Course description

The course is for anyone who is inspired and moved by interiors and inquisitive enough to find out how to realise these technically. Studying interior design at Derby will help you develop your design skills to create functional and unique spaces with strong spatial identities. You’ll learn how to best use specific spatial qualities, i.e. forms, texture and materials, lighting, colour, architectural components, objects and placement of these, enabling you to make your ideas become a reality. You’ll be inspired to work in a way that is environmentally responsible, memorable and experiential.

Preparing you for a career in interior design

The roles and responsibilities of an Interior Designer will see you become involved from the initial brief to the final build of a project which could be an existing building, an urban interior or a self-standing entity such as an exhibition or set-stage. The course is dynamic and co-creative, in that it welcomes students’ own voices/cultures and values risk-taking and experimentation. It further aims to equip students with all the relevant skills and knowledge ready for the ‘real’ world upon graduation.

You will gain exposure to the wide field that is interior design, exploring various spatial typologies such as residential interiors, commercial interiors i.e. retail, corporate, set-stage and exhibition design and hospitality, as well as exploring adaptive reuse/regenerative design to name but a few, with a focus on employment opportunities open to an interior design graduate. You will also learn how to collaborate nationally/internationally, and design bespoke artefacts and furniture to compliment your interiors and generate the appropriate visual documentation required for each stage of the design. You will also get to understand how people relate to space and objects, by being exposed to ergonomics, and learn to design spaces that are functional and in accordance to building regulations and health and safety legislation.

Networking and collaboration opportunities

This course sets itself apart from other interior design courses by offering unique collaborating opportunities with other disciplines in national/international partners. Collaboration with design disciplines may include working with other programmes in the university to design and manufacture interior artefacts or to create bespoke interior products. International collaboration will be through international vertical studio projects (joint projects between Level 4 to Level 6 cohorts). This course is affiliated with Interior Educators and members of the teaching team are affiliated with the BIID (British Institute of Interior Design) to ensure we stay up to date on current events taking place in the country.

Facilities

All Art and Design, Film, Photography and Music courses are based at our Markeaton Street site where industry-standard, purpose built studios and labs provide a modern and creative space for our students.

Markeaton Street encompasses Chandos Pole Street which is home to our Fashion and Textiles courses and Britannia Mill is home to Fine Art, Illustration and Interior Design studio spaces. Our Theatre students learn from professionals at the professional producing and learning Derby Theatre in the heart of Derby city centre.

Markeaton Street is a 15 minute walk from Kedleston Road, and is serviced by regular site shuttle buses.

Whilst studying this course, you will have access to Sounsnap to access music and sound effects.

Real world learning

In addition to your lectures and seminars, you will take part in live projects which build upon your ‘real’ world learning and will contribute to your credibility as an interior designer. Live projects to date include: Repurposing of an old barn to a contemporary wedding venue for Victoria Brown; design of Bohn’s restaurant interior now located in Nottingham; design of 1st Crack coffee shop and the design of S.H.E.D. a mobile transforming shed that is travelling the country for the next two years. You will also be able to obtain Building Information Modelling (BIM) training by your second year and construct an online portfolio in readiness for DPP and/or final year and graduation.

How you will learn

You’ll learn in well-resourced, professional design studios at Britannia Mill. Resources include ISKN tables, Macbook Pros, large format scanners, drawing boards, as well as the arts and design library.

You will also be able to make full use of the traditional 3D workshop facilities (wood and metal) at Markeaton Street and the latest 3D computer software. You’ll have access to specialist textiles equipment and machinery in the Digital Design Hub such as the laser cutter and digital fabric print facilities in the textiles department.? 

We also showcase at Free Range in London along with 50 other Interior Design institutions giving you the opportunity to display your work at one of the largest graduate shows in Europe. This valuable experience will help you to prepare for a career in interior design.

How you will be assessed

Assessment is 100% coursework based including practical production and oral presentation work, along with written assignments. In your final year, you’ll have the opportunity to write a dissertation on a subject of your choice and work on self-negotiated and independent creative projects.