Interior Architecture
Interior Architecture involves designing living spaces for different purposes, from private residences to furnishing and product designs, exhibition designs or designing shops, show rooms and events. This eight-semester Bachelor's program teaches students the expertise they need in this field.
Based on a fundamental approach of “Human Centered Design,” this degree program offers both a sound and practical education and training allowing students to register as interior architects with their local business chamber. The program teaches artistic-design, academic-technical and planning-organizational skills. Practical design projects where students design rooms, furnishings, products, installations and communication measures are the focus of the degree program.
The goal of the program is to qualify students for a nationally recognized interior architect professional certificate.
The degree program teaches competences and expertise in the following areas:
- Interior design drafts
- Artistic-design basic training
- Cultural and humanities fundamentals
- Technical and design expertise
- Digital design and illustration tools
- Marketing, costs and law
- Communication and presentations
Qualification
Because it is eight semesters long, this Bachelor’s program fulfills the statutory requirements of the NRW Construction Chamber Act by ensuring the minimum standard program length for the subject of interior design. Therefore, students are entitled to register with the Chamber of Architects if they fulfill the other requirements.
Graduates will be qualified for careers in the following areas:
- Interior and spatial design for residential, work, recreational, spa and sports, eduction and teaching, and health and nursing environments
- Development and production of furnishings and equipment for both private and public use
- Conceptualizing and designing temporary spaces for brand launches, exhibitions, trade fairs, show rooms, events, theater, film and television
- Planning, organization and management of construction work and design processes
- Developing and designing spatially informed communication processes for companies, institutions and associations
- Designing virtual worlds by using CAD, web design and multimedia design
Entry requirements
- Abitur exam / vocational baccalaureate diploma (Fachabitur)
- Eight-week basic internship: Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the basic internship does not have to be completed before the start of the program for admission to the upcoming winter semester, but can be made up by the end of the 2nd semester at the latest. However, it is recommended to complete the internship before the beginning of the study program.
The basic internship is intended to introduce you to general and constructive contexts of interior design and can be completed, for example, in the fields of carpentry, joinery, wood mechanics, concrete block and terrazzo manufacturers, metal construction, architectural draftsmen, interior decorators, showroom designers, stage technicians, media designers, upholsterers, painters, lighting technicians, restorers and similar.
- In addition, students must verify they have completed an eight-week specialty internship by the start of the fifth semester. During the specialty internship, they will learn specific duties required in their profession as interior designers, such as in architectural and interior design planning firms, design agencies and interior fit-out companies or furnishing showrooms, planning departments for the government, district or city administration and railway and postal administrations, planning firms for furnishing and product design or stage and event design institutions.
Foci
Projects, elective subjects and cumulative modules
Structure and Contents of the Degree Program
The Bachelor's program in interior design is composed of five competency areas (mandatory modules) and freely selectable electives. The mandatory modules teach students basic knowledge and expertise in the areas of art and illustration, culture and the humanities, technology and design, economy, law and communication and drafting. Students can pursue their own interests in the elective modules. Further information is available in the examination regulations and the module handbook.