Course overview
Normally based around the conversion of existing buildings, the interior designer considers the needs of the client and building’s end use, the creation of interior spatial layouts, and improving circulation and function. Working as an interior designer, you specify materials, design fittings and furniture, and select colour palettes and lighting schemes.
You focus on existing and emerging design trends including health, wellbeing and sustainability, and engage with socially and ethically-focused agendas essential in current practice. You learn how to contextualise interiors in relation to people and society, and participate in live projects and national competitions that replicate professional practice, preparing you to become a creative design professional who can work with a range of clients.
Interior design at Teesside has a long heritage and has been taught at undergraduate level for over 50 years. We are also a Society of British and International Interior Design Centre of Excellence.
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Course details
Course structure
Core modules
Design in Context: Building for People and Society
You are introduced to the social, cultural and economic aspects of current design and built environment thinking. You consider people and communities, current spatial design trends, innovation and new models of construction. The cultural understanding of home, work, community, health, wellbeing and place is explored. The impact of changing government policies, changing demographics, as well as the influence of new technology and sustainability is discussed. You also consider the relationship between process and product and relate theory to practice through a design project that applies learning from the past, to problem solving a current project.
Emerging Spatial Trends: Wellbeing and Sustainability
You investigate the links between interior design and the built environment with new thinking on designing for health and wellbeing. Promoting health and wellbeing through new materials and biophilic trends has rapidly gathered momentum. You focus on notions of environmental wellness in interior design as a growing design ethos and how residential and commercial spaces can influence our physical and mental health.
You identify, lead and manage a large scale, innovative and complex interior design project. The project is a substantial novel piece of work, where you display a deep understanding of creative and innovative design. This is underpinned by research and a detailed journey of the development and critical skills necessary to identify, develop and implement solutions to spatial and real world problems.
You are introduced to new and emerging design tools and software that are becoming more widespread in interior and architectural design practice. The designer’s role in building information modelling is investigated and some of the key considerations, terminology and software that the designer takes into account in their professional role. You explore how building performance and sustainability is considered from the beginning of the design process, and how new software allows design to become a collaborative and iterative process.
Interior Practice: Managing Design
The interior designer’s role has many features and goes beyond the purely creative design element. Interior design is an industry that works within building and construction regulation and legal constraints and operates across a number of sectors dealing with specification, contracts, health and safety and project management. The designer rarely works in a vacuum, you consider the management and business of interior design practice and the role of the interior designer in the professional relationships between them and other practitioners.
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
Lectures deliver theoretical content and concepts, practical demonstrations and interactive exercises. There is also enquiry-based active learning, research and discussion-based sessions, and client/user facing activities, discussions and critiques.
You undertake a number of individual and group-based learning activities, working closely together as an integrated learning community.
You are taught by senior lecturers and associate professors who have interiors professional body certification and/or Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy recognition. You are also supported by industry-based tutors from interior design practice.
How you are assessed
The modules are generally project based and assessed through the appraisal of a portfolio of designed work, often accompanied by a verbal presentation. Creative projects are normally assessed on the final communication and visualisation of your work as well as the design process of research and development, evidencing the analytical journey towards your design solutions.
Entry requirements
A UK 2.2 honours degree in a spatial design related field or a design degree with experience of interior practice.
You are expected to be a confident and independent learner with a good understanding of the design process, idea development and critical thinking. You are asked to present a portfolio of work or a completed project showing the development of your work from behind the scenes, or an ongoing project showing the progression and direction of your work.
For general information please see our overview of entry requirements
International applicants can find out what qualifications they need by visiting Your Country
Employability
Career opportunities
You could work as a designer in commercial, residential, hospitality and health sectors, and design and space planning in schools and further and higher education, retail design and visual merchandising, technical computer-aided (CAD) design work or CAD visualisation, lighting design, exhibition and museum design, interior product and branding, or an interior specialist within architectural practices.
Information for international applicants
Qualifications
International applicants - find out what qualifications you need by selecting your country below.
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Useful information
Visit our international pages for useful information for non-UK students and applicants.
