Interior Design BA (Hons)

Programme information

While this new programme will prepare students for a career as an Interior Designer, the transferability of creative, critical and communication skills developed during their design education will lead to a range of other options within and beyond the creative industries. We confidently expect our graduates to go on to join our other design graduates who work with top international companies and designers.

First year

The first year provides an introduction to the discipline. Students are encouraged to research and develop individual strengths and skills in the analysis, evaluation and contextualisation of their work in contemporary Interior Design.

Second year

Students undertake courses in Design Studio, Contemporary and Contextual Studies, Technical Studies, Design Communication and Commercial Business Awareness. These courses aim to explore fundamental concepts and progressively develop key disciplinary skills.

Third year

This academic year focuses on students working in appropriate interdisciplinary projects and industry collaborations through a combination of independent study, team working and appropriate external projects. This external activity provides students with industry awareness as well as giving them first-hand knowledge of contextualising their own work in the contemporary Interior Design discipline.

Fourth year

Students devise and negotiate their own project, which forms the main body of work for their BA (Hons) degree. A full project of work is designed, researched and produced alongside an academic report to complement the creative and industrial body of work that is aimed at a specific customer and market level, which incorporates all the required learnt outcomes to show a higher level of understanding and knowledge of the Interior Design field.

Career prospects

The programme aims to enable students to develop the key skills required for employment as a designer such as the conceptual and creative thinking that underlies all good design; the technical know-how and analytical skills that get Interiors built; and the interpersonal skills that make interiors useful, and delightful to those who inhabit them, thus enabling graduates to succeed in the global interior design industry at all levels.

Entry requirements

First year entry

  • CBSE or equivalent Minimum of 60% in Grade 12 examinations.
  • American High School Diploma Pass plus SATs with an overall score of 1500.
  • International Baccalaureate 24 points or above.
  • GCE A-Level CCC or equivalent.
  • UAE Tawjihiyya Minimum of 80% plus IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 550/213/80.
  • Foundation Year Successful completion of Heriot-Watt University Degree Entry Programme Design Studies with a BBBB.

Second year entry

  • GCE A Levels BBB in relevant subjects
  • International Baccalaureate 27 points
  • CBSE Overall 85%+ (in relevant subjects)
  • Equivalent programme studied at another university for first year level. Please contact us to discuss further.
  • The final decision lies with the Programme Director for students applying for an advanced year entry as all aspects of an application need to be reviewed.

Third year entry

  • Successful completion of an HND in a related field of study. Please contact us to discuss further.

Fourth year entry

  • Successful completion of a BA Ordinary Degree in a related field of study. Please contact us to discuss further.

Additional information

  • Where English was not the medium of instruction at secondary school, applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 550 (paper-based exam); 213 computer-based exam); 80 (internet-based exam).