BA (hons) Interior Design (optional year abroad)

The BA (Hons) Interior Design with Optional Year Abroad at Bath Spa University is a creative, studio-based degree that encourages you to design meaningful, people-centred interior spaces while developing your own design identity. It’s ideal for students who want to combine hands-on design practice with cultural exploration, gaining an international perspective that enriches both creativity and career prospects.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

Your first year introduces you to the fundamentals of interior design through practical studio work and creative exploration. Modules such as Interior Design Studio 1, Design Communication and Contextual Studies help you understand space, form and function while building essential skills in drawing, model-making and visual presentation. This year focuses on experimentation, confidence-building and developing your design voice.

Year 2

In your second year, you’ll deepen your technical and conceptual understanding of interior design. Through Interior Design Studio 2, Materials, Methods and Making and Design Research and Theory, you’ll explore how interiors respond to people, culture and place, while learning how to select materials, consider sustainability and resolve design ideas more professionally. Projects become more complex and reflective of real-world design challenges.

Year 3 – Optional Year Abroad

The optional year abroad gives you the opportunity to study at a partner institution overseas, immersing yourself in a new cultural and creative environment. You’ll experience different approaches to design, architecture and spatial thinking, broadening your global awareness and creative perspective. This year helps you grow personally and professionally, while making your graduate profile stand out.

Year 4

In your final year, you’ll bring together everything you’ve learned through independent, research-led design work. Modules such as Interior Design Studio 3, Professional Practice and your Final Major Project allow you to develop a complete interior design proposal that reflects your interests and career ambitions. This year focuses on portfolio development, professional readiness and refining your individual design approach.

Focus Areas

Interior spatial design, design communication, materials and making, sustainability, contextual research, professional practice, global design perspectives.

Learning Outcomes

By graduation, you’ll be able to create thoughtful and innovative interior design solutions, communicate ideas clearly through visual and digital media, understand how culture and context influence space, and manage design projects from concept to final presentation.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The course is closely aligned with contemporary interior design practice, preparing you for professional roles through studio-based learning, project work and portfolio development. The optional year abroad strengthens your adaptability, cultural awareness and creative confidence — qualities highly valued in the design industry.

Reputation (Employability & Rankings)

Bath Spa University is known for its strong creative reputation and supportive studio culture. Graduates benefit from personalised teaching, a strong emphasis on independent thinking, and the ability to stand out to employers through a distinctive portfolio and international experience.