The Interior Design program encompasses science, art, technology, and business. Space planning, drafting (including CAD), color, lighting, historic and modern design development, residential design (including kitchen, bath, and media room), contract design, professional practice, and textiles form the core of the curriculum.
Supportive courses are available in art and business. Internships are recommended.
Students develop an understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act and its relationship to universal design as well as sensitivity to global environmental issues. Projects include healthcare, residential, restaurant, and retail spaces.
Students tour a variety of settings, including offices, hospitals, museums, factories, showrooms, retail outlets, and construction sites. International study is available to provide an enriching cultural experience for students.
Students are encouraged to participate in the student chapter of American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Activities include attendance at professional meetings, speakers, and field trips.
Accreditation
The IUP Interior Design program is accredited by NASAD (the National Association of Schools of Art and Design).
Student Association
The ASID student chapter (student chapter 224) was established at IUP in December 1998. Membership offers students the opportunity to prepare for rewarding careers in interior design by belonging to the largest association representing designers, industry, and students. Through their membership, students can participate in a wide variety of learning experiences and programs that complement their academic training. Through interaction with the society's thousands of practitioners and industry contacts, ASID student members gain insight into the professional aspects of interior design. Through industry and professional interaction, students are introduced to new developments in the field and develop professional skills that will be used throughout their interior design careers. To find out more about IUP’s ASID student chapter and check out upcoming events, visit the ASID website.
Our Goals
- To provide the educational background for students to qualify as professional interior designers
- To give students a variety of opportunities to develop design solutions with a humanistic focus
- To provide experiences in analysis, planning, and design of interior environments through sequential courses
- To give students a framework to appreciate the design process and its relationship to interior design problem solving
- To provide students with an appreciation of the relationship of research and design
- To provide students with team design experiences
- To provide students with the skills to use technology for enhancing the interior designer’s role
- To provide educational enrichment and professional interaction through internships, field trips, guest speakers, and other professional development opportunities
- To give students educational experiences involving the environment, ecology, and special populations
- To instill values and accountability for professional ethics and proper business procedures and practices
Career Possibilities
As you might expect, there are many different opportunities with a degree in interior design. See the following sources for more information.
The Princeton Review
American Society of Interior Designers Job Bank
IUP's Office of Career Services
