The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design is a four-year  professional degree that prepares individuals to design the complex environments that make up building interiors. Students develop competency in areas such as creative problem solving, ergonomics, lighting, history, structures, color, materials, building and fire codes, as well as an understanding of people and the way environment affects behavior. The program has been re-accredited by the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research (F.I.D.E.R.) for six years (Spring 2009). Design Intelligence (November 2004) ranked the program in the top 10% in the country.

 

The Interior Design program is comprised of studio classes and lecture courses. Students must successfully complete a minimum of 128.5 credit hours of coursework, comprised of liberal arts (36.5 credits) and design education (84 credits) to meet the BFA degree requirements. The Interior Design curriculum is studio based (24 credits), supported by courses in theory (4 credits), communications (6 credits), technology (12 credits), history (6 credits), professional practice and internship (6 credits), and electives.

 

Major undergraduate studios cover residential and contract space planning, analysis, and design. Students take coursework in drafting, sketching, computer-aided design, textiles, finishes, furnishings, interior detailing, and interior systems (lighting, acoustical, mechanical and building systems), professional practices, and other studio or history areas of art and design. Following their third year, all students participate in a summer internship as a requirement for graduation. Out-of-state field trips are required each year. Students also have the opportunity for study abroad in Rome, Italy during the fall semester of their senior year.

 

Communication skills such as drawing, drafting and rendering are taught using both manual and computer applications. Software programs for both Macintosh and DOS platforms are available within the college for student use. Computer-aided design is integrated into the studio beginning in the sophomore year.

 

Students are strongly encouraged to acquire a laptop PC leased computer through the ISU lease purchase plan.

 

Click the following for more information on scholarships and financial aid. 

Freshman can apply to live in the Design Exchange, a College of Design living/learning community.

Students entering the College of Design attend a common set of studio and lecture classes intended to prepare them for application to any of the college's professional degree curricula. After completing this pre-professional Core Design Program at the end the their first year in the college, students apply for acceptance into the three-year professional program. The number of students accepted varies with departmental resources, but historically 36 - 40 students are admitted each year ( with the number of applicants ranging from roughly 60-80.)

For specific requirements for application and admission, go to Admission Review.

Admission to the Interior Design program is based on several factors: faculty review of portfolio work displayed at the end of Spring Semester, a written composition and ISU cumulative grade point average. For details on the portfolio review, click here.

Prerequisite courses for program admission review include:

For more information on the courses mentioned here, visit ISU's online ArtID course catalog. and online Design Studies course catalog.

 

Transfer students with studio credits from other colleges and universities must present for departmental review a portfolio of work done in these courses in order to have the credits apply toward studio requirements. Students are advised to present this portfolio of work upon admission and must present work prior to registration for classes. Admission of transfer students is contingent on available places in the program.

 

If a student unsuccessfully applies for admission to the program, that student may apply again the following Spring semester after working to improve his or her academic standing. Most students who are not admitted to interior design, however, move into the B.F.A in Art and Design or the B.A. in Art and Design. First-year courses also apply to either of these degrees.