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

More about this course

The course is based in the heart of London's creative district, which gives you access to an abundance of live projects and industry mentors. You’ll be surrounded by the best interior practices in London—from Shoreditch, Clerkenwell and the West End to Mayfair. 

You will have the opportunity to explore a topic of your choice in depth for your dissertation. Our dissertation students all belong to a themed dissertation studio that offers a supportive group context for planning and writing your dissertation, with specific academic tutoring about how to manage the project.

Follow @ldnmet_interiors for the latest student work and news from the course. 

Assessment

A variety of assessment methods are used throughout the course. These range from formative, summative, diagnostic, peer and self-assessment methods, through to studio based work, workshops, and computer-aided design (CAD) and digital projects and exercises. Feedback is given throughout the course.

Entry requirements

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have one of the following:

• 240 credits from a Higher National Diploma (HND), Foundation Degree (FdA/ FdSc) or equivalent international qualification in a relevant subject
• 240 credits from years 1 and 2 of an undergraduate degree (BA/BSc) in a relevant subject at a different institution

If you live in the UK you will be invited to a portfolio interview. If you live outside of the UK you will be asked to submit a portfolio via email.

Portfolios and interviews

Your portfolio should be selective, but have enough work to show a range of your interests and talents. We are interested in seeing how you develop a project from beginning to end, not only finished work.

If you cannot bring certain pieces of your work to your portfolio interview, please take photographs and include them.

Physical portfolio

If you are coming in person to your interview we strongly suggest bringing a physical portfolio of work.

Things to bring:

• Sketchbooks– we love to see your sketchbooks with ideas and notes, even if they are messy.
• Examples of the development of a project from start to finish and the final outcome.
• Some work that you are really proud of and want to talk about.
• Some work that shows you experimenting with different processes.

Digital Portfolio

If you are submitting an online application, please follow these guidelines.

Things to include:

• Scans or photographs demonstrating items from the list above.
• Storyboarding for motion-based work.
• Also include scans of sketchbook pages showing development.
• Be sure to check the resolution and overall quality of your image to ensure submissions are not pixelated.

Accreditation of Prior Learning

Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course at London Met. Find out more about applying for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL).

English language requirements

To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Student visa you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2021/22 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 3 modules include:

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  Critical & Contextual Studies 3: Dissertation (Interiors) (core, 30 credits)

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  This module currently runs:

  • all year (September start) - Wednesday afternoon
  • all year (September start) - Wednesday morning

  Critical and Contextual Studies (CCS) Level 6 results in an independent dissertation. It builds on two years of undergraduate study that critically engages students in the history and theory of their discipline, its extent and conventions, and its broader social and material context in culture and contemporary practice.

  Students undertake an enquiry into a topic of their own choice and, based on this enquiry, develop a sustained critical study in support of their practice, building on techniques and knowledge developed in previous years. This study demonstrates the student’s ability to thoroughly research a topic, use appropriate methods of investigation, and work in a methodical and organised way to develop a coherent argument. It affords a sophisticated instrument for interrogating, testing and presenting ideas, and encourages the student to deploy and develop a variety of skills to show how well they can conduct and present a critical investigation.

  The module rewards criticality and innovation, and provides a platform for ambitious independent work. To this end, it offers individual supervision designed to support the student’s learning. The subject matter of the dissertation can be theoretical, technical, or historical. In terms of format, the dissertation may be envisaged in different ways and can include visual, technical or other non-written material which may form the subject of the enquiry and comprise an integral part of the whole.

  The dissertation may be practice-based and include field-work and primary research in its methodology; or it might be academic and theoretical in its outlook and draw predominantly on secondary sources. Its form and approach can reflect a broad range of discipline-specific approaches based on discussion and agreement with the supervisor and/or course leader.

  Read full details
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  Integrated Design Practice (core, 30 credits)

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  This module currently runs:

  • all year (September start) - Thursday morning

  The module provides a link between the completion of their undergraduate studies and interior design practice. It establishes a student’s ability to integrate the key areas of their interior design knowledge within the context of their major design project and through this, their readiness for professional practice.
  The coursework records and responds to the process of design development and, using a range of specialist contributions, introduces a range of issues, interests and perspectives. The process is recorded, evaluated, presented and reviewed in relation to the comprehensive design project.
  At the end of their undergraduate studies the module aims to provide students with the means to demonstrate, through and in relation to their own design work, the extent of their understanding and evaluation of key areas of professional interior design knowledge informing a design project.
  This module aims to enable students to demonstrate that within their comprehensive design project they have a knowledge, understanding of and ability to evaluate the following five areas of study and that this is effectively and appropriately communicated:

  A. cultural context
  B. professional and regulatory requirements
  C. environmental and sustainability
  D. construction, materials and specification
  E. communication

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  Major Project Realisation: Interior Design (core, 30 credits)

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  This module currently runs:

  • all year (September start) - Friday afternoon

  This Major Project module enables Interior Design students to prepare for independent practice in the workplace or to progress onto higher studies. It is the opportunity to synthesise their specialist knowledge and skills and effectively communicate these. In this module, they will carry out the project conceived and developed in the parallel Project Design and Development module, fully realising it in appropriate form by the end of the module.

  Students will exercise and display their abilities in selecting, analysing and applying knowledge, skills and understanding to a negotiated and fully researched project in order to properly understand strengths, interests and position in the field, and the potential for future professional development.

  Students will show that they understand the complex and changing nature of problems in the professional sector of Interior Design and can devise and apply realistic strategies for constructing, applying and managing a process designed to provide solutions.

  A professional standard of realisation, contextualisation and presentation will be expected, providing the elements for a portfolio of practice with which they may enter the field of employment or self-employment or further studies.

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  Project Design and Development for Interiors (core, 30 credits)

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  This module currently runs:

  • all year (September start) - Tuesday afternoon
  • all year (September start) - Tuesday morning

  Together with their Major Project Realisation module, this module is intended to prepare interiors students for independent practice, entry into the professional workplace, or for higher study.

  Through synthesis of knowledge of processes and principles, using an appropriate range of intellectual, creative and practical skills, students will research, analyse, design and develop a self-directed project. This will naturally require in-depth investigation of a site, its cultural context, human inhabitation, activity and enterprise through a well-constructed design process involving practical and digital 2D and 3D methods of exploration and communication as a significant body of creative work for public exhibition.

  A negotiated and approved proposal will confirm the individual project. Using creative exploration and experimentation, students will undertake research, selection, concept development, material investigation, modelling/ prototyping and visualisation. The final outcome will be produced in the course - specific Major Project Realisation modules, and will be distinctive to the course in approach, scale, communication and visualisation or making and modelling.

  This module will ensure that students critique and reflect upon their own work and position in the creative sector. The module emphasises self-direction and personal focus whilst acknowledging external and professional expectations and constraints.

  Read full details

What our students say

"I felt inspired and confident to take part whilst being on my placement mainly because of the things I have learnt so far in uni. The [School of Art, Architecture and Design] has a very good reputation, I only really noticed this as [my employer] spoke highly of [the School]. I wanted to thank you all so much for preparing me for the industry I really appreciate you all and I now understand much better the context of the course in relation to the industry." Chantelle Oluchi, Interior Design BA (Hons) graduate, 2020

"Returning to education after 20 years with limited computer skills was not an easy journey. But London Met, alongside its inspirational teaching, has given me the ability to soar..." Cavell Browne Richardson

"The journey I have made has been immense, significant and challenging, but most of all life-changing. Completing my degree will be the start of a new chapter in my life, built on the foundation of London Met." Beata Piotrzkowska

Where this course can take you

This course will prepare you to work with confidence as a specialist in a design or architectural practice. On entering the workplace you will find your role requires a range of skills and experience beyond the purely creative. The collaborative nature of the projects you’ll complete whilst studying are ideal for preparing you for interacting with other professionals and performing construction industry processes. 

Recent graduates have been employed by design companies including Gensler, BDP, Turner Bates, Black Sheep, Fitch, AI Architects, Woods Bagot, Foster and Partners, Seen Displays, Areen, My Beautiful City and Avante Garde.

We also have graduates who have chosen to work for set designers, interior design magazines and in museum and gallery curation.

Others have chosen to continue onto postgraduate study. Graduates of this course are well-suited to pursuing further studies in interior design, sustainable design, architecture and environmental design and strategic brand management at postgraduate level. We have a variety of suitable courses at London Met, such as:

• Interior Design MA
• Environmental, Sustainable and Regeneration Design MA
• Architectural History, Research and Writing MA
• Public Art and Performance MA

Every student who studies on one of our three interiors courses has the opportunity of a work placement at a leading London design practice. We place our students in the top 150 interior and architectural practices in London including Penson, Gensler, turnerbates, Fitch and WeAreYourStudio.

Additional costs

Please note, in addition to the tuition fee there may be additional costs for things like equipment, materials, printing, textbooks, trips or professional body fees.

Additionally, there may be other activities that are not formally part of your course and not required to complete your course, but which you may find helpful (for example, optional field trips). The costs of these are additional to your tuition fee and the fees set out above and will be notified when the activity is being arranged.

Stay up to date

Follow our School of Art, Architecture and Design on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with everything that's happening in our creative community.

Discover Uni – key statistics about this course

Discover Uni is an official source of information about university and college courses across the UK. The widget below draws data from the corresponding course on the Discover Uni website, which is compiled from national surveys and data collected from universities and colleges. If a course is taught both full-time and part-time, information for each mode of study will be displayed here.

When to apply

The University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) accepts applications for full-time courses starting in September from one year before the start of the course. Our UCAS institution code is L68.

If you will be applying direct to the University you are advised to apply as early as possible as we will only be able to consider your application if there are places available on the course.