- About postgraduate study
- Part-time study
- Courses
- Order a Prospectus
- Faculties & Departments
- UK students
- EU students
- International Students
- How to apply for your course
- Handy Hints
- Open Events
- Student Recruitment
- Money Matters
- About Us
By telephone
During office hours
(Monday-Friday 08:30-17:00)
+44 (0)1234 400 400
Outside office hours
(Campus Watch)
+44 (0)1582 74 39 89
By email
admission@beds.ac.uk (admissions)
international@beds.ac.uk (international)
sid@beds.ac.uk (student support)
help@beds.ac.uk (registration)
By post
University of Bedfordshire
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
UK, LU1 3JU
You will work in a vibrant, multi-disciplinary environment and have ready access to award-winning design, art and media tutors, as well as to major exhibitions and world-class examples of design and architecture in London.
You will learn how to think and work independently, to produce innovative design proposals, to showcase your work effectively in exhibitions, portfolios and online, and to function successfully in the professional world.
The Interior Architecture degree focuses on spatial manipulation and innovation, and on the fundamental restructuring of building interiors. A degree in Interior Architecture can be an excellent route to working overseas, particularly in Europe and the United States.
The Interior Design degree focuses on the materials, colours and textures of surfaces, furniture and lighting.
Both courses examine how people, activities and places interrelate. They also offer training in professional standard presentation and communication techniques, using physical and digital resources.
Both courses seek innovative solutions to contemporary design problems. You will be challenged to develop expertise in space planning, ergonomics, design composition, colour theory, material properties, environmental control and design for sustainability.
This course involves design for a range of spaces. It encourages students to take creative risks and think radically in developing solutions. It embraces spatial design interests that include furnishings, lighting, branding, television, film and exhibition design.
The teaching is largely project-based and focuses on the innovative use of materials, colour, surfaces, furniture and lighting. You will study colour theory, print-pattern design, silkscreen printing, furniture, lighting and exhibition design. You will also study anthropomorphics, ergonomics, materials, structure, environmental control and sustainability.
Key features:
Areas of study include:
BAINT-SWe strive to deliver the most exciting art and design courses in HE with a number of new and innovative ideas. We also run an Art & Design blog with the latest news and events, you can find that here: wecreatetogether.net
Colin Davies, Head of Art and Division
Assessment for this course is conceived to emanate naturally from the teaching and learning and you, provided you have engaged in the course, should be able to meet the demands of assessment in your stride. The requirements for assessment range through the types listed below.
Practical Projects are at the heart of learning activities and are a key learning and assessment tool within the course. Formative and summative assessments of practical assignments are seen as an important method of ensuring your understanding, the development of relevant cognitive and practical skills and personal progress.
Continuous appraisal by both the students themselves and their tutors is a feature of the course and although there are no end-point examinations, formative assessment is carried out in relation to all the assignments that are an integral part of the course. An accumulation of the work that is done in response to learning activities is assessed summatively at the end of each unit.
The following are examples of the various assessment methods used:
Key Skills are embedded in the teaching and learning of the course and will be taken into account in all assessments.
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:
Demonstrate learning outcomes in relation to knowledge and understanding.
1. Apply research and development techniques and processes (e.g. concerning the branding of space and form, principles of colour theory and colour psychology, mapping as a contextual research tool, building materials and products, and sketchbook based reflective learning) to produce creative design solutions using protocols and conventions appropriate to Interior Design practice.
2. Understand critical concepts, ideas / perspectives and paradigms of contemporary creative practice in relation to design / artistic / cultural production in general and Interior Design in particular, including commercial and retail sector design, moving image work, design for performance, and digital imaging and manipulation.
3. Understand, through hands on experience, the scope of the Interior Designer in the professional environment (including self-marketing techniques, professional standards of design and presentation work, and possible career pathways).
Demonstrate learning outcomes in relation to intellectual and cognitive skills:
4. Use methods of visual and contextual research relevant to, but not exclusive to, Interior Design; develop ideas and solutions from general research and move them forward to an informed specific creative solution; and understand the processes and methods that are relevant to Interior Design in which there is a relationship between form, content and processes / techniques.
5. Apply analytical, critical, and creative thinking to develop solutions to spatial design problems and then communicate your design ideas and options, in both two dimensional and three dimensional ways.
6. Evaluate and reflect on the outcomes of design methodologies selected, and the resultant creative outputs, through the experience of both individual learning (and evaluation of learning from peers, through critiques and group tutorials) and demonstrate the ability to adapt methods of development, production and delivery of an Interior Design project. Understanding the positive opportunities within the design process for developing various solutions / options and how those various solutions may be realised.
Demonstrate learning outcomes in relation to practical skills:
7. Communicate ideas effectively using developed creative/visual language, and allow Interior Design concepts and solutions to be articulated, communicated and presented using a wide range of visual means (e.g. drawings, words, images, models, sound, digital outputs etc) and in written form.
8. Use equipment, materials, techniques, processes and methods creatively and effectively. This equipment may be specifically relevant to Interior Design (i.e. finishes and building materials) or may be more general artistic artefact / image / equipment (i.e. workshop equipment, lens based media, silkscreen processes, computers and peripherals, processes, software and techniques).
9. Initiate, plan, and manage creative projects, working individually and / or in teams, including those in which you may be involved through work related study or experiential learning.
The course aims for BA (Hons) Interior Design are:
The course will encourage you to work and learn independently, however this will be based on academic tutorial support throughout the course.
A full course of induction week activities is offered for all new students in the Division of Art and Design during the first week of your course.
Over the first six weeks of the course there will also be a more specialised induction unit, which will introduce you to the teaching and learning strategy for the art and design courses. It will also familiarise you with the study support and resources for the Interior Design course. The unit will involve an assessment early in the course so that you will, through the feedback, be able to identify your strengths and any weaknesses.
You will be allocated a personal tutor and you will meet with your tutor regularly throughout the year. You should have a minimum of three formal one to one personal tutorial sessions during the academic year in order to monitor your progress.
Your course manager will provide you with guidelines about your course. Individual module co-ordinators will give advice on specific subjects and assessment issues. In your final year during the major project, the personal tutor role will transfer to the allocated project supervisor.
The role of the Course Manager is pro-active, enabling issues of concern to be identified at an early stage, and to assist in the retention of students who may be encountering particular difficulties. If you are deemed at risk of failing, your personal tutor can ensure that you receive appropriate advice and guidance. Other tutorial appointments are available via a booking system for you to meet with your personal tutor or academic staff and discuss aspects of your work and academic and personal development. You can book time with staff during their staff office sessions, which are posted on the course notice boards.
The Course Manager also offers both academic advice and advice about professional practice. You also have access to bookable academic and administrative advisory sessions with the Administrator for the Field of Art and Design.
The Subject Librarian at the University of Bedfordshire is pro-active in assisting art and design students, and contributes study support elements where required.
The University and Student Union provide centralised advisory sessions for students.
If you have problems that prevent you from engaging with the course you should seek advice from the Student Services. Details will be in the course handbook.
Most units include group work of some kind. Team working skills are developed through some group project work incorporated within both the practice and theory units. Moreover there will be a level two unit involving work related learning, which will involve working with others either through consultation or collaboration.
Towards the end of level 5 you will be involved in an experiential learning project, which will be based on teamwork. You will be expected to contribute your own particular skills to a collective effort in the realisation of a project. You will produce creative and realistic solutions to complex problems including time management, monitoring progress to work to deadlines, evaluating your group and individual strategies to achieve the desired outcome. Much of the teaching and learning involves group discussion and the group crit is a significant feature of the learning experience and you will be expected to participate and contribute to this effectively.
Careers development is integrated into the course and the course seeks to provide you with an awareness of the real world context of the creative industries in general and Interior Design in particular. You will be helped to develop a strategy for obtaining appropriate employment at the end of your course.
Professional practice will be emphasised as part of all learning units but a work-related learning unit especially will help you to become more focused on managing your career.
You will be helped with the preparation of a professional portfolio as well as a CV (curriculum vitae) and material so that you can market yourself.
Our students have progressed to successful careers in interior design, set design for television, exhibition design, furniture/lighting design, architectural model-making, architectural illustration, teaching, and the design of virtual environments.
Wide-ranging career opportunities exist for graduates, including in the fields of interior and architectural design, exhibition design, lighting design, product design, animation, set design for stage, film and television, and design-related teaching.
Further study:
Specialist Postgraduate courses in spatial design, art and design, design history or critical theory.
Additional:
Students will be expected to attend a portfolio interview or, if living in the EU, to submit a portfolio of work via email.
A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.
Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.
Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.
We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.
We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.
The general requirement is one of the following:
Postgraduate applications (MA/MSc) should be made direct to the University using the standard University application form. There are some exceptions, please see individual course descriptions for details.
As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.
We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.
(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)
We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.
Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.
Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section
APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.
Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `
The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.
We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.
Return your completed application to:
University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk
An essential feature of the learning and teaching will be your involvement in practical learning activities that confront visual problems and ideas relevant to Interior Design. At the same time learning activities will take professional and work related practices into consideration. From an early stage in the course, you will be encouraged to work independently, taking ownership of your creativity and its outcomes, whilst at the same time developing an understanding of range of contexts that affect Interior Design. The course aims to build a close relationship between practice and theory.
At the end of the course you should be able to realise a creative project of your own devising and be able to demonstrate your own particular insights into the critical, cultural and professional contexts in which your own work is placed.
To help you to learn independently and take responsibility for your own learning, the whole curriculum is organised to promote the progressive acquisition and entrenchment of the necessary concepts, skills, attitudes and knowledge associated with Interior Design. The course will offer a degree of choice and is flexible in its approach to student learning with an underlying educational philosophy of self directed learning managed and supervised through close contact with you, the student.
Teaching and learning strategies include practical workshop sessions, personal study involving sustained practice in the studio or workshop, some work-related learning opportunities, one to one tutorials / supervision, seminars, demonstrations and importantly the use of a reflective sketchbook as a means of understanding and documenting your individual learning.
The Division of Art and Design recognises that a relatively high proportion of art and design students encounter difficulties with dyslexia, and special arrangements are in place to offer flexibility and learning support in the preparation and submission of written work, where a need is identified.
Students with visual impairment may encounter difficulties with aspects of the course, and there would be a need for prior assessment of requirements and capabilities for this type of student.
The philosophy of the Division is to support and facilitate all students regardless of disability in their chosen field of study whenever practicable.
There is wheelchair access to all art and design facilities.
Communication
To help with the development of this you will:
Be involved with oral communication that will be practised and tested in presentations and individual critiques. Written and verbal communication skills will be developed and assessed as part of the contextual studies units. You will be asked to produce work of different lengths and formats that should be properly referenced. Visual and verbal communication skills will be taught through all the practice units.
In the work-related units you could be engaged in activities that include working with clients and recording their communications in a variety of documents.
You will assess the quality of your own oral and visual communication and identify areas for improvement and deliver written or presentation assignments which succeed in communicating a series of points effectively.
Students who are diagnosed with needs for extra support with writing and communications skills development may be required to take extra classes provided by the University.
Information Literacy
To help with the development of this you will:
Use of a range of computer software as an integral part of the course, and these software skills are embedded in the practice based units, particularly the visual communications units at levels four and five. Information technology skills development for generic purposes such as research and data analysis and presentation will be incorporated into the contextual studies units.
You will be able to complete a complex search using appropriate primary and secondary sources, and draw accurate conclusions independently using the subject methodology. Searching and evaluating internet sources is taught and you will analyse the information found using appropriate techniques. You will be introduced to the services of the Learning Resources Centre where specialist staff will be able to disseminate best practice on this.
Research and Evaluation
To help with the development of this you will:
Have to decide on action plans and implement these effectively in order to complete work. You will have to clearly identify criteria for success and evaluate your own performance against those criteria. The importance of action plans, strategies and success criteria will be measured for both your individual work and any group work that you may be involved in.
You will have the opportunity to work in teams and, through your own records or progress and from feedback, you will monitor the groups progress and evaluate its individual effectiveness to achieve its aims. Working individually, you have to set your own tasks to achieve your research goals, drawing on previous learning experience to achieve creative solutions to common problems.
Creativity and Critical Thinking
To help with the development of this you will:
Be involved with a series of practical learning activities at the heart of which will be the development of solutions to visual problems or ideas associated primarily with Interior Design although not exclusively so. An essential feature of the contextual studies strand of the course will be to help you to relate your practice to relevant theory and to help you to construct relevant contexts for your work. This will provide you with a framework and means to reflect on your creative work throughout the course. You will be required to maintain a contextual/reflective journal, the purpose of which is to monitor and reflect on your own learning. It will ultimately inform the rationale for your final major project.
You will be encouraged to become self-reliant and you will have to decide on action plans and implement these effectively in order to complete work. You will produce creative and realistic solutions to complex problems that will include time management, monitoring your progress in working to deadlines. You will have to clearly identify criteria for success and evaluate your own performance against those criteria. The importance of action plans, strategies and success criteria will be measured for both individual work and group work.
For the purpose of documenting personal progress, you will be expected to maintain a reflective learning journal throughout the duration of the course. The documentation will include a record of assessment feedback, personal reflection on and evaluation of the way in which you have engaged in learning activities as well as the efficacy of your learning.
You will be expected to reflect on and evaluate each stage of your learning and this will be used as part of some summative assessments as well as the basis for discussion about progress and the mapping of courses of action. During the early stages of the course you will engage in an evaluation of your current position together with an audit of your personal skills. This will be used as the basis for writing and maintaining a frequently updated and relevant curriculum vitae.
The essential aims of the course are to develop the students professionalism and to enhance your potential for employment within specific sectors of the creative industries. To this end the course will aim to promote professional attitudes and behaviour as well as to provide specific insights into professional ways of working. Your engagement in the course should reflect professional standards and failing to do so may affect assessments outcomes.
Professional standards include:
Since the purpose of the course is essentially aimed at helping you to gain employment in the Interior Design industry specifically and the creative sector more generally, the strategy for embedding the professional standards of a critical and creative practitioner will be manifest in all the learning activities and assessments. You will be advised about correct procedures, protocols and ethics as well as enabled through a habit of self-reflection and evaluation to apply learned skills and attitudes to professional contexts.
You will be expected to engage with the course respecting professional standards and your attitude in this regard may be taken into account when assessing your work.
There will be a unit of learning that will be significantly work-related at level two. This, together with an emphasis on professional practice at level three, will give you experience of and insights into professional working practices.
Wherever possible, there will be input into the course by relevant practicing professionals.
