Interior Design BA (Hons)

Studying BA (Hons) Interior Design at the University of Edinburgh is all about learning by doing. From your very first semester, you’ll be designing, sketching, and building within a real studio environment at the Edinburgh College of Art (ECA). You’ll collaborate closely with tutors, visiting designers, and your peers — just like in a professional design practice. Every project connects ideas with materials, and creativity with craft, helping you develop a portfolio that shows real-world design thinking.

Your studies go beyond the sketchbook, too. You’ll have access to cutting-edge workshops and digital tools where your concepts come to life — whether that’s through hand-built models, computer renderings, or immersive spatial mock-ups. The ECA community also means you’ll be surrounded by artists, architects, and makers who’ll inspire you every day.

Here’s what that hands-on experience really looks like:

• Design Studio Practice: Work daily in a dedicated interior design studio, guided by professional designers and lecturers who’ll help you refine your ideas from concept to detail.

• Collaborative Design Projects: Take part in group and individual projects across retail, hospitality, exhibition, and public space design — exploring themes like accessibility, sustainability, and material innovation.

• Specialist Workshops: Use ECA’s wood, metal, and digital fabrication workshops to make models and prototypes — a key part of how you’ll test and communicate your ideas.

• Digital Design Tools: Gain fluency in industry-standard CAD software, used alongside traditional drawing and 3D modeling to visualize and develop your interiors.

• Material and Lighting Studies: Experiment with finishes, textures, and lighting effects to understand how design decisions shape atmosphere and user experience.

• Cultural and Contextual Learning: Step beyond the classroom — Edinburgh itself becomes your design laboratory, full of historic and contemporary spaces to study and draw inspiration from.

• Study Abroad and Work Placements: In your third year, you can choose to study overseas or gain professional experience through placements in design studios.

• World-Class Resources: Access the University’s extensive libraries, archives, and museums, plus the creative community and facilities of ECA.

Graduates of the BA (Hons) Interior Design programme at the University of Edinburgh are well-prepared for diverse career paths within the creative industries. The curriculum emphasizes both specialized design skills and transferable competencies, enabling alumni to pursue roles in:

• Interior design practice

• Multi-disciplinary design agencies

• Architecture

• Lighting design

• Exhibition and interpretation

• Brand and experiential design

• Furniture, specification, product, and materials (sales and manufacture)

• Film and TV production and set design

• Computer game design

• Theatre set design

The programme boasts a strong track record of employability, with alumni securing positions at renowned studios and companies such as Heatherwick Studio, 74, Form Design Consultants, Prada, Kengo Kuma, ICA, and Soho House. 

For those interested in further academic pursuits, postgraduate opportunities are available, including the MA in Interior, Architectural and Spatial Design at the University of Edinburgh. This advanced degree caters to graduates from related disciplines and requires a UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent, along with a portfolio submission. 

The programme's emphasis on creativity, adaptability, and interdisciplinary collaboration ensures that graduates are well-equipped to navigate and contribute to various sectors within the design industry.