Interior Architecture at UNSW is positioned as a research-led creative practice which focuses on the design and agency of the inhabited interiors of the built environment, from the scale of the room to the scale of the city, from permanent to temporary spaces.

Our agenda is to imagine, debate and test the contemporary interior as a key agent in the production of the built environment. We consider the interior as a dynamic and open-ended conceptual space through which the human scale and experiences inherent in the private and public spaces of our urban environments can be interrogated and projected.

Through a focus on material and spatial assembly, agency and affect, we foster an agile and critical approach to design enquiry, underpinned by an informed appreciation of the environmental, cultural and historic contexts of interior architecture and design. We value an expansive approach in the speculation and projection of the contemporary interior, underpinned by rigour and creative risk taking.

Our goal is to produce industry leaders with the ethical, collaborative and creative skills that will allow them to effectively respond to the multi-disciplinary, global demands inherent in the reshaping of our future interiorscapes.

BIA graduates will be scholars who are:


• Understanding of the material and spatial assembly, agency and affect of interior environments.
• Capable of independent and collaborative research-led design enquiry underpinned by rigorous analysis, critique and reflection.
• Understanding of the discipline of Interior Architecture in its environmental, cultural, historical and interdisciplinary context.
• Able to apply their knowledge and skills to solving design problems.
• Ethical design practitioners.
• Capable of effective communication.
• Enterprising, innovative and creative.
• Capable of initiating as well as embracing change.
• Collaborative team workers.
• Capable of applying the discipline of Interior Architecture in local, national and international contexts.
• Culturally aware and capable of respecting diversity and acting in socially and environmental just / responsible ways.
• Capable of independent, self-directed practice.

NOTE: The 12UOC of Interdisciplinary Learning Courses can be undertaken at any stage from the end of Year 2 to the end of Year 4 including summer sessions.

Additionally, students are not required to undertake the other elective and general educaton requirements in the exact order as indicated in the above program structure. This structure provides a suggested order for the completion of these elective and general education requirements, however a student can choose to do them in a different sequence. For example, a student may choose to complete a Select Elective in S1 of Yr 3 and undertake the 6 UOC of general education in Yr 4.

A list of 2015 Interdisciplinary Learning Courses is below:

Summer Semester:

Students are required to choose 2 courses from the suite of Built Environment Interdisciplinary courses to complete a minimum of 12uoc of BEIL courses.

The Bachelor of Interior Architecture degree may be awarded with honours based upon the quality of performance in the program and in accordance with current program policy. Honours are Class 1 or Class 2 Division 1 or Class 2 Division 2.

The degree of Bachelor of Interior Architecture is awarded at either Pass or Honours level after the successful completion of a minimum of 192 units of credit.
The standard duration of the program is 4 years consisting of 8 semesters of full-time study (24 units of credit per semester)

To fulfil these requirements, students must complete:

Open Elective can be chosen from any course offered by any Faculty at UNSW for which the student meets pre-requisite or other enrolment requirements.
The exception being specific General Education GEN prefix course/s which cannot be counted as open elective. Open elective do not need to be taken outside the Faculty, students can choose FBE electives as open electives.

BE Elective are elective courses offered by the Faculty and are generally denoted by a BENV prefix. Electives from outside the Faculty cannot be counted as FBE electives.

12 units of General Education courses in accordance with University requirements.
Refer to: General Education

For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website:  UNSW Fee Website.

The UNSW degree of Bachelor of Interior Architecture is recognised by the Design Institute of Australia (DIA - the professional body representing Interior Architecture/Interior Design in Australia) and the International Federation of Interior Architects (IFI). Students enrolled in the program are eligible to apply for Student membership of the DIA and Associate membership upon graduation. Full membership requires two years of approved professional experience after graduation.

The BIA program at UNSW is also a member of IDEA (Interior Design/Interior Architecture Educators Association) representing all 4 year university degree programs in the discipline in the region.