Interior Architecture and Design with a Foundation Year - BA (Hons)

Program Overview

Interior Architecture and Design with a Foundation Year - BA (Hons)

Overview

Do you want to learn how to transform spaces? This innovative Interior Architecture and Design degree course covers a broad range of design possibilities, ranging from reordering to transforming space.

Our course will provide you with the facilities and education that you’ll need to succeed within the industry, as well as excellent opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and networking with industry partners.

About foundation courses

This four year programme has been specifically designed to allow you to undertake additional level 3 study designed to ensure you are successful on your chosen degree course.

After successful completion of your foundation year, you will have the flexibility to switch (should you wish to change direction) onto a number of related undergraduate degree courses.

What's covered in this course?

Our BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design course provides you with the skills to transform or give new life to spaces, as well as teaching you how to plan and design creative interiors.

You will look at hierarchies and relationships between different spaces, describing these relationships in new ways. This industry-aligned degree course offers you the opportunity to study and practise the adaption and re-use of space within new and existing building stock, while also addressing aesthetics, human needs, materiality and more, as well as the ephemeral qualities of atmosphere, character, colour, light and shade.

Alongside the regeneration of existing space, you will discover new interior environments, in a broad range of industry sectors, such as hospitality, retail, leisure and residential, using an experimental approach to design to develop the refined techniques required for effective space planning, conceptual design, development, visualisation and the refurbishment of space.

Why Choose Us?

• You will work with our industry connections, including London-based design consultants Imagination, whose portfolio includes Ford, Jaguar, BT, and Global Colour Research. You’ll have the chance to enter international design competitions and join our past students who have been successfully shortlisted for the Janine Stone Young Designers of the Year.
• During each year of study you will be working closely with our team of Industry Professionals that dedicate time each week to working alongside you as students, helping to align all projects and work output with the industry standards, and in context of present day projects.
• Interior Design is a field that draws on many other fields to inform itself, such as the arts, literature, film, photography, fashion, etc. and so, by its nature, touches many disciplines. One of our objectives is to provide our students with an interdisciplinary approach to the discipline of Interior Architecture and Design through different collaborations with lecturers and students of other subjects within the University. These collaborations will enable you to explore different strategies to face an Interior architecture/design project based on transferable skills from different disciplines.
• You will benefit from study trips, which could include visiting The Guggenheim Museum in New York, and other design-focused European Cities, and/or The London Design Festival.
• Two-thirds of the impact of our research was judged to be very considerable (3) or outstanding (4) - REF2021

Entry Requirements

Essential requirements

• 80 UCAS Tariff points. Learn more about UCAS Tariff points.
• GCSE and other level 2 requirements: This course does not require evidence of GCSE qualifications. Please see A Level, BTEC and other level 3 requirements below.
• A Level, BTEC and other level 3 requirements:
  • A Level / AS Level: A Level: 80 UCAS Tariff points / CDD (or equivalent), AS Level: Must be in a different subject to A Levels, A maximum of four subjects will be considered
  • Pearson BTEC (Diploma / Extended Diploma/ Extended Certificate): 80 UCAS Tariff points, Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications, Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications
  • T Level: Pass overall (C or above on the core) All subjects accepted but Design, Surveying and Planning preferred.
  • Access to HE Diploma: Pass with 60 credits, 45 credits at level 3 Accepted subjects: Construction, Planning, Built Environment subjects preferred but other subjects also considered
  • OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications: 80 UCAS Tariff points
  • NCFE CACHE Level 3 qualifications: 80 UCAS Tariff points
  • WJEC Level 3 qualifications: 80 UCAS Tariff points, Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
  • Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers): Minimum of 80 UCAS Tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects
  • Scottish Higher / Advanced Higher: 80 UCAS Tariff points from three Advanced Highers (DDD) or two Advanced Highers (DD) plus two Highers (DD)
  • Welsh Baccalaureate: 80 UCAS Tariff points. Considered with three A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications
  • UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma: Pass overall
  • Foundation Studies (Art and Design, and Art, Design and Media): Pass overall

International qualifications

• International Baccalaureate Diploma: Obtain a minimum of 24 points overall
• EU / International students: Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In addition to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require IELTS 6.0 overall with no less than 5.5 in each band.

Fees & How to Apply

UK students

• Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
• Award: BA (Hons)
• Starting: Sep 2025
• Mode: Full Time
• Duration: 4 years
• Fees: £9,535 in 2025/26
• Apply via UCAS

International students

• Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
• Award: BA (Hons)
• Starting: Sep 2025
• Mode: Full Time
• Duration: 4 years
• Fees: £17,690 in 2025/26
• Apply Online

Course in Depth

Foundation year

• In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
  • Communication Skills 20 credits
  • Professional and Academic Development 20 credits
  • Design Techniques 20 credits
  • Design Disciplines 20 credits
  • Presentation Techniques 20 credits
  • Place and Space and Objects 20 credits

Year one

• In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
  • Re-ordering Space 20 credits
  • Manipulating Space 20 credits
  • Transforming Space 40 credits
  • Twentieth Century Design Cultures 20 credits
  • Design Devices 20 credits

Year two

• In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 100 credits):
  • Interior Strategies 40 credits
  • Transforming Space 2 40 credits
  • Design Communication 20 credits
• In order to complete this course you must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the following list of OPTIONAL modules:
  • Praxis (Work placement) 20 credits
  • Collaborative Practice 20 credits
  • Live Project 20 credits

Year three

• In order to complete this course you must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
  • Critical Study 20 credits
  • Design Integration 40 credits
  • Major Project 60 credits

Facilities & Staff

Our Facilities

• When you join Birmingham City University, the first thing you will notice is the exceptional quality of our campuses. With an investment of over £400 million across our buildings and facilities, we are committed to giving you the very best learning environment to help shape your experience.
• You will be based in our multi-million pound Parkside building – a state of the art facility located within our City Centre Campus. Here you will have full access to our recently upgraded, high spec CAD (Computer-Aided-Design) workstations situated within our dedicated computer labs and open access areas. We also provide access to leading edge digital design software, enabling you to explore technical drawing, graphics, 3D modelling, visualization, animation, computation, simulation, and virtual reality.
• The Parkside Building is also home to our digital fabrication labs, where you will be able to explore 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC machining, ceramics, glass and traditional model-making, guided by our team of expert technicians with access to our on-site material store, and professional printing facilities.

Photo Gallery

• From industry-standard software, to our workshops and studio spaces, everything you need will be at your fingertips from day one. Working with our dedicated teaching teams and expert technicians, you'll be supported from concept through to completion.