Together we explore the possibility of making narratives from our interior design.

Our aim on this course is for you to develop an open way of thinking about interior design, and to give you the opportunity to critically engage with contemporary design approaches. We’ll show you how to connect with interior design in a variety of ways, for example, through designing, writing, visually communicating and researching.

Our central theme is working out to what extent interior architecture can develop and be communicated by the need to establish a narrative. That’s why we’ll ask you to design books to communicate your proposals.

A further focus is designing small-scale interiors and exploring new opportunities for interventions within existing architectural spaces, which will see you discovering that the contextual and cultural issues of interior design are as important as the visual ones. You’ll be expected to reflect on these by writing journals and giving presentations.

You’ll decide upon your learning programme with your tutor and develop the conceptual, practical and problem-solving skills needed to be a consummate design professional, which are transferable to many areas of design. The course will also help you work out the career direction you want to pursue.

Key Facts

You don’t have to come from an art and design background to study on this course. The study is equivalent to that of the third year of an interior design degree course, and will ready you for work or for studies at masters level.

You’ll be able to combine the skills you already have, whether business, marketing or law, for example, with the interior design skills you’ll gain, making you even more employable.

Each year, our students are involved in a series of live projects, including designing a Christmas-themed installation for the national hotel chain, Mint Hotel.

The course runs over a total of 30 weeks and offers a combination of taught study; self-directed negotiated study; personal research and written assignments. There are two major practical projects undertaken during the year and each is the subject of a book. You will use these books to promote the next stage of your design career.

You are assigned a personal tutor who supports your development and you are introduced to a range of visiting designers and practitioners. You are also encouraged to engage in wider debate through professional practice lectures and Open Lectures.

The course is studio based and delivered in three projects or units of study:

Commodity and Design 

This is a design programme that explores a small-scale domestic interior. We will introduce the importance of peer learning and you will work in groups to establish an understanding of the project space. This project focuses on how the client/user can be given a new opportunity to perform within a space and the various methods you have to envisage and communicate this opportunity.

Negotiated Design Programme  

In this unit you are expected to initiate a design project. The student group will share common concerns and design processes, but the context and conditions are to be of your own making. You will choose a location, make an analysis of an interior and establish a design brief for a new programme of habitation. You are asked to find a context in the public realm rather than the domestic one and you are expected to reflect upon and discuss how habitation is improved by your contribution.

Professional Context 

This unit is concerned with critical reflection upon professional practice and your creative processes. You are expected to become conversant with the notion of addressing research questions and how to keep a reflective journal. You will learn about professional communication within the practice of interior design, and specifically the writing requirements of an interior designer when they are reflecting upon and communicating their design proposals. This will prepare you for professional practice and support the critical position of your design proposals.

On completing this 30-week course, you can count on feeling confident about working as an interior designer. We also encourage you to arrange a meeting with an employability adviser before you leave, who will help you fix on the direction you wish to take. Many of our graduates go on to further study programmes in interior design or in other related disciplines.

Entry Requirements

• BA (Hons) Degree or equivalent
• Evidence of ability in art or design
• Some experience of architectural drawing is required, previous applicants have taken the short course in architectural drawing as a starting point to gain this experience.

The College takes into consideration prior learning, alternative qualifications and experience.

English Language Requirements
Applicants whose first language is not English must show proof of IELTS level 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each of the four skills. All information regarding acceptable tests, scores and exemptions from testing can be found here: http://www.arts.ac.uk/international/apply/englishlanguagerequirements/

Please note that this course is not an introduction to interior design. It is equivalent to the third year of a degree course that prepares students for professional employment or higher degree studies at masters level. Before joining this course you must have some experience or complete courses in architectural drawing and model making. 

You must also prove that you have engaged in some preliminary research into how interior designers operate and what processes they use to develop a design proposal. We expect you to be self-motivated, have good study skills and exhibit an enthusiasm for exploration and research.

Did you know that the Chelsea College of Art & Design also teach an Orienatation to Interior Design Short Course? Many applicants use this Orientation Course to familiarise themselves with the College and use it as a refresher in education.  See the full details of this Orientation course here.

How to Apply
You can download an application for the Graduate Diploma in Interior Design from the link below: 

Graduate Diploma Application Form 2013 - 2014

Please send completed applications to:

Admissions
Chelsea College of Art and Design
16 John Islip Street
London
SW1P 4JU

Visit us
We strongly recommend that you attend an open day prior to submitting your application so that you can find out all the key information about what the course has to offer you, meet staff, visit the college, and see the facilities available.

What happens next?
All applicants who meet the entry requirements will be invited for interview. To help the interview team assess your application you are asked to indicate in your personal statement your immediate reasons for applying to the course. At the interview you will be asked to describe your skills in, and understanding of, the practice of Interior Design, using verbal, written or visual means as appropriate to your experience. 

Applicants have the right to ask for feedback if their application is unsuccessful. Requests must be made in writing to the Student Administrator, and we will respond within 20 working days.