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Postgraduate

Graduate Diploma Interior Design

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Graduate Diploma Interior Design, Chelsea College of Arts, UAL
College
Chelsea College of Arts Start date
September 2022 Course length
1 year (full time)

Graduate Diploma in Interior Design at Chelsea College of Arts provides you with the skills and experience required for study at MA level.

Applications closed 2022/23


We are no longer accepting applications for 2022/23 entry to this course. Applications for 2023/24 entry will open in autumn 2022.

Student work

  • Chelsea-Graduate-Diploma-Interior-Design-Victoria-Lin.jpg
    Victoria Lin - Graduate Diploma Interior Design
  • Chelsea-Graduate-Diploma-Interior-Design-Anna-Mackie-1860.jpg
    Anna Mackie - Graduate Diploma Interior Design
  • Chelsea-Graduate-Diploma-Interior-Design-Sara-Alrashed-1860.jpg
    Sara Alrashed - Graduate Diploma Interior Design

Course overview

The course is equivalent to the third year of an interior design undergraduate course. As well as helping to progress onto postgraduate level study the course will also aid transition into the professional world of interior design. Students on this course come from many different backgrounds but most have already gained a first degree

What to expect

  • You will learn how to connect with interior design in a variety of ways, for example, through designing, visually communicating, researching and writing
  • Develop a flexible open-minded approach when thinking about interior design and to critically engage with contemporary design approaches
  • To work on various projects across the field of interior design with the opportunity to focus on your personal interests within social, retail, restaurants, hotel and residential spaces. These will help you improve your application of conceptual, production and critical skills within the design process through input from professional practitioners, group crits, workshops, seminars and discussions
  • Personal and professional development with opportunities to improve your skills through bespoke sessions, talks with industry practitioners and postgraduate seminars 
  • Have access to Chelsea's shared workshops. These include ceramics, casting, laser cutting, photography, audio-visual editing suite, metal and woodwork. View the Chelsea facilities

Mode of study

Graduate Diploma Interior Design is offered in full-time mode and consists of 30 teaching weeks over 1 academic year. You will be expected to commit an average of 40 hours per week to your course, including teaching hours and independent study.

Contact us

Register your interest to receive information and updates about studying at UAL.

Contact us to make an enquiry.

Course units

Unit 1 - Elements of Interior Design

This unit is an introduction to your course, the college and the university.

  • Projects that focus on how a client/user inhabits interior space
  • An introduction to research led practice
  • You will explore the design of a series of domestic and other residential interior elements before creating a full design proposal
  • Be introduced to various design and presentation methods you have as interior designers to communicate to different audiences
  • Explore a variety of ways of analysing design problems - sketching, collage, technical drawing and model making techniques
  • Develop your designs by using a selection of materials, construction techniques and technology
  • Work collaboratively with your peers
  • Keep a reflective journal in the form of a personal blog
  • Look at the cultural context of interior design, as well as the wider subject area of design and sustainability.
  • Undertake writing and research that is concerned with professional practice and your creative processes

Unit 2 - Comprehensive Design Project

In this unit you will initiate your own comprehensive design project in the public realm. You will choose a location, make an analysis of an interior and establish a design brief for a new programme of habitation or occupation.

  • You will look at the spatial organisation, material concerns and the experiential qualities of your design proposition
  • Communicate the fabrication, construction and sustainability aspects of your design
  • Written work that clarifies your design methodology, outcomes and use of design precedents
  • Exercises in site analysis
  • Workshops where you will present your negotiated design solution
  • Talks by guest artists, designers and architects
  • Workshops on academic research and writing
  • Group and individual tutorials
  • Seminars on professional practice
  • Present work in the college end of year event

Learning and teaching methods

  • Group crits, demonstrations and workshops
  • Lectures and seminars
  • Group and individual tutorials
  • Peer review
  • Teaching by practitioners
  • Visiting specialists

Assessment methods

  • Engagement and participation in class
  • Oral and visual presentations
  • Peer assessment
  • Self-assessment
  • Visual presentation in form of portfolio book
  • Written work that includes essay and personal blog with all written exercises included

Staff

How to apply

Information for disabled applicants

UAL is committed to achieving inclusion and equality for disabled students. This includes students who have:
     
  • Dyslexia or another Specific Learning Difference
  • A sensory impairment
  • A physical impairment
  • A long-term health or mental health condition
  • Autism
  • Another long-term condition which has an impact on your day-to-day life
Our Disability Service arranges adjustments and support for disabled applicants and students. Read our Disability and dyslexia: applying for a course and joining UAL information.

Entry requirements

The standard minimum entry requirements for this course are:

  • BA (Hons) degree or equivalent academic qualifications
  • Evidence of ability in art or design
  • Alternative qualifications and experience will also be taken into consideration
  • Personal statement
  • Portfolio of work

Entry to this course will also be determined by the quality of your application, looking primarily at your portfolio of work and personal statement.

APEL - Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning

Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:

  • Related academic or work experience
  • The quality of the personal statement
  • A strong academic or other professional reference
  • A combination of these factors

Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

English language requirements

All classes are taught in English. If English isn't your first language you must provide evidence at enrolment of the following:

Selection criteria

We look for:

  • Evidence of visual and conceptual creative abilities
  • Understanding of scale measured drawings, model making and computer aided design (CAD). Some exception may be made with regards to applicants with a different background who can demonstrate an equivalent exploration of spatial ideas.
  • The ability to communicate concepts. Ideas and processes in the development of proposals.
  • Enthusiasm for developing skills in spatial design

Personal statement

This should be about 500 words long and include:

  • Your reasons for choosing the course
  • Your current creative practice and how this will help with your future plans
  • If you do not have any formal academic qualifications please describe your relevant education and experience

Portfolio advice

Portfolios should show the following:

Images of creative design work. This does not need to be specifically interior design focused.

Making your application

Home International

Applications closed 2022/23

We are no longer accepting applications for 2022/23 entry to this course. Applications for 2023/24 entry will open in autumn 2022.

Apply

Home students apply by direct application.

What happens next

Communicating with you

After you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We’ll use this portal to contact you to request any additional information, including inviting you to upload documents or book an interview, so please check it regularly.

Please add ccw.ukeu@arts.ac.uk to your contacts to ensure that you do not miss any important updates about your application to UAL.

Initial application check and selection

We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course. If you do, you will be invited to submit a digital portfolio through UAL’s online portfolio review system. These will be reviewed by the academic team.

Following the review of the digital portfolio, we select a small number of applicants to move on to the next stage of the process. These applicants will be invited to attend an online interview.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

You will receive the final outcome of your application through the UAL portal.

Applicants for this course may be given an alternative offer. This decision will be based on our assessment of your creative and potential interests.

Feedback requests:

This course receives a high number of applications. Unfortunately, we can’t provide feedback to everyone who is unsuccessful. We can only provide feedback after you’ve had an interview. We are only able to provide feedback to you directly, or to someone you have told us in writing can receive it on your behalf. If you would like to request feedback please email ccw.ukeu@arts.ac.uk.

Deferring your place

This course accepts requests from offer holders to defer their place for one academic year. Deferral requests are granted on a first-come, first-served basis until all deferral places are filled, or a deadline has been reached, whichever is sooner. Read our Admissions Policy for details, including how to request a deferral and by when.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units and modules on your current graduate diploma course and wish to continue your studies at Chelsea College of Arts, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible. Further information can be found in our UAL External Student Transfer Policy.

Application deadline

12 January 2022 or 13 April 2022

The equal consideration deadline has now passed. However, this course will remain open to applications until places have been filled. We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to quickly resolve any queries.

If this course requires a portfolio, we will request this separately after initial processing of your application is complete. Once we request your portfolio, you will have 7 days to submit it.

When you'll hear from us

This course receives a high volume of applications. We need to make sure that we give all applications equal consideration, so the course team will review them in two rounds. This means that offers won’t be sent to successful applicants until after the relevant application deadline date. Outcomes for Round 1 will be released by 31 March 2022 and outcomes for Round 2 will be released by 30 June 2022.

Remember to check the outcome of your application in the UAL Portal. If you apply in Round 1 and don’t hear back from us, we will consider your application within Round 2.

Find out more about what happens after you apply.

Applications closed 2022/23

We are no longer accepting applications for 2022/23 entry to this course. Applications for 2023/24 entry will open in autumn 2022.

Apply

There are 2 ways international students can apply to a graduate diploma course:


Read our immigration and visa information to find out if you need a visa to study at UAL.

You can only apply to the same course once per year. Any duplicate applications will be withdrawn. Read the UAL international application advice for further information on how to apply.

What happens next

Communicating with you

After you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We’ll use this portal to contact you to request any additional information, including inviting you to upload documents or book an interview, so please check it regularly.

Please add ccw.international@arts.ac.uk to your contacts to ensure that you do not miss any important updates about your application to UAL.

Immigration history check

Whether you’re applying online via UCAS, through a UAL representative or by direct application you will need to complete an Immigration History Check to establish whether you are eligible to study at UAL. If you don’t complete the check we won’t be able to proceed with your application.

Initial application check and selection

We check your application to see if you meet the standard entry requirements for the course. If you do, you will be invited to submit a digital portfolio through UAL’s online portfolio review system. These will be reviewed by the academic team.

Following the review of the digital portfolio, we select a small number of applicants to move on to the next stage of the process. These applicants will be invited to attend an online interview.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

You will receive the final outcome of your application through the UAL portal.

Applicants for this course may be given an alternative offer. This decision will be based on our assessment of your creative and potential interests.

Feedback requests:

This course receives a high number of applications. Unfortunately, we can’t provide feedback to everyone who is unsuccessful. We can only provide feedback after you’ve had an interview. We are only able to provide feedback to you directly, or to someone you have told us in writing can receive it on your behalf. If you would like to request feedback please email ccw.international@arts.ac.uk.

Deferring your place

This course accepts requests from offer holders to defer their place for one academic year. Deferral requests are granted on a first-come, first-served basis until all deferral places are filled, or a deadline has been reached, whichever is sooner. Read our Admissions Policy for details, including how to request a deferral and by when.

Transfers

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units and modules on your current graduate diploma course and wish to continue your studies at Chelsea College of Arts, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible. Further information can be found in our UAL External Student Transfer Policy.

Application deadline

12 January 2022 or 13 April 2022

The equal consideration deadline has now passed. However, this course will remain open to applications until places have been filled. We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to quickly resolve any queries.

If this course requires a portfolio, we will request this separately after initial processing of your application is complete. Once we request your portfolio, you will have 7 days to submit it.

When you'll hear from us

This course receives a high volume of applications. We need to make sure that we give all applications equal consideration, so the course team will review them in two rounds. This means that offers won’t be sent to successful applicants until after the relevant application deadline date. Outcomes for Round 1 will be released by 31 March 2022 and outcomes for Round 2 will be released by 30 June 2022.

Remember to check the outcome of your application in the UAL Portal. If you apply in Round 1 and don’t hear back from us, we will consider your application within Round 2.

Find out more about what happens after you apply.

Fees and funding

Home fee

£11,550

This fee is correct for 2022/23 entry and is subject to change for 2023/24 entry. Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Home fees are currently charged to UK nationals and UK residents who meet the rules. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees and determining your fee status.

International fee

£23,610

This fee is correct for 2022/23 entry and is subject to change for 2023/24 entry. Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Students from countries outside of the UK will generally be charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about tuition fees and determining your fee status.

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Careers and alumni

Many of our graduates go on to further study programmes in interior design and other related disciplines, and we also encourage students to arrange a meeting with an employability adviser from the University's Student Jobs and Careers service before students leave.

Alumni

Find out how careers and employability helps our students and graduates start their careers.

Chelsea College of Arts

Contact

Telephone

+44 (0)20 7514 7751
Address
Chelsea College of Arts
16 John Islip Street
London
SW1P 4JU