Executive Master's in
INTERIOR DESIGN
Start Date
January 29, 2026
Duration
3 Semesters (18months)
Hybrid Format
Fully Online
- Start Date: January 29, 2026
- Duration: 3 Semesters (18 months)
- Hybrid Format
- Fully Online
Overview
This Interior Design program is designed for those who have a Bachelor’s degree in a design/construction field and those who have a Bachelor’s degree in other disciplines. It is for candidates who have a desire to be an Interior designer but did not have the opportunity to do so at an undergraduate level.
This programme is a Professional Masters. This means it is designed for working professionals. The course has two tracks: the hybrid and fully online tracks.
The programme is delivered to international standards. It is designed to prepare the students for international practice as well as local practice. Courses are taught by experts from Africa, USA and the Middle East.
Entry Requirements
A student is considered ‘Hybrid’ if the student resides inside Nigeria; irrespective of nationality.
A student is considered ‘International’ if the student resides outside Nigeria; irrespective of nationality. International students can only select the Online Mode of the program.
Admissions for Hybrid Applicants
Admissions for International/Fully Online
All applicants are required to take the admission test. For more information, refer to the instructions provided in “how to apply”.
Course Modules
You will study eleven modules in this Masters in Interior Design (M.I.D)
Introduction and History
- Overview of the program.
- Introduction to Interior design.
- Introduction to the history, the knowledge base, practice and profession
- Design Elements and Principles
Design Process, Space Planning and Communication
- Introduction to the design process
- Design Programming
- Conceptual Development.
- Introduction to Space Planning
- Representations and visual communication in interior design.
Lighting and Colour
- Lighting basics
- Lighting Design
- Lighting Design software
- The basics of color theory and the psychology of colour
- Application of colours in Interiors Spaces
Studio 1
This studio focuses on the application of design principles and conceptual thinking.
The context of the project is a simple residential/educational project.
Furniture, Furnishings and Decoration
- Furniture Types and Design
- Furniture Materials and Production
- Furnishings and Decoration in Interiors
- Interior landscaping.
- Interior Signage and Branding
Interior Technologies and Special Interiors
- Wall Partitions, Ceilings and Floors Finishes
- Bathrooms, Restrooms, and Kitchen design issues
Environmental Systems, Sustainable Interiors and Codes for Interiors
- Sustainable and Green interiors
- Acoustics in Building Interiors
- Smart Technologies
- International Building Codes and Regulations
Inclusive and Human Centered Design
- Universal Design, Lifestyles and Design
- Human behaviour and design in different settings
Studio 2
This project challenges the students skills in branding, lighting, and materials and universal design in a commercial project.
This course will also provide an opportunity for collaborative work and emphasize the local context in design considerations.
Professional Practice
- Introduction to Professional Practice: types and structures of firms
- The Business Interior Design
- Contracts and Project management
- Professional Ethics and Associations.
Final Independent Project
Students will advance their design skills to meet the challenge of a live project.
Selecting a client and a project, students will complete in-depth case-studies, programming, conceptualization, design and presentation of a project of their choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the program for?
Anyone interested persons with a Masters, Bachelors or Higher National Diploma in Architecture, Building, Quantity Surveying, Estate MAnagement, Urban Planning and Fine Arts OR any other discipline but with three or more years in Interior Design Practice.
The program is for Nigerians or any other Nationality. It is also designed for working professionals.
Is it a part-time or full time programme?
The programme is a full-time programme. It is not a part-time programme. So it is expected that the student will put in the required amount of time to succeed.
How much time will I have to devote to this course each week?
The programme is NOT a part-time programme. It is intense. In addition to the meeting times, a student will need to devote about an extra 18-20 hours weekly for assignments or studio work. Every online class will have a practical content or an assignment which will be usually due within a week.
What if I do not have any design background?
We assess design background using the student’s transcript. Design background means the applicant has done at least one design related course at an undergraduate level.
A student without any design background would be required to have relevant work experience in a design related organization for at least 3years after graduation to qualify for admission.
What status may a student have with respect to the mode of delivery?
Two status exist: Hybrid students and International students
A student is considered ‘International’ if the student resides outside Nigeria; irrespective of nationality.
International students can only select the online mode of the program.
A student is considered ‘Hybrid’ if the student resides inside Nigeria; irrespective of nationality.
Where will the physical lectures hold?
For Hybrid mode students, the face-face meetings will be held in Lagos mainland (and in Abuja if the number of students in Abuja is more than ten). The venue will be communicated to all admitted students.
What is the deadline for admission?
The normal deadline for admission is 30th November every year. There are limited spaces; so it is important to apply as soon as possible. The deadline will only be extended if there are spaces left.
What is the Instalments Payment Plan
The Instalments Payment Plan allows a student to pay the semester’s tuition in three (3) installments as detailed in the DEADLINES FOR PAYMENT in the tuition and fees section.
What degree will I receive if successful?
If successful, the student will be awarded a Masters’ certificate of the Obafemi Awolowo University. The certificate will read ‘Master of Interior Design, Obafemi Awolowo University’. The degree you receive will be identical to one earned in a face-face program.
Meet the Core Team
Dolapo Amole (Prof)
Iyabode Adediran
Olufunsho Ogundipe
Meet other Tutors
Dorothy Van't Reit
Dorothy Van't Reit
Dorothy van’t Riet is the Founder and Principal Designer of Dorothy van’t Riet Design & Décor Consultants (DVR) & has run her own Interior Design firm for 30 years both locally in South Africa & internationally. Dorothy has done many projects in Nigeria including the full interior design & décor of Four Points by Sheraton in Lagos & Lakowe Lakes Corporate Lodge.
Her South African and International Awards include:
- World’s Best Classical Interior Design Award at Royal Ascot, England
- World’s Best Contemporary Interior Design Award at Royal Ascot, England
- JCI Best Interior Design Award
- Anglo American Best Interior Design Award
She has trained up over 2,000 students in interior design & décor over the past 20 years through her DVR Design Academy.
She teaches Interior Design Basics in this program
Osaru Alile
Osaru Alile
With over 20 years of strong professional experience in the interior design industry and an extreme passion for creativity, education, and empowering youths, Osaru Alile’s work spans various design projects while upholding one clear theme, ‘How can we make this better?’ She consciously finds opportunities to foster collaboration and explore the growth potential of people and places she encounters.
Abimbola Asojo (Prof)
Abimbola Asojo (Prof)
Professor Abimbola Asojo is a professor of Interior Design. Her teaching areas are architectural lighting design; design and human factors; computing and design; corporate design; and commercial design. She actively engages her students in community based service-learning projects that tackle local and global societal challenges.
She is currently the Dean, Morgan State University’s School of Architecture and Planning,
She teaches Lighting in Interiors in this program
Bayo Amole (Prof)
Bayo Amole (Prof)
Bayo Amole is a prof of Architecture. He has more than 43 years experience in teaching the History of architecture. He specializes in History and Crticism of Architecture. He teaches ‘History of Interiors’ in this program
Emmanuel Falude
Emmanuel Falude
Architect, USGBC/LEED faculty, Director of Training and Certification with GBCN (Green building Council of Nigeria), Rutgers University NJ sustainability leader and waste to home expert with an exceptional record of successful and timely completion of projects for low income earners. I’ve registered projects for LEED, EDGE and WELL projects across West Africa which includes FACEBOOK Nigeria, AFREXIM Bank, SHELL SNEPCO Nigeria.
He teaches Green Interiors in this program
Babatunde Jaiyeoba (Prof)
Babatunde Jaiyeoba (Prof)
A professor of Architecture who specializes in the Professional Practice and technology of buildings. He brings his experience of over 25 years and he teaches Professional Practice in this program
Tokunbo Ilesanmi (Prof)
Tokunbo Ilesanmi (Prof)
A professor of Architecture. Specializes in Sustainability. He teaches the Theoretical Issues in Interiors.
Emmanuel Oyeniyi
Emmanuel Oyeniyi
Emmanuel Oyeniyi, founder of 101 Cavern Ltd., is an experienced and passionate graphic designer with a strong academic background and over a decade of academic and professional experience. He is a graphic tutor at the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, OAU, Ile-Ife. His expertise lies in transforming creative ideas into visually appealing and impactful designs that resonate with the audience.
From collaborating with renowned brands to spearheading art projects, he has consistently delivered remarkable designs that drive up engagement and sales. His proficiency in a wide range of design tools and unwavering commitment to design innovation position me as a proactive force ready to make a substantial impact.
Temidayo Oke
Temidayo Oke
Temidayo Oke is passionate about the transformative potential of technology in creating smarter, more sustainable, and more interactive spaces. With a background in architecture and a passion for integrating cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) in interior design, he teaches software in this program
Bode Orola
Bode Orola (Ph.D)
Dr Bode Orola is an architect who specializes in Architectural Science. He has over 10 years experience of teaching. He teaches in this program, Acoustics in Interior Spaces.
Tina Patel
Tina Patel
Patel, was nominated by 2021 IIDA Educator Diversity Award winner, Associate Professor and Director of the School of Interior Architecture at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Her studios expose students of all age groups to designing with empathy with a special focus on neurodivergent users.
She taught Professional Practice in this program.
Tina Patel is Assistant Professor in the Interior Design program of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design, at Kent State University. She received her Bachelor of Architecture from India and her MA and MFA in Interior Design from Iowa State University. She has held academic positions of Professor at Algonquin College, Ottawa; Teaching Specialist in Interior Design at University of Minnesota, Instructor and Coordinator of Interior Design Program at South Dakota State University. Prior to teaching, Tina worked at Callison RTKL, Washington DC and Baltimore offices, SVPA Architects, West Des Moines and Solomon Cordwell Buenz, Chicago.
Her work examines the intersection of people, processes and the built environment. She has presented at national and international conferences and has published her research on learning environments for neurodiversity and underrepresented groups, impact of evolving workplaces on behavior and design pedagogy. Tina has established partnership with community leaders, non-profits and design practices dedicated to empowering communities to expand on teaching methodologies centered on community engagement. Her community engaged pedagogy aims to sharpen students understanding of others with different realities and unfamiliar experiences by utilizing current and on-going social and economic issues affecting our communities.
Seun Akinyemi
Seun Akinyemi
Seun Akinyemi is an practicing architect and a passionate teacher. He trains students on building construction techniques and skills. He focuses oon building construction innovations. He is a highly innovative builder.
He teaches Interior Technologies in this program
Eva Oamen
Eva Oamen
Eva Osobase Oamen is a practising Interior Designer in Texas US,
Eva graduated from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale in Interior Design. She has more than twenty years experience as an interior designer in the United States and Nigeria. Her focus is on corporate design and offices. In this course she shares the design process with the students.
Henry Banye
Henry Banye
Henry Banye is the founder and CEO of Corazon Creatives. He loves to design and create. He is an Architect and Project Manager. He specializes in bathrooms and Kitchens. He taught the students Bathrooms and Kitchen Design.
Andrea Sosa Fontaine
Andrea Sosa Fontaine
Andrea Sosa Fontaine is a maker and design educator. She has extensive project experience as a Commercial Interior Designer throughout North America, with work including education, workplace, and healthcare projects. In her creative work, she explores bespoke shoemaking Currently, she is an Assistant Professor of Interior Design at Kent State University, focusing on Interior Design studios and Professional Practice. Andrea teaches her students diverse and non-linear methods of design through interdisciplinary translations of interior space. Her research has focused on modifications to the practices of design to foster equity and respect for future memory in the built environment.
Yakubu Aminu Dodo
Yakubu Aminu Dodo
Yakubu Aminu Dodo is an Assistant Professor at Najran University Saudi Arabia was also a lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti of Sains Islam Malaysia, and Istambul Gelsim University Turkey.
He has taught furniture design in some universities and had a furniture factory some years back.
He is teaching furniture design in this programme.
John Okpako
John Okpako
John OKPAKO is a passionate landscape designer and teacher. He holds a Bachelors, Masters and PhD in Architecture from the Department of Architecture of the Obafemi Awolowo University, where he also teaches.
He loves nurturing and adorning places with plants. His teaching, research and publication interests are in the area of landscape Architecture and Architectural history, He researches, teaches and practices Landscape Architecture.
What Our Students Have to Say
Career Opportunities
The programme will develop knowledge and professional skills in the design, spatial planning and adaptive re-use of interior spaces of a variety of building, introduce candidates to the cultural, local, global and sustainability issues which influence interior design; educate candidates to approach the design of interiors through systematic procedures; and also to train candidates to acquire professional skills to practice interior design in careers such as;
Interior designers work with companies or individual clients to help design and decorate residential and commercial spaces.
Work in retail stores to sell products to customers. They use strong communication and customer service skills and be knowledgeable of the company’s products.
Merchandisers Designers are responsible for the physical layout of products in a store. They use market research, psychology and brand aesthetics to place objects, decor and signage in commercial spaces.
Are responsible for the visual elements of a theater, film or television. They consult on lighting, camera angles, props, costumes and locations.
Also called florists, create bouquets and other displays using fresh and artificial flowers and plants. They design pieces for individuals, organizations and special events.
They work with design software to create images, logos and other visual arts for organizations. They may design advertisements, websites, direct mail pieces and billboards.
They create clothing, shoes and accessories for fashion houses and other brands. They source fabrics and other materials, sew pieces, participate in fashion shows and work with models and influencers to increase brand awareness.
Lighting consultants design lighting installations for residential and commercial spaces. They may work with interior design firms, architects and real estate developers. Lighting consultants are familiar with electrical installation, building codes and different types of lighting solutions.
Kitchen and bath designers design functional, compliant kitchens and bathrooms for residential and commercial locations. They are knowledgeable in building codes, basic contracting and plumbing and working within a budget
Design consultants often work with retailers, fashion designers and interior design firms. Their responsibilities include advising on product development, such as furniture and home decor lines, and residential and commercial design.
