On the Foundation Degree Interior Design, you’ll enjoy a wide-ranging programme, involving everything from small-scale projects, such as furniture and residential design, to large-scale proposals for commercial and retail projects.

Building on Chelsea’s experience and achievements in interior design, the course will help you explore ways of designing and depicting interior schemes, whether responding to live projects and competitions, or through creative partnerships with industry. We’ll encourage you to develop a professional attitude, show initiative and be self motivated.

Technical skills are essential in the contemporary interior design discipline, and you’ll focus on developing your design ability and capacity to use creativity and intellect to solve problems. The work we set will help you grow all your design faculties, whether you’re making scale models and prototypes for architectural design briefs or graphically depicting interior environments in digital media. You’ll develop your projects in the studio, workshop and work-based learning contexts, complemented by a detailed theory programme.

Key Facts

Our students have worked on a range of projects – from the redesign of a strip of motels in Miami’s Biscayne Bay to undertakings for primary schools.

Further examples include furniture design in collaboration with Habitat, retail design for Becca Cosmetics stores in London, boutique hotel design in Morocco and a design project with UNIQLO in Tokyo.

We’ve devised the course in partnership with key individuals from the design industry, including those from advertising agency, Pentagram, and organisations such as the Design Council, the Arts Council and Creative Partnerships.

Learning and teaching

University of the Arts London courses span a broad range of art, design, communication, business, media, science and communication subjects. So the ways in which you learn and how your time is used will vary according to the specific course you are studying; this may be in studios, labs, classes, involve working alone, learning from peers in pairs or groups, or with external partners. Most importantly, no matter which course you enrol on, you will learn not only about your subject but also about how you learn and how to increase your knowledge base.

Our courses will guide you to take increasing responsibility and ownership of your work and your learning. We do this so that you will be ready and able to take full advantage of the full range of opportunities offered by the creative industries in the global economy.

Assessment methods

At the University of the Arts London we see assessment as a very real part of learning, rather than just a means of looking back at past work and measuring achievement; we believe that assessment helps you plan future work and develop new ideas. 

Your work will be assessed through projects or portfolios, with written papers or research journals, and, on some courses, examinations. You will be graded according to a set of marking criteria that relate to such things as research, subject knowledge, methodology, and your capacity to analyse and reflect on your achievements. So don’t be afraid of assessment - it is the way to progress.

The FdA Interior Design enjoys a wide-ranging programme from small-scale projects such as furniture and residential design, through to large-scale proposals for commercial and retail projects.

You engage with a variety of skills, from the making of scale models and prototypes for architectural design briefs, to the graphic depiction of interior environments in digital media.

All projects are developed in studio, workshop and work based learning contexts and alongside incorporates a detailed Theory programme.

The FdA Interior Design is a two-year course comprising two stages:

Year 1

Introduction to the workshop environments, developing technical skills to assist with design skills, and an introduction to basic problem solving through design by looking at projects in a simulated industry scenario. You are also given a broad view of the contemporary and historical contexts of interior design.

Year 2

Continues with the study of contemporary and historical aspects of interior design. You also work on collaborative live projects with design briefs, gain further insight into the working environment of the design industry and develop and implement a proposal for an industry related project.

A further important aspect of the course is the Personal and Professional Development programme which is strongly linked to the vocational purposes of the course. A panel of design organisations, employers and advisers supports the course with a diversity of practice and expertise ensuring the programme remains relevant and responsive to industry.

An important aspect of the course is the Personal and Professional Development programme that is strongly linked to the vocational purposes of the course and the course prepares graduates for career progression into the creative industries.

An industry panel of design organisations, employers and advisers further supports the course with a diversity of practice and expertise to ensure that the programme remains relevant and responsive to the design industry. 

In addition to their employability, there is a clear progression route for candidates wishing to go on to study the BA Interior and Spatial Design at Chelsea College of Art and Design, subject to the level of achievement in the FdA, and completion of a bridging programme.

Entry Requirements

Applicants are normally expected to achieve, or already have, the course entry requirements detailed below:

One GCE ‘A’ level passes at grade C or above plus passes in three GCSE subjects at grade C or above
or equivalent awards

The College does also take into consideration alternative qualification and experience.

Applicants whose first language is not English must show proof of IELTS level 5.5 and a minimum of 4.5 in reading, listening, writing and speaking. All information regarding acceptable tests, scores and exemptions from testing can be found here: http://www.arts.ac.uk/international/apply/englishlanguagerequirements/

International Applicants
We welcome applications from international students and will be pleased to help with the application process. To receive advice and help with your application you are invited to contact one of the University's local representatives in your own country or one of our International Student Advisors in London.
www.chelsea.arts.ac.uk/international

What We Look For
We are interested in candidates who are seeking a professional career in the field and those who are particularly interested in a vocational experience within their study.

Student Selection criteria
Our recruitment policy is particularly focused on identifying creative promise and potential. We are interested in seeing how applicants see their own creative direction, but we are open to looking at examples of visual work that are not necessarily developed in spatial terms.

Portfolio and interview Advice
If you are able to bring a portfolio along to the interview this is helpful, otherwise you should strive to present a clear picture of your professional and/or work experience, transferable skills, interests and abilities

When looking at prospective students’ portfolios the course staff team is looking for:

• Work that has a spatial awareness, both in terms of 2D, drawing and 3D forms.
• An enthusiasm for making three-dimensional work.
• An interest in the vocational aspect of the course.
• An ability to select work for a portfolio (but backed up by sketchbooks).

UK/EU Applicants

You need to apply through the UCAS online application system. You can complete your UCAS application from anywhere that has internet access.

You will be able to find Chelsea courses listed under University of the Arts London on the UCAS website. All Chelsea College of Art and Design UCAS Course Codes can be found on the course 'At a Glance' tab or on the UCAS website.

Our University code is UAL.

Our College Code is U65.

There is no 'Campus Code' for Chelsea College of Art and Design.

What happens next
All application forms, personal statements and references will be read and subject to meeting the entry requirements, you may then be invited to a portfolio review and interview. 

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. 

For further information about UCAS, or their application procedure, please contact them directly.
T: +44 (0)870 1122211
E: enq@ucas.ac.uk

For any other information please contact Chelsea College of Art and Design
T: +44 (0)20 7514 7751
E: info@chelsea.arts.ac.uk

International Applicants
Please visit the CCW International apply page for details.
or contact the CCW International Office.
T: +44 (0) 207 514 1852
E: ccwinternational@arts.ac.uk