MDes Interior Design

1 Years On Campus Masters Program

University of Dundee

Program Overview

The MDes Interior Design at Dundee is all about shaping the spaces we live, work, and interact in, with a strong focus on sustainability and creativity. It’s perfect for students who want to push boundaries in interior and spatial design while developing practical, research-driven skills that prepare them for professional practice.

Curriculum Structure

During the 12-month full-time course, your learning grows from broad exploration to a highly focused final project:

Term 1: You start with Research and Development in Practice, where you build your skills in research, spatial analysis, and idea generation. Interior Cultures helps you explore how culture, history, and society influence the spaces around us, giving your designs depth and context.
Term 2: You’ll focus on Interior Ecologies, looking at the relationship between interior spaces and their ecological and social environment. Optional modules like Studio Practice: Independent Project let you experiment with materials, form, and technology, while Making and Materiality gives you hands-on experience with crafting and prototyping.
Term 3: Your final Interior Project is a self-directed, research-led challenge. You’ll take an idea from concept to realization, with opportunities to visit sites, engage with audiences, and present your work to industry professionals in workshops or roundtable events.

Focus Areas

“sustainable interiors, spatial ecology, adaptive reuse, material innovation, research-led spatial practice”

Learning Outcomes

“graduates who can research and solve interior design challenges, create innovative spatial solutions, consider ecological and cultural contexts, and complete a major project demonstrating their unique design approach”

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

While not a chartered architecture qualification, this MDes is closely aligned with professional design practice. Students gain real-world experience through live briefs and research projects, preparing them for careers as spatial designers, interior consultants, or creative researchers.

Reputation & Employability

Studying at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, you’ll have access to design studios, workshops, and exhibition spaces to support experimentation and creation.
The program includes external visits and international collaborations, helping you build networks in the design industry.
Graduates leave with strong portfolios and research experience, opening doors to roles in adaptive reuse, spatial consultancy, or further academic study.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

When you join the MDes Interior Design at Dundee, you dive right into making and designing in real-world contexts. You’ll use state-of-the-art design studios, wellbeing-focused labs, and research tools — all supported by dedicated technicians — to experiment with materials and spatial ideas. Through live briefs, hands-on studio work, and research-led projects, you learn by doing, prototyping, reflecting, and iterating your ideas in meaningful ways.

Here’s how your practical skills are developed:

Design Studios & Workshops: You’ll work in specialist studios at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, with access to wood, metal, and model-making facilities for physical prototype building.
Research & Digital Tools: Use industry-relevant software and digital tools for spatial sketching, mapping, and visualization, helping you bring your ideas to life in both 2D and 3D.
Live & Professional Briefs: Throughout the course, you’ll engage with real clients, heritage organisations, or public space stakeholders, applying your design thinking to authentic, live design challenges.
Ecology‑Driven Design Projects: In modules such as Interior Ecologies, you explore relationships between interior design and ecological environments — including both indoor ecosystems and external sustainability concerns.
Field Visits & Site Research: You’ll go on field visits to buildings, urban sites, and ecologically significant interiors to research, analyse, and develop your design proposals.
Tutorials & Peer Crits: Through small-group tutorials and peer review sessions, you’ll receive regular feedback to reflect on and improve your project work.
Major Design Project: Your final Interior Project is a self-directed, research-led piece of work — which may include physical proposals, theoretical writing, or a combination of both — giving you real ownership of your design direction.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Completing the MDes Interior Design at Dundee opens doors to a range of exciting careers. Graduates often move into roles such as spatial designers, interior consultants, museum or gallery design specialists, or research-driven design professionals. The course combines creative exploration with practical experience, ensuring you leave with a portfolio and skillset that make you stand out to employers.

Here’s how the university helps you take your next step and what you can expect in the workplace:

Support from University Services:
- Dundee’s Careers Service provides tailored guidance, workshops, and recruitment events, connecting you with over 300 potential employers annually.
- Employability is embedded into the course, giving you opportunities to translate academic projects into real-world experience.
Employment & Salary Insights:
- Typical starting salaries for design graduates from Dundee are around £24,000, with many securing professional roles within 15 months of graduation.
- Graduates enjoy strong employment outcomes in both the UK and internationally.
Industry Connections & Professional Value:
- The course includes client-focused briefs and live projects, giving you hands-on experience that’s highly valued by studios and consultancies.
- Dundee’s links with international design networks and industry partners help you build connections for future career opportunities.
Graduate Destinations:
- Alumni pursue careers in design agencies, spatial consultancies, exhibitions, and cultural institutions, and some go on to establish their own practices.

Further Academic Progression:
After your MDes, you could continue with a PhD in Design, Architecture, or Spatial Innovation to deepen your research, or a Professional Doctorate, which allows you to combine advanced practice and research while contributing to the industry.