BA (Hons) Interior Design
BA (Hons) Interior Design
Institution code: N39Course 3 Year UCAS code: W250Course 4 Year UCAS code: W251Course 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) degree will encourage you to consider how people react to spaces as you gain experience of designing for a range of interiors: from homes, hospitals, and housing projects to hotels and commercial spaces.
You’ll master industry-standard design techniques and digital tools and gain the insight of visiting professionals through lectures and seminars and live projects at all levels.
Above all, you’ll have the opportunity to follow your interests as you develop your unique style and approach to interior design challenges and develop a professional portfolio.
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 you’ll have opportunities to engage with industry professionals such as LSI Architects, designer and architect Eva Sopeoglou and Maria Oliva, Interior Designer at B3 Designers.
Graduates work in a broad range of careers including
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You’ll also get specialist creative careers advice from our Careers Team in the Ideas FactoryNUA to help support you as you plan your career.
Industry workshops in BA Interior Design
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
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Convention
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 interview and portfolio review 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 interview 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:
- 2D creative work such as drawings, sketches, collages, surface designs, paintings, photographs or illustrations that demonstrate technical ability and creativity.
- Work in a wide range of different media that demonstrates a variety of skills such as observational, life, fashion, perspective, architectural and technical drawing; use of colour, form, composition and creative imagination and a mix of digital and hand rendered images
- Drawings, paintings or illustrations that demonstrate your skills, including life drawings, still life, images from observation (people and landscapes) or concept designs of characters and backdrops
- 3D creative work (usually documented through good quality photographs) such as models, product prototypes, artefacts, sculptures or installations that you have designed and constructed. Try to demonstrate your understanding of scale, form and structure through the work you include
- Work created using the Adobe suite, Sketch Up, CAD or other architectural design software.
Further portfolio advice and tips
Get more advice on presentation formats, layouts and when to submit your portfolio in the application process.
Your interview
After you apply to study BA Interior Design at NUA we’ll invite you to an interview on campus or by Skype or telephone, depending on your circumstance.
If you apply by the UCAS deadline of 15 January your interview will usually take place in February. We’ll ask you to prepare your portfolio ready to bring with you or submit online ahead of your interview.
Fees and Funding
The cost of your course is determined by your status as either ‘UK/EU’ or ‘International’, 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/EU fee (also called a ‘home’ fee). If you’d prefer to speak to NUA directly, please contact student.finance@nua.ac.uk
UK/EU 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.
2020/21 Tuition Fees For New Entrants
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Citizen status |
Course |
Fee |
|
UK/EU nationality |
Undergraduate degree (full-time three and four year degree) |
£9,250 |
|
International (non-EU) |
Undergraduate degree (full-time three and four year degree) |
£15,000 |
Fees will remain the same for each year of your course.
International students
Find out more about 2020 fees for international students and the support available.
Financial support for UK/EU 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
Tuition fee loans are available for UK and EU 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 £25,725 per year
Maintenance Loan for Undergraduate study – 2020/21
Student Maintenance Loans are available for UK and eligible EU 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.
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 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). This will be £200 for new entrants to Year 0 and Year 1, rising to £300 in Year 2, followed by £500 in Year 3. 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.
Year 0 is a new option for this course in 2020.
*subject to validation
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
NUA welcomes applicants of all ages from all backgrounds. Your application will be primarily assessed through interview and portfolio review so even if you have no formal qualifications or do not meet our typical offers it can still be worth applying.
Students
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
Leah Walker
"I have really developed as a designer, learning how to make logical choices to enhance my designs by using my strengths as well as other techniques that NUA has taught me. The course has also really allowed me to develop my own style for my designs. "
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
Lecturers
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Stefanie Partington
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Lisa Thurlow
Need help? Chat to our friendly recruitment team
Book a place on an Open Day, or to find out more about how to apply for a course at NUA, please give us a call.
Call: +44 (0) 1603 610561
Email: studentrecruitment@nua.ac.uk
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