Interior Design BA (Hons)

Level: Undergraduate

Subject: Architecture and Architectural History & Heritage

Year of entry: 2026

Key facts

UCAS Code

W250

Award

BA (Hons)

Duration of study

3 years, 4 years

Delivery

Full-time

Study location

Lauriston campus

Start date

September 2026

School

Edinburgh College of Art

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Study abroad

Available

Placement

Available

Second year entry

Available

Open days and events

About the degree programme

Interior Design practice involves the reuse of existing buildings and places to reinvent them to support a new range of activities. Central to this is making sure they are fit for purpose in terms of human occupation, inclusivity and accessibility, as well as reducing the environmental impact of buildings.

Having a responsive attitude to the diverse social issues people face is key to our discipline. By this approach, we make sure the interiors we create positively impact the lives of those who use and inhabit them.

The studio

Our programme here at Edinburgh will introduce you to the study of Interior Design in our dedicated studio space. Experienced permanent staff are joined by visiting industry experts who will support and challenge you to experiment and takes risks as you explore the design process.

You will be encouraged to bring your own themes and agendas to the table, and to share and learn from our combined diversity.

Discover what it's like to study BA Interior Design from our staff and students.

How long it takes to complete this degree programme

This programme is usually studied over 4 years, however, some students may be eligible to enter in the second year and complete the programme in 3 years.

Programme rankings

  • 1st in Scotland for architecture/built environment in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025
  • Top 10 universities in the UK for architecture/built environment in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025

Programme benefits

  • Edinburgh is a wonderful canvas in which we base many of our projects. Your dedicated interior design studio is located in the heart of the city. 
  • Projects work with a design brief, which acts as a springboard to launch your research and design ideas. Themes emphasise current and emerging agendas, alongside ethical values, to ensure our graduates are equipped as future thinkers in the discipline. 
  • Experienced staff are joined by visiting industry experts, offering diverse and current perspectives, to support and challenge you to create your own personal design identity. 
  • Opportunities to study abroad or to select a work-placement option exist in Year 3, to broaden your experience of the discipline and your wider network. 
  • Our Graduate show and website provide you with a global platform to showcase your final portfolio of work. 

Edinburgh College of Art has not only equipped me with tools to channel my creativity, but also to think critically within the context of our industry. I was immersed in a diverse creative environment which encouraged me to look for inspiration in other disciplines, collaborate and explore unexpected ideas. Even the projects that seemed quite abstract at the time resonate with the work I do today. My time at the ECA was a journey of discovery, and has laid the foundations of my career as a designer.

Tamas Turdean BA Interior Design, graduated 2018.

Find your entry requirements

Use the dropdowns to find out your entry requirements.

  1. Select the country where you are studying or where you studied your qualification.
  2. Select the qualification you are studying or studied.
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Tuition fees for BA (Hons) Interior Design

View the tuition fees for one academic year of BA (Hons) Interior Design.

Tuition fees for this programme

Additional costs

Equipment and materials for compulsory courses

A laptop or smartphone is required for all courses to engage with course materials, information and weekly announcements.

In Year 1, you may find a laptop useful to collate presentations, carry out research, and create written work. However, computer labs are widely available on campus and can be used outside core studio times. 

From Year 2 onward, a personal laptop capable of running and processing computer-aided design (AutoCAD & Sketch-up) and Adobe software is required for your studies.

Estimated equipment and material costs per year

Year 1: £150 approximately

You will need:

  • a kit of basic drawing and making materials which you will use across all 4 years: pens, pencils, cutting tools, cutting mat, tape, etc. 
  • sketchbooks 
  • basic card and model-making materials (we encourage re-use where appropriate) 
  • printing for interim tutorials, events and submissions 

Years 2 and 3: £120 approximately per year 

You will need:

  • basic card and model-making materials (we encourage re-use where appropriate), plus workshop materials 
  • sketchbooks 
  • printing for interim tutorials, events and submissions 

Year 4: £400 to £500 

You will need:

  • card and other model-making materials (we encourage re-use where appropriate) 
  • sketchbooks 
  • printing for interim tutorials, events and submissions 
  • Graduate Show costs:  
    • materials for final modelmaking and other artefacts 
    • printing design nook 

In the final Honours year, projects are individual and costs can vary depending on personal approach. 

Trips and external events

In all years you may have to pay for local travel.  

For optional study trips you will be expected to cover all personal costs:  

  • travel 
  • accommodation 
  • food, drink and other everyday costs
  • some entry fees (may be subsidised by the programme) 

You may also have opportunities to participate in national exhibitions, competitions and events in the UK. For these, you must pay for your: 

  • travel  
  • accommodation 
  • food, drink and other everyday costs
  • exhibit fees (may be subsidised by the programme) 

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that a single student can potentially spend a maximum of £920 to £2,257 on living costs each month, depending on your accommodation.

This estimate covers the costs of:

  • accommodation
  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel within Edinburgh
  • health and wellbeing costs

See a breakdown of living costs

Scholarships and funding

Funding information

You can find detailed information on financial support available, based on where you are living, in our funding section.

Funding

What you will study

Your design education at Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) will include studies in material selection and interior construction detailing and lighting design, zooming in to focus on surfaces, finishes and junctions.

We encourage thinking through making, and a hands-on approach to enhance our understanding of how things go together.  

An explicit focus on the fabric of the built interior will equip you with specialist technical knowledge and enhanced professional skills, which you will articulate through critical and reflective discourse.

Projects

A variety of design projects will offer you experience across many sectors including:

  • retail and hospitality
  • exhibition
  • the wider public realm

A focus on human activity and user experience is embedded in each project.

We consider the moral obligations of the designer in responding to the diversity of the individual and wider social issues.

You will learn how concepts evolve into spatial strategies which are tested through the perspectives of:

  • accessibility and inclusivity
  • introducing statutory legislation and technical requirements
  • debate and consideration of environmental impact

Second year entry

Direct entrants into second year are enrolled on all core and compulsory courses as those who begin in first year and follow the same pathway throughout. 

In Year 1 we explore interior design using project briefs in real and imagined spaces through:

  • physical hand drawings
  • sketchbooks
  • model-making

Projects and activities will support you to develop an understanding of creative interior design thinking, and how these approaches can serve as a driver for interior design solutions.

You will be encouraged to experiment with a range of drawing approaches to develop fundamental skills in free-hand drawing and orthographic projection. Sessions include local field trips to analyse and draw interior spaces. 

Your Semester 1 timetable will include core interior studio courses alongside an elective choice from within ECA or across the wider University. This allows you to expand the breadth of your studies to suit your wider academic and personal interests.

In Semester 2, you will continue with core studio projects. These are complemented by a compulsory theory course to expand your contextual knowledge and design thinking. 

Find Year 1 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

By Year 2 the design projects you engage with increase in their complexity. You will begin to apply developed knowledge and skills to design solutions and expand your critical thinking through:

  • precedent study analysis
  • inclusive design principles
  • socially contextual projects

Year 2 courses will develop both your digital presentation and CAD skills further, practiced across a range of projects. Themes include:

  • change of use
  • sustainable approaches
  • material understanding

You will be encouraged to make use of our onsite workshops to experiment with new methods and physical making as ways to conceive, develop and present ideas. 

You can enrol on our interior design elective course or select a course from across ECA and the wider University. You will continue to engage with design theory and context to support your studio practise. 

Find Year 2 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

At this stage in your academic career, you are asked to reflect on your area of practice and to develop strategic approaches to interior design.

Areas of focus include:

  • spatial layout
  • the section
  • material specification and assembly
  • lighting design

Courses expand in scope to challenge both your technical skill set and intellectual ability. Year 3 projects engage with branding, detailing, accessibility and inclusivity. 

Year 3 centres around the interior design studio, with core courses as the focus of the year.

Studies in theory and design thinking become pivotal to your creative practice. You will be challenged to research and analyse site and context and to create and present ideas and solutions to a professional standard.

What you learn in Year 3 includes:

  • advanced CAD and visualisation
  • interior construction detailing
  • principles of building standards 

In Semester 2 you can study abroad to broaden your experience and understanding of the discipline, or to replace Semester 2 core courses with an appropriate work-based placement.  

Find Year 3 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

During Year 4, you will use your design skills and individual creative ambition to define and complete an interior design project and brief aligned to:

  • your own specific interests
  • personal position
  • practice

Year 4 courses provide a secure framework to support you in becoming increasingly independent as you direct your practice.

The interior design studio is the focus for the year. Mirroring professional practice, it as a place where you will:

  • engage
  • discuss
  • make
  • present
  • critique

Your creative portfolio will sit alongside academic writing to show

  • contextual and theoretical learning
  • specialist disciplinary knowledge
  • personal reflection

Towards the end of the year, you will participate in the graduate show and will have a portfolio of work for application to industry or further postgraduate study.

You can see work submitted by previous graduates on our 2024 Graduate Show page.

BA Interior Design Graduate Show 2024

We encourage a rigorous contextual and sustainable approach to your work on the existing built environment. We will challenge you to address current design agendas within your chosen site.

Projects focus on:

  • the needs and aspirations of the relevant user group
  • demonstrating the positive impact interior design can play in enhancing of peoples’ lives
  • the significant role of interior design in wider society
Find Year 4 courses (2024-2025 academic year)

Study abroad

You will have the option to make an application to take a single semester abroad in the third year of your studies.

Our current partner institutions include prestigious design schools in Melbourne, Stuttgart, Hong Kong and Finland. 

Places are competitive and applicants need to prepare a portfolio for entry and attain a level of grades in lower years to be considered. 

What are my options for going abroad?

Placements

In Year 3 you may wish to enrol on the optional work-based placement course to replace core courses in Semester 2.

This option will be negotiated with your programme director who can help you select a suitable place of work. You will be responsible for securing a placement and attending and completing the required credits.  

Field trips

Within your studies, you will take part in a number of field trips to encourage you to experience and analyse interior design first-hand.

External visits will vary from:

  • live drawing sessions in local galleries and museums
  • site visits related to specific projects
  • industry visits to manufacturers or organisations related to our wider discipline

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

For all core courses, your teaching and learning will be mainly studio-based. Our interior design staff will support you in developing:

  • visual abilities
  • conceptual abilities
  • critical abilities
  • intellectual abilities

You will acquire the necessary skills to communicate your ideas.

Studio sessions with tutors and peers will involve a combination of:

  • seminars
  • workshops
  • tutorials
  • reviews

Additional site visits and field trips are organised at key stages. In between timetabled teaching, you will be encouraged to:

  • work together with other students in the studio
  • use the wealth of technical workshop facilities available

Key to your learning journey will be oral presentations to staff and peers in the studio during interim reviews. Learning how to articulate your work is a fundamental part of any design education. Presenting will give you essential practice in this industry-standard set of professional skills.

Assessment

Regular interim tutorials and reviews offer continual formative assessment throughout your studies. 

At the mid-point of each semester, you will have a more formal opportunity to present or submit work in progress and to discuss your achievements.

Formative assessment is designed to provide you with feedback on your progress and development but does not contribute to your final grade.

Summative (final) assessments take place at the end of each semester in Years 1 to 3 (and at the end of the academic year for some Year 4 courses). You will be required to submit a body of work as outlined for each course.

Assessment and grading are directly aligned to course learning outcomes. You will be able to identify what you have achieved concerning a particular project, course, and/or level of study. You will receive a grade for each learning outcome (typically, three for each course).

Grades are confirmed at the end-of-semester examination boards and are subject to a rigorous internal and external moderation process. You will need to pass all core and compulsory courses to progress into the next year of study.

Within the programme, we commit to assessment principles which are inclusive, equitable and fair, and processes of assessment which are reliable, robust and transparent, aligned with the assessment and feedback principles for the wider University. 

Support for your studies

ECA’s Student and Academic Support Service (SASS) supports students throughout their studies in all degree programmes at ECA.

You will have a dedicated Student Adviser, based within SASS, who is specially trained to support you during your studies. Your Student Adviser will be your first point of contact for any support, including questions about your studies or your well-being. Your Student Adviser can support you with:

  • personal or wellbeing issues that you are facing, including how to access specialist support
  • queries related to your programme, such as course enrolments, programme transfers and academic progression
  • applying for extensions and special circumstances
  • advice about how to take a break from your studies
  • registering with the Disability and Learning Support Service

If you’re unsure who to ask, you can contact your Student Adviser as a first point of contact.

Support for your studies

Our academic staff

Our programme is delivered by a range of highly experienced permanent staff, who are joined each year by visiting tutors and industry experts, providing valuable insights and current connections to professional practice.

Programme Director:

  • Gina Olsson 

Teaching Staff: 

  • Eleni Geragidi 
  • Ed Hollis
  • Dave Loder 
  • Andy Siddall 
  • Rachel Simmonds 
  • Gill Treacy 

You can learn more about the staff who will teach you on ECA's people directory.

ECA People Directory

Where you will study

Study location

Edinburgh College of Art is based in the heart of Edinburgh, within the University's Central Area.

You will be taught in a studio, lecture theatres and seminar rooms within ECA and across the University's Central Area.

Many of our courses also involve visits to the city's museums and art galleries.

Academic facilities

As well as our dedicated Interior Design studio space, you will have access to specialist facilities at ECA and the wider University including:

  • CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing) suite
  • metal and wood workshops
  • casting workshops
  • a range of study spaces and specialist classrooms
  • computing facilities and creator labs
  • libraries and special collections

Beyond studio teaching, there is a wealth of professional and technical expertise to tap into across a diverse network of specialisms, with opportunities to attend and participate in events and exhibitions throughout your studies.

Investing in our learning environment

Edinburgh College of Art is excited to be undertaking a capital redevelopment of ECA’s Lauriston Campus over the next three years, from April 2024 to April 2027. ​

The project aims to maximise the use of existing space, improve accessibility, and create a vibrant campus that fosters collaboration and innovation.​

The project involves refurbishing and repurposing various spaces across the Lauriston campus. These spaces include technical facilities, student and teaching spaces, and the relocation of the Reid School of Music from Alison House to the Lauriston Campus. New social spaces, seminar rooms, and studios are being created to accommodate our growing community.

You can find more about the project on our website:

Building work starts at ECA’s Lauriston Campus - Edinburgh College of Art

Virtual tour

You can take a closer look at the Edinburgh College of Art and explore our facilities and campus with our virtual tour.

Take a virtual tour of Edinburgh College of Art

Career paths

Interior design is a well-established profession within the creative industries which offers an exciting range of career opportunities across the globe.  

Our graduates possess many transferable skills that allow them to diversify career paths across a wide range of associated fields, including:  

  • Interior design practice  
  • Multi-disciplinary design agencies 
  • Architecture 
  • Lighting design 
  • Exhibition & interpretation 
  • Brand & experiential 
  • Other related roles such as furniture, specification, product & materials (sales & manufacture) 

In recent years, other career destinations include: 

  • Film and TV (production & set design) 
  • Computer game design 
  • Theatre set design 

Many of our graduates also opt to continue into postgraduate design education and teaching. 

We have a proven track record of employability, with former students taking on influential roles in design studios around the world. Recent graduates have, for example, gained employment at:

  • Heatherwick Studio
  • 74
  • Form Design Consultants
  • Prada
  • Kengo Kuma
  • ICA
  • Soho House

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals.

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies.

With the Careers Service, you can:

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions

Visit the Careers Service website

Further study

After you complete your programme, you may want to go onto further study at Edinburgh or a different university. You could progress to:

  • a masters degree
  • a postgraduate diploma or certificate
  • a PhD
  • a second undergraduate degree

Find out about options for further study 

Postgraduate degrees you might be interested in could include:

How to apply

You must submit a full application through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) before the relevant deadline.

Guidance on applying through UCAS

What you need to apply

As part of your application, you will need:

  • your academic qualifications
  • a personal statement
  • evidence of your English language skills (with relevant qualifications)
  • a reference

Portfolio

You need to submit a digital portfolio to show your artistic skill and potential. 

The portfolio guidance for 2026 entry will be released in August 2025.

How we select

If you have met, or are predicted to meet, all our entry requirements by the relevant deadline, then your application will go into our selection process.

As part of this selection process, we will review all the information you submit in your UCAS application when we decide who to select for this degree programme.

How we select applicants

When to apply

  • 2026 entry UCAS deadline: 14 January 2026 (6:00pm GMT)

This is the deadline for all UK, EU and international applicants to non-medicine and veterinary medicine programmes.

To find out if any degree programmes have spaces after 14 January 2026, search the University of Edinburgh on the UCAS website.

Search degrees that are open on the UCAS website

Key application dates and deadlines

After you apply

After you have applied for your degree programme, we suggest you have a look at the following information to help you prepare for university:

Applying as an international student

As an international student, you apply for this degree programme through UCAS.  

Find out more about applying through UCAS  

Visas and immigration 

If you do not have the right to live in the UK, you will need to apply for and secure a Student visa before the start date of your degree programme.  

Our Student Immigration Service can help you with the Student visa application process. 

Applying for a visa  

Agents  

An education agent is someone who can help you with the application process as an international student. 

We work with education agents around the world and have a list of local offices you can contact.  

Find contact details for an education agent

What our students say

What is it really like to study here? Our students share their experiences on our social media.

You can find out what a day in the life is like for an Edinburgh College of Art Student, from late nights in the library to their favourite walks around the city!

Instagram: Edinburgh College of Art

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single undergraduate students from outside Edinburgh. To be eligible, you need to meet all criteria and apply for accommodation by 16 August in the year of your entry to the University.

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

As a student within ESALA (Edinburgh School of Architecture & Landscape Architecture), you are invited to join two societies during your studies:

  • ESALA Climate Action
  • ArcSoc (Architecture Society)

ESALA Climate Action

ESALA Climate Action is a staff and student group aiming to tackle the Climate Emergency in the School’s teaching, learning, research, and community practices.

The group hosts and promotes a series of events, debates and workshops in each academic session.

The programme is committed to augmenting the initiatives and ethos promoted by ESALA Climate Action in response to three main themes: 

  • Carbon: Reduce the School’s carbon footprint by promoting energy-efficient practices both on campus and in our teaching and research. 
  • Resources: Increase awareness of the social and ecological cost of materials by promoting reuse, repurposing and rehabilitation strategies to reduce waste. 
  • Society: Raise climate change literacy and decolonise the School’s curriculum to promote environmental justice and diversity. 

ESALA Climate Action

ArcSoc

Arc Soc is a student-run architecture society. Each year they run an expansive series of social and academic events, including a lecture series, building visits, and the Annual Architecture Ball.  

ArcSoc on Instagram

EUSA - ArcSoc

Other societies and sports clubs

As well as societies relevant to your programme, you will have the opportunity to join other societies and sports clubs at the University. They will help you meet like-minded people, find a new hobby, or simply socialise.

Societies

Sports clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Our vibrant capital is a blend of culture, history, nature and modern city life. A fantastic place to live, it is also the perfect location to study interior design.

As a place of outstanding architectural interest and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, Edinburgh offers the perfect setting in which to study the built environment.

Edinburgh’s dynamic cultural scene boasts the largest collection of historic buildings, museums, art galleries and theatres of any city in Scotland.

The University of Edinburgh’s museums and galleries include:

  • the Talbot Rice Gallery
  • Centre for Research Collections
  • St. Cecilia’s Hall: Concert Room and Music Museum

Edinburgh is home to several major annual festivals, each bringing talent from around the world to our streets and stages, making the celebration of diversity an intrinsic part of the city’s culture. These include the:

  • Festival Fringe
  • Film Festival
  • Art Festival
  • Book Festival
  • Jazz & Blues Festival

Some of our students even participate in our annual festivals.

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include:

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustment

Health and wellbeing support services

Contact us

Contact us through our enquiry team if you have any questions about this programme.

Open days, events and visits

Find out when our next open days will be taking place

Open days, events and visits

Chat to our students on Unibuddy

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It is one of many sources of information which will enable you to make an informed decision on what and where to study.

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