Interior Design BA Honours

Course content

What will you study on the BA Interior Design?

Learning on the course is based on a sequence of 'integrated design projects', in which you are asked to apply and demonstrate various aspects of your learning, as well as your individual creativity and originality, to specified design tasks. Projects are supplemented by a variety of lecture, seminar and workshop sessions to provide specialist skills and knowledge. Your ideas and proposals will be tested and explored in regular tutorials and reviews, in which critical evaluation, guidance and feedback is provided, and from which you will be expected to develop and improve your work.

The curriculum focuses on six core learning strands which are developed progressively throughout all years of the course.

• Design Thinking and Processes — How designers research, analyse and make decisions, and how the design of interiors is initiated, conceptualized, developed, sanctioned, and realised
• Materiality and Technics — How and from what interiors are constructed, assembled and operate technically and technologically
• Environment and Performance — How environmental and sustainability issues and post-occupancy performance and adaptability are addressed in the design, construction and use of interiors
• Contextual and Critical Analysis — How contextual factors frame, inform and constrain the design of interiors, and their analysis and interpretation
• Communication and Media — How the design of interiors is represented and communicated across a range of media and techniques
• Reflective and Professional Practice — How reflective practice is applied in design, and how professional skills are employed in design practice.

Modules

This module will introduce the historical, contextual and critical basis of art, architecture and design and its analysis and interpretation. You will explore the important role of form, materiality, colour and light in the making and experience of interior environments. You will also focus on representation and communication methods in a range of media necessary and appropriate to clearly illustrate design research, precedent and inspirational reference and new interior design proposals.

This module will introduce fundamental principles of design thinking and the design process, relative to the practice of brief-led Interior Design, through the study of fundamental elements of the interior in a series of separate, but inter-related, design projects. You will be able to explore approaches, methodologies and strategies that are appropriate to reflective design practice.

Building on prior learning in the Fundamental Contexts and Skills module, this module will allow you to interpret research as a fundamental tool in the design process and introduce research methods and tactics necessary to result in an appropriate response to the design brief. You will evaluate the importance of the historical, contextual and critical basis of art, architecture and design and its analysis and interpretation in the process of designing interiors, as well as evaluate the important role of materiality in the formation of the interior and the experience of interior environments. You will interpret representation and communication methods in a range of media necessary and appropriate to clearly illustrate design research, precedent and inspirational reference and creative proposals in response to briefing material.

Building on prior learning in the Fundamental Practice module, this module will allow you to evaluate understanding of underlying principles in design thinking and the design process to produce comprehensive and coherent design proposals for whole interiors. You will also be able to interpret approaches, methodologies and strategies that are appropriate to reflective design practice.

Building on prior learning in Interpreting Contexts and Skills module, this module will allow you to develop established techniques of research used in the design process and develop research methods and tactics necessary to result in an appropriate response to design briefs set in the Developing Practice module. You will also develop an understanding of the historical, contextual and critical basis of art, architecture and design and its analysis and interpretation. You will enhance your understanding of materials and construction technologies and processes used in formation of the interior and the experience of interior environments. You will effectively develop methods of representation and communication, and acquire new competences in a range of media necessary and appropriate to clearly illustrate design research and creative proposals in response to briefing material.

Building on prior learning in the Interpreting Practice module, this module will allow you to apply developed thinking in design and process into coherent design proposals for a range of commercial interiors, studied and communicated in comprehensive detail at various scales through to 1:1. You will also effectively develop approaches, methodologies and strategies that are appropriate to critically reflective design practice.

Building on prior learning in the Developed Contexts and Skills module and the Developed Practice module, this module will allow you to establish the essential role of in-depth research into cultural, historical, political and socio-economic contexts, within site generic commercial Interior Design Projects. You will produce project outcomes that illustrate embedded, contextual research within the design process focused on client needs and user experience, applied to the design of commercial interiors and branded environments. You will also be able to demonstrate knowledge of professional practice standards and procedures, and develop your understanding of employability opportunities, self-evaluation and personal career development.

Building on prior learning, this module will allow you to utilise employment experience to provide an insight into the work, methods and operation of a professional design practice. You will be able to apply your skills and knowledge to personal and professional practice, as well as have the opportunity to advance your professional knowledge and skills by experiencing a professional design practice working on real projects.

Building on prior learning, this module gives you the opportunity to gain an insight into the work, methods and operation of a professional design practice. You will be able to use the skills and knowledge acquired during the course to personal and professional practice, as well as having the opportunity to advance your professional knowledge and skills in the context of a professional design practice working on real projects.

Building on prior learning, this module will allow you to evidence advanced research into cultural, historical, political and socio-economic contexts, pertinent to Interior Design study through the production of a comprehensive research portfolio. You will critically review and develop an individual process of design, from inception, through design development, to the production of a coherent, detailed design proposal and portfolio. You will reflect upon creative currency within contemporary Interior Design practice to support the delivery of the design proposals for commercial interiors and branded environments of the highest standards. You will explore the important role of materiality within the experiential quality of interiors with aneconomic, ethical and ecological conscience, within a contemporary context, as well as synthesise your personal and professional approaches to the communication of proposed interior spaces through the use of an advanced range of techniques, and media. Your individual standards and skills, related to professional practice procedures will be reinforced, acknowledging issues of operation, management, advanced literacy and numeracy.

Building on prior learning, this module will allow you to consolidate the key role of advanced research into cultural, historical, political and socio-economic contexts, within responsible commercial Interior Design Projects. You will critically review and develop an individual process of design, from inception, through design development, to the production of a coherent, detailed design proposal and portfolio ready for employment. You will be encouraged to reflect upon creative currency within contemporary Interior Design practice to support the delivery of design proposals of the highest standards, as well as reinforce the important role of materiality within the experiential quality of interiors with aneconomic, ethical and ecological conscience, within a contemporary context. You will focus on synthesising your personal and professional approaches to the communication of proposed interior spaces through the use of an advanced range of techniques, and media. Your individual standards and skills, related to and reflecting upon professional practice procedures will be reinforced, acknowledging issues of operation, management and responsibilities of advanced literacy and numeracy.

You can find more information about this course in the programme specification. Optional modules are usually available at levels 5 and 6, although optional modules are not offered on every course. Where optional modules are available, you will be asked to make your choice during the previous academic year. If we have insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, or there are staffing changes which affect the teaching, it may not be offered. If an optional module will not run, we will advise you after the module selection period when numbers are confirmed, or at the earliest time that the programme team make the decision not to run the module, and help you choose an alternative module.