Interior Design Program (B.F.A.)
Dive into a variety of transformative learning opportunities to shape creative, rational, socially and environmentally responsible interior design professionals.
An interior design major seeks to teach students the importance and value of the design process and design thinking, promote the awareness and knowledge of the contributions of the profession to the health, safety and well-being of people in the built environment, and to prepare graduates of the program to succeed as professional interior designers.
Curriculum
The overarching goal of the interior design program is to provide a transformative teaching and learning environment where passion and creativity are fostered and careers are shaped. This is accomplished through four main goals woven into each project and opportunity delivered across the program: to be experiential, to be contextual, to be collaborative and to be empathetic.
The curriculum is interactive, haptic and performance-based, offering problem-solving experiences in all major areas of design practice (i.e. healthcare, retail, corporate, residential, etc.), in addition to areas of focused instruction including human factors and behaviors, materials, history, building systems and construction, building codes and regulations, lighting, acoustics and professional practice. Issues of national and global importance are included in courses so students will graduate with an awareness of the challenges and opportunities in the world of their professional futures. Upon graduation from this CIDA (Council of Interior Design Accreditation) Accredited program, students are eligible to begin the NCIDQ (National Council of Interior Design Qualification) certificate examination process.
Career Opportunities
The Interior Design Program aims to advance the profession of interior design through innovative education, compelling research, service and strategic partnerships. The Program continually impacts local, regional and national communities with uniquely trained and highly recruited graduates.
Graduates have a wide variety of career paths to choose from, including practice within a firm specializing in interior design, practice in a design unit within architectural firms, design services within a furniture retail setting, facility planning for large corporations, manufacturer product representative, furniture and product design or concentration on a particular element of design such as space planning, lighting, sustainability, historic preservation or kitchen and bath design. Graduates are employed in both residential (single-family dwelling, condominium, apartments, etc.) and commercial (corporate office, healthcare, retail, hospitality, education, entertainment, civic, government, etc.) market sectors.
Experiential Engagement and Travel Study
Students engage in a professional practice sequence and internship experience that provides an effective transition from college to full-time, professional employment. Through both academic and real-world design challenges, students graduate with a strong portfolio in hand, ready to pursue a career in interior design.
Additionally, students engage in an international or national travel study, designed to heighten cultural and global awareness. Previous professional travel studies include Scandinavia, India, Italy, New York, Chicago and Denver.
Accreditation
The interior design program leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, 206 Grandville Avenue, Suite 350, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503.
The CIDA-accredited program prepares students for entry-level interior design practice, for advanced study, and to apply for membership in professional interior design organizations. The Bachelor of Fine Arts granted by South Dakota State University meets the educational requirement for eligibility to sit for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification Examination (NCIDQ Exam).
More information about NCIDQ Exam
Student Organization
Majors are eligible to join the Interior Design Student Club, which holds monthly meetings, invites practitioners to speak, organizes an annual professional development trip to a regional city such as Des Moines, Minneapolis or Omaha and has lively social activities. Special events include Interior Design Week, organized by the students to publicize the Interior Design major, educate and to connect students with practitioners.
Living Proof
Our alumni work in creative capacities in organizations locally, regionally and nationally, such as Gensler, RSP Architects, Shive-Hattery, Lux, Perspective, Architecture Incorporated, TSP, Koch Hazard Architects, CO-OP Architecture, FourFront Architecture, Showplace, Canfield Business Interiors, Interstate Office Products and many more.
We invite you to be a part of Jackrabbit Nation.
To learn more about the program, contact the School of Design. Visit the Academics page to view the current program Academic Advising Guide Sheet.
Check out course descriptions and program requirements for the Interior Design Major.