MA Interior Architecture

1 Year On Campus Masters Program

Oxford Brookes University

Program Overview

The MA in Interior Architecture at Oxford Brookes is designed for creative thinkers who want to shape interiors that are both beautiful and meaningful. Whether you’re coming from a design, architecture, or environmental background, this program helps you explore how people experience space, and how interiors can influence behavior, mood, and community.

Curriculum Structure

The course is structured to give you a balance of theory, research, and hands-on design work:

Taught Modules: You’ll start with units like Spatial Qualities: History and Theory, examining how interiors have evolved over time, and Affordance: Practices of Social Space, exploring how spaces shape and are shaped by people. In Design Variables: Technology & Experience, you’ll experiment with materials and environmental performance, while Furnitecture: Research and Design lets you create innovative pieces that sit between furniture and architecture.
Research and Contextual Work: As you progress, the Social Space: Research and Design module encourages you to investigate real buildings and social spaces, analyzing how they function and proposing creative design solutions. Alongside, Research Methods and Design strengthens your analytical and research skills.
Final Project: The course culminates in your Dissertation: MA Interior Architecture, a major design research project that combines critical writing, visual analysis, and a design proposal of a social space that inspires you.

Focus Areas

Interior architecture, spatial experience, social design, materiality, environmental performance, furnitecture, research-led design.

Learning Outcomes

You’ll graduate able to critically analyze spaces, develop socially responsive interior solutions, and confidently present design strategies that blend research, creativity, and craft.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

While this MA doesn’t provide Part I or II professional accreditation, it is closely aligned with interior and architectural practice, giving you studio-based, research-led experience that prepares you for the professional world.

Reputation (Employability & Career Outcomes)

Oxford Brookes’ School of Architecture has a strong track record for producing graduates who go on to work in leading design studios and creative practices, from interior and exhibition design to lighting and spatial consultancy.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

On the MA Interior Architecture at Oxford Brookes, learning is all about doing. You’ll spend your time in dedicated design studios, collaborating with peers, experimenting with ideas, and using both digital and physical tools to bring your concepts to life. Through live briefs and research-led projects, you’ll gain hands-on experience designing spaces that people actually use, giving your work real-world impact.

Here’s how your learning comes to life:

Collaborative Studio Environment: Work in the Interior Architecture studio at the Abercrombie Building, where critiques, seminars, and group discussions help you refine your ideas and build confidence.
Workshops and Fabrication: Make use of laser cutters, CNC routers, 3D printers, and 3D scanners — all supported by expert workshop staff to help turn your concepts into tangible models.
Digital Tools: Access up-to-date software for modeling, rendering, and visualization, helping you translate your ideas between digital and physical forms.
Live Projects: Engage in projects with real clients and stakeholders, allowing you to design for real social spaces and understand user needs firsthand.
Flexible Studio Access: Studios are open 24/7, giving you the freedom to work whenever creativity strikes.
Research-Led Design: Modules like Social Space: Research and Design help you combine research and design to create solutions that are socially and culturally meaningful.
Library and Campus Resources: Benefit from Brookes’ extensive library collections, study spaces, and support for digital tools to enhance your research and project work.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Completing the MA Interior Architecture at Oxford Brookes opens up a world of creative and socially meaningful career paths. Many graduates go on to work as interior architects, spatial designers, design consultants, or researchers, using their skills to shape spaces that people interact with every day. With Brookes’ strong support and real-world focus, you’ll leave the program ready to step confidently into your chosen profession.

Here’s how Brookes helps you make that transition:

Career Support: The Careers Service provides guidance on portfolio building, interview preparation, internships, and professional placements — helping you turn your skills into a strong employability profile.
Graduate Success: Around 93% of Brookes graduates are in work or further study within six months, reflecting the practical, industry-focused nature of the course.
Industry Connections: Through live projects and community-based design work, you’ll gain experience collaborating with real stakeholders and understanding professional workflows.
Long-Term Career Value: The research-led, studio-based approach ensures your skills are credible in design practice, consultancy, or even further academic study.
Graduation Outcomes: Graduates take on diverse roles that include socially-focused interior design, spatial planning, and research, equipped with knowledge of inclusive and user-centered design.

Further Academic Progression:
If you want to continue learning, this MA provides a strong foundation for a PhD in Architecture, Interior Architecture, or Spatial Design, where you could explore topics like social sustainability, environmental psychology, or community-centered design — or even move into teaching and research.