Interior Design

Bachelor of Design Degree

Bachelor of Design, Interior Design, focuses on a diverse range of interior design areas including; residential interior design, furniture and installation design, retail interior design, community landscape design and commercial office interior design.

Whitehouse offers an intensive immersion in materials research and exploration in the process of making new or transforming existing buildings, furniture and objects. Interior Design looks not only at the application of surface materials but more fully at understanding the design of usable spaces that enhance lifestyle.

Just some of the industry partners our students & alumni have had opportunities with:

Interior Design

Interior Design straddles the interface between the cultural and natural worlds, addressing the design issues occurring in a range of scales, from specific sites to global systems. The Bachelor of Design, Interior Design, prepares students to thoughtfully examine the increasingly complex issues associated with designing, building and transforming interiors, structures & objects.

In the studio, students use digital and manual means to research and recommend design alterations and renovations that give existing buildings new life. Whether working in the field, the CAD Lab, the Model Shop or on their own laptops in studio, students are challenged to think critically and develop self-reliant design solutions and processes.

With a large focus on sustainable and responsible design, students are encouraged to experiment with a wide range of materials and approaches. Complemented by the study of perspective drawing, history, theory, ecology, cultural geography, plants and technology, students investigate some of the most important questions facing designers today.

We proudly deliver an exceptional 1,728* hours over two years and we encourage you to compare.

You won't find another degree like it in Australia.

Domestic Entry Requirements

International Entry Requirements

ACADEMIC DATES

The Bachelor of Design degree at WHITEHOUSE consists of six study periods in a trimester model and is completed within 2 years.

2020	Commencement	Census Date	End	Administrative Date
Trimester 1	17 February 2020	6 March 2020	15 May 2020	On enrolment
Trimester 2	1 June 2020	19 June 2020	28 August 2020	1 June 2020
Trimester 3	14 September 2020	2 Oct 2020	11 December 2020	14 September 2020
2021	Commencement	Census Date	End	End
Trimester 1	22 February 2021	10 March 2021	21 May 2021	22 February 2021
Trimester 2	7 June 2021	23 June 2021	3 September 2021	7 June 2021
Trimester 3	20 September 2021	6 Oct 2021	17 December 2021	20 September 2021

Definitions

Administrative Date: The Administrative Date is the last date that you are to complete the requirements for enrolment or progression and finalise upfront tuition fees for the relevant study period. The Administrative Date is the study period commencement date

Census Date: is the deadline for various requirements, including submitting your electronic Request for HELP AssistanceHELP loan. If you miss the Census Date, you will not be eligible to access HELP for that study period. The Census Date is also the deadline for withdrawing from subjects without incurring the full cost of your subject(s) or a HELP debt.

COURSE STRUCTURE

Students undertake five subjects each study period as follows:

The Bachelor of Design specialising in Interior Design is based on six trimesters with five subjects taught in each trimester. It comprises of 18 core subjects and 12 specialisation subjects. To qualify for the award of the degree Bachelor of Design a candidate shall accrue and aggregate of 288 credit points, including satisfactory completion of all subjects.

Code	Subject	Credit points per subject
DC1 - 6	Design Contexts (Core Subject)	6 Credit Points
DD1 - 6	Digital Design (Core Subject)	6 Credit Points
ID1 - 6	Illustration for Design (Core Subject)	6 Credit Points
DI1 - 6	Interior Design Methods and Processes (Specialisation)	6 Credit Points
IW1 - 6	Interior Workshop (Specialisation)	24 Credit Points

TUITION FEES

Bachelor of Design - Domestic Student

Academic Dates and Fee Schedule 2020-2021

The Tuition Fee schedules apply for 2020/2021 only and are subject to annual review and alteration. All fees are in Australian Dollars and inclusive of GST where GST is applicable. The Fee documents attached are for tuition only and do not include course material costs. For further information on course material cost estimates please call us on 1300 551 433 and ask to speak with the Admissions Team.

Tuition Fee Payment Options - Domestic Students

Tuition Fee Payment Options

You can choose to pay your tuition fees in the following ways:

HELP Assistance (previously known as FEE-HELP Assistance)
Pay Fees Upfront
Upfront Payment for Single Unit/s + HELP

Tuition fees for each study period are to be paid in advance before the commencement of each study period. You can either elect to pay upfront, in full or a portion upfront, with the balance deferred to HELP.

If you elect to pay your tuition fees up front, this does not prevent you from accessing HELP at any time, provided an electronic Commonwealth Assistance form (eCAF) to defer tuition to FEE-HELP assistance is lodged before the relevant Census Date for the study period.

HELP

HELP is a loan scheme that helps eligible Australian fee-paying students (full-time or part-time) pay their tuition fees. HELP can cover all or part of your tuition fees. The Australian Government pays the amount of the loan direct to Whitehouse. You’ll make repayments on your loan through the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) whenever your income is above the threshold, or you can make voluntary repayment to ATO at any time. No interest is charged on your HELP loan, however, the Commonwealth Government applies a one off loan fee and it is indexed each year with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in line with the cost of living.

Eligibility

To be eligible for HELP you must be an Australian citizen, New Zealand citizen eligible for a Special Category visa or hold a permanent humanitarian visa whilst remaining a resident in Australia, or a permanent visa holder who is undertaking study for overseas-trained professional and will be a resident in Australia for the duration of studies.

When is a HELP debt incurred?

You incur a HELP debt immediately after the census date for the study period for which you received HELP assistance. If you have requested a HELP loan, but change your mind about studying, you must cancel or defer your enrolment in writing from the subject(s) on or before the census date or you will incur a HELP debt to the Commonwealth Government.

2020 HELP limit changes

What is the combined HELP loan limit?

The combined HELP loan limit is a cap on what you can borrow from the Australian Government to cover the costs of your tuition fees. The HELP loan limit will replace the current FEE-HELP limit from 1 January 2020.

Do my past HELP or VSL debts count?

Yes. Existing FEE-HELP, VET FEE-HELP and VET Student Loan debts will be carried over and count towards your HELP loan limit. On 1 January 2020, your FEE-HELP balance will become your HELP balance and subject to allowable loan limit.

What are the HELP loan limit amounts?

For 2020, the HELP loan limit is $106,319 for most students.

* NOTE: This information is current as of 6 September 2019. For more information about HELP, changes to legislation, eligibility, your rights & obligations, please visit the Commonwealth Government website: –https://www.studyassist.gov.au/help-loans

Cancellation and Refund Policy

By accepting a place in any one of the Whitehouse Institute’s courses, the student enters into an agreement to study a course for the expected published duration of the enrolled program of study – their enrolment then is bound by the terms and conditions of the Cancellation and Refund Policy. Download a copy of the Cancellation and Refund Policy.

Financial Support

Whitehouse Institute of Design, Australia is registered by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) and the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) and as such Youth Allowance or Austudy or other financial support options are available for eligible Australian citizens attending Whitehouse. Further information www.centrelink.gov.au.

Tuition Assurance

Whitehouse has met the tuition assurance requirements of the Higher Education Support Act (HESA) as a member of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET). Whitehouse is compliant with the HESA. For further information contact Whitehouse. Click here to read the Tuition Assurance Statement in full.

Bachelor of Design - International Students

Academic Dates and Fee Schedule 2020-2021

Tuition Fee Payment Options

International students are not eligible to access Commonwealth support for payment of tuition fees. All tuition fees are payable upfront each study period of enrolment.

Payment of the Bachelor of Design tuition fees are to be paid in advance by study period.

An invoice for the first study period tuition fees + OSHC for the duration of expected visa grant will be issued on the submission of enrolment documentation. This will need to be paid before issue of the CoE and OSHC Certificate
The subsequent tuition fees for the duration of enrolment will be invoiced at the end of the study period and are due before the commencement of next study period in which you are enrolled.
Additional tuition fees cannot be accepted to paid in advance other than the current study period.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Tuition Assurance

NON-TUITION FEES

NON-TUITION FEES

Non-tuition fees are governed by the Higher Education Support Act. Students must be able to complete the requirements of their course of study without the imposition of fees that are additional to tuition fees except in the following circumstances:

for a service that is not essential to the course of study; or
for alternative forms of access to a service that is an essential component of the course of study, but is otherwise made readily available at no additional charge by Whitehouse; or
the fee is a fine or penalty, provided it is imposed principally as a disincentive.

Non-tuition Fees and Charges Schedule
Cancellation Fee O/S – approved notice of withdrawal or deferral received before course commencement = 10% of the study period tuition fee (international students only - penalty)	(max) $1,356.00
Refusal of student visa by DIBP – 5% of pre-paid tuition fees or $500.00 (international students only - penalty)	5% or $500.00
Electronic transactions surcharge - Visa and MasterCard (service charge)	0.87%
Electronic transactions surcharge EFTPOS (service charge)	$0.45 each
Late Payment fee (penalty)	$20.00 per day
Dishonoured payment (penalty)	$50.00
Reissue of Testamur/Qualification* (service charge)	$50.00
Reissue of Academic Transcript* (service charge)	$30.00
Locker Hire – Annual (service charge)	$45.00
Locker Key/Lock reissue (penalty)	$25.00
Reissue Whitehouse Student ID card (penalty)	$30.00
Overdue Library Book fee: $1 per day up to first 7 days, $10 per day thereafter (fine)	$1.00/$10.00
Lost Book Fee: minimum $150 or cost of replacement (fine)	$150.00 minimum
Printing fees - library (service charge)	$0.10 to $2.00 per sheet
Binding - library (service charge)	$1.45 - $4.50 per set
Graduation ceremony (service charge) **	$155.00 - $170.00
Private Tuition (BDes only – service charge) ***	$85.00 per hour

* Reissue of academic transcripts and or Transcript/Qualification must be made in writing (see Request Issue of Transcript form) with payment/credit card authority and include current mailing and contact details, and in advance.
**Graduation ceremony – students are not required to attend the ceremony and can be conferred award in absentia without charge.
***Students may be required to undertake private tuition due change of design specialisation or missed content though unsupported absences to assist with progression. Private tuition is also available upon request.

The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) will be introduced from 16 September 2019.

What is the SSAF?

The SSAF is for student services and amenities of a non-academic nature, such as recreational activities, student socials, special events, counselling services etc.

Learn More

Who pays the SSAF?

Any person who is enrolled or seeking to enrol with a higher education provider can be charged a student services and amenities fee.

When is the SSAF due?

The SSAF is being introduced 16 September 2019 and is payable by the census date

The SSAF annual fee will take effect from 1 January 2020 and is payable by the census date each study period.

How much is SSAF?

The amount you pay depends on your fee type and study load.

Each year Whitehouse will charge an annual SSAF calculated in accordance with government regulations.

As at 16 September 2019, the maximum amount to be charged will be $101.00 for full time students.
Students who are not full time will pay a pro-rata amount according to their study load.

How do students pay the SSAF?

Domestic students can pay upfront.

If you do not wish to pay upfront and you are eligible, you can request assistance from the Commonwealth and defer the fee through the element of the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) known as SA-Help

Learn More

Under SA-Help, the amount of the fee will be added to your students accumulated HELP debt.

International students are not eligible for SA-Help and must pay the fee up-front.

Who decides what the SSAF is spent on?

The Student Representative Council (SRC) in consultation with the student body and Whitehouse Management, will have an important say in how the fees are allocated and spent, ranging from services such as, student wellbeing, learning support and career advice, or recreational activities outside normal class time.

The SSAF can’t be used for the provision of academic service, to support political parties or the election of a person to a Commonwealth, state, territory parliament or local government body.

For further information refer:

Australian Government, Department of Education and Training

Whitehouse Student Services and Amenities Policy and Procedure will be available on the Whitehouse website by 16 September 2019.

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES

The Whitehouse Institute offers students the opportunity to experience a wide range of different studio practices, each of which will require specific materials and equipment. It is the student’s responsibility to determine what materials and equipment are required for each class prior to the class being held. - this will be listed in the course outline for each subject. Students are to attend each class with the correct equipment.

The cost of materials and supplies will vary depending on the specialisation. Costs will be incurred for specialist art papers, fabrics and accessories. Specialised Studio Workshops require additional materials and supplies and these costs are determined by the student’s choice of items.

The design staff have put together Art and Technical Kits together to ensure that student have the essential supplies to assist them in the execution of high quality work and consistency across specialisations. These supplies are required at the commencement of studies. An indicative cost of these are:

Art Kit: $850.00

Fashion Technical Kit: $550.00

Creative Direction Technical Kit: $210.00

Interiors Art & Technical Kit: $550.00

All students are to have an Art Kit as well as a Technical Kit specific to your specialisation at the commencement of studies. Students are under no obligation to purchase Art or Technical materials from Whitehouse. Students can assemble the kits as per the Art & Technical kit listings. Students who enrol in September will only require an Art Kit, the Technical Kit can be ordered prior to February classes.

COURSE STRUCTURE

Students undertake five subjects each study period as follows:

Code	Subject	Credit points per subject
DC1 - 6	Design Contexts (Core Subject)	6 Credit Points
DD1 - 6	Digital Design (Core Subject)	6 Credit Points
ID1 - 6	Illustration for Design (Core Subject)	6 Credit Points
D1 - 6	Interior Design Methods and Processes (Specialisation)	6 Credit Points
IW1 - 6	Interior Workshop (Specialisation)	24 Credit Points

STUDENT & ATAR PROFILE

Student and ATAR Profile	Study period 1 – February 2018
Student and ATAR Profile	No of students	Percentage of students
Higher Education Study (includes bridging or enabling courses)	10	8%
Vocational Education & Training (VET) Study	21	16%
Secondary Education (recent):
1. Admitted solely on basis of ATAR	N/A	0%
2. Admitted where ATAR, Portfolio andMotivational Statement were considered	38	29%
3. Admitted on the basis of other criteria and ATARwas not a factor (e.g. special consideration, Portfolio & Motivational Statement alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement)	44	33%
Work and Life Experience	4	3%
International Student	14	11%
ALL Students	131	100%

Whitehouse does not admit on ATAR alone. All applicants are to provide Creative Portfolio and Motivational Statement.

Course Subjects

Design Contexts

In year one, students will be immersed in the foundation elements of design context that look at the historical, cultural and social influences that impact on contemporary design practices. Students relate their research to their chosen specialisation and how the relationship of culture, history and marketplace informs design and designers today. In the second and final year, design context students investigate the relationship between design and marketing, how to integrate design with industry business models and how design integrates with the professional world.

Digital Design

Focuses on visual communication through print and digital media. In this class, students learn professional interior design presentation skills such as editing CAD renders, technical drawings, creating mood boards and spacial mock-ups. This area of study examines the principles of communication realised through effective and innovative visual outcomes. Students use programs such as: ArchiCAD, SketchUp and Adobe Creative Cloud including Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

Illustration for Design

Focuses on communication techniques relevant to the specialisation of choice. A diverse range of media is investigated, used and mastered to successfully communicate design intent through illustration.

Design Methods

Students explore of a range of scale in projects, from small residential homes, commercial spaces, office fit-outs and large hospitality projects. Design methods see students research elements and principles inclusive of rhythm, repetition, line, texture colour of design and the application to interior environments.

Design Workshop

Supports students through the realisation of their 2D design to a 3D prototype. This area of study provides students with the opportunity to integrate and apply their skills and knowledge from all other subject areas. In workshop classes, students are producing accurate and industry standard technical documentation for designs, as well as exploring and researching materials for interior spaces.

PDF COURSE GUIDE

Graduate Outcomes

Here are just some examples of career outcomes our Interior Design graduates have continued into:

- Spatial Designer

- Furniture Designer

- CAD Operator

- Interior Designer

- Commercial Designer

- Hospitality Designer

- Interior Illustrator

- Magazine Editor

- Design Coordinator

- Exhibition Designer

- Showroom Manager

- Interior Renovator

- Entertainment Designer

- Lighting Designer

- Design Manager

- Design Administrator

Facilities & Infrastructure

With design-centric campuses in Melbourne and Sydney, Whitehouse students are provided with state-of-the-art facilities within each of their subjects. Exclusive access to digital resources, online trend-forecasting services, a specialist design library, student rooftop garden and fully-equipped photography studio.

Whitehouse is continuously updating and replenishing resources to ensure that students have extensive research support. Check out our campuses here.

Lizzie Upfold

Design Lecturer

Sydney Campus

“ To study Interior Design is to explore and resolve the balance between the creative and the technical. We explore this interrelation in its entirety through design to documentation, to materiality and furniture sourcing, all the way through to modelling, communicating. It is ultimately the measure in realising and resolving a successful space. ”

FAQs

WHAT IS A CREATIVE PORTFOLIO?

The creative portfolio is a selection of your best work, which demonstrates your creative potential. A portfolio usually consists of between 6-8 examples, and can use a variety of mediums which may include illustration, digital design, photography, film, creative writing, textile design, fine artworks and other evidence as appropriate to your chosen specialisation. Whitehouse uses your portfolio to assess your creative potential for success in the Bachelor of Design. We look at how your work demonstrates:

An understanding of design, a connection with the current design industry and innovation in your creative thinking.
A desire to learn and the ability to investigate and develop ideas independently.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A CREATIVE PORTFOLIO?

If you do not have a Creative Portfolio, or have questions about yours, call us on 1300 551 433 or email study@whitehouse-design.edu.au to talk to us.

Whitehouse offers short workshops throughout the year, which assist students and applicants with their portfolio development. We recommend anyone considering a career in design or applying for the Bachelor of Design, to attend a workshop with us.

Details of all of Whitehouse's Workshops can be found here:

Workshops at Whitehouse

WHAT ARE THE PRE-REQUISITE SUBJECTS FOR BACHELOR OF DESIGN?

To assist you in your tertiary level design studies, it is recommended that a combination of the following subjects be undertaken during years 11 and 12: Modern or Ancient History, Design & Technology, Visual Arts, Visual Communication and Textiles & Design.

Whitehouse does not have any compulsory pre-requisite subjects.

Whitehouse offers a Certificate III in Design Fundamentals (VET for Secondary School Students) course, which offers its graduates direct entry into the Bachelor of Design at Whitehouse. Students can take this course in Year 10, 11 or 12 of High School.

Cert III in Design Fundamentals

Whitehouse suggests that all applicants take a Whitehouse Workshop. More information on the link below.

Workshops at Whitehouse

CAN I TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT MY APPLICATION?

WHAT IF I DON'T HAVE AN ATAR?

An ATAR of 67.95* is desirable if applying with a secondary education only but is not the only criteria for acceptance. With your latest academic results, creative portfolio and motivational statement, an adjustment/equity factor may apply.

Adjustment or Equity factors might apply to study, work, cultural background or life experiences that have been impacted by location, study choices, disability, illness or family disruption and will be considered for admission. Each application will be considered on its merit, based on the evidence supplied by you attesting to your individual circumstances.

An adjustment factor to the application will be taken into consideration if:

Applicant has completed a Certificate III in Design Fundamentals (or equivalent) at Whitehouse or at another RTO
Evidence is produced indicating exceptional creative endeavours. Whitehouse will also consider: volunteering, internship, work experience, past/current employment and or extracurricular activities
Applicant is of mature age

You may also be considered for admission on the basis of identifying with an equity group or experiencing disadvantage. Whitehouse may then increase your selection rank for that course - this is called an 'equity adjustment'.

If there is evidence of the applicant requiring an ‘equity adjustment’:

Applicant identifies as one of the following equity groups:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- people from lower socio-economic backgrounds
- people with disability
- people from remote, rural or isolated areas
- people who are the first in their family to attend a university or other higher educational institution
- people from non-English speaking backgrounds
There are specific categories of disadvantage that Whitehouse will also consider, which are detailed below. Your educational performance and/or personal situation prior to enrolment must have been seriously affected, normally for a period of at least six months, due to circumstances beyond your control or choosing.
- Disrupted Schooling
- Severe Family Disruption
- Excessive family responsibilities
- Personal Illness/disability
- Refugee Status

Applicants may be set literacy or creative tasks to assist with assessing eligibility for admission.

CAN I DEFER MY ENROLMENT?

CAN I GET ACADEMIC CREDIT FROM MY PREVIOUS STUDIES?

Academic Credit / Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Credits for single subjects may be awarded to accredited subjects previously undertaken at another education provider and/or relevant industry experience.

To apply for Academic Credit:

Download and complete the Application for Academic Credit
Fill in the form including all subject titles and descriptions of the units for which you are applying for RPL
Submit completed form with supporting documentation and evidence to Whitehouse Institute

Advanced Standing

Advanced Standing may be awarded to students who have completed courses in a similar field of study. Depending on the level of study completed, you may be eligible to receive direct articulation into study period two, three or four of the Bachelor of Design. Download or request the Application for Direct Entry - submit with your current/previous qualification and transcript of academic results. If advanced standing is awarded the length of your study may be reduced.

For more information on Academic Credit and Advanced Standing, simply contact Whitehouse Institute Admissions or discuss during your interview.

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Interior Design

Bachelor of Design Degree

Just some of the industry partners our students & alumni have had opportunities with:

Interior Design

We proudly deliver an exceptional 1,728* hours over two years and we encourage you to compare.

You won't find another degree like it in Australia.

Course Subjects

Design Contexts

Digital Design

Illustration for Design

Design Methods

Design Workshop

Graduate Outcomes

- Spatial Designer

- Furniture Designer

- CAD Operator

- Interior Designer

- Commercial Designer

- Hospitality Designer

- Interior Illustrator

- Magazine Editor

- Design Coordinator

- Exhibition Designer

- Showroom Manager

- Interior Renovator

- Entertainment Designer

- Lighting Designer

- Design Manager

- Design Administrator

Facilities & Infrastructure

Lizzie Upfold

Design Lecturer

Sydney Campus

FAQs

Student Life

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The only Design Institute in Australia with Alumni showing at Haute Couture Fashion Week, Paris

Listed as #1 School in Australia for Interior Design by Domain.com.au

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