Program Overview

Program Overview

The Interior Architecture (IA) concentration in the Interior Architecture and Design major prepares students to become professional designers through education, experience, and examination. Students learn to design interior environments that enhance the function and quality of life, increase productivity, and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

Program Description

Faculty prepare students for research-based problem-solving and experiential education rooted in studio instruction, service learning, and internships that encompass cultural, environmental, and historical perspectives. The IA concentration in the Interior Architecture and Design major is accredited by the Council of Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). Faculty hold professional certifications in NCIDQ, LEED AP, and WELL AP.

Program Requirements

• Students in the Interior Architecture concentration will acquire knowledge and skills to prepare them to become interior design professionals as qualified by education, experience, and National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination.
• Students will apply understanding of multiple processes that are involved in the practice of interior architecture and interior design to develop creative design solutions for building interiors, including programming, research-informed and evidenced-based design, building information modeling, construction documentation and detailing.
• Core skills developed will align with current Council of Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) standards.

Focus Areas

• Art History
• Business Administration
• Design Thinking
• Entrepreneurship
• Gerontology
• Global Environmental Sustainability
• Graphic Design
• Media Studies
• Merchandising
• Real Estate
• Psychology

Program Structure

The program is structured over eight semesters, with the following critical and recommended courses:

Semester 1

• CO 150: College Composition (GT-CO2)
• DM 192B: First Year Seminar: Pre-Interior Architecture and Design
• INTD 110: Visual Expression of Interior Environments (GT-AH1)
• MATH 117: College Algebra in Context I (GT-MA1)
• MATH 118: College Algebra in Context II (GT-MA1)
• PSY 100: General Psychology (GT-SS3)
• Select one course from the following:
  • ART 100: Introduction to the Visual Arts (GT-AH1)
  • IDEA 210: Introduction to Design Thinking (GT-AH1)
  • LAND 110: Introduction to Landscape Architecture

Semester 2

• CON 151: Construction Materials and Methods
• INTD 129: Introduction-Interior Architecture Design
• INTD 166: Visual Communication-Drawing
• MATH 124: Logarithmic and Exponential Functions (GT-MA1)
• Biological and Physical Sciences
• Elective

Semester 3

• INTD 210: Studio I-Interior Architecture and Design
• INTD 266: Visual Communication-Digital Multi-Media
• Focus Area Electives
• Historical Perspectives

Semester 4

• INTD 276: Studio II-Interior Architecture and Design
• Focus Area Elective
• 1C
• Advanced Writing
• Elective

Semester 5

• INTD 310: Studio III-Interior Architecture and Design
• INTD 330: Lighting Design
• INTD 335: Interior Architecture and Design Technologies
• INTD 350: Codes-Health and Safety
• Select one course from the following:
  • AM 460: Historic Textiles
  • HIST 354: American Architectural History

Semester 6

• INTD 340: Interior Materials and Products
• INTD 359: History of Interior Architecture and Design
• INTD 376: Studio IV-Interior Architecture and Design
• INTD 410: Evidence-based Design Theory
• Elective

Semester 7

• INTD 456: Professional Practice-Interior Arch Design
• INTD 476: Capstone-Interior Architecture and Design
• Biological and Physical Sciences
• Elective

Semester 8

• INTD 487: Internship
• The benchmark courses for the 8th semester are the remaining courses in the entire program of study.

Program Total Credits

The program requires a total of 120 credits, with at least 42 credits being Upper-Division (300- or 400- level).