BA (Hons)
Interior Design
Create your own innovative interior designs
Course Overview
Why take this course?
In a fast-changing world, interior design is increasingly important to our need for a sustainable and contemporary way of life.
This course encapsulates a rare combination of keen creativity and specialist practical skills, from freehand drawing to product model-making. Our core objective is to enable you to become an accomplished member of the design profession.
What will I experience?
On this course you can:
- Go on trips to European cities and national places of contemporary design interest
- Undertake studio-based design projects, creating your own interior plans and models
- Work on real-life interior contracts through our Projects Office
What opportunities might it lead to?
This course provides a basis for employment in a range of design offices, as well as other property-related roles. By the end of your course you will have your own design portfolio demonstrating your design skills and technical abilities – a great way to exhibit your work to potential employers.
Here are some routes our graduates have pursued:
- interior design
- journalism
- model-making
- working for housing associations
- computer graphics
- working for local and public authorities
In many units you work with real clients, which gives us all inspiration to work harder and in a more professional manner.
Sara Schrewelius Boberg, BA (Hons) Interior Design student 2012
Key Facts
- UCAS Course Code:
- W251
- Duration
- 3 years full time, 4 years sandwich with work placement
- Entry
220-320 points to include 220 points from A Levels or equivalent.
Other qualifications- Fees
UK/EU/Channel Islands and Isle of Man full-time students: £8,750 p/a* International full-time students: £10,500 p/a*
*Please note that all fees are subject to annual increase.- Contact
- create.admissions@port.ac.uk
+44 (0)23 9284 2421 - Department
- Portsmouth School of Architecture
Subject:
Architecture, Property and Surveying
Find out what our students say about studying at Portsmouth, including:
- Vocationally-focused courses which concentrate on both the practical and theoretical
- An exciting environment to work in, with excellent facilities including technical labs and studio space
- Enthusiastic, friendly tutors who bring the subject to life
Visit us at our open day
Wed 10 Jul
Structure & Teaching
Year one
The first year is an introduction to essential design skills and ideas. You will develop your creative, analytical and decision-making skills through a series of design projects.
You will specifically focus on the following areas:
- Design: Introduction
- History and Theory: Introduction
- Interior Design: Application
- Interior Design: Introduction
- Representation and Communication: Introduction
- Technology: Introduction
Year two
Begin to take your studies to a more advanced level and integrate them into interesting and experimental design projects. You will be involved in a series of projects to design and make interior spaces, details and furniture.
Core units in this year include:
- History and Theory of Interior Design
- Interior Design: Intervention
- Interior Design: Investigation
- Interior Technology
Options to choose from in this year include:
- Music: Practice, Performance and Research
- Professional Experience
- Representation and Communication: Investigation
- Student Enterprise
Year three
Your final year is a combination of an individual specialised study and 'live' projects. Consolidate the skills you have learnt and showcase them in your written dissertation and final design project.
Units you will study in this year include:
- Dissertation
- Interior Communication and Professional Studies
- Interior Design: Integration
- Interior Design: Major Project
- Interior: Identity
Teaching and Assessment
You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops and group work, and be fully supported throughout your degree. We promote studio-teaching methods and in your second and third years you will be part of a specialist 'interior design studio', meaning that you will be tutored by professionally practising experts, as well as be able to discuss and develop your design projects alongside other students.
Studio-based projects form the core of each year's work and occupy half of the available time.
How are you assessed?
We guarantee sustained feedback to make sure your studies are on track. You will be assessed in a variety of ways, mostly made up of coursework, including:
- portfolio of design projects worked on
- essays
- research sketchbook
- project presentations
- a 5,000-word dissertation
Visit us open day
Facilities & Features
Design Workshops
Build up your practical skills
Design Studios
Access to superb facilities
ARCH Project Office
The Project Office gives you access to real clients and live projects
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment
Design Workshops
Studying interior design, you will be making full use of a number of our workshops. From facilities for working with resin, plastics and metals to screen printing, moulding and casting. Building up your practical skills is a high priority on this course.
Design Studios
You’ll have access to superb facilities to help prepare you for professional practice. Our dynamic studios house advanced architectural computer facilities, with Macs and PCs offering the latest design software. Other facilities include:
- CNC milling machine for building three-dimensional models
- Laser cutting machines which automate the production of complex models
- Life drawing studios and a virtual reality suite
- Professional printers as well as extensive computing, film and video facilities
ARCH Project Office
Offering a range of consultancy services to clients, the Project Office gives you access to real clients and live projects. This is a great means to gain real hands-on experience. In the past we have overseen or managed major building or design works in the city including the Hilsea Lido, the Isle of Wight Zoo, the University’s own 3rd Space and the Bursledon Brickworks.
University Library
Modern, comfortable and a great learning environment, our library offers a wealth of information including 400,000 books, DVDs, maps and thousands of online ejournals and newspapers. Many electronic resources are available anywhere, 24/7 and our friendly staff are always on hand to help.
In my final year I entered a prestigeous design competition and won a prize of £10,000 and 6 months paid work experience as a working member of a design practice.
Yong Maun Tan, BA (Hons) Interior Design student
Careers & Opportunities
Career prospects
You will have the necessary skills to work as an interior designer for a large design company or architectural practice, or a small consultancy working on projects that can be implemented into retail, office or leisure spaces. As interior design combines a number of disciplines, there are also opportunities to work in product design, exhibition design or even furniture design and restoration.
Roles our graduates have taken on include:
- product designer
- CAD technician
- interior designer
- project manager
Example of what one of our graduates has gone on to do:
- Gensler, Junior Interior Designer – project management and design work for clients
Work experience
You will have the chance to undertake a one-year work placement in a full-time paid role after your year two improving your employability. A placement can enhance your final year of study and improve your degree classification. It can also help you further develop transferable skills such as time management, problem solving and teamwork.
Your placements can be in interior design or architectural practice, or other related design industries. Alternatively, you could spend a year setting up your own business as part of CCI Enterprise.
Career planning
6.04 minutes
Finding a job is a competitive business, but the statistics show that 89 per cent of our 2011graduates went into employment, further study or training within six months of finishing their degrees.
To make sure you take the right steps on your career path, we’re here to give you help, support and advice throughout your study. Even after you’ve graduated, we continue to give you support for up to five years.
Employers tell us that they want graduates to be able to demonstrate certain skills when they come out of university. Our courses take account of this. We make sure we prepare you for employment through work-related learning, projects, placements and working in simulated environments that are designed to prepare you for the working world.
Open Day
Our next open day is Wed 10 July
VISIT US! Have a look around and get a feel for what it’s like to live and study here. We’ll be on hand to talk to you about your course interests and show you all of our amazing facilities. You’ll also get to meet tutors and other students…
Application, Fees and Funding — find out more