MA Interior Architecture & Design

1 Year On Campus Masters Program

University of Portsmouth

Program Overview

The MA in Interior Architecture & Design at the University of Portsmouth is perfect for creative thinkers who want to shape interiors that truly impact how people live, work, and interact. The program blends hands-on making with the latest digital tools — like 3D printing, AR, and VR — so you can experiment, innovate, and explore interiors in both physical and virtual spaces.

Curriculum Structure

The course is designed to build your skills step by step, combining research, experimentation, and practical design:

Early Modules: In Creative Theories: Thinking and Making, you’ll explore cultural and political ideas behind interior design while creating prototypes. Research Methods equips you with the tools to critically investigate spaces, understand user needs, and support your design decisions with evidence.
Design Practice: Through Interior Practices: Design Project, you’ll apply your ideas to real-world scenarios, experimenting with materials, layouts, and sustainable solutions while developing your own design voice.
Final Project: Your Thesis gives you the freedom to focus on a self-directed design challenge. You’ll research, collaborate with a supervisor, and produce a design intervention or narrative that reflects your vision and skills.
Optional Modules: Integration of Transdisciplinary Experiences lets you work with students from architecture, urban planning, and other creative fields, while Work-Based Learning: Opportunity gives you hands-on experience in a professional practice.

Focus Areas

Interdisciplinary interiors, material experimentation, social engagement, immersive technologies, sustainability, cultural context.

Learning Outcomes

You’ll graduate ready to investigate and improve interior spaces, propose socially meaningful solutions, and communicate your ideas in innovative and professional ways.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

While the MA doesn’t lead directly to a professional license, it’s fully aligned with industry practice. You’ll work on live projects, gain community-focused experience, and develop a professional portfolio that showcases your skills to future employers.

Reputation

The University of Portsmouth is ranked 2nd in the UK for architecture teaching and 3rd for postgraduate architecture student satisfaction in 2024, highlighting the quality and impact of this program.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

On this MA, you really get to dive in and create. You’ll combine hands-on making with cutting-edge digital tools like 3D printing, AR, and VR, exploring interiors in both physical and virtual spaces. Portsmouth gives you the support, facilities, and expert guidance to experiment freely, so your designs can come to life in meaningful and innovative ways.

Here’s what your learning experience looks like:

Collaborative Studios: Work in the open-plan Eldon Building studios, where discussion, peer feedback, and teamwork are part of everyday design life.
Workshops & Fabrication: Access fully equipped workshops for model-making with wood, metal, plaster, and more, along with laser cutters, CNC routers, and 3D printers to bring your ideas to reality.
Immersive Reality Lab: Explore AR, VR, and XR in the university’s Centre for Creative and Immersive Extended Reality (CCIXR), giving you a cutting-edge edge in digital design.
Live Projects: Collaborate with local communities and stakeholders on real-world design projects that make a tangible difference.
Research & Making: Develop a hybrid skill set using both analogue techniques, like sketching and model-making, and digital tools for design, visualization, and prototyping.
Expert Support: Tutors guide you in creative software, research methods, and project management, helping you turn your ideas into professional outcomes.
Library & Digital Resources: Access Portsmouth’s 24/7 library, online journals, and specialist resources to support both your research and creative practice.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Completing the MA in Interior Architecture & Design at Portsmouth prepares you to step confidently into a creative and socially meaningful career. Graduates often take on roles as interior architects, spatial designers, exhibition or event designers, or design educators, applying their skills to real-world projects that impact communities. With a strong focus on professional practice and portfolio development, you’ll leave the course ready to make your mark.

Here’s how Portsmouth helps you get there:

Career Support: The Careers & Employability Centre offers one-to-one guidance, portfolio advice, interview preparation, and networking opportunities — support that continues for up to five years after graduation.
Work Experience & Placements: The Work-Based Learning: Opportunity module lets you gain hands-on experience in architectural or design practices and community-based projects.
Exhibitions & Professional Networking: Showcase your work at events like the interim show, the School of Architecture’s end-of-year exhibition, and the Interior Educators Exhibition, putting your portfolio directly in front of industry professionals.
Industry Connections: Collaborate on real-world projects with local communities, such as Portsea and St Luke’s Church, helping you build a professional network while making a tangible difference.
Long-Term Professional Value: This MA develops both design and research skills, giving you credibility in practice, consultancy, or further academic work.
Graduation Outcomes: Alumni move into interior and architectural design, exhibition and event design, arts-based roles, and education — all supported by their strong studio and research experience.

Further Academic Progression:
If you want to continue your studies, this MA lays the foundation for a PhD in Architecture, Interior Architecture, or Spatial Design, where you could explore topics like immersive environments, community-based reuse, or socio-cultural design.