MA Design (Interior)

Program Overview

The MA Design (Interior) program at Sheffield Hallam University promotes social and cultural innovation through interdisciplinary design, focusing on developing specialist skills and fostering personal research. The program emphasizes collaboration, critical thinking, and studio-based learning, equipping students for careers as independent practitioners, designers, design managers, and makers in the interior design field. With a focus on engaging with the world and challenging conventional design approaches, the program provides a supportive and industry-connected environment for students to thrive and achieve their personal employment ambitions.

Program Outline

It aims to help students develop specialist skills and knowledge in a collaborative studio environment, encouraging them to innovate with materials, technology, and conceptual thinking. The program emphasizes personal research, allowing students to develop their own interests and ideas in a challenging and supportive environment. The academic staff, consisting of design specialists, researchers, and practitioners, support students in expanding their practice and developing an independent, autonomous approach.

Outline:

The program is structured around a set of key principles: engaging with the world, collaborating with others, challenging students to think in new ways, and providing a supportive environment for them to thrive.

• Initial Modules: All students in the Department of Art and Design (including fashion, graphics, illustration, interior, jewellery and metalwork, interaction, packaging, and product) are taught initial modules focusing on gaining a critical understanding of design thinking, theoretical studies, research methods, and making practices.
• Subsequent Modules: Students then follow their own personal practice, supported by key specialist staff.
• Learning Methods: Learning takes place through immersive learning alongside peers in a studio environment, practice-based research, project work, individual and group tutorials, lectures, seminars, and constructive critical debates.

Assessment:

The program uses a variety of assessment methods, including:

• Coursework: The program relies heavily on coursework, with modules like "Creative Design And Positionality," "Ma Project (Interior)," and "Methods For Research And Practice" being assessed entirely through coursework.

Teaching:

The program utilizes a variety of teaching methods, including:

• Studio Environment: Students learn in a collaborative studio environment alongside their peers.
• Practice-Based Research: The program emphasizes practice-based research, allowing students to explore their own interests and ideas.
• Project Work: Students engage in project work, which provides them with practical experience and allows them to apply their knowledge.
• Lectures and Seminars: Lectures and seminars provide students with theoretical knowledge and insights into the field of interior design.
• Constructive Critical Debates: The program encourages constructive critical debates, allowing students to engage in critical thinking and develop their analytical skills.

Careers:

The program prepares students for a variety of careers in the field of interior design, including:

• Independent Design Practitioner: Students can establish their own design practice.
• Designer: Students can work as designers for various companies and organizations.
• Design Manager: Students can manage design teams and projects.
• Maker or Manufacturer: Students can work in the manufacturing and production of interior design products.
• Company-Employed Designer: Students can work as designers for companies in the interior design industry.
The program aims to help students achieve their personal employment ambitions, whether as design professionals in the creative industries or in related areas such as research, retail, marketing, and education. Previous graduates have gone on to work for international design companies and consultancies and have gained PhD scholarships.

Other:

• Creative UK Membership: Sheffield Hallam University is a member of Creative UK, which means that art and design students are also members until they graduate.
Creative UK represents, champions, and supports the UK's creative industries, advocating on issues that matter most to creative communities.
• Live Projects: The program embeds an understanding of and dialogue with the creative industries and the world of professional practice beyond the postgraduate studio.
Live projects are embedded into specific modules, and students are encouraged to seek industrial sponsors or collaborators for individual projects.
• Field Trips: Students have opportunities to participate in study trips and visits to design conferences and debates.
• Networking Opportunities: Students benefit from studying within a cross-disciplinary, vibrant, international, collaborative, and supportive postgraduate environment.
They can work alongside the Design Futures consultancy and with researchers from the Art and Design Research Centre (ADRC). The university also has contacts with leading design agencies and organizations, museums, and practitioners, and encourages students to work collaboratively with them.
• Interior Design Tutors: The Interior Design tutors have connections and specialist knowledge in the built environment, spatial design interventions that extend architectural conventions and traditions, and innovative use of materials, technologies, and conceptual thinking.

The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time. If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time.