Foundation Interior Design

The course unit is divided into five parts, each with a series of projects, research tasks, exercises, and assignments.

Part One: Drawing and Making

In the first part of the course you will be looking closely at your environment and exploring ways to begin translating it into two and three-dimensional design sketches, drawings and models, as well as experimenting with digital media. 

Part Two: Space

Part One explored ways of visualising spaces through two and three-dimensional representation. Part Two continues to investigate ideas of space and how to visualise interior designs through the use of line, shape, form, and light and shadow.

Part Three: Material and Finish

Materials are everything that physically surrounds us and the stuff we interact with. It’s what we see and sense and touch. Part Three explores this physicality by considering a range of different materials, their uses, texture, pattern and colour, and how to source them.

Part Four: Environments

Part Four investigates the experience of seeing and feeling, and narrative and emotion in relation to designed environments. It culminates in a project that asks you to design the cabin of a vehicle for the dual purpose of travel and work.

Part Five: Usage and Future

In the last part of the course you will research how people move within interior spaces, and how those interior spaces can fit together as a whole. You will explore how objects can be used and then reused, and how spatial design sits within a wider context. In your final project you will attempt to glimpse the future of interior design using all the skills and knowledge you have gained throughout the course.

By the end of this course you should be able to: 

• Explore different ways to understand the built environment.
• See interior spaces in new ways.
• Begin to shape ideas as inspiration for future interior design projects.

• Access a set text of course materials and resources on our virtual learning platform, OCA Learn.
• Enhance your core learning by signing up for additional webinars, workshops, and study groups through the Textiles Department, available on OCA Learn.
• Submit an assignment at the end of each section of the course for review by your tutor, and receive either written or spoken feedback.

• A minimum of 10 study hours per week. 
• Access to a laptop or desktop computer with internet access.
• Good standard of writing, listening, reading and speaking English language skills*.
• Good IT literacy.

*Please note, if your nationality does not feature on the majority of English speaking countries list [linked here] you will need to provide evidence of your English language skills. 

We recommend gathering materials as and when you need them throughout the course, but here is a general list of supplies you may find useful throughout the course. 

• Sketchbook(s) of your choice.
• Sheets of cartridge paper: A4, A3, A2.
• Graphite pencils.
• Selection of black pens, fibre tips, fine liners, brush pens, etc. 
• Coloured pencils (optional).
• Coloured felt pens (optional).
• PVA glue and glue stick.
• Scalpel (Swann Morton No. 3 scalpel handle with 10A blades).
• A4 file (with loose plastic sleeves – optional). 
• Double-sided tape and masking tape.
• A metric scale ruler and adjustable set square.
• Tracing paper and/or detail paper: A4, A3 or a roll of.
• White card with varying thickness, and other model making materials.

We recommend you have access to one of the following softwares for this course: 

• AutoCAD
• Vectorworks
• LibreCAD (free)
• Adobe Creative Suite

OCA Accessibility Statement

The OCA Accessibility Statement covers the OCA website, which you may use to access course or unit information, or OCA policies.

Mode of study

All of this unit’s study materials are available online. 

Online materials

Online learning materials set out the unit’s content and activities. These comprise of text, images, documents and links to external resources. These can be accessed via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), OCA Learn. 

Visual content

The learning materials for this unit contain some diagrams, drawings, illustrations and photographs. We provide descriptions for all visual content and transcripts for videos.

Library resources

You will be required to access library resources as part of your unit. Any essential reading is provided electronically.

Projects

This unit contains reflective writing activities, creative visual and technical exploration and practical making tasks. These can be submitted digitally as written and visual documents.

Tuition strategy 

Support is provided by academic staff through formative feedback. Tutorials are delivered through online video conferencing with optional captioning and/or recordings. Feedback is provided through written documents or as a tutorial with notes, depending on student choice.

Working with Others

This unit does not encourage working with others.

Assessment

Assessment is not required for this foundation unit, a summary appraisal is provided by the tutor.

Study tempo

Students are able to define a part-time study tempo that works for them within the overall timeframe deadline for the unit. Guidance and support on study skills and time management is available online through the OCA Student Handbook on the VLE. 

You have 12 months to complete the course from the start of your Induction. 

Understandably, sometimes there are unexpected mitigating circumstances that affect your ability to study. In these instances, students can apply for an extension or deferral. We encourage students to seek support as early as possible in such circumstances.

On completion of the course you should have gained sufficient skills and enough confidence to go on to further study with the Open College of the Arts, as well as have begun to create a portfolio of work, and be able to decide on the nature and direction of your future studies and art practice. 

Review our undergraduate courses here. 

Foundation courses are not accredited, meaning the courses are studied for personal development and they do not carry any UCAS points, however upon receiving your final assignment feedback you can request a certificate of completion.

Please review the Foundation courses fees linked here. 

Eligible students are welcome to apply for a Learner Support Scheme bursary to help with the cost of course fees and resources. Information on eligibility and how to apply is linked here. 

Foundation courses are not eligible for Student Finance.

There are several intakes throughout the year students can join. The intake dates and deadlines are linked here. 

Submit an enrolment form below to select your intake. Once submitted, your enrolment form will still need to be reviewed and confirmed as eligible to progress. Please allow 10 working days for your enrolment to be reviewed once submitted.