Diploma of DesignINTERIOR DESIGN
Build core spatial planning and technical drafting skills, develop your creative and material design ability, and gain a solid foundation for continued study or entry into the interior design industry.
COURSE INFORMATION
- Course Level:
- Diploma
- Delivery:
- On Campus
- Next Intake:
- February 2027
- Format:
- Full-Time / Part-Time
- Intakes:
- Feb, Jun, Sept
- Location:
- Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane
- Duration:
- 2 Trimesters
- Tuition:
- FEE-HELP Approved
INTERIOR DESIGN OVERVIEW
The Diploma of Design specialising in Interior Design is your fast-track introduction to professional interior design. Across two trimesters, you'll build the skills to plan, draft and design real spaces in a studio environment: spatial planning, materials and technical drafting, developed the same way Whitehouse teaches its full Bachelor of Design. Graduate with two residential design projects in your portfolio, ready to continue into further study or take on entry-level design roles.
Why study Interior Design at Whitehouse
Learn the technical craft, not just the look. SketchUp modelling, hand drafting, material boards and FF&E schedules, taught in studios alongside students working through our full Bachelor of Design.
Source the way the industry sources. Kitchen and bathroom showroom excursions, real supplier brands and materials, so you learn specification from the places designers actually buy.
Design real residential spaces from your first trimester. A primary bedroom, ensuite and walk-in wardrobe, then a full luxury apartment - each taken from client brief through to a finished package and pitched to a review panel.
WHY WHITEHOUSE?
#1
FOR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT*
We achieved 92.1% in the QILT Student Experience Survey 2025, the strongest result of any creative arts and design institution in the country.
20+
STUDIO HOURS A WEEK
You'll get real face-to-face studio time, more than double the national average.
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Across your projects you'll work with industry suppliers, showrooms and brand partners.
*QILT Student Experience Survey 2025 when compared to institutions offering creative arts and design courses.
7 IN 10 INTERIOR DESIGNERS ARE QUALIFIED
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Interior Designers (2021 Census).
LEARNING OUTCOMES
What you'll learn
Through hands-on studio projects across residential interiors, you'll develop the creative and technical skills the industry demands.
- Design and critical thinking, from first sketch through to rendered illustration
- SketchUp for turning design ideas into visual, buildable concepts
- Adobe Photoshop and InDesign for presenting a scheme and building a client proposal
- Drafting fundamentals: floor plans, elevations and sections
- Colour, tone and materiality, and how they carry a scheme
- Spatial planning across bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and open-plan living
- Sourcing and specifying furniture, fixtures and finishes into a professional Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (FF&E) schedule
- Design history and the movements shaping interiors today
What you'll graduate with
By the end of the Diploma you'll have:
- A portfolio of two residential interior projects
- The ability to take a client brief from concept through to a presented design package
- Working knowledge of the software and drafting conventions used in CAD studios
- A developing eye for materiality, colour and spatial planning
- Full credit for entry into the Associate Degree or Bachelor of Design
COURSE STRUCTURE
The Diploma of Design specialising in Interior Design comprises 6 core subjects (Design Contexts, Digital Design and Design Illustration) and 4 specialisation subjects (Interior Design and Interior Workshop). To be awarded the Diploma of Design, candidates must accrue an aggregate of 96 credit points, including satisfactory completion of all subjects.
The course is offered both full-time and part-time. At a full-time study load, students undertake five subjects each trimester and complete the Diploma across 2 trimesters (7 months).
Design core subjects
Design ContextsDC1 and DC2. 6/12 credit points
Builds critical awareness of the history of design, focusing on the philosophies, styles and movements that continue to shape practice today. Introduces academic research, critical analysis and writing. Looks at the theoretical frameworks used to understand and review design across different periods, giving students methods for interpreting designed objects, writing, film, advertising and material culture.
Digital DesignDD1 and DD2. 6/12 credit points
Introduces the digital skills that turn a design into something a client can see and buy into, building working knowledge of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite. Students build a complete design proposal, learning how drawings, imagery and type come together into a document that wins client approval.
Design IllustrationDI1 and DI2. 6/12 credit points
Introduces illustration as the visual language of design, using freehand drawing to develop and communicate spatial ideas. Builds illustrative range, from expressive drawing through to accurate drawing systems using scale and measurement.
Interior Design specialisation subjects
Interior Design 1 to 2ID1 and ID2. 6/12 credit points
Students design their first residential brief - a primary bedroom, ensuite and walk-in wardrobe - learning to work from human scale and real spatial requirements. They then design a luxury residential apartment, developing their own concept and combining multiple connected spaces into one scheme.
Interior Workshop 1 to 2IW1 and IW2. 24/48 credit points
Introduces 3D modelling in SketchUp and small-scale spatial design, including custom furniture, lighting and accessories. Technical drafting to produce the floor plans and drawings a builder can work from, and materials and process research, resolved into a documentation set that communicates a design accurately. Introduces furniture history and the fundamentals of sourcing and specifying for a residential brief, then sourcing and specifying the materials, finishes and products that carry a residential scheme from drawing to reality.
THE PROJECTS
In this accelerated 2-trimester course, you'll complete two industry-focused projects in the workshop subjects that mirror the real briefs faced by today's leading interior designers. Each trimester builds toward a major end-of-trimester project, focusing on residential interior design.
Diploma, Trimester One
Residential Foundations
Design a primary bedroom, ensuite and walk-in wardrobe, incorporating trend forecasting alongside foundational spatial planning and documentation skills.
Diploma, Trimester Two
Luxury Residential Apartment Design
Design a full luxury residential apartment, developing your skills in materiality, layout and high-end finish specification.
Later, in the Bachelor of Design
Continue into the Bachelor of Design with full credit, and take these on next.
- Trimester ThreeMulti-Space Interior Design
- Trimester FourCommercial Hospitality & Retail Design
- Trimester FiveCommercial Office Design
- Trimester SixSignature Graduate Project
“The program has equipped me with the necessary tools essential to enter the industry, and has encouraged me to challenge preconceptions of space and review our existing human environments...”
YOUR PATHWAY
On completion, you'll be ready to take your craft to the next level. The Diploma provides a direct and seamless pathway into the Associate Degree of Design and Bachelor of Design with full credit for your completed trimesters, so you can continue building your interior design skills without starting over.
FACILITIES
With purpose-built design campuses in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Whitehouse students work within professional-standard environments designed around the way the industry actually operates. Not lecture halls, but studios, workshops and resources you'll use in your specialisation every week.
Professional design studiosAdobe Creative Cloud suiteIndustry partnerships and sourcing networkResearch servicesView detailsHide details
Professional design studios
Fully-equipped studios and computer labs give you the space to move between manual and digital design methods - from technical drawing to 3D designs to digital documentation using industry-standard tools such as SketchUp and Autodesk Revit. Every interior design student receives free access to these tools for the duration of their studies (Revit is normally about $4.4k per year).
Adobe Creative Cloud suite
Every student receives free access to the full Adobe Creative Cloud suite, giving you the same tools used across professional design, editorial and creative direction. From week one you'll work in Photoshop, Lightroom, InDesign and Illustrator.
Industry partnerships and sourcing network
Interior design happens through relationships, and Whitehouse connects students to the network professionals rely on. Across your projects you'll engage with industry suppliers, hire companies, fabric and materials specialists, showrooms and brand partners, learning how to source, negotiate and pull together everything an interior design project demands, including kitchen and bathroom showroom excursions. Access to industry specialists means the briefs you work on mirror real production conditions, so you graduate already knowing how to build and manage the collaborations behind a professional creative outcome.
Research services
Interior Design students draw on industry-grade trend-forecasting services and a specialist design library, developing the research rigour behind every strong creative decision, from mood and colour direction to sourcing and concept.
Whitehouse continually updates and expands its resources to ensure every student has extensive design research support throughout their degree.
FEES
Domestic fees
All Design courses are FEE-HELP eligible for domestic students. No upfront payment for tuition fees needed if eligible.
| 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Trimester Tuition Fee (full-time study) | $14,610 |
| Indicative Average Unit Fee (5 units) | $2,922 |
Fees exclude course materials and technical kits.
International fees
See the International section for information on international fees.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply for the Diploma of Design specialising in Interior Design, submit a direct application through the Whitehouse Institute of Design website.
Whitehouse has no application fees.
Important dates
Applications for Whitehouse's Diploma of Design with specialisation in Interior Design are open year-round, with three main intakes each year - February, June and September. Applications typically open within 6 to 12 months of the intake commencing. We recommend applying early to secure your preferred campus and start date.
Entry requirements
- ATAR
- No ATAR required
- Academic
- Completion of Year 12 or equivalent
- Design Meeting
- All applicants attend a Design Meeting
- Portfolio
- No portfolio requirement
Here are the main requirements to get you started. The full entry requirements are in the links below, and our team is happy to talk them through.
In addition to standard entry requirements, international students must have a minimum level of English language skills as well as a valid and appropriate visa for studying in Australia.
FAQS
What is the Diploma of Design in Interior Design at Whitehouse?
The Diploma of Design specialising in Interior Design is a fast-track introduction to professional interior design at Whitehouse Institute of Design, delivered on campus in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. You build skills in spatial planning, materials and technical drafting, taught the same way Whitehouse teaches its full Bachelor of Design.
How long is the Diploma of Design in Interior Design?
The Whitehouse Diploma of Design in Interior Design takes 2 trimesters (7 months) at a full-time load of five subjects per trimester, and it is also offered part-time. It comprises 6 core subjects and 4 Interior Design specialisation subjects, totalling 96 credit points.
When can I start the Diploma of Design in Interior Design?
Whitehouse has three main intakes each year for the Diploma of Design in Interior Design, in February, June and September. Applications are open year-round, and applying early helps you secure your preferred campus and start date.
Is the Diploma of Design in Interior Design focused on residential design?
Yes. The Whitehouse Diploma focuses on residential interiors through two projects: a primary bedroom, ensuite and walk-in wardrobe in Trimester One, then a full luxury residential apartment in Trimester Two, each pitched to a review panel. Commercial hospitality, retail and office projects come later if you continue into the Associate Degree or Bachelor of Design.
What will I learn in the Diploma of Design in Interior Design?
You will learn hand drafting fundamentals (floor plans, elevations and sections), colour, tone and materiality, spatial planning across bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and open-plan living, and how to specify furniture, fixtures and finishes into a professional FF&E schedule. The Whitehouse Diploma also includes design history and kitchen and bathroom showroom excursions with real supplier brands and materials.
What software is taught in the Diploma of Design in Interior Design?
You learn SketchUp for turning design ideas into visual, buildable concepts, and Adobe Photoshop and InDesign for presenting a scheme and building a client proposal. Whitehouse interior design students receive free access to SketchUp and Autodesk Revit for the duration of their studies, plus the full Adobe Creative Cloud suite.
Do you learn graphic design in the Diploma of Design in Interior Design?
There is a lot of overlap, as the Digital Design subject builds working knowledge of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite. In the Whitehouse Diploma you use these skills to turn your drawings, imagery and type into a complete design proposal for a client.
What can I do after the Diploma of Design in Interior Design?
You graduate with a portfolio of two residential interior projects, ready for entry-level design roles or further study. The Diploma gives you a direct pathway into the Whitehouse Associate Degree of Design and Bachelor of Design with full credit for your completed trimesters, so you don't have to start over.
What is the difference between the Diploma and the Bachelor of Design in Interior Design?
The Whitehouse Diploma takes 2 trimesters (7 months), focuses on two residential projects and has no portfolio requirement. The Bachelor of Design takes 6 trimesters (2 years) and progresses to commercial hospitality, retail and office design and a Signature Graduate Project, and the Diploma gives you full credit towards it.
What are the entry requirements for the Diploma of Design in Interior Design?
No ATAR required. You need to have completed Year 12 or equivalent and attend a Design Meeting, with no portfolio required, and international students also need a minimum level of English and a valid visa for studying in Australia. All Whitehouse courses have no ATAR requirement, as an ATAR does not assess how well a student will succeed creatively.
Do I need a creative portfolio for the Diploma of Design in Interior Design?
No. Whitehouse's diploma level courses, including the Diploma of Design in Interior Design, have no portfolio requirement.
What high school subjects are recommended for the Diploma of Design?
Whitehouse recommends a combination of Modern or Ancient History, Design and Technology, Visual Arts, Visual Communication, and Textiles and Design in Years 11 and 12. There are no compulsory prerequisite subjects.
How much does the Diploma of Design in Interior Design cost, and is FEE-HELP available?
In 2026 the trimester tuition fee for full-time study is $14,610, with an indicative average unit fee of $2,922 (based on 5 units), and fees exclude course materials and technical kits. The course is FEE-HELP approved, so eligible domestic students need no upfront tuition payment.
FEE-HELP limits apply. Check the latest limits and eligibility on the Australian Government's StudyAssist website.
Can I get academic credit for my previous studies?
Yes, possibly. Whitehouse may award credit for accredited subjects completed at another provider or for relevant industry experience, and Advanced Standing to students who have completed courses in a similar field; contact Admissions or discuss it during your Design Meeting.
Can I defer my enrolment in the Diploma of Design?
Yes. If you have received an offer but aren't quite ready to start, you can defer to the next intake without reapplying, and Whitehouse Admissions can talk you through your options.
Can I talk to someone about my application?
Yes, absolutely. Call Whitehouse on 1300 551 433, email study@whitehouse-design.edu.au or book a campus tour, and when you're ready, apply directly on the Whitehouse website with no application fee.
What AQF level is the Diploma of Design, Interior Design?
The Diploma of Design, Interior Design is an AQF Level 5 qualification under the Australian Qualifications Framework. Graduates can continue into the Whitehouse Associate Degree of Design (AQF Level 6) or Bachelor of Design (AQF Level 7) with full credit for their completed trimesters.
Still have questions? Call 1300 551 433.
NEXT STEPS
Speak with admissions
Our admissions team can guide you with personalised advice and next steps.
Enquire Now