BA (Hons) Interior Design Bachelor's degree at the Arts, London
BA (Hons) Interior Design at Arts London. Chelsea College of Arts draws on nearly four decades of specialist teaching to ground this degree in the relationship between interior spaces, human experience, and material practice.
About this course
BA (Hons) Interior Design is a Bachelor's degree (BA (Hons)) at the Arts, London, based in Chelsea College of Arts. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Design studies graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 55% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £24,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Art & Design, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Stronger evidence Published sample: 6,460. Cohort 2021-22. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2021-23. Continuation 96% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 4 modules
- Unit 1: Introduction to Interior Design: methods and processesCore
Module details
This unit is an introduction to your course, the College and the University.
- Unit 2: Design objectsCore
Module details
The unit introduces you to the design of objects. You'll explore ways in which the materials you use might inform and generate design ideas when designing products or furniture. You'll produce technical drawings and sketch models. Experimenting with analogue and digital technologies, you'll learn how to generate different types of imagery and modelling. You'll make a physical model that responds to a project brief and provide supporting material showing evidence of your research and drawings. Wr
- Unit 3: Design mediaCore
Module details
The unit introduces you to tools for mapping, measuring, recording and experimenting with interior space. Using a range of digital and physical media, you'll explore analogue and digital making processes. This will introduce you to strategies of depiction and interpretation, as well as methods for mapping and recording design data.
- Unit 4: Design contextsCore
Module details
The unit introduces you to the relationship between users and their environments. It situates design within a social and cultural context. Examining a small-scale interior, you'll undertake research to identify individual design practices. You'll analyse an existing site and initiate a design proposal that includes research, drawings and models. Your written work will examine multidisciplinary design concepts underpinning your interior design research.
Year 2 4 modules
- Unit 5: Collaborative and collective practicesCore
Module details
You'll be introduced to different ways in which collaborative working can help you to focus and enhance your own creative strengths. You'll have the chance to work with fellow students and creative communities.
- Unit 6: Interior practicesCore
Module details
This unit introduces you to a range of interior practices and theoretical principles. During studio workshops, you'll explore planning processes, technical drawing packages and anatomies of practice. You'll also learn about the career opportunities within the design sector, which will help you identify your final year specialism and career pathway.
- Unit 7: Material and immaterial practicesCore
Module details
This unit will deepen your understanding of the context in which design operates. You'll explore different approaches to the analysis of space and learn how to use research methods to record and map design data. You'll develop written work and a presentation to visually demonstrate your research process.
- Unit 8: Public sphere practicesCore
Module details
You'll design a public interior, working from a live brief. You'll create a sustainable design proposal that responds to the function and spatial organisation of a public environment. You'll work in teams to simulate the experience of working in a professional design studio. You'll present your proposal to industry practitioners. Written work will examine design theories to contextualise your design proposal. The unit will help you develop project management, communication, organisational and le
Year 3 3 modules
- Unit 9: Professional futuresCore
Module details
The unit aims to address the 3Es (employability, enterprise and entrepreneurship). You'll reflect on your learning and skills across the entirety of your study. You'll have an opportunity to showcase your outcomes and intentions. You'll consider your next steps as you enter industry or continue with your education.
- Unit 10: Programme researchCore
Module details
The unit is made up of 3 components: enquiry, application and evaluation. You'll undertake research and testing to analyse and scope out initial ideas. You'll also produce written work to support your research. This will serve as the blueprint for your final programme proposal, which you'll complete in unit 11.
- Unit 11: Programme proposalCore
Module details
The unit is made up of 3 components: methods and processes, proposal testing and project presentation. Using the programme research as your foundation, you'll produce a comprehensive proposal that examines all aspects of an interior environment. You'll present your proposal at the College show.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study interior design with an emphasis on visual foundations and hands-on making. Year 1 focuses on visual language, colour, composition and form, alongside practical workshops in materials and processes, grounded in art and design history. Year 2 develops your studio practice through sustained projects, explores digital and emerging media tools, and engages you with live briefs and real-world collaboration. By Year 3, you'll move into specialist studio work tailored to your interests, such as graphic design, illustration, fine art, fashion and textiles, or UX and digital practice. Throughout, you'll develop a professional portfolio and culminate in a final major project exhibited in a degree show.
Who it's for
You're drawn to spaces and how people inhabit them. You think visually and materially; you enjoy problem-solving through making and drawing. You want rigorous training in design principles and software, but you also value cultural and theoretical understanding. You're serious about a creative career and willing to develop a professional portfolio. This course suits you if you're self-directed enough to sustain an independent project and curious enough to ask why spaces matter, not just how to fill them.
Careers & job market
Across Art & Design courses nationally, 87% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months; 55% of those working are in highly skilled roles. National earnings data for interior design and related fields show starting salaries of £22,000–£27,000 at 15 months after graduation, rising to £20,825–£29,400 by year five. Paths vary: some graduates enter design practices, others move into related fields such as architecture, exhibition design, heritage conservation, or education. The course is designed to equip you for both immediate employment and further postgraduate study.
University & format
The BA (Hons) Interior Design is a 3-year full-time degree taught at Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts, London. Instruction is in English. The award is a nationally recognised Bachelor's degree. The course is recognised by the UK degree-awarding body framework and holds Bronze status in the Office for Students' Teaching Excellence Framework (2023).
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 79% |
| another higher-education qualification | 15% |
| a Baccalaureate | 3% |
| a previous degree | 1% |
| an Access course | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code W252). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at Arts London →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Art & Design graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £24,500 | £22,000 – £27,000 | 6460 |
| 3 years after | £23,500 | £17,500 – £28,500 | 1095 |
| 5 years after | £29,500 | £21,500 – £36,000 | 1110 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 6,460. Cohort 2021-22.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in art & design · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Art & Design nationally
National figures for Art & Design graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 6,460. Cohort 2021-22. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Art & Design courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,698 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Design occupationsSOC 2020 342 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £35,957
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Web and Multimedia Design ProfessionalsSOC 2020 214 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £32,574
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 25; response rate: 50%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Art & Design graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Art & Design graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Design studios & agencies
- In-house brand teams
- Games & media companies
- Freelance & self-employed
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Art & Design graduates.
Fine Art TechnicianFirst Choice StaffPharmacy Technician – Brand New State-of-the-Art HospitalCompass AssociatesArtificial Intelligence Engineering ManagerMBN SolutionsArtificial Intelligence EngineerExperis UKDelivery Driver (Part Time 24 hours) - AndoverOcado LogisticsCompliance Business PartnerNashrock Insurance RecruitmentIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £24,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 9.0 out of 10: NSS 83.4% · in work or study 90% · continued 96%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
University of the Arts, London
Design, and creative and performing arts across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Chelsea College of Arts
5,453 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Art & Design right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Arts London from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £28,570 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
This course lists IELTS level 6.0 or above, with at least 5.5 in reading, writ. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Arts London’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Arts London and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Arts London
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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