The IIE BA in Interior Design degree, available at Emeris, is a future-focused qualification designed to prepare students for diverse roles in corporate, retail, hospitality, exhibition, and residential design. Combining creativity with practical experience, the programme ensures graduates are confident, work-ready and equipped to thrive in professional design environments.
Throughout the three-year degree, students work with real-world design briefs that develop both conceptual thinking and technical skills. They progressively build core capabilities in creative development, design theory, and interior design practice, learning to approach each project with curiosity, imagination, and a strong focus on people and how they use space.
The curriculum supports a lateral approach to problem-solving, encouraging experimentation, innovation, and original thinking. Students investigate key design influences such as sustainability, human centred design, universal and wellness design, experiential design and brand building, allowing them to craft thoughtful spatial solutions.
Students will also be introduced to ideation and visualisation techniques, the interior design process, research, theories, perspectives and history of interior design, interior design construction and detailing, material studies, professional practice and industry-standard tools such as computer aided design (CAD) and building information management (BIM). With a strong focus on employability and relevance, this degree equips graduates to contribute meaningfully to the design industry from day one.
Entry Requirements
Minimum Admission Requirements:
For alternative admission options, please click here or reach out to student recruitment.
Please note, requirements for entry to this qualification are correct at the time of publication, however, these may change.
Year 1 - Semester 1
Year 1 - Semester 2
Year 2 - Semester 3
Year 2 - Semester 4
Year 3 - Semester 5
Year 3 - Semester 6
Articulation to the IIE Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design (BAID0701)
Students who successfully complete The IIE Higher Certificate in Creative Development (HCCD0501)—including the elective modules Introduction to Quantitative Thinking and Techniques (IQTT5112), or Mathematics Fundamentals for Interior Design (MFID5112) to meet the mathematical requirements for entry - are eligible to articulate into the IIE Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design (BAID0701).
The successful completion of the IIE Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design enables you to progress into the IIE Bachelor of Arts Honours in Interior Design delivered at Emeris, subject to meeting the admission requirements.
The Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design is accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF 7) by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA ID 87306).
Corporate Designer,
Retail Designer,
Hospitality Designer,
Residential Designer,
Exhibition and Event Designer,
Design Entrepeneur.
The purpose of this qualification is to prepare graduates to contribute and work in the local interior design industry, delivering the quality of designs that can compete in the international design industry which influences trends and demands in the local industry. The qualification will provide the students with a solid grounding in the academic theory that underpins the main critical success factors of this industry both creatively and commercially. The programme offers a broad spectrum of educational experiences in a creatively and intellectually stimulating environment to prepare graduates who will be able to distinguish themselves in this competitive industry.
This programme is designed to promote access to higher education by providing a niche qualification in a small campus environment and to qualify students to follow a career in Interior Design backed by a sound degree level theoretical and conceptual base. This 3-year degree is structured in accordance with the new HEQF guidelines.
Duration
3 years full-time
Intakes
February
Mode/s of study
Information
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An educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education
Formed by the strategic evolution of The IIE's Varsity College, IIE MSA, Vega and
the School of Hospitality and Service Management, uniting under the Emeris name.
Emeris is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd which is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher education institution under the Higher Education Act, 1997 (reg. no. 2007/HE07/002). Company registration number: 1987/004754/07. View certificate here.
