Degrees in Interior Design

by Tim Martin, InteriorDesignSchools.org Contributing Writer

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A degree, whether undergraduate or graduate, diplays an understanding of the general skills and creativity required in the field of interior design.

Of course, getting a degree means attending college or university that meets accreditation standards. And even after an undergraduate or graduate degree is finished, professionals may need to be licensed, and should stay attuned to consumer trends by attending continuing education courses.

Admission

First, you have to get in the door to get your degree. While grades carry the most weight in your application to an interior design degree program, some schools also require a personal essay or a portfolio of work that includes drafts, sketches or other artwork.

Once admitted to a program, most schools require students to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Bachelor Degrees

The difference between undergraduate and graduate programs is similar to many other majors: undergradudate studies prepares students for the workforce, while graduate studies focuses more on research and training for those who want to teach interior design.

At many universities, students will earn either a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Arts or a Fine Arts degree. Some schools offer a choice between a B.S. and a B.A., while a select few offer a Bachelor of Interior Design degree.

The first classes you'll take at most universities focus on drawing and drafting, as most students do not enter the interior design programs with those skills. For example, at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., beginning classes include visual communication/sketching and interior design anatomy, a course that teaches how human behavior is impacted by a the space-planning of a room.

In the middle years of interior design schooling, classes typically focus on topics such as computer-aided design (CAD), lighting and health and safety codes.

During final years at some programs, students apply their skills by researching and developing a proposal for a large-scale interior design project.

Graduate Degrees

A small number of schools offer masters programs in interior design. According to Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), only eight U.S. schools and one in Canada offer a masters program in interior design. The reason for the dearth is CIDA's decision to withhold accreditation from programs that are not four or five years in length, which makes it difficult if not impossible for community colleges and masters programs to qualify.

Master's degrees are helpful for those who wish to teach interior design.

Even with a college degree, work experience and NCIDQ-approval, an interior designer's schooling is likely to be a life-long enterprise. Consumer demand and interior design trends are anything but static. For instance, one recent trend is to design rooms with materials that are environmentally-friendly.

In short, the education of an interior designer is never quite complete.

"When you get your degree, that's just the beginning," says Rosalyn Cama, president of Cama Inc., a New Haven, Conn.-based interior design business. "You keep going; you're always a student."

Related Education Information

Choosing an Interior Design School

Interior Design School Accreditation

Interior Design Continuing Education

Licensing in Interior Design