Program Overview

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Introduction to the Interior Design Program

The Ohio State University's Department of Design offers a comprehensive Interior Design undergraduate program. This program empowers students to reimagine the spaces where people live, work, learn, and heal. Students explore how human needs, environmental conditions, and spatial opportunities intersect, learning to design interiors that are not only beautiful but also functional, inclusive, and sustainable.

Program Overview

The Interior Design program is a Bachelor of Science in Design (BSD) degree, a professional degree where over 65% of the course credit is focused on the creation and study of art and design. The lock-step curriculum takes students through a specific sequence of studio-based courses designed to scaffold their skills and increase in scale, scope, complexity, and collaboration with each semester.

Admission to the Program

Admission to the Department of Design is competitive. First-year students applying to the Columbus campus are strongly encouraged to submit their complete admission application by November 1. Admitted first-year students begin in pre-interior design, completing the prerequisite coursework necessary to apply to the major. After the first year, students submit a separate application to the major area of their choice.

Curriculum

The program starts with a shared first-year Design Foundations program, where all undergraduate design students build creative, technical, and collaborative skills. In the first year, students dive into studio-based learning, explore design thinking, and develop essential skills in drawing, digital tools, and visual literacy. The curriculum is designed to provide a solid foundation and prepare students to apply to their major of choice in the spring semester.

Study Abroad

Design is global, and there are opportunities for students to take their education international. This tradition in design education at Ohio State provides a great opportunity for students to venture out of their comfort zone, gain confidence, and develop new cultural understanding to become global citizens.

Internship

Internships give students the experience they need to differentiate themselves from other candidates, support their career goals, expand their skill set, and determine how their education and extracurriculars can best support their long-term goals.

Honors and Scholars

The Arts Honors Program offers highly motivated students an enriched academic experience through the integration of curricular and co-curricular programs. The Ohio State Scholars Program provides academically motivated students the chance to meet and live with other students who share similar interests.

Research

Two-thirds of design students graduate with research distinctions. The curriculum is built around the principle that design research is central to the design process and should always consider the complexities that come from making the world a better place - ecologically, economically, and socially.

Student Organizations

Student organizations popular with design students include Design for 90, D3: Design Develop Deploy, An Entrepreneurial Startup Club, International Interior Design Association (IDSA), and NOMA: Designers for Diversity.

Possible Careers

Design offers many opportunities for a fulfilling career. Students graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Design take positions in consulting, industry, nonprofits, governmental agencies, or start-ups. Many designers begin with project work and advance to research, facilitation, and leadership.

Salary Estimates

According to Coroflot's latest Design Salary Guide, the median salary for an Interior Designer is $50,200.

Program Objectives

Students majoring in interior design will achieve the following learning outcomes:

• Gain a lifelong desire and ability to create new knowledge and foster problem-solving skills through creativity and the application of a creative process.
• Develop an understanding of a human-centered focus on design and research.
• Prepare for a successful career in the design profession.
• Develop an understanding of and familiarity with the tools and methods of the design profession.
• Hone the skills that are central to communicating design ideas and solutions.
• Develop an understanding of and appreciation for the role of the designer in environmental relationships.