Program Overview

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Interior Design Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree

Overview

The interior design BFA establishes you as an expert in creating human-centered environments and understanding the relationship between people and their physical surroundings.

Why Study Interior Design at RIT

• Accelerated Degree Option: RIT’s 4+2 BFA/M.Arch. enables you to complete your interior design degree and enter the second year of RIT’s master of architecture degree with advanced standing.
• Gain Real-World Experience: Students design solutions to pressing issues, with projects often seeing the real-world application.
• Industry Standard Resources: Studio spaces allow students to interact with peers and faculty, fostering collaboration.
• Showcase Your Work: Students regularly showcase their creative and innovative projects to a global audience during NYCxDESIGN.

RIT’s Interior Design BFA

The interior design degree will teach you how to create contextually appropriate, architecture-centric design solutions grounded in evidence-based design research and human behavior theory.

In the interior design BFA you will:

• Explore, challenge, and enhance your interior design abilities through problem-solving
• Demonstrate knowledge of historical, stylistic, theoretical, regional, and cultural design vocabularies
• Use materials, techniques, and processes with a focus on sustainable design
• Conduct research and analyze information
• Introduce design theory, methodology, formal design elements, typology, and necessary technical skills to communicate concepts
• Examine business practices, regulations, standards, and codes of interior design

Invaluable Resources

• Dedicated studio and lecture spaces
• An active material resource center offering “go-to” and specialty products
• RIT’s world-renowned Vignelli Center for Design Studies
• Access to memberships in a variety of professional organizations

Professional Memberships

The School of Design maintains memberships in a variety of professional organizations, including Industrial Designers Society of America, ACM Siggraph, Society of Environmental Graphic Designers, American Institute of Architects, ICOGRADA, American Institute of Graphic Arts, and International Interior Design Association.

Careers and Experiential Learning

Typical Job Titles

• Commercial Designer
• Customer Service Representative
• Design Consultant
• Educational Designer
• Gallery Exhibitioner
• Healthcare Designer
• Hotel and Hospitality Designer
• Interior Design Associate
• Interior Designer
• Interior Detailing Design Associate
• Junior Interior Designer
• Occupancy Planner
• Office Designer
• Project Manager
• Render Specialist
• Retail Designer
• Set and Exhibit Designer
• Showroom Design Consultant

Industries

• Architecture and Planning
• Design
• Interior Design
• Retail Stores

Cooperative Education and Internships

Cooperative education, internships, and other experiential learning opportunities are encouraged for students in the BFA in interior design.

Creative Industry Days

RIT’s Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education hosts Creative Industry Days, which connects students majoring in art, design, film and animation, photography, and select computing majors with companies, organizations, creative agencies, design firms, and more.

Featured Work and Profiles

• Innovative Healthcare Design
• NBA Event Designer
• Mobile Kitchen Design
• Design Solutions for Local School
• Applying Design Expertise: Student Innovates Healthcare Solutions
• Students Design Airport Concessions Area

Curriculum

Interior Design, BFA degree, typical course sequence

• First Year
  • ARTH-###: Any 100-level ARTH course (General Education-Artistic Perspective)
  • ARTH-###: Any 100-level ARTH course (General Education- Global Perspective)
  • FDTN-111: Drawing I
  • FDTN-121: 2D Design I
  • FDTN-131: 3D Design I
  • INDE-101: Introduction to Interior Design I
  • INDE-102: Design Drawing I
  • YOPS-10: RIT 365: RIT Connections
• Second Year
  • INDE-201: Introduction to Interior Design II
  • INDE-202: Design Drawing II
  • INDE-203: Digital Graphics
  • INDE-207: Color and Lighting Theory
  • INDE-212: Hospitality Design
  • INDE-222: Design Issues (WI-PR)
  • INDE-304: Building Systems
• Third Year
  • INDE-301: Office Design
  • INDE-302: Exhibition and Merchandising Design
  • INDE-303: Materials and Specifications
  • INDE-307: Contract Documents
  • INDE-345: History of Architecture, Interiors, and Furniture I
  • INDE-346: History of Architecture, Interiors, and Furniture II
  • INDE-405: Business Practices and Career Planning
• Fourth Year
  • INDE-401: Multi-Story/Multi-Purpose Design
  • INDE-403: Health Care Design
  • INDE-411: Interior Design Capstone I
  • INDE-412: Interior Design Capstone II

Combined Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees

The interior design BFA program is part of a 4+2 BFA/M.Arch. Pathway.

Admissions and Financial Aid

First-Year Admission

First-year applicants are expected to demonstrate a strong academic background that includes:

• 4 years of English
• 3 years of social studies and/or history
• 3-4 years of mathematics
• 2-3 years of science
• Studio art experience and a portfolio of original artwork are required.

Transfer Admission

Transfer applicants should meet these minimum degree-specific requirements:

• Studio art or design experience and a portfolio of original artwork are required.

Accreditation

The interior design program maintains accreditation from the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), which includes student achievement data.

Faculty

• Isabella Trindade: Lecturer
• Kelly Jahn: Adjunct Faculty
• Mary Golden: Associate Professor

Facilities

• 3D Computer Lab

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