Diploma in Interior Design

Professional qualification by distance learning for a career in interior design

Course Details

Practical project work

The course contains exercises throughout the text, enabling students to build up their knowledge and skills and ensuring a thorough understanding of each Section before project work is undertaken.

As students progress through the course, they are required to complete and submit six sets of project work for assessment plus two research projects which are worked on throughout the course and submitted at the end. The work is marked and returned, together with detailed written feedback plus advice to help with the production of the next section’s projects. The Section 5 commercial project and the Section 6 final domestic project bring together all the skills learned throughout the course.

Build your confidence

The course content is delivered in manageable sized units which build on each other, meaning that the subject matter can be mastered in gradual stages. This makes the course suitable even for complete beginners: students gain confidence and a sense of achievement as they make steady progress with their studies, which is important if they are fitting the course around the demands of a busy life.

Expert support and guidance

For help and guidance with course and project work, our friendly and professional tutor team are on hand to help. All our tutors are trained interior designers, so students can gain first-hand knowledge from experienced professionals. KLC also offers students a unique system of support services.

Develop your creativity and business skills

As well as developing students’ creativity, the business aspect of running a design practice is given a high priority – students learn how to operate as fully professional interior designers, including how to co-ordinate a project, communicate with the workforce and produce all the necessary documentation. They also learn how to document their own personal creative development process in their personal reflective journal.

Presentation is a vital aspect of this course, and students learn how to communicate their design proposals with the production of professional sample boards, plans, elevations, sections, axonometric and perspective drawings.

On successful completion of the course, students are awarded the KLC Open Learning Diploma*, a qualification highly respected in the industry. Students will also have built up an impressive portfolio to show prospective employers and clients.

Unique careers support

At the end of the course, KLC can give advice on writing a CV and career direction.

 

What's Included?

When you enrol on the course you will receive:

• The printed course material presented in the study folder
• Access to all the online study material and support resources
• Access to the online personal timetable
• The online student handbook with study guidance
• Project briefs
• All distance learning tuition
• Insurance of manuals against loss or theft in transit

Entry Requirements

No previous art or design experience is necessary, just commitment and enthusiasm. Students will need to have a reasonable command of English (written and spoken) and have regular access to a computer with a broadband internet connection.

* On successful completion of the course students receive a Diploma proving their qualification and can use the letters "Dip KLC OL" after their name. The full qualification is "KLC Open Learning Diploma in Interior Design".

 

Detailed Syllabus

Section 1

• Unit 1 – The Design Process
• Unit 2 – Colour 1
• Unit 3 – Concepts
• Unit 4 – Scale
• Unit 5 – History Of Styles 1
• Unit 6 – History Of Window Treatments
• Unit 7 – Survey
• Unit 8 – Technical Drawing - Initial Pencil Exercises
• Unit 9 – Technical Drawing - Plans
• Unit 10 – Freehand Drawing - Sketching & Perspective
• Unit 11 – Textiles

Section 2

• Unit 12 – Technical Drawing - Elevations
• Unit 13 – Colour 2
• Unit 14 – History Of Styles 2
• Unit 15 – Bathrooms
• Unit 16 – Sampleboards
• Unit 17 – Technical Drawing - Sections
• Unit 18 – Scale Planning
• Unit 19 – Technical Drawing - Inking & Lettering

Section 3

• Unit 20 – Sourcing & Developing A Scheme
• Unit 21 – Curtains 
• Unit 22 – Rendering
• Unit 23 – Technical Drawing - Axonometric Projection
• Unit 24 – Kitchen Planning
• Unit 25 – History Of Styles 3
• Unit 26 – Colour 3
• Unit 27 – Design Principles
• Unit 28 – Technical Drawing - Working Drawings
• Unit 29 – Paints
• Unit 30 – Environment
• Unit 31 – Upholstery
• Unit 32 – Light 1
• Unit 33 – Blinds

Section 4

• Unit 34 – Visual Presentation
• Unit 35 – Hard Materials
• Unit 36 – Scale Models
• Unit 37 – History Of Styles 4
• Unit 38 – Verbal Presentation
• Unit 39 – Wall Treatments

Section 5

• Unit 40 – Lighting 2
• Unit 41 – Flooring
• Unit 42 – Heating & Ventilation
• Unit 43 – Building Construction
• Unit 44 – Commercial Projects
• Unit 45 – Accessories

Section 6

• Unit 46 – History Of Styles 5
• Unit 47 – 20th Century Design
• Unit 48 – Estimating For Window Treatments
• Unit 49 – Professional Practice Part I – Career Planning
• Unit 50 – Professional Practice Part II – Business Management
• Unit 51 – Professional Practice Part III – Project Management
• Appendix A – Professional Documentation

 

Project Work

Project work is submitted at the end of each Section, and relating to the Units within that Section plus the broader learning outcomes. The projects follow a logical progression with design briefs based on real projects to build up an impressive and realistic portfolio of work. Starting out with the basics, the projects increase in complexity as the course progresses.

The work includes both residential and commercial design including a showcase final (residential) project summing up students’ understanding and skills gained throughout the course.

Students keep personal reflective journals for their projects throughout the course and they also undertake research projects. These include a History of Styles Notebook and a Curtain and Fabric Notebook which are submitted at the end of the course.