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Interior Design

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Overview

http://www.design.iastate.edu/interiordesign/index.php

The department offers the degrees Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Interior Design, Master of Arts (M.A.) in Interior Design, and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Interior Design.

BFA Interior Design

Emphasis is on the student's application of design processes to creatively solve problems of the interior environment based on knowledge of human safety, functional utility, and physical, psychological, and contextual fit. Graduates in interior design are competent in visual communication (sketching, drafting, and computer-aided design), design problem solving, space planning, lighting and color specification for interiors, finish and furniture selection, detailing interior construction, and application of human factors. The curriculum is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) as providing professional-level education.

Transfer students with studio credits from other colleges and universities must present a portfolio of work done in those courses to determine if these credits can be applied toward specific studio requirements. Students are required to present their portfolio upon admission and prior to registration for classes. Arrangements for this process must be made with department advisors.

Graduate Study

A 34-graduate-credit program is offered leading to the Master of Arts, for students planning to undertake professional or design research-oriented pursuits. (NOTE: Applicants without a previous undergraduate degree in interior design may be required to complete up to 40 additional credits of deficiency work).

A 60-graduate-credit post-professional graduate program is also offered leading to the degree Master of Fine Arts.

Student Learning Outcomes

All graduating students with a BFA in Interior Design will:

  • Develop an understanding of the design process to creatively solve a design problem and apply the design elements and principles to design solutions.
  • Communicate ideas and design solutions effectively in written, oral, and visual form, including presentations of studio-based work.
  • Collaborate in team-based projects with other students in interior design and work effectively in interdisciplinary teams, including an understanding of the role of interior designers in practice.
  • Apply research and theories to projects, including the evidence of human-centered design in the built environment; develop an appreciation of global cultures and the history of interiors, architecture, and art.
  • Demonstrate knowledge in the technical aspects of interior design, specifically in light and color, products and materials, environmental systems and human wellbeing, construction, and regulations and guidelines.

Degree Requirements

The curriculum in Interior Design leads to a 129-credit undergraduate Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design including completion of the Core Design Program.

Admission into the professional program follows completion of the Core Design Program and depends upon available resources. Information on admission criteria to each professional degree is posted each year on the College admissions website.

Total Degree Requirement: 129 cr.

Only 65 credits from a two-year institution may apply, which may include up to 16 technical credits; 9 P-NP credits of free electives; 2.00 minimum GPA; Completion of all requirements listed below.

International Perspective: 3 cr.

U.S. Cultures and Communities (formerly U.S. Diversity): 3 cr.

Communication: 10 cr.

(C or better grade ENGL 1500 and ENGL 2500)

ENGL 1500Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 2500Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
LIB 1600Introduction to College Level Research1
One course from the following:3
Introduction to Communication Studies
Interpersonal Communication
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Total Credits10

Humanities: 6 cr.

6 credits from program curriculum sheet.

Social Sciences: 6 cr.

6 credits from program curriculum sheet.

Math/Physics/Biol. Sciences: 6 cr.

One of the following:3
Introduction to Probability
Introduction to Mathematical Ideas
College Algebra
Discrete Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences
Three credit hours from program curriculum sheet. 3
Total Credits6

General Education Courses: 9 cr.

9 credits from program curriculum sheet; 6 credits of course level 3000-4000.

College of Design Core: 13 cr.

DSNS 1020Design Studio I4
DSNS 1150Design Collaborative Seminar1
or DSNS 1100 Design Exchange Seminar I
DSNS 1310Drawing I4
DSNS 1320Digital Design Literacy1
DSNS 1830Design in Context3
Total Credits13

General Design History: 6 cr.

Select 6 credits from any College of Design history courses.

Interior Design: 61-63 cr.

ARTID 2500Fundamentals of Interior Design2
ARTID 2510Human Factors in Interior Design3
ARTID 2610Graphic Communication for Interior Design I3
ARTID 2630Graphic Communication for Interior Design II3
ARTID 2650Interior Design Studio I4
ARTID 2670Interior Design Studio II4
ARTID 3500Interior Finish Materials3
ARTID 3510Interior Regulations and Guidelines3
ARTID 3520Interior Building Systems3
ARTID 3530Interior Construction and Details3
ARTID 3550Interior Design History/Theory/Criticism I3
ARTID 3560Interior Design History/Theory/Criticism II3
ARTID 3600Interior Design Internship Seminar I1
ARTID 3610Interior Design Internship Seminar II1
ARTID 3650Interior Design Studio III4
ARTID 3670Interior Design Studio IV4
ARTID 4600Interior Design Internship Documentation1
ARTID 4610Interior Design Professional Practices2
ARTID 4650Interior Design Studio V4
DSNS 5460Interdisciplinary Design Studio4-6
Select course from ARTID 5690-5790 Advanced Studies in Interior Design3
Total Credits61-63

Studio/Business Option: 6 cr.

6 credits from program curriculum sheet.

Electives: 4-6 cr.

Complete electives sufficient to complete graduation requirements.

Interior Design, B.F.A.

Four Year Plan

Freshman
FallCreditsSpringCredits
DSNS 1020 or 13104DSNS 1020 or 13104
DSNS 11501DSNS 1830 (or Gen Edu)3
DSNS 13201ENGL 2500 (or Gen Edu)3
DSNS 1830 (or Gen Edu)3Gen Edu3
ENGL 15003Gen Edu3
ARTID 25002LIB 16001
Gen Edu3-4 
 17-18 17
Sophomore
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ARTID 25002ARTID 25103
ARTID 26103ARTID 26303
ARTID 26504ARTID 26704
ARTID 35303ARTID 35003
ARTID 35503ARTID 35603
Gen Edu1(DSNS 3010-Rome Prep)0-1
 16 16-17
Junior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ARTID 36001ARTID 35203
ARTID 36504ARTID 36101
Studio/Bus Option3ARTID 36704
Gen Design Edu or Gen Edu3Gen Design Edu3
ARTID 35103Gen Edu3
Gen Edu3Gen Edu3
 17 17
Senior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ARTID 4650 (Gen Edu )4ARTID 46102
ARTID 46001DSNS 54604-6
Advanced Studies in Interior Design (or Gen Edu)3Advanced Studies in Interior Design (or Gen Edu)3
Studio/Bus Option3Gen Edu or Elective3
Gen Edu3 
Gen Edu or Elective3 
 17 12-14

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Interior Design Program at ISU may apply for concurrent undergraduate/graduate status prior to their final semester of their undergraduate program. If accepted, students will be allowed to register for six graduate credits and apply the credits to an M.A. degree.

Graduate Study

The Department of Interior Design offers two graduate degrees in interior design: a five-semester Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and a three-semester Master of Arts (M.A.), each of which requires a thesis. The degree programs encourage interdisciplinary work within the College of Design and across related fields within the university. We currently offer double-degree programs and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) with a home department in Interior Design. Financial support in the form of teaching and research assistantships is available on a competitive basis.

Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design (MFA)

The MFA is a terminal degree in Interior Design with a required thesis and a creative component. It is designed for students with undergraduate degrees in Interior Design or closely related disciplines and for students from other disciplines who complete required prerequisites in the Department of Interior Design. The MFA in Interior Design Program prepares students to become professionals in practice, teaching, and research. 

The MFA program encourages students to research and engage diverse contemporary issues within design specializations across the field of Interior Design. Faculty in the program provide students with opportunities to engage and address social, cultural, environmental, historical, practical, and other concerns within regional, national, and international contexts. They amalgamate traditional methods and contemporary technologies and encourage students to develop new processes and methods as needed. Faculty members promote inclusive designs that accommodate current and future needs across diverse cultures and populations. The Interior Design Graduate Programs expect graduates to approach research and interdisciplinary coursework with dedication and commitment.  

The MFA curriculum has an intensive five-semester course sequence that emphasizes foundations of interior design including methods, theory, process, the human condition, and studio.  Design seminars offer training in varied interior design specializations including preservation and cultural heritage, inclusive design, lighting, color theory, research methods, and environmental design. The program offers study abroad opportunities, studios with specialized faculty, and independent study projects. Interdisciplinary option studios apply and integrate core-course content with technical proficiency in areas of preservation and cultural heritage, healthcare, design for elderly populations, and hospitality, among others. During the last two semesters students explore interior design through focused research and a written thesis. The MFA program concludes with a public defense of the thesis that includes a thesis exhibition with graphic representations of the research.  Students admitted to the program hold undergraduate degrees in a broad range of fields. A student without an undergraduate degree in interior design or interior architecture must complete the curriculum’s prerequisites listed in curriculum sheets posted on the Graduate Programs in Interior Design’s website. Students with undergraduate degrees in closely related to design fields may be eligible to waive part of the prerequisites in the program.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA), 60 Credits

Design Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship: Select 9 credits

ARTID 5690Advanced Studies in Interior Design: Variable Topics3
ARTID 5700XSocial Entrepreneurship in Agingarr †
ARTID 5710Advanced Visualization in Interior Design3
ARTID 5720Preservation & Cultural Heritage3
† Arranged with instructor.

Equitable and Inclusive Environments: Select 9 credits

ARTID 5510ADesign Humanics: Sensory Perception & Ergonomic Factors3
ARTID 5510BDesign Humanics: Environment & Behavior3
ARTID 5730Advanced Color Theory3
ARTID 5740Inclusive Environments3

Methods and Practicum: 9 credits

ARTID 5520AEvidence-Based Design: Investigation Analysis3
or ARTID 5520B Evidence-Based Design: Synthesis
or ARTID 5520C Evidence-Based Design: Communication
or ARTID 5520D Evidence-Based Design: Procedural Alternatives
ARTID 5540Interior Design Teaching Practicum3
ARTID 6600Research Methods (or DSNS 5010 Introduction to Research Design)3

Studio Courses: 20 credits

ARTID 6680Advanced Experimental Interior Design4
ARTID 6680Advanced Experimental Interior Design4
DSNS 5460Interdisciplinary Design Studio *6
DSNS 5460Interdisciplinary Design Studio *6
*

This course is offered for variable credits. Students should select a section offered for 6 credits. 

Thesis and Creative Component: 12 credits

ARTID 6990AThesis6
ARTID 6990BThesis-Exhibition6

Electives: 8 cr.

Total: 60 credits

Master of Arts in Interior Design (M.A.)

The post-professional Master of Arts (M.A.) in Interior Design is a 34-credit research degree with required a graduate thesis. The M.A. degree is open to applicants who hold a professional degree in Interior Design or Interior Architecture from an accredited program. The M.A. in Interior Design degree prepares students to become competent professionals in Interior Design practice, while the written research thesis contributes to the body of knowledge in the field.

M.A. candidates are required to develop a thesis proposal with a statement of purpose, research questions, literature review, methods summary, and outline of proposed chapters. A first professional degree is also open for applicants with non-professional degrees in various fields with the completion of required prerequisites in the Department of Interior Design. A first professional M.A. for graduates in closely related design fields may allow some prerequisite courses to be waived.

Master of Arts in Interior Design (M.A.), 34 Credits

Design Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship: Select 6 credits

ARTID 5690Advanced Studies in Interior Design: Variable Topics3
ARTID 5700XSocial Entrepreneurship in Agingarr †
ARTID 5710Advanced Visualization in Interior Design3
ARTID 5720Preservation & Cultural Heritage3
† Arranged with instructor.

Equitable and Inclusive Environments: Select 6 credits

ARTID 5510ADesign Humanics: Sensory Perception & Ergonomic Factors3
ARTID 5510BDesign Humanics: Environment & Behavior3
ARTID 5730Advanced Color Theory3
ARTID 5740Inclusive Environments3

Methods: 6 credits

ARTID 5520AEvidence-Based Design: Investigation Analysis3
or ARTID 5520B Evidence-Based Design: Synthesis
or ARTID 5520C Evidence-Based Design: Communication
or ARTID 5520D Evidence-Based Design: Procedural Alternatives
ARTID 6600Research Methods (or DSNS 5010 Introduction to Research Design)3

Studio Courses: 10 credits

DSNS 5460Interdisciplinary Design Studio6
ARTID 6680Advanced Experimental Interior Design4

Thesis: 6 credits

ARTID 6990AThesis6

Total: 34 credits

Dual Degrees

Double-degree programs are offered with the Department of Architecture with a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Interior Design and a Master of Architecture (MArch). The graduate program also offers a Ph.D. in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) with home department in Interior Design. Information about our programs and how to apply can be obtained from the department of Interior Design Graduate Program website and from the graduate school's departmental web page.