Formal Interior Design Training and Courses

Formal training in Interior Design or Interior Decoration is essential in gaining the foundation of knowledge to start a career in Interior Design and offering prospective clients some level of confidence in your ability to give advice and offer interior design services. 

Interior Design Course Study options

Though there are some interior design course home study options available or interior design courses at a College or Design Centre with direct Lectures and formal assessment of modules of work and production of interior design schemes will give the hands on practical work and option to discuss design schemes and other students ideas.  Check out the experience of the lecturers delivering the course because there is no substitute for personal knowledge of the design industry and its practicalities.

Part-time Interior Design Course

NVQ in Interior Design is available at Leeds College of Art and Design and other Colleges on a part-time basis for 2 years (2 evenings of lectures per week and an immense amount of home study).  Its highly recommend for the practical content and study.  It was invaluable in providing structured theory and background to principles of design, practical elements of the business, period styles and important proponents of Design culture.  The senior Lecturer on the course was a practicing Interior Designer and her knowledge plus the chance to gain hands on experience via work experience was invaluable. 

Elements of Interior Design Course

The NVQ Interior Design course in Leeds covered similar areas to the Interior Design Degree course (other than structural issues) including: colour theory, paint effects, fabrics, window treatments, furnishings, upholstery, furniture, floral decoration, ergonomics, aesthetic value, technical drawing techniques, professional practice, business studies, visuals and perspective drawings, scheme boards and the history of Interior design periods and styles.  Many Colleges of Further Education will offer something similar, check the local prospectus out at your nearest library.

Interior Design Institutions

The following is a listing for degree level interior design courses from the Art & Design Directory many of which may also offer part-time equivalent qualifications.

Institutions offering HND/Foundation degree in Interior Design courses include:

       
Anglia Polytechnic University
Bishop Burton College
Blackburn College
Blackpool and The Fylde College
Dewsbury College
Gloucestershire College of Arts and Technology
Herefordshire College of Art and Design
Hertford Regional College
Leeds College of Art & Design (L28)
The London Institute
London Metropolitan University
Napier University, Edinburgh
Newcastle College
University College Northampton
Northbrook College Sussex
Oxfordshire School of Art and Design
South Devon College
Writtle College
  
Institutions offering first degree in Interior Design/Interior Architecture courses 

           

Bournemouth University
University of Brighton
University of Wales Institute, Cardiff
University of Central England in Birmingham
University of Central Lancashire
De Montfort University
University of Dundee
Edinburgh College of Art
Falmouth College of Arts
University of Glamorgan
Glasgow Caledonian University
The Glasgow School of Art
Heriot-watt University, Edinburgh
The University of Huddersfield
Kent Institute of Art and Design
Kingston University
Leeds Metropolitan University
Leeds College of Art & Design
University of Lincoln
Liverpool John Moores University
The London Institute
London Metropolitan University
University of Luton
The Manchester Metropolitan University
Middlesex University
Napier University, Edinburgh
Newcastle College
Northumbria University
The Nottingham Trent University
Oxford Brookes University
University of Plymouth
University of Portsmouth
Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication
The Robert Gordon University
The University of Salford
Southampton Institute
South East Essex College
Suffolk College
The Surrey Institute of Art and Design, University College
Swansea Institute of Higher Education
University of Teesside
University of Westminster
University of Wolverhampton
Writtle College

The KLC School of Design at Chelsea Harbour offers full-time, part-time and distance Learning courses including 1 day, 2 day and week tasters.  They are more expensive than a local college but worth comparing content and whether the times are more convenient for you.  www.klc.co.uk

The JJA Academy for Art & Design Appreciation with ADA (Artists & Designers Associates) offer courses (again London) with a ‘unique appreciation of Art & Design’ with a variety of options.  www.academyforartdesign.co.uk

Open College of the Arts  

Unit 1B. Redbrook Business Park, Wilthorpe.

Barnsley,South Yorkshire, S75 1JN.

The ‘Design for Living’ course is almost entirely concerned with the domestic environment and includes: the meaning of design; historical and contemporary aspects of interior design; producing a design brief; elements of design; presentation and drawing; measured surveys; colour, pattern and texture; lighting.  Email: open.arts@ukonline.co.uk   Website: http://www.oca-uk.com