

BTEC Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction*, Distinction* in an art, design or media related subject

UAL Extended Diploma
Merit

UAL Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Merit

UAL Level 4 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Pass

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Merit

Access to Higher Education Diploma (Art and Design)
Pass

International Baccalaureate Diploma
A minimum of 27 points

NUA welcomes applicants of all ages from all backgrounds. Your application will be primarily assessed through your portfolio, responses to questions asked and personal statement, so even if you have no formal qualifications or do not meet our typical offers it can still be worth applying.

If you are studying at the time of your application and your application is successful it is likely that you will receive a conditional offer.

If the qualification that you are studying is not shown, do not worry as we are able to accept other pre-entry qualifications as well as combinations of different qualifications. Please do contact our Student Recruitment Team if you have any queries.

International applications

We accept qualifications from all over the world. To find our entry requirements from a specific country, please check our dedicated international pages.

Most international students are required to hold an English language qualification. Applicants are required to have a minimum UKVI approved IELTS exam score of 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each section. Equivalent English language qualifications are acceptable such as, IB English language syllabus A or B/English Literature (Grade 4).

We also accept some alternative English qualifications. Learn more about our English entry requirements.

You can email us on international@nua.ac.uk if you’d like to discuss your application individually.

BA (Hons) Interior Design degree portfolio guidance

Your portfolio should be relevant to this course, but you can include a wide range of work that shows your creativity, technical competence and understanding of space.

You may wish to include some of the following:

Drawings (ideas, observations and technical designs)
Collages,
Surface designs,
Paintings,
Photographs
3D visualization software (i.e. Sketch Up, CAD, Adobe Suite amongst others)
Sculpture
Model Making
Prototypes
Installations

Further portfolio advice and tips

Get more advice on presentation formats, layouts and when to submit your portfolio in the application process.

Fees and Funding

The cost of your course is determined by your status as either ‘UK or ‘International/EU’, so it’s important to check your fee status. If you’re unsure, the UKCISA website will help you determine whether you’re eligible to pay a UK fee (also called a ‘home’ fee). If you’d prefer to speak to NUA directly, please contact student.finance@nua.ac.uk

UK students are eligible for a tuition fee loan from the UK government, meaning you won’t have to pay your fees up front. Further details about tuition fee loans are provided below. International students are not eligible for the UK government tuition fee loan.

2021/22 Tuition Fees for new entrants

Citizen status	Course	Fee
UK	Undergraduate degree (full-time three and four year degree)	£9,250

International (including EU)

Undergraduate degree (full-time three and four year degree)

£15,900

Fees will remain the same for each year of your course.

International students

Find out more about 2021 fees for international students and the scholarships and support available.

Financial support for UK students

Tuition fee loans and loans for living costs are available, as well as non-repayable NUA bursaries that take into account family income. Find out how to apply for funding.

Tuition Fee Loan for undergraduate study – 2021/22

Tuition fee loans are available for UK students.

Available to cover the full cost of your tuition
You don’t have to pay for your course up front yourself
Only start paying back when you are earning over £26,575 per year

Maintenance Loan for undergraduate study – 2021/22

Student Maintenance Loans are available from Student Finance England for UK students to help with living costs such as accommodation, food, clothes, travel and course expenses. The amount students receive is dependent on household income and any maintenance grant received.

A loan of up to £9,203 may be available if you live away from home.
A loan of up to £7,747 may be available if you live with your parents.

Different figures may apply if you are currently based in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

How can you find out more?

To learn more about loans, repayment calculations and other financial support, visit Student Finance. If you have any questions about fees, please email us: student.finance@nua.ac.uk

Scholarships

Find out about scholarship programmes available to NUA applicants.

Bursaries

For new entrants whose household income is assessed as £25,000 or less, the university will offer a contribution towards the costs of studying at NUA (such as equipment, materials and other course-related costs). Find out more about bursaries at NUA.

NUA alumni, staff and feeder staff discount

All NUA alumni are eligible for a £1,000 discount on NUA postgraduate degree fees. All NUA staff and staff from feeder institutions are eligible for a £500 discount on NUA postgraduate degree fees.

Four year degree – BA (Hons) Interior Design

Four year degrees offer students a chance to build on their experience within their undergraduate course of choice.

Year 0 will help to build confidence and develop subject specific practical, creative and conceptual skills – making full use of University studios and workshops.

Typical UK offers and entry requirements for Year 0 entry

GCE A/AS Levels
2 A-level qualifications at grades CC or higher.

BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Merit, Merit, Pass in an art, design or media related subject

BTEC Diploma (QCF or RQF)
Distinction, Merit in an art, design or media related subject

UAL Extended Diploma
An overall Pass

UAL Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
An overall Pass

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Pass

Access to Higher Education Diploma (Art and Design)
Pass

International Baccalaureate Diploma
A minimum of 24 points

If you are studying at the time of your application and your application is successful it is likely that you will receive a conditional offer.

Find out more

Related Courses

Students

BA Interior Design student Mahisha stood by a wall and a door

Mahisha Ahmed

"I was first inspired by watching shows such as Interior Design Masters and 60 Minute Makeover. Through this, I was captivated by different design styles and how they were constructed, which is what sparked my interest in interior design."

BA (Hons) Interior Design

Explore Mahisha's work in her blog

Laura Kidd

"My work placement helped me to understand the nature of the industry and what it realistically entails - budgets, samples, co-operation and communication with external sources and clients, and the importance of meeting tight deadlines."

BA (Hons) Interior Design

Cairo Hill

"The knowledge of CAD skills like Photoshop and SketchUp gave me the skills I needed to keep up with the pace the professionals worked at."

BA (Hons) Interior Design

Amy Charter

"The interior design course prepared me for the work placement by giving me invaluable first-hand knowledge of software that I was able to adapt and utilise in practice. It also gave me plenty of insights to developing my own design ethos."

BA (Hons) Interior Design

Amy's work placement at NPS

Facilities