BA (Hons) Top-up

Retail Design

Course Summary

The BA (Hons) Top-Up Degree in Interior Design consists of the final 3 modules of the BA (Hons) Interior Design Degree. It is the perfect progression route for students who have completed a Foundation Degree (FdA) in Interior Design, either with NDA or from a different university or college.

Direct Entry students are always welcome. After one further year of study FdA graduates can top-up their degree to a full Bachelor’s Degree with Honours. They can continue to study flexibly online, alongside their career or family and even choose their own start date.

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Who Should Do This Course?

The BA (Hons) Final Year top-up is ideal for those wishing to ‘top-up’ an existing Foundation Degree, HND or BTEC into a full BA Honours Degree with one further year’s study, for a career as an interior designer or to progress onto an MA.

Learning Online

Study flexibly online through our bespoke virtual learning studio (VLS)

The VLS is our exclusive, online resource which replaces the normal lectures given in Colleges and Universities. This provides links to other online resources and may contain videos, images, quizzes and lectures.

Students can rewind and re-watch until they are sure they have understood. No frantic note taking and no missing an important lecture! Study when and where it suits you!

The majority of NDA students will complete their BA (Hons) Degree online in just 3 years, others may take a little longer and a few may need the maximum study time of 8 years.

Support & Guidance

Personal Tutors

Every NDA student has a personally allocated tutor to guide them through their qualification. You have unlimited access to your Personal Tutor and can book a one to one tutorial by telephone, Skype or in-person.

Student Support Team

We also have a dedicated Student Support and Administration Team to help deal with any other queries such as payments, student loans advice and anything else you may need a helping hand with.

Our Student Helpline is available Monday–Friday from 9am–5pm.

What Will I Study?

You will study three dedicated modules during this BA (Hons) Top-up Degree

Module 1a (option)
Module 1b (option)
Module 2
Module 3

Exhibition Design

This module has two study options, which allows you to choose a project for your portfolio within the area of design that appeals to you most. Option 1 is exhibition design and within this you will explore the two main exhibition approaches; commercial trade shows and exhibitions within a gallery space. There are many elements to explore, including the visitor experience and branding.

Retail Space in a Wider Context

Within this module you will start to consider the design of a retail space within a wider range of environments. These may include; hotels, museums and galleries, exhibition venues, visitor’s centres, and airports. The same considerations need to be made, however on a much smaller scale. You will produce a design for a pop-up retail space, creating a range of sketches, technical drawings and visuals for your portfolio.

Research Study

It is at this stage of the course that you will truly get to choose the direction of the work you produce, starting with the research of a topic close to your heart. If there is an area of design that you are passionate about, then this is an exciting opportunity to incorporate this into your degree. Within this module you will write a dissertation, with the support and guidance of your tutor, who by now will have a great understanding of you and how you study. This dissertation will then feed into your final module; the independent study.

Independent Study

Building on the topic you have developed in the Research Study module, with the support of your tutor, you will be given double the amount of time of the previous modules, to focus on your chosen design based project. This will be the culmination of three years of hard work and will bring together all the skills you have learnt along the way. This module will provide you with visuals, presentation boards, development sketches and technical drawings to add to your portfolio.

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Top up to a full BA (Hons) for a place on the NDA Master’s (MA) Interior Design degree.

Entry Requirements

Students should hold one of the following:

Foundation Degree in Interior Design, or equivalent design subject.
BTEC, HND or international two year design based degree or equivalent.
Extensive portfolio of Interior Design experience.
The course is taught in English, so international students will require a good standard of written English to study. IELTS average 6.5 or TOEFL score of 550 is usually required, however all applicants are considered on an individual basis.

Assessment

You will not have to take an exam! Your tutor will assess your assignments as you submit them throughout the course and your portfolio is moderated by a De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) External Examiner.

What's Next?

Students can study the MA Interior Design Degree with an NDA Progression Scholarship.
Establish your own commercial or residential interior design business.
Work as a freelance designer in the exciting world of interior design.
Work within a design or architectural practice.
Work within a property development company or as a freelance designer.

Accreditation

The BA (Hons) Retail Design Top-up degree is awarded by our academic partner, De Montfort University Leicester (DMU).

BA (Hons) Online Top-up Degree Tuition Fees

UK Students
International Students

Top-Up your Fda, HND
or BTEC to a BA (Hons)
with 1 year's online study

Tuition Fee £5,700

There are 3 ways for
UK students to pay
for their Top-Up Degree

COVERS ALL TUITION FEES

No Upfront Fees!

£ 5,700 On Enrolment

£ 595 Per Month*

£5,950 in total

* Monthly payments include admin fee.

Top-Up your 2 year
degree to a BA (Hons) with 1 year's online study

Tuition Fee $7,950

There are 2 ways for
International students
to pay for their Degree:

$ 7,950 On Enrolment

SAVE $650 by paying in full

Student Loans

With the NDA, now you can afford to study for a degree

Student loans are the most popular way for NDA students to study as they cover the entire cost of their degree. Loans are not based on income or means tested and most students in England will qualify. Repayments only start after four years—but if you earn less than £25,000 per year you will not have to repay. (UK Students only)

Student Spotlights

See some amazing success stories of our past NDA graduates

Zoe Perks

NDA Degree Graduate

Last year Zoe entered and won the Best Interior Room Set at Grand Designs Live 2018, at the Birmingham NEC…

Barbara Seidelmann

NDA Degree Graduate

Barbara is a 5 Star Plus Retail Design Managing Director and former NDA student. She left her previous employment job in 2012 in order to build up her new business…

Kate Stephenson

NDA Degree Graduate

Kate completed the Professional Interior Design Diploma and took all of the amazing knowledge she had learned, and built her own business straight away…

Student Gallery

A sample of work completed by our talented interior design students

What Our Students Say...

Hear what past and present students have to say about studying at the NDA

I would recommended to NDA to all people who have a passion for interior design, and those looking to get an Accredited UK Degree in Interior Design.

For a working mum like myself the flexibility of the course enabled me to study around my personal life. The course content was structured and provided ample reading information to underpin the knowledge required for the brief.

Studying with the NDA cemented the reasons why I decided to inaugurate myself into the study of interior design, giving me the drive and skills to commence my career as an interior designer.

The course was absolutely fantastic, I really enjoyed it. It's quite flexible; I've got two children at home, so while I was bringing them up I could also study and open up doors of opportunity for myself.

It's been a real journey, because I've worked more or less full time whilst I've done it, so it's a matter of studying every night. Now it's over I really miss it, I really, really enjoyed it, every minute.

The tutors at NDA have been great and have helped me to develop a lot from when I first started, I've come a long way since and It's given me a lot of confidence; I'm now going to start setting up as a freelance designer.

I started doing the course as a hobby, but now as I've gained experience working with friends and family, I'm thinking about actually changing it into a career, I just love it.

BA (Hons) Top-up

Retail Design

Start Date

Course Duration

Assessment

Student Loans

Course Summary

Who Should Do This Course?

Learning Online

Support & Guidance

What Will I Study?

Exhibition Design

Retail Space in a Wider Context

Research Study