Program Overview

Interior Design Bachelor of Science Program Overview

The Interior Design Bachelor of Science program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). Graduates of the program may seek employment as interior design professionals in interior design and architectural firms, corporations, institutions, government offices, or as design and sales professionals for systems furnishing and interior design product manufacturers. Some graduates have pursued advanced degrees in interior design, architecture, fine arts, facilities management, and business administration.

Program Details

After 3,520 hours of qualified professional work experience (half of which may be completed as a student via co-op), graduates may be eligible to sit for one section of the three NCIDQ examination sections for professional certification.

Study Abroad

The School of Architecture and Design has a long tradition of offering semester-long study-abroad programs for undergraduates in international locations. The programs are led by Wentworth faculty members in collaboration with scholars residing in those cities. During their time abroad, students enrich their cultural and professional perspectives through study-travel and working closely with local design professionals. Study-abroad curriculum is aligned with required courses in Boston, allowing normal progress toward graduation.

Cooperative Work Experience

The undergraduate Interior Design program has a substantial and well-established cooperative education component embedded in the curriculum. BS in Interior Design students spend two semesters working in a professional setting. The program collaborates with the Institute's Center for Cooperative Education and Career Development to reinforce the learning content of these experiences. Prior to their first cooperative education semester, students take COOP2500 INTRODUCTION TO COOPERATIVE EDUCATION, which prepares students for their co-op search and for on-the-job success.

Student Outcomes

Upon graduation from the interior design program, students should be able to demonstrate:

• A global view and consider social, environmental, cultural, and economic contexts in all aspects of their work.
• The ability to apply elements and principles of design and employ all aspects of the design process to creatively solve a design problem.
• The ability to integrate knowledge of human experience and behavior in designing the built environment.
• The ability to apply technical knowledge of light and color, products and materials, environmental systems, and construction regulations in relation to environmental impact and human well-being.
• Knowledge of the history of interiors, architecture, decorative arts, and art.
• The ability to explain and apply the principles, processes, and responsibilities that define the profession and the value of interior design to society.

Program Structure

The total credits for the degree are 131. This is a four-year full-time program, which begins in the fall semester of the student's first year and is planned to end after the summer semester of the student's fourth year.

Plan of Study Grid

The program is structured as follows:

• First Year:
  • Fall Semester:
    • DSGN1000 VISUALIZATION I/DRAWING I (3 credits)
    • DSGN1100 DESIGN MAGIC (2 credits)
    • INTD1000 INTERIOR STUDIO I (4 credits)
    • MATH1000 COLLEGE MATHEMATICS (4 credits)
    • English Sequence (4 credits)
  • Spring Semester:
    • DSGN1200 COLOR & COMPOSITION (4 credits)
    • INTD1500 INTERIOR STUDIO II (4 credits)
    • INTD1750 DRAWING II (3 credits)
    • PHYS1000 COLLEGE PHYSICS I (4 credits)
    • English Sequence (4 credits)
• Second Year:
  • Fall Semester:
    • INTD1600 HISTORY OF INTERIORS (3 credits)
    • INTD2000 INTERIOR STUDIO III (4 credits)
    • INTD2100 MATERIALS (3 credits)
    • INTD2250 DRAWING III (3 credits)
    • HSS Elective (4 credits)
  • Spring Semester:
    • INTD2500 INTERIOR STUDIO IV (4 credits)
    • INTD2600 HISTORY OF INTERIORS II (3 credits)
    • INTD2700 BUILDING SYSTEMS I (3 credits)
    • INTD2800 PRESENTATION TECHNIQUES (4 credits)
    • HSS Elective (4 credits)
    • COOP2500 CO-OP INSTITUTE (0 credits)
• Third Year:
  • Fall Semester:
    • INTD3010 INTERIOR STUDIO V (4 credits)
    • INTD3100 CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS (4 credits)
    • INTD3300 BEHAVIORAL ASPECTS OF DESIGN (3 credits)
    • INTD3400 BUILDING SYSTEMS & INTERIOR SPECIFICATION (3 credits)
    • General Education Elective (4 credits)
  • Spring Semester:
    • COOP3500 COOP EDUCATION 1 (0 credits)
• Fourth Year:
  • Fall Semester:
    • COOP4500 COOP EDUCATION 2 (0 credits)
  • Spring Semester:
    • INTD4010 INTERIOR STUDIO VII (4 credits)
    • INTD4100 BUILDING REGULATIONS (3 credits)
    • INTD5000 SENIOR PROJECT: RESEARCH (3 credits)
    • HSS Elective (4 credits)

Additional Requirements

• Students in the Interior Design major are required to complete a minimum of 32 credit hours in English, humanities, and social sciences, including:
  • Two or three semesters of English, according to placement
  • At least one elective in Art History
  • At least one elective in Psychology or Sociology
• The remaining credit hours may be satisfied with electives in any of these Humanities and Social Science fields: COMM, CSAS, ECON, ENVM, HSSI, HIST, HUMN, LITR, PHIL, POLS, PSYC, SOCL.

Studio Grade Requirement

The School of Architecture and Design has a studio grade requirement that applies to all undergraduate design studio courses from the sophomore year onward. Students in the Bachelor of Science programs are responsible for demonstrating improvement and growth each semester and are held to the following standard in their design studios:

• A final grade below C is considered a sub-standard grade, indicating that the student is not meeting expectations.
• Students who earn a final grade of C-, D+, or D for two consecutive semesters are not permitted to continue in the studio sequence until they successfully repeat the second studio for which they received a sub-standard grade.