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Postgraduate

MA Interior and Spatial Design

Architectural model by Yifei Ouyang - MA Interior Spatial Design.
Yifei Ouyang
MA Interior and Spatial Design, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL
College
Camberwell College of Arts Start date
September 2025 Course length
15 months (full time)

MA Interior and Spatial Design at Camberwell College of Arts is committed to the critical investigation of space through the theoretical and practical research interests and activities of our students.

Course summary

Applications closed 2025/26

We are no longer accepting applications for 2025/26 entry to this course. Applications for 2026/27 entry will open in autumn 2025.

Applying for more than 1 course

From October 2024, you can only apply for a maximum of 3 postgraduate courses each year at UAL (excluding online or low-residency courses and Graduate Diplomas). Find out more in the Apply Now section.

Course overview

MA Interior and Spatial Design takes a contemporary view of experimental spatial practice. We thrive on blurring disciplinary boundaries. Being in an art and design college creates an inspiring and creative atmosphere. You'll see a wide variety of approaches and practices.  

We have expertise in experiential and sensorial aspects of what it means to inhabit space and interact with our environment. This encourages work that is not defined by project briefs or specific sites.

With a focus on research-led practice, you’ll embark on a path of academic and personal discovery. This starts with an area of individual research interest. Explorations can be with existing structures, both internally and externally. They can be with film, video, digital and analogue. Both physical and virtual space are equal forms of experience to us. We treat making, drawing, text and debate as equal and complimentary forms of expression and representation.

Outside of scheduled teaching times, you can make use of the studio and workshops for project work. Prototyping and iterating remain the best way to improve propositions and final outcomes. The course facilitates cross-disciplinary activity, and we'll support you in discovering new ways of collaborating with both internal and external practitioners. There is also scope to negotiate what your portfolio submission can be at the end of each unit. You might develop your writing, film making or other forms of practice as well as the more usual installation or design propositions.  

What to expect  

  • Questioning: You’ll think about what constitutes space and spatial practice and how we inhabit, experience and remember space. 
  • Develop design sensibilities: These will enable you to observe, reflect and intervene in existing and speculative spatial situations. 
  • Social responsibility: You’ll be asked to position yourself and your practice in a contemporary environment that responds to current aesthetic, political and social situations. We do not expect you to be passive in your actions. 
  • An iterative approach: This method of repetition is aimed at encouraging deeper understanding and critical reflection. 
  • Build confidence: You’ll be encouraged to take control of your decision making and progression in forming an individual identity and practice
  • Access to Camberwell's shared workshops: Including printmaking, photography, film, moving image, digital, plastic, ceramics, casting, wood and metalwork. View the Camberwell facilities.

Industry experience and opportunities

The self-defined nature of projects allows you to develop approaches that align with your own career interests. This could be in a professional studio, as an artist or performer or in other related fields such as theatre, film or game environments. We also encourage further study through MRes or PhD study for students who want to pursue careers in research and academia.

Mode of study 

MA Interior and Spatial Design is offered in full-time mode and runs for 45 weeks over 15 months. You will be expected to commit an average of 40 hours per week to your course, split between teaching hours and independent study.

Contact us

Register your interest to receive information and updates about studying at UAL.

Contact us to make an enquiry.

Course units

Unit 1: Discover and define  

This unit offers an introduction to your course, the College and the University. First, you’ll present your current portfolio of work, sharing and exchanging ideas and techniques with your peers.  

A series of short exercises will help you define your research interests. You’ll explore physical spaces, undertaking observational and spatial investigation. This will provide a basis for your research-led proposal. We also run activities looking at specific ways of exploring environments. 

You'll learn new methods, design processes and approaches of teaching and learning. These will include the complexity of elements and global contexts that inform any project. You'll have an introduction to a broad set of socio-economic and political realities. You'll also look at climate, social and racial justice issues that pervade the occupation and design of the built environment. 

Unit 2: Define and develop  

You'll position your creative practice within broader social and professional contexts. Through experimentation, you'll start to focus and refine your research-led proposal. You'll produce practice-based developmental work to add to your portfolio. Alongside this you'll work on a written paper that covers the work you’ve completed during unit 1 and 2. 

Unit 3: Develop and deliver

You'll take steps toward resolving and presenting your research and proposal developments through your practice. The aim is to communicate the work you have undertaken in a format that is appropriate to the nature of your project. 

You’ll show how your practice has developed and evolved throughout the course. You'll highlight how it relates to key contextual and theoretical perspectives.  You'll communicate its global and regional context.  You'll demonstrate how climate, social and racial issues have been addressed.

The unit concludes with the submission of your portfolio and written research work. Past projects have included online or physical exhibitions with drawings, models, installations, video work and performance.

Note: 120 Credits must be passed before the final unit is undertaken.

Programme specification

Download course specification (PDF File 576.6 KB)

Learning and teaching methods

  • Independent research
  • Individual and group tutorials
  • Lectures
  • Online posting of work for staff and peer review
  • Presentations, peer review and feedback
  • Research methodology workshops
  • Technical support

Assessment methods

  • Final submission and presentation
  • Individual and group presentations
  • Peer review of course work
  • Portfolio and written work in progress
  • Tutorials and feedback
  • Video

MA Interior and Spatial Design

Student work

Explore work by our recent students on UAL Showcase

  • Moon II
    Moon II, Xuxiang Zhang, 2022 MA Interior and Spatial Design, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL

    Xuxiang Zhang

  • Form Follows Olfaction
    Form Follows Olfaction, Terry Kuo, 2022 MA Interior and Spatial Design, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL

    Terry Kuo

  • Ruins N' Roses
    Ruins N' Roses, Haya Abahussain, 2022 MA Interior and Spatial Design, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL

    Haya Abahussain

  • When Crossing Red Lines
    When Crossing Red Lines, Mille Marie Udnæs Franck, 2022 MA Interior and Spatial Design, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL

    Mille Marie Udnæs Franck

  • Un|homely dining table
    Un|homely dining table, Manasnan Sunpawatr, 2022 MA Interior and Spatial Design, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL

    Manasnan Sunpawatr

  • See more work by our students

Tokyo 1964: Design Tomorrow exhibition

Staff

  • Amritt Flora - Course Leader
  • Pete Maloney - Senior Lecturer
  • Colin Priest - Senior Lecturer
  • Maria Venegas Raba - Associate Lecturer
  • Tendayi Vine - Associate Lecturer
  • Sophie Yetton - Senior Lecturer

Fees and funding

Home fee

£15,330

This fee is correct for 2025/26 entry and is subject to change for 2026/27 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Home fees are currently charged to UK nationals and UK residents who meet the rules. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees and determining your fee status.

International fee

£33,870

This fee is correct for 2025/26 entry and is subject to change for 2026/27 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Home fees are currently charged to UK nationals and UK residents who meet the rules. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees and determining your fee status.

Additional costs

You may need to cover additional costs which are not included in your tuition fees, such as materials and equipment specific to your course. Typical approximate costs for this course include:

  • Printing costs: £50-£200 per year
  • Models for materials: £100-£300 per year
  • Exhibition installs: £100-£300 per year
  • Laptop or desktop computer

For a list of general digital equipment you may need (and how you can borrow equipment), visit our Study costs page.

Accommodation

Find out about accommodation options and how much they will cost, and other living expenses you'll need to consider.

Scholarships, bursaries and awards

If you’ve completed a qualifying course at UAL, you may be eligible for a tuition fee discount on this course. Find out more about our Progression discount.

You can also find out more about the Postgraduate Masters Loan (Home students only) and scholarships, including £7,000 scholarships for Home and International students. Discover more about student funding.

If you’re based in the UK and plan to visit UAL for an Open Event, check if you’re eligible for our UAL Travel Bursary. This covers the costs of mainland train or airline travel to visit UAL.

How to pay

Find out how you can pay your tuition fees.

Scholarship search

Or view all

Entry requirements

The standard minimum entry requirements for this course are:

  • BA (Hons) degree or equivalent academic qualifications
  • Alternative qualifications and experience will also be taken into consideration
  • Personal statement
  • Portfolio of work

Entry to this course will also be determined by the quality of your application, looking primarily at your portfolio of work and personal statement.

APEL - Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning

Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:

  • Related academic or work experience
  • The quality of the personal statement
  • A strong academic or other professional reference
  • A combination of these factors

Each application will be considered on its own merit, but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

English language requirements

All classes are taught in English. If English isn't your first language you must provide evidence at enrolment of the following:

Selection criteria

We look for:

  • Recognised subject specific skills, including architectural drawing and representation, model making and understanding of context. Flexible consideration will be made for applicants with an alternative background who can demonstrate an equivalent exploration of spatial ideas
  • A developed spatial awareness and an ability to creatively organise space and represent and communicate complex spatial ideas
  • Evidence of an engagement with the critical debates surrounding contemporary interior and spatial design practice within current contexts 

Information for disabled applicants

UAL is committed to achieving inclusion and equality for disabled students. This includes students who have:

     
  • Dyslexia or another Specific Learning Difference
  • A sensory impairment
  • A physical impairment
  • A long-term health or mental health condition
  • Autism
  • Another long-term condition which has an impact on your day-to-day life

Our Disability Service arranges adjustments and support for disabled applicants and students.

Read our Disability and dyslexia: applying for a course and joining UAL information.

Apply now

Application deadline

Applications are now closed for 2025/26 entry. Applications for 2026/27 entry will open in autumn 2025.

Read more about deadlines

Apply now

Application deadline

Applications are now closed for 2025/26 entry. Applications for 2026/27 entry will open in autumn 2025.

Read more about deadlines

How to apply

Follow this step-by-step guide to apply for this course

Step 1: Initial application

You will need to submit an initial application including your personal statement and CV.

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement should be maximum 500 words and include:

  • your reasons for choosing the course
  • your current creative practice and how this course will help you achieve your future plans
  • any relevant education and experience, especially if you do not have any formal academic qualifications.

Visit our personal statement page for more advice.

CV advice

Please provide a CV detailing your education, qualifications and any relevant work or voluntary experience. If you have any web projects or other media that you would like to share, please include links in your CV. If English is not your first language, please also include your most recent English language test score

Step 2: Video task and digital portfolio

We will review your initial application. If you have met the standard entry requirements, we will ask you to submit a video task and digital portfolio.

You’ll need to submit these via PebblePad, our online portfolio tool. Please submit your video task on the first page followed by your portfolio.

Video task advice

We’d like you to submit a 2-3 minute video to help us learn more about you. When recording your task, please face the camera and speak in English.

What to include in your video task
  • Discuss the view from a window where you live. Show us both the view and yourself speaking.
  • How does this view change throughout the day and over different scales of time?

Read our guidance for how to submit your video task and which file types we accept.

Digital portfolio advice

The portfolio should consist of your recent work.

It should:

  • be maximum 30 pages, including your video task
  • show subject specific skills including architectural knowledge, drawing, model making, computer aided design (CAD) etc.
  • demonstrate your spatial awareness and ability to creatively organise space and represent spatial ideas
  • illustrate your engagement with critical debates surrounding contemporary interior and spatial design practice through writing or other creative practices
  • include at least 1 project produced as a part of a degree course and / or professional workplace that reflects your critical enquiry and design position
  • include any supporting research, examples of design thinking and experimentation.
  • acknowledge if any work was produced collectively or involved the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence).

For more support, see our Portfolio advice and PebblePad advice.

Step 3: Interview

You may be invited to an interview following our review of your application. All interviews are held online and last 15 to 20 minutes.

For top tips, see our Interview advice.

You also need to know

Communicating with you

Once you have submitted your initial application, we will email you with your login details for our Applicant portal.

Requests for supplementary documents like qualifications and English language tests will be made through the applicant portal. You can also use it to ask questions regarding your application. Visit our After you apply page for more information.

Applying to more than 1 course

From October 2024, you can only apply for a maximum of 3 postgraduate courses each year at UAL. This excludes online or low-residency courses and Graduate Diplomas, which you can apply to in addition to 3 other postgraduate courses.

If you apply for more than 3 postgraduate courses between October 2024 and August 2025, we won’t accept the 4th application. It’s not possible to withdraw an application to replace it with another.

You need to tailor your application, supporting documents and portfolio to each course, so applying for many different courses could risk the overall quality of your application. If you receive offers for multiple courses, you'll only be able to accept 1 offer.

Visas and immigration history check

All non-UK nationals must complete an immigration history check. Your application may be considered by our course teams before this check takes place. If your course requires a portfolio and/or video task, we may request these before we identify any issues arising from your immigration history check. Sometimes your history may mean that we are not able to continue considering your application. Visit our Immigration and visas advice page for more information.

External student transfer policy

UAL accepts transfers from other institutions on a case-by-case basis. Read our Student transfer policy for more information.

Alternative offers

If your application is really strong, but we believe your strengths and skillset are better suited to a different course, we may make you an alternative offer. This means you will be offered a place on a different course or at a different UAL College.

Deferring your place

We do not accept any deferral requests for our postgraduate courses. This means that you must apply in the year that you plan to start your course and you will not be able to defer your place to start at a later date.

Application deadlines

Most of our postgraduate courses have 2 rounds of deadlines: one in December and one in March.

As long as you apply ahead of each deadline we will consider your application alongside all the other applications in that round. We always make sure to hold enough places back for round 2 to make sure we can consider your application fairly, no matter which round you apply in.

If there are still places available after the second deadline, the course will remain open to applications until all places have been filled.

Careers

Camberwell College of Arts

Contact

Telephone

+44 (0)20 7514 6302

Address

Camberwell College of Arts
45 - 65 Peckham Road
London
SE5 8UF