Overview
Embark on an exciting journey in interior architecture with our BA (Hons) in Interior Architecture. This course goes beyond our traditional BA (Hons) Interior Design degree. It's a place where creativity meets responsibility to address future urban challenges. This interior architecture course combines architecture, lighting, and performance design. It also includes sculptural installation, retail and experience design, and public urban commissions. Join visionary designers. Get the spatial skills to prepare you for spatial design in urban and domestic contexts, equipping you with the skills to thrive as an interior architect. Whether you're passionate about design in interior spaces or want to focus on innovative interior architecture and design, this course prepares you for a dynamic interior architecture career.
- Top-Rated Learning Opportunities: Our design studies ranked first in London for "Learning Opportunities", with an impressive 98% of students highly rating the quality of the "teaching on the course" (NSS 2023). It also received the Interior Educators Award for Collaborative Practice, July 2022, beating 47 other UK and Irish Interior Design courses.
- Diverse Specialisations: In this interior architecture course, you can explore event and exhibition design, retail spaces, and new public realms. Learn the strategic approach to materials, atmospheres, and technologies. Design temporary pop-up environments. Focus on material development and multi-sensorial spatial experiences, to cater to clients' needs. Whether you're designing retail environments or public art installations, this course offers comprehensive interior architecture courses that blend creativity with functionality.
- Holistic Learning: You will learn about digital and analogue skills. You will also study the historical, critical, and contextual aspects of interior architecture, design, and spatial speculation. With a focus on conceptualisation and narrating human-centred environments, this interior architecture programme fosters the skills you need to succeed as an interior architect.
Download our yearbook to view examples of our students' work.
This course is in Clearing
Our LLM course is a top choice
UEL’s LLM programme has been recognised as a top choice in the latest PTES survey, achieving 1st place rankings for satisfaction, teaching and more.
What makes this course different

Proud to be featured in the Architects' Journal
The SpaceX of architecture schools' UEL Student Show 2023, exhibits a cohort of future architects.
Find out more about SpaceX
Award for Collaborative Practice
This course received the Interior Educators Award for Collaborative Practice in July 2022, beating 47 other UK and Irish Interior Design courses to the award.

Student showcase
As a design graduate, you'll be able to showcase your work at the University of East London and Free Range - an annual exhibition in central London for interior architecture and design students.
Course modules
The BA (Hons) Interior Architecture foundation year equips you with essential design techniques, media skills, and theoretical insights to explore the creative and technical aspects of interior architecture. You'll engage in hands-on projects, workshops, and portfolio development, honing your ability to think critically, experiment with materials, and communicate ideas effectively. This programme fosters a comprehensive understanding of historical, cultural, and technological contexts, preparing you for advanced studies in Interior Architecture.
In Year 1 of the BA (Hons) Interior Architecture programme, you will build a strong foundation in spatial design, exploring materials, techniques, and representation methods. Through design projects and experimentation, you'll learn to create imaginative and technically sound proposals, linking aesthetic and practical considerations. The curriculum develops your critical thinking, research skills, and ability to communicate ideas effectively while fostering professional growth and an understanding of architectural history and theory.
In Year 2 of the Interior Architecture programme, you will deepen your understanding of design by focusing on user needs, site context, and material application. This year emphasises refining your skills in interior architecture, exploring technical representation, and creating innovative solutions. You will also engage with professional practice and critical theory, preparing for advanced challenges in the field.
In Year 3 the core modules focus on advancing design, technical, and professional skills at a graduate level, preparing you for independent practice or further studies. Key focus areas include refining design investigation, resolution, and integration, addressing environmental and material considerations, and enhancing professional competencies.
NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.
Download course specification
Your future career
Graduates from this interior architecture course are well-prepared for a variety of careers, including interior design, theatre, product, and exhibition design. This interior architecture course provides a foundation for employment opportunities in a range of professions, including interior design, architecture, theatre, product, and exhibition design.
The programme delves into public art experiences, offering a unique dimension to artistic expression. Whether you want a career in architecture or interiors, the course goes beyond conventional paths. You will explore public art, installation art, experiential design, VR environments, and theatre design. We work with cutting-edge professional offices in and around London during the final-year projects. This invaluable hands-on experience with industry mentors will enhance your skills and provide networking opportunities, bringing you into contact with potential future employers in interior architecture and design in interior fields.
Industry links
We have links with architecture firms such as:
- Sir Robert McAlpine
- Museum of London
- Stanton Williams Mahler – LeWitt Residency
- Fred Rigby Studio
- MACE Interiors
- Scott-Whitby Studio
- Haworth Tompkins
- Foster + Partners
- Perkins + Will
- Citizens Design Bureau
- David Adjaye Architecture
- David Chipperfield
- Weston Williamson
- Centre of Alternative Technology
Graduate employers
Our interior architecture graduates have gone on to work for Fred Rigby Studio, Alex Scott-Whitby, Studio M London, ZAP Architecture, These White Walls, Gatti Routh Rhodes, Turnerbates, Cake Industries, David Adjaye Architecture, MACE, Lewisham Youth Theatre, Vine Architects, Haworth Tompkins, Perkins+Will, Freshorize, Velorose, and Idea Architects.
Job roles
Typical roles that our interior architecture graduates have taken include conservator, exhibition designer, lighting designer, retail store designer, interior architect, and interior designer.
Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our Career Coach portal, which details various job prospects within the interior architecture and design in interior sectors.
Further study
As you complete your interior architecture degree, you may choose to pursue further studies with one of our postgraduate courses like:

UEL is a special kind of student and staff community where we have a vision for young people from all walks of life, to be all that they can be, confident in their discipline and ready to tackle the professional world."Keith Winter
Senior lecturer, Interior Design
How you'll learn
In this interior architecture degree, you will learn how to create event and exhibition design, retail spaces, and new public realms, operating strategically with materials, atmospheres and technologies. You will be encouraged to experiment with conceptualisation and narration and find ways of intelligently tackling the design of human and experience-centric environments.
You will operate with digital and analogue skills and technologies while developing a historical, critical and contextual knowledge of interior architecture, design and spatial speculation. You will work with creative tools to convey atmospheres and experiences based on clients' needs. You will design temporary, pop-up environments, through a focus on material development and multi-sensorial spatial experience.
Guided independent study
We are investing in key areas beyond your studies including our career services, library and well-being, to be available both face-to-face on campus and online with many of these available 24/7. We have new, modern library facilities on both campuses offering inspirational environments for study and research. Libraries contain resources in print and digital formats, a range of study spaces, and a dedicated librarian who can assist you with your learning.
This ensures you are prepared for your future as an interior architect or interior designer in various fields of design in interior environments.
Academic support
Students are supported with any academic or subject-related queries by an Academic Advisor, module leaders, and former and current UEL students.
If you need a bit of extra help with certain skills such as academic writing, English, maths or statistics, our Academic Tutors offer workshops, drop-in sessions and one-to-one appointments to help our students achieve their potential. You can receive advice and guidance on all aspects of the IT systems provided by the university from our IT Service Desks located on all three campuses.
Our Student Support hubs in Docklands and Stratford feature centralised helpdesks to cater to your every need. UEL provides also support and advice for disabled students and those with specific learning difficulties (SPDs).
Dedicated personal tutor
When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of the academic course team who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at UEL and who will show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer.
Workload
Each year you will spend around 300 hours of timetabled learning and teaching activities. These may be lectures, workshops, seminars and individual and group tutorials. Contact hours may vary depending on each module.
The approximate percentages for this course are:
- Year 1: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours.
- Year 2: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours.
- Year 3: scheduled teaching - 300 hours; guided independent study - 900 hours.
Your timetable
You will receive your personalised timetable at the beginning of the academic year depending on your course.
Class sizes
The size of classes can vary depending on the nature of the course, module and activity. This can range from large groups in a lecture theatre setting, to smaller groups taking part in seminars and collaborative work.
How you'll be assessed
You will be provided with feedback throughout the year on your progress during tutorial sessions. All modules are assessed individually against specific criteria, at the end of the academic year. Studio work that is developed throughout the course will be assessed within a design portfolio with supporting studies in the form of a bound report. We can also assess online and multi-media submissions appropriately. There will be no closed-book examinations in this course. A final assessment takes place at the end of each academic year.
Feedback is provided within 15 working days in line with UEL's assessment and feedback policy.
Campus and facilities
Our campus and the surrounding area
Our waterfront campus in the historic Royal Docks provides a modern, well-equipped learning environment.
Join us and you'll be able to make the most of our facilities including contemporary lecture theatres and seminar rooms, art studios and exhibition spaces, audio and visual labs and a multimedia production centre.
Features include our 24/7 Docklands library, our £21m SportsDock centre, a campus shop and bookstore, the Children's Garden Nursery, cafés, eateries, a late bar, plus Student Union facilities, including a student lounge.
The University of East London is one of the few London universities to provide on-campus accommodation. Our Docklands Campus Student Village houses close to 1,200 students from around the world. We are well connected to central London and London City Airport is just across the water. We also run a free bus service that connects Docklands with Stratford campuses.
Who teaches this course
This course is delivered by School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering
The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.
- Course leader
Dr Keith Winter
Department of Architecture & Visual Arts, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering - Course leader
Pol Gallagher
Department of Architecture & Visual Arts, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering - Course leader
Susan Ginsburgh
Department of Architecture & Visual Arts, School Of Architecture, Computing And Engineering
What our students and staff say

The energy of the diverse student cohort within this unique London campus makes it an inspiring place to teach design."
Pol Gallagher
Senior Lecturer - Interior Architecture

Having been out of education for the past four years, I have found settling into UEL to be a surprisingly smooth process. The advantage of starting a newly introduced course is the one-to-one tutorial time we receive. One of the highlights of the interior design degree is the mixture of both the architectural element and the use of 'concepts' and why they are so important in design today."
Charlotte Tope
BA (Hons) Interior Design, Undergraduate