Interior Design and Decoration (Top-Up) | BA Degree

Program Overview

This top-up undergraduate degree in Interior Design and Decoration provides students with advanced skills in material exploration, spatial relationships, and decorative making. It prepares graduates for careers in various sectors of the interior design industry, including domestic, retail, exhibition, hotel, leisure, and public spaces. The program emphasizes collaboration, experimentation, and professional practice, with a focus on developing a strong portfolio and preparing students for the job market.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Title:

Interior Design and Decoration (Top-up) - BA (Hons)

Type:

Top-up undergraduate degree (final year of a 3-year BA program)

Length:

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time

Location:

Aldgate (full-time), Holloway (part-time)

Cost:

• Full-time, September 2024 Start: £8,000 (UK/EU students), £19,000 (international students)
• Part-time, September 2024 Start: £4,000 (UK/EU students), £9,500 (international students)

Objective:

• Enables students to embrace material exploration for decorative interior environments.
• Provides a context within the interiors industry, covering diverse sectors like:
• Domestic
• Retail
• Exhibition
• Hotel
• Leisure
• Public spaces

Focus:

• Spatial and material relationships within surfaces, furniture, artefacts, and textiles
• Graphic and applied decorative making skills to test, sample, and represent ideas
• Collaboration with other students and experts in related disciplines (furniture, upholstery, textiles, metals)
• Utilizing traditional and digital workshop processes with a range of material techniques
• Building on design knowledge and skills to develop a portfolio expressing individual practice

Target Audience:

• Students who have a foundation degree, Higher National Diploma, or equivalent international qualification in a relevant subject
• Those who wish to study the final year of their design degree in London

Outline:

Course Structure:

• One year full-time or two years part-time
• Two terms per year, with each term lasting 12 weeks
• Two project modules:
• Critical & Contextual Studies 3: Dissertation (Interiors) (30 credits)
• Project Design and Development for Interiors (30 credits)
• Major Project Realisation: Interior Design and Decoration (30 credits)
• Complementary modules:
• Integrated Design Practice (30 credits)

Content:

• The course investigates private, community, commercial, and sustainable interior environments.
• Students consider the spatial and material relationships within surfaces, furniture, artifacts, and textiles.
• They develop both graphic and applied decorative making skills to enable the testing, sampling, and representation of their ideas.

Project Modules:

• Critical & Contextual Studies 3: Dissertation (Interiors): Research and write a dissertation on a chosen topic within interior design and decoration.
• Project Design and Development for Interiors: Develop and document a design project for a specific interior space, utilizing research, analysis, and creative exploration.
• Major Project Realisation: Interior Design and Decoration: Realize the design project conceived in the parallel "Project Design and Development for Interiors" module, demonstrating professional proficiency and communication skills.

Complementary Modules:

• Integrated Design Practice: Understand the key areas of design knowledge within the context of your major project and through this, prepare for employment within professional interior design practice.

Assessment:

Assessment Methods:

• Formative and summative assessments
• Diagnostic assessments
• Peer and self-assessment methods
• Studio-based work
• Workshops
• Computer-aided design (CAD) projects
• Digital projects and exercises

Assessment Criteria:

• Depth of research and analysis
• Creativity and innovation in design solutions
• Technical skills and execution
• Communication and presentation of ideas
• Professionalism and engagement

Teaching:

Teaching Approach:

• Studio-based learning environment
• One-to-one supervision
• Lectures and workshops delivered by experienced professionals and academics
• Opportunities for collaboration with other students and experts in related disciplines

Faculty:

• Experienced and passionate staff with expertise in various areas of interior design and decoration

Unique Features:

• Emphasis on material exploration and experimentation
• Integration of traditional and digital design techniques
• Collaboration with other creative disciplines
• Preparation for professional practice in the interior design industry

Careers:

Career Opportunities:

• Interior decorator
• Retail designer
• Exhibition designer
• Hotel designer
• Leisure designer
• Public space designer
• Furniture designer
• Textile designer

Career Support:

• Employability and professional practice lectures
• Portfolio development guidance
• Careers advice and support

Other:

University Ranking:

• London Metropolitan University's interior design courses are ranked third in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2023.
• The University is also ranked second in the UK for teaching quality and fourth for course satisfaction in the same guide.

Additional Costs:

In addition to the tuition fee, students may incur additional costs such as:

• Equipment and materials
• Printing and photocopying
• Textbooks
• Trips and field trips