Bachelor of Arts (Honours) - Interior Design

The Interior Design course at Derby is aimed at individuals inspired by interiors and curious about the technical processes required to realise creative concepts. The programme develops design skills to create functional and unique spaces with strong spatial identities, exploring the use of spatial qualities such as form, texture, materials, lighting, colour, architectural components, and the placement of objects. The course encourages environmentally responsible, memorable, and experiential design practices.

Preparing students for a career in interior design, the programme covers the full scope of an Interior Designer’s role, from the initial brief to the final build, which may involve existing buildings, urban interiors, or self-standing entities such as exhibitions or set-stages. The course fosters a dynamic, co-creative approach that values students’ individual voices, cultural perspectives, risk-taking, and experimentation, equipping graduates with the skills and knowledge necessary for professional practice.

The curriculum exposes students to a wide range of interior design fields, including residential, commercial (retail and corporate), set-stage and exhibition design, hospitality, and adaptive reuse or regenerative design, with a focus on employment opportunities for graduates. It also emphasizes national and international collaboration, the design of bespoke artefacts and furniture to complement interiors, and the generation of appropriate visual documentation for each stage of the design process. Students gain an understanding of how people interact with space and objects, incorporating ergonomics, and designing functional spaces in compliance with building regulations and health and safety legislation.

The course distinguishes itself through unique collaborative opportunities with other disciplines and national or international partners. Collaboration may involve working with other university programmes to design and manufacture interior artefacts or bespoke products. International collaboration is facilitated through vertical studio projects spanning Level 4 to Level 6 cohorts. The course maintains affiliations with Interior Educators, and members of the teaching team are affiliated with the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) to remain up to date with current industry developments.

In addition to lectures and seminars, students participate in live projects that enhance real-world learning and professional credibility. Past projects have included repurposing an old barn into a contemporary wedding venue, designing the interior of Bohn’s restaurant in Nottingham, developing the 1st Crack coffee shop, and creating S.H.E.D., a mobile transforming shed touring the country. By the second year, students have the opportunity to receive Building Information Modelling (BIM) training and construct an online portfolio in preparation for the Design Practice Project, final year, and graduation.