Interior Design MA

Why choose this course?

Drawing on vibrant interior design practices in London, this course integrates design practices, multidisciplinary work, research and analysis, and practice-based learning, with an overall focus on sustainable spatial design.

This course will prepare you for the diversity of design practice and employment opportunities open to you in the interior design industry.

The course aims to unite practical approaches for space design strategies with context through a practice-based focus in which you will engage with live industry briefs. You will also practice with digital, physical and context considerations as well as enhancing your problem-solving skills with teams in other disciplines.

The course aims to unite practical approaches for space design strategies with context through:

  • strong sustainability focus
  • addressing global issues
  • art-based speculative briefs
  • industry links and talks
  • inclusive curriculum, global international context and diversity.
Mode Duration Start date
Full time 1 year September 2023
September 2024
Part time 2 years September 2023
September 2024
Location River House, Kingston School of Art

Reasons to choose Kingston

  • Kingston is the top-ranked institution in the country for Interior Design (Guardian University Guide league table 2023).
  • Kingston has well-established links and excellent industry connections.
  • The course allows you to pursue diverse briefs in industry focused or research focused practice.

What you will study

This course is part of the Design School's Postgraduate Framework, which promotes interdisciplinary practice opportunities, underpins research, supports personal trajectory and industry contact, and includes a supporting lecture series.

Modules

This postgraduate Interior Design programme offers an open platform to develop as an interior space designer and other related areas of practice. MA Interior Design aims at the development of a high level of intellectual and practical mastery of the analysis and design of diverse interior spaces, with broader implications for spatial design. The approach of the spatial exploration, solutions and design involves research contexts transferred into new design strategies and design interventions.

Compulsory modules

Space and Communication

30 credits

This module provides dedicated interior design study opportunity. It occurs in teaching block 1. This module enables the student to develop a contemporary interior portfolio at Masters level. A series of fashion context briefs are provided to engage the individual in practical spatial design skills, working towards a spectrum of physically sketchbooks and models and digitally generated outcomes. Project briefs are devised to interrogate interior developments and trends and engage the student in exploring and debating the role of space and its sustainability and societal issues implications. These briefs introduce the practice and problems of spaces, with a focus on effective solutions and visualising outcomes.

Designing Research

30 credits

The aim of the module is to give you an understanding of the design research tools and methods that are available to you, to inform and support the development of your practical study, and to provide the basis of your further study on your course. Practical research methods are explored, with an emphasis on the development of creative and evidence-based approaches to experimentation, and critical reflection on practical design work.

Interior Practice

30 credits

The aim of this module is to map a route forward that best facilitates progress on to the capstone project, reflecting upon all previous learning. Students will construct a substantial body of iterative, experimental, practical design investigation through a rigorous process of measured trial and error, in support of an evolving Interior Design Major Project proposal.

Creative Futures

30 credits

This module is based on the assumption that the best jobs/careers in the creative industries do not exist – they are invented from individual creative ambitions. The module explores how this can be approached in practical terms. The programme of study encourages you to develop a personal and critical approach to your future career, and how this can inform the development of your individual major project for the Major Project.

The Major Project

60 credits

The Major Project - the capstone project - consolidates the knowledge gained in earlier modules, and is informed by your prior learning within the Design School's postgraduate interdisciplinary framework and course-specific specialist study. You will extend your work on the course thus far in the form of a practical design proposal, defining and developing a substantive solution to an individually defined design-related problem. In so doing, you will demonstrate advanced understanding and application of contemporary design practice as it can be brought to bear on a specific challenge of sustainability.

Gallery of student work

Entry requirements

Typical offer

You'll normally need to have:

  • A 2:1 or above honours degree or equivalent in 3D design or a related subject, including interior design, architecture, product and furniture design, industrial design or any course with a graduate diploma in a 3D design course and/or appropriate professional experience.
  • A portfolio of work reflecting your experience and skills working in 2D and 3D.
  • We also welcome applicants with relevant professional or vocational experience

Personal statement

Submit a written 300-word personal statement discussing why you have applied for the course.

Portfolio guidance

Submit a digital portfolio of up to 30 pages in a landscape format (A3 dimensions) of four-to-six completed projects (max. file size 30mb). The portfolio needs to include at least one project that demonstrates an appropriate spatial design engagement. Each project should have a main image with a title and a short description of up to 100 words, and up to five additional images that support the project and demonstrate creative thinking; design capabilities; and technical resolution.

Please show how your ideas were developed through research methods, sketching, physical and digital experimentation, and the final outcomes via 2D drawings, 3D modelling and visualisations. Films or other media, including social media accounts if relevant, can be included as weblinks in the portfolio.

In case you are submitting collaborative work, you are required to specify your role and clearly indicate your responsibility in the creative, intellectual and (or) technical output.

Your portfolio is a representation of who you are as a creative individual, it reflects your special design interests and acts as a tool for what kind of creative practitioner you want to be. Make sure it stands out and surprises us!

International

All non-UK applicants must meet our English language requirement, which is Academic IELTS of 6.5 overall, with no element below 5.5. Make sure you read our full guidance about English language requirements, which includes details of other qualifications we consider.

Applicants who do not meet the English language requirements could be eligible to join our pre-sessional English language course.

Applicants from a recognised majority English speaking countries (MESCs) do not need to meet these requirements.

Country-specific information

You will find more information on country-specific entry requirements in the International section of our website.

Find your country:

Teaching and assessment

The teaching on the course is very much in line with the 3D Design Department ethos, involving studio practice, research, workshops, guest lecturers and visiting lecturers, who enrich the provision. We also have rich blended learning content.

Guided independent study (self-managed time)

When not attending timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This typically will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the online virtual learning platform.

Support for postgraduate students

At Kingston University, we know that postgraduate students have particular needs and therefore we have a range of support available to help you during your time here.

Dedicated personal tutor

When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of academic staff who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at Kingston and who will show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer at Kingston University.

Your workload

On average 25% of your time is spent in timetabled learning and teaching activity.

You will have two days a week teaching.

Contact hours may vary depending on your modules.

Type of teaching and learning

Type of teaching and learning
  • Scheduled learning and teaching: 450 hours
  • Guided independent study (self-managed time): 1350 hours

 

How you will be assessed

Assessment typically comprises briefs assessments and final submissions are portfolios compiled at a professional standard.

The course also includes developing research books, formative reviews and group feedback.

The approximate percentage for how you will be assessed on this course is as follows, though depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose.

Type of assessment

Type of assessment
  • Coursework: 100%

 

Feedback summary

We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.

Class sizes

To give you an indication of class sizes, this course will enroll 20 students and lecture sizes are normally 100-120 together with the school's postgraduate framework. However this can vary by module and academic year.

Who teaches this course?

This course is taught in the Design School, Kingston School of Art. Our staff are practising designers, researchers and academics who'll enrich your student experience with contemporary issues, events and challenges. Influential guest speakers reinforce the currency of the course, providing the latest insights into practice.

Postgraduate students may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader.

Fees for this course

2024/25 fees for this course

Home 2024/25

  • MA full time £11,900
  • MA part time £6,545

International 2024/25

  • MA full time £20,900
  • MA part time £11,495

2023/24 fees for this course

Home 2023/24

  • MA full time £10,900
  • MA part time £5,995

International 2023/24

  • MA full time £18,700
  • MA part time £10,285

Tuition fee information for future course years

If you start your second year straight after Year 1, you will pay the same fee for both years.

If you take a break before starting your second year, or if you repeat modules from Year 1 in Year 2, the fee for your second year may increase.

Fees for the optional placement year

If you choose to take a placement as part of this course, you will be invoiced for the placement fee in Year 2. Find out more about the postgraduate work placement scheme and the costs for the placement year.

Postgraduate loans

If you are a UK student, resident in England and are aged under the age of 60, you will be able to apply for a loan to study for a postgraduate degree. For more information, read the postgraduate loan information on the government's website.

Scholarships and bursaries

Kingston University offers a range of postgraduate scholarships, including:

If you are an international student, find out more about scholarships and bursaries.

We also offer the following discounts for Kingston University alumni:

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs that are not covered by tuition fees which students will need to consider when planning their studies. Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, access to shared IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

Where a course has additional expenses, we make every effort to highlight them. These may include optional field trips, materials (e.g. art, design, engineering), security checks such as DBS, uniforms, specialist clothing or professional memberships.

Textbooks

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to buy your own copy of key textbooks, this can cost between £50 and £250 per year.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residences. Free Wi-Fi is available on each of the campuses. You may wish to purchase your own computer, which can cost £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.

Photocopying and printing

In the majority of cases written coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing, binding and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees, this may cost up to £100 per year.

Travel

Travel costs are not included in your tuition fees but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses, Surbiton train station, Kingston upon Thames train station, Norbiton train station and halls of residence.

Materials

Materials for the development and experimentation of your projects in the studio and workshops will cost between £100 and £200 per year. You will also need to purchase tools, which will serve you for the duration of your studies, at a cost of £50.

For model-making, it is estimated that you will spend from £40 to £80 per year on foam board and cardboard materials. You will also be required to make a one-off purchase of an interior model-making tool set which will cost between £25 and £40.

For the duration of your studies, you will need a laptop (estimated costs start at £500). The minimum specification of the laptop is CPU 2.6 GHz+, 8GB Memory RAM. The laptop will also need to support 3D CAD software for your course, such as Revit, SolidWorks, KeyShot, Vectorworks and 3D Photoshop, which the University will provide you with access to.

Facilities

Kingston School of Art has recently completed an ambitious programme of investment, making significant improvements to our workshops and other resources, to ensure that students are exposed to as many creative pathways as possible.

This course is based at River House on the Thames, just a short walk from the workshops and studios at Knights Park. These are open for creative exploration and enable students and staff to collaborate on projects and share ideas, whether they are studying or researching. There are many adaptable studio and workshop spaces, active breakout spaces and stronger vertical and horizontal connections. Our ground-breaking facilities include:

  • 3D workshop, with ceramics, concrete, resin-casting, plastics, metalwork, woodwork and a bronze-casting foundry, as well as a Big Build space for Architecture, set design and large scale model making
  • Animation and post production studios
  • Digital Media workshop
  • Fashion (knitting and sewing workshops), with digital and analogue facilities, plus a working dress archive which includes pieces from 1750 to the present day
  • HackSpace (for collaborative, creative, solutions-focussed projects)
  • Letterpress and printmaking workshop, with digital and analogue facilities, to experiment creatively
  • Moving Image workshop, with studios, editing suite, and industry-standard equipment
  • Photography workshop, including studios, colour, and black and white darkrooms, processing facilities

All our facilities are open access, meaning you can use them whenever you want, irrespective of what degree you're studying.

The University also has its own on-site galleries, including:

  • Dorich House – the former studio home of the sculptor Dora Gordine and her husband the Hon. Richard Hare, a scholar of Russian art and literature. Now Grade II listed, the building was completed in 1936, to Gordine's design, and is an exceptional example of a modern studio house created by and for a female artist.
  • Stanley Picker Gallery – one of the leading examples of a university gallery in the UK. Its public activities are dedicated to the research, commissioning and presentation of innovative new practice across the fields of art, design and architecture for general, academic and specialist audiences.
  • Project spaces at Knights Park campus, which you can book for the exhibition of large-scale work.

Gallery of student work

After you graduate

Graduates have gone on to a variety of roles, including interior designer, space designer, visual merchandiser, space researcher, production designer, exhibition designer and more.

Course changes and regulations

The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Course changes explained.

Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.

Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.

The Art School Experience

As part of Kingston School of Art, students on this course benefit from joining a creative community where collaborative working and critical practice are encouraged.

Our workshops and studios are open to all disciplines, enabling students and staff to work together, share ideas and explore multi-disciplinary making.

Two students collaborate on a design project.