Interior Decoration & Styling at UCA

Research, experiment and deepen your knowledge and understanding of interiors, on UCA's new MA Interior Decoration and Styling degree, based in the Canterbury School of Architecture and Design.

During the course you will be exposed to rich variations of interior contexts, such as retail and commercial, aspirational domestic, and heritage vernacular, as avenues of investigation. You'll formulate an individualised approach to style design, using our extensive facilities including advanced forms of fabrication and testing, the latest scanning and VR technology, and a suite of traditional craft-based workshops, photography studios, and print facilities, all of which will allow you to bring your design proposals to life.

You will have the freedom to establish your own unique specialisms, such as materials specification and performance, or brand-led style composition and photography, and you will develop your own highly individualised design identity and style. Specialist areas you might choose to focus on in your projects could include sustainable material choices for retail interiors, lighting and visual spectacle, or style innovation through digital experiences. You can work with interesting material and sustainability questions, engaging with both contemporary technology and traditional production crafts throughout your studies.

You will be taught through one-to-one tuition, seminars and self-directed study in our dedicated studio spaces and workshops, engaging with practitioners and academics who offer expert industry and research intelligence. The course includes regular reviews with visiting critics from across relevant industry sectors and international study visits.

 

Course entry options

Select from the following options to find out more about the different study options available for this course:

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Campus
UCA Canterbury
Start date(s)
September 2024, September 2025
Duration
1 year full-time
Entry requirements

Honours degree (or equivalent qualification) in the subject/related discipline
and/or
Relevant work experience

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Campus
UCA Farnham
Start date(s)
September 2024, September 2025, January 2025
Duration
2 years full-time
Entry requirements

A recognised bachelor degree or 3 year diploma with a strong portfolio in a relevant subject

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Entry requirements
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What you'll study

What you'll
study

The content of the course may be subject to change. Curriculum content is provided as a guide.

For our students coming from a non-UK educational background, UCA has launched an Integrated International Pre-Masters year, which is based at UCA Farnham.

On this course you’ll prepare for postgraduate study with a mix of online and face-to-face learning that will give you the study skills required to complete a Master’s, and you’ll also improve your English for academic study.

Launch
This intensive week of study is to help you get ready for starting your course, and getting to know your course staff, peer group and the school community in greater depth. Activities include a multi-story guest lecture super session, an all staff pecha kucher, Canterbury and surroundings walking orientation tours and a studio launch collaborative making project.

Experimentation and Innovation
A space for orientation, adventure, and exploration of your subject and practice, this unit provides opportunities to develop and discover new perspectives on design, analytical techniques and production methods. In so doing it will situate your current and future practice, expanding your critical framework for the units ahead.

Research and Professional Contexts 1
Designed to help you develop advanced skills in research, conceptual understanding, appropriate analysis techniques and application of knowledge, this unit will help position you within the contextual foundations which support the past and future of your discipline.

Opportunity
Opportunity Week is an intensive week of activity conceived and undertaken in collaboration with an external partner(s). Typically, this will sit outside the your subject areas, and could cover topics including politics, economics, business, culture or philosophy.

Studio Practice
Studio Practice’ extends your research and development from term one and acts as a design accelerator unit. In the early stages, in collaboration with your specialist tutor, you will formulate a research and project proposal to be carried out through the remainder of your studies. This unit is an intensive, fast paced, and productive “engine” of your course, the outcome of which will be a comprehensive and sophisticated project that demonstrates a developing mastery of your practice.

Research and Professional Contexts 2
Research and Professional Contexts 2 further extends and focuses your research, critical analysis, and communication skills through two components.

The first is a contextual practice presentation, in support of the development of your individual project. This should demonstrate your ability to situate your research, experimentation, and knowledge in a wider field, and express your comprehension of the impact of your work on that field.

The second can be either a:

  • Collaborative Practice Project – An opportunity to work with others on a collectively defined project.
  • Creative Business Start-Up – An exploration of professional business practice specific to design disciplines. This component is delivered by the Business School for the Creative Industries and the Careers Department.

Final Realisation
The culmination of your Masters course, this unit gathers all of your prior research, experimentation, concept development, and contextual analysis into a focused synoptic outcome. The project is a natural continuation and resolution of the work you began and the goals that you set yourself in Studio Practice and includes the dissemination of your work to external audiences.

Course specifications

Please note, syllabus content indicated is provided as a guide. The content of the course may be subject to change in line with our Student Terms and Conditions for example, as required by external professional bodies or to improve the quality of the course.

Fees & funding

Fees & financial support

Tuition fees

  • 2024/25 entry: £10,500

Tuition fees

Tuition fees

  • 2024/25 entry (MA): £18,000
  • 2024/25 entry (Integrated International Pre-Masters course - Sept & Jan): £17,500
  • 2024/25 entry (Integrated International Pre-Masters course - May): £8,750

Please note: the fees listed here are correct for the stated academic year only. For more detailed information about our course fees please see our fees and finance pages

UCA scholarships and fee discounts

At UCA we have a number of financial support information available to assist you with the cost of your studies.

Current UCA students and alumni may be eligible for a tuition fee discount.

Financial support

There are lots of ways you can access additional financial support to help you fund your studies - both from UCA and from external sources. Discover what support you might qualify for please see our scholarships and fee discounts.

Additional course costs

In addition to the tuition fees there may be other costs for your course. The things that you are likely to need to budget for to get the most out of a creative arts education will include books, printing costs, occasional or optional study trips and/or project materials.

These costs will vary according to the nature of your project work and the individual choices that you make. Please see the Additional Course Costs section of your Course Information for details of the costs you may incur.

Explore our Gradshow

Each year, we’re privileged to be able to share our graduates’ incredible work with the world. And now’s your chance to take a look.

Visit the online showcase

Facilities

Dedicated postgraduate open plan studio spaces, used for group tutorials and personal working. 3D workshop with machines for working in wood, metals, plastics and ceramics. Fully-equipped computer studio with Macs and PCs programmed with the latest software for design and animation. Laser cutters, 3D printers and virtual reality lab on campus.

View 360 virtual tour

Architecture studios, UCA Canterbury

Architecture Digital Media studios, UCA Canterbury

Fabrication Lab, UCA Canterbury

3D workshop, UCA Canterbury

Career opportunities

Career opportunities within this creative industry can vary depending on the sector in which graduates might choose to work in. Potential careers include:

  • Interior designer
  • Studio designer
  • Design manager
  • Creative stylist

You may want to undertake further study or research to specialise even further.

Entry & portfolio requirements

For this course we will need to see your portfolio for review. You can either submit a digital portfolio or request an in-person portfolio review with the course team. Further information will be provided once you have applied. View portfolio advice

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