The MA Interior Design program is offered to graduates of creative disciplines other than interior architecture or interior design, e.g. architecture, spatial design, etc. The program builds on students’ creative foundations and provides the specialized knowledge needed to apply creative and responsible solutions to tasks in the field of interior design. Taught exclusively in English and based in Berlin, the program helps students understand their role and responsibility as interior designers in different physical and cultural contexts – on either a local or a global level. Upon completing the program, graduates will be able to apply the acquired understanding of interiors and use their interior design skills and their additional knowledge of interior discourses to solve complex creative challenges in the field of their new specialization.
Architecture and Interior Architecture are protected professions in Germany. As the MA Interior Design program is not a consecutive program to either BA, it does not qualify for registration with the Chamber of Architects in either field.
Study Interior Design in Berlin
The first year of the MA Interior Design program familiarizes students with the basic principles of interior design. It also provides students with various design and research opportunities and skills in advanced interior visualization. Design and technology electives allow students to acquire knowledge in a chosen field. The second year provides more design and research opportunities, the elective Theory and Communication, and two fast-paced real-life design charrettes that push students to develop the full range of necessary professional skills. In the final semester, students apply and deepen their acquired skills by completing a master's thesis and a master's design project on a topic of their own choice.
Application period
Applications are open for Fall Semester 2026–2027
Program start
October
Academic calendar
[Needs confirmation: final academic calendar dates]
Portfolio advice
[Needs confirmation: next portfolio advice webinar/date]
2 years (4 semesters)
Full-time
Berlin
Tuition fees and additional costs may vary depending on applicant status and academic year. Please check the final admissions and tuition information before publication.
EU Nationals: [Needs confirmation: final Whitecliffe tuition wording]
Non-EU Nationals: [Needs confirmation: final Whitecliffe tuition wording]
The MA Interior Design welcomes graduates from architecture, spatial design, and related fields. The program deepens interior design expertise, combining technical skills and theoretical understanding across scales and contexts.
Master of Arts (MA)
NZ Government key information link for students.
Graduates of the MA Interior Design are prepared for careers in interior architecture and design offices, architecture firms, agencies, cultural institutions, or independent practice. Combining practical and theoretical knowledge, the program equips students to tackle evolving professional challenges with creativity, critical awareness, and responsibility.
The program does not qualify graduates for registration with the Chamber of Architects as Interior Architects.
To apply for the MA Interior Design program, applicants need a Bachelor’s degree in a field related to Interior Architecture/Interior Design, such as Architecture or another closely related spatial design field. A closely related degree should include significant coursework dealing with spatial design.
Applicants are required to submit the standard MA application documents, including:
German language knowledge is not required for this English-taught program. [Needs confirmation: final document and portfolio wording for Whitecliffe website]
Graduates receive a Master of Arts (MA).
Yes. The program is taught exclusively in English. German language knowledge is not required, but applicants need proof of English language skills at CEFR level B2 or above.
The MA Interior Design program takes 2 years (4 semesters).
The program is taught in Berlin.
The program is designed for graduates of creative disciplines other than Interior Architecture or Interior Design, such as Architecture, spatial design, or a closely related field with significant spatial design coursework.
Students study interior design principles, design and research methods, advanced interior visualization, design and technology electives, project-based design work, and complete a final Master’s thesis.
No. Because MA Interior Design is not a consecutive program to either BA Architecture or BA Interior Architecture/Interior Design, it does not qualify graduates for registration with the Chamber of Architects.
Graduates may prepare for careers in interior design, spatial design, architecture-related offices, design and communication agencies, cultural institutions, production design, furniture design, or freelance work.
Students in the MA Interior Design program learn from an international academic team with expertise across interior architecture, interior design, research, and professional practice. The current academic staff includes: Prof. Katrin Brünjes, Prof. Dr. Carola Ebert, Prof. Amara Goodwin, Prof. Javier Martín, and Dr. Sait Ali Köknar.
Javier Martín was born in Valencia, Spain. He studied architecture at the Universitat Politècni ...
John Tubles is a Filipino-American Architect, Academic, and Design Researcher currently based in ...
Jeanne-Françoise Fischer is a Swiss/German architect with many years of international profession ...
Amara Goodwin was born in Toronto. She obtained undergraduate degrees in both fine arts and art h ...
Carola Ebert was born in Berlin. She studied architecture (TU Berlin, 1998) and architectural his ...
Prof. Pierre Escobar is a French architect and urbanist and the founder of l’atelier DEV archit ...
Karsten Huneck was born in Chile and grew up in Germany where he also graduated with a Diploma in ...
Sigurd Larsen was born in Denmark where he studied Architecture at The Royal Academy of Fine Arts ...
Adrian von Starck was born in Cologne. He studied architecture and urban planning at TU Darmstadt ...
Lukas Staudinger is an architect and curator of urban practice. He studied architecture at the Ac ...
Katrin Brünjes was born in Bremen. She studied architecture at the Bauhaus-University Weimar (Di ...
Roger Wilson is a multidisciplinary designer. After studying Architecture in Wellington and Paris ...
Sait Ali Köknar studied Architecture at Istanbul Technical University and earned an M.Sc. in the ...
