Interior Design MA

Interior Design MA

Our Interior Design MA aims to support you to experiment boldly and take risks, meaningfully challenge conventions, and develop innovative approaches to contemporary interior design. Our stunning and sophisticated facilities offer an inspiring place for you to foster and refine your talents.

During this course you will develop, research and practice design thinking to an advanced level, integrating strong research methods into the creative process.

Have the freedom to tailor your studies with our flexible learning ethos. Choose from modules such as Sustainable Design - exploring sustainability as a driver of innovation and a core aspect of marketing strategies - or Digital Design Futures, where you will discover emerging digital technologies and use them to envision daring and innovative design strategies of the future.

The course will also prepare you to take up a career in a range of industries. We will teach you the diversity of interior design strategies across sectors, from considered display, interpretation, and conservation requirements in museum and exhibition design to innovative interior solutions and strategies that can impact on buyer behaviour in shopping and retail.

During the final part of the course you will apply this knowledge to the formulation, investigation and detailed development of a major design brief. This project is a chance to hone your skills as an independent researcher and gain first-hand experience of important professional skills, including digital manufacturing processes, reporting, and creating design presentations.

You will graduate with the skills to forge a successful professional career in your chosen specialism, or to continue on the academic pathway to PhD level study.

Many of our graduates progress on to exciting creative careers designing environments and interiors in retail, public spaces and leisure. Previous students have taken up roles at leading companies such as Conran Design, Pinewood Studios, Kelly Hoppen, Tesco’s Design Think Tank, Blue Print, Haley Sharpe, and Foster + Partners.

You will graduate with the skills to forge a successful professional career in your chosen specialism, or to continue on the academic pathway to PhD level study.

Research Methods (Compulsory)

Teaches you a range of conceptual and practical research skills, such as questionnaire design and interview techniques. As part of this module, you will formulate your major project proposal, specifying your aims, objectives, research methods and expected outcomes. You will also learn how to undertake the literature review for your major project.

Creative Design Studio

Through a series of lectures and group projects, the module introduces you to a critical appraisal of current creative processes in a professional multidisciplinary context.

Action Research Laboratory

This focuses on responding to live external challenges and opportunities. In this context, you will be supported to develop innovative approaches to tackling difficult local and global design challenges, while also consolidating and developing your subject specific skills

Interior Design Major Project

Following on from research undertaken in term two, and with expert tutor guidance, you will develop a major design project in term three. With the support of design tutors and technical staff, you will use your design project to demonstrate your thorough understanding and development of spatial design strategies and your abilities in analysis, evaluation and critical design thinking.

Optional Modules:

Design as a Strategic Business Tool

Looks at how design itself can be the driving force behind the strategic management and development of digital design and creative businesses. You will audit the use of design, design management and design thinking in the creative industries and business.

Digital Design Futures

Exploring new and emerging digital technologies, you will propose links to Interior Design, potential collaborations between Interior Design and other fields of study, imagining future design strategies which may be at the very edge of what is currently possible.

Sustainable Design

This module introduces the broad concepts of sustainability, resource efficient design and eco-design while also discussing sustainability as a core aspect of corporate and marketing strategy, as a driver of innovation and as a management practice.

Museum and Exhibition Design*

Examines innovative designs and strategies specifically for museums and exhibitions. It focuses on display, interpretation, conservation, marketing, management and funding, cultural identity, heritage, inclusive design, sustainability, education and audience.

Service Design

Examines the role of design in the service industries. You will pay particular attention to ethical, political, social and ecological concerns, all of which require approaches that focus on design and the designers’ role in maintaining sustainability.

Design for Retail*

Covers all aspects of in-store retail design, including product, environment, technology, communication and service. You will also examine brand perception, buyer behaviour and engagement with the retail experience.

Managing Business Web Presence

Teaches you how to critically appraise website designs, social media activity and wider networking channels while learning about creative production and management processes. You will learn how best to evaluate the role of website design in business, marketing and the creative industries, while examining advances in web architecture, technology, interface and management.

Business Planning for the Creative Entrepreneur

Develops your business knowledge and planning skills enabling you to identify the potential for a new product or service. You will study the key issues in starting a business and covers topics such as business plans, leadership, investment and risk management.

Technology for Design*

Provides a platform for designers from various fields to explore a range technology and potentially help to advance their knowledge and practice in this area. This module recognises that digital technology and the development of new equipment, materials, artefacts and devices are all growing exponentially.

This course is also available in part-time study options.

We offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all our students. Known as the Universal Design for Learning (UDL), our teaching approach has been recognised as sector leading. UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences.