Interior Design BA (Hons)
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Please note: First entry to this course is September 2025, for September 2024 entry, please visit Interior Design.
This course focuses on interior design for a broad spectrum of spaces, including those of commercial, lifestyle, educational, civic and cultural purposes. You will discover the power that interior and spatial design has to influence our daily lives, whilst developing a rich understanding of how to create impactful and effective spaces that are environmentally and socially conscious.
The course emphasises conceptual design and technical ability, providing the perfect environment for you to prepare yourself to enter the interior design industry.
The way your work is assessed is informed directly by industry practices and predominantly focuses on producing design project portfolios, with supporting presentations, collaborative work, and reporting on your design-led inquiry. As a designer preparing for practice, assessments encourage your visual communication, compelling story-telling, theoretical and critical justification, and thorough documentation of your own design journey. Design processes are driven forward by feedback. Our studio-based approach emphasises assessment for learning, providing you with opportunities for ongoing weekly feedback, formative reviews and peer-learning to enable you to push your own boundaries. Your submissions will receive concise summative feedback to recognise the strengths in your work and provide recommendations to help you to achieve your potential.
See other similar courses you may be interested in: Interior Architecture, Architecture BA
Top Department - Northumbria is ranked 2nd in the UK for Interior Design studies (Guardian University League Table, 2024).
Student Rated - Over 95% of Students studying Design at Northumbria believed their course positively challenged them to achieve their best work (NSS, 2024).
Top University - Art & Design at Northumbria is ranked 17th in the UK by the Complete University Guide for 2024, rising 4 places since last year.
Graduate Prospects - Interior Design at Northumbria is ranked 1st in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Guardian University Guide, 2024). This is because 88% of our graduates are in highly skilled employment or further study 15 months after graduation.
UK Fee in Year 1*: TBC
* Government has yet to announce 25/26 tuition fee levels. As a guide, 24/25 fees were £9,250 per year.
International Fee in Year 1:
TBC
ADDITIONAL COSTS
Throughout your course you will be expected to pay for the printing of work and to purchase specialist equipment, this may include: layout pads, drawing pencils, sketching pens, craft knives etc. These will vary in cost and as a guide can range from approximately £400-£500 over the duration of the programme. There are optional field trips that you may wish to participate in and as a guide these have previously ranged from London, Manchester, Berlin to New York, with an approximate associated cost of £250-£1000 to cover travel and accommodation, plus subsistence. You are also expected to budget for final year graduate exhibitions, should you take part - this covers travel, accommodation and exhibition set up. Whilst we provide access to computers and software, we would recommend that students have their own laptops –with 8 GB RAM and a graphics card with 2 GB VRAM, 15"" screen minimum (cost varies depending upon type of machine, between £700 - £2800). Software programmes: Adobe Creative Cloud is provided by the University throughout the programme. AutoCAD is introduced in your second year of studies, which can be accessed via a free student licence. Access and software delivery within the interior design programme is on PC, however Mac’s are also suitable.
Look out for module specifics coming soon. Please keep checking this web page for updated information.
In year 1 you will discover the world of interior design. Pulling back the curtain on iconic spaces, we will encourage you to challenge the way in which you see the built environment. You will learn the art of storytelling through designed spaces and be shown how to represent these ideas technically. You will emerge with an understanding of key practices and concept-driven interior design.
In year 2 you will build upon key skills gained in year 1. You will be encouraged to push boundaries within creative projects, striving to deliver socially conscious design solutions which promote human well-being, exploring the importance of responsible design initiatives. You will aim to positively impact global design through ethical, sustainable practices within interior design projects.
You will have the option to undertake an industrial placement year, or study abroad at a range of partner institutions all over the world.
In final year you have space to really flex your design skills. You will build a deep critical understanding of a topic of your choice and set your own project brief, allowing you to showcase your interests and create a sense of professional identity. You will finish with a final major project and have the opportunity to present this to industry and potential employers.
The School of Design, Arts and Creative Industries is a leading centre for supporting and energising creative practice and academic study. Our inter-disciplinary research and experiential education is committed to the betterment of people, place, cultures, and societies. Our programmes are defined by the way we collaborate with communities, industry, and external partners to inform curriculum, your learning and contribute to wider society.
You will gain unique access to industry leading specialists and cutting-edge research. Furthermore, you will be joining a course with an exceptional reputation for employability that is recognised by a wide-spread network of design agencies, studios and practices.
Our Interior Design course has an excellent reputation for employability. We maintain strong links with industry through a wide network of design studios and practices in the UK and beyond. We strongly value experiential learning and by choosing to study with us, you will learn by doing, making, creating and engaging with real-world situations and professional practitioners.
Career directions related to interior and spatial design are many and varied, your skills will be in demand both within and beyond the mainstream interior design industry. You can expect to work within inter-disciplinary project teams, and opportunities to work internationally are common.
Your degree will provide you with the core technical skills demanded by the interior design industry. But more importantly, our course is designed to give you both the creative confidence and professional competence to grow in your career.
You will learn in an environment that nurtures your talents whilst also foregrounding the importance of professionalism as a crucial mindset, supporting you to transition smoothly and confidently as you make your next steps.
Teaching and learning is delivered by a team with significant industry experience, including current and visiting professionals. This is enhanced by leading researchers, bringing you to the forefront of design innovation.
Our course is predominantly delivered in purpose-built design studios, which provide space for formal teaching but also are open for independent study. Alongside the studios you have access to a comprehensive range of technical facilities, workshops, creative technology, photography studios, dedicated computer aided design lab, and large format printing. You will also have easy access to a wealth of knowledge through Northumbria University’s award winning library.
All information is accurate at the time of sharing.
Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
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