About the Program
Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) Accredited
National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) Accredited
The Interior Design B.F.A. degree offers students a specialized studio-oriented education in preparation for advanced or graduate studies, or for beginning careers as professional interior designers. Students gain a thorough knowledge of design processes and technical skills, including computer-aided design and traditional drafting and rendering. Construction methods, lighting design, materials specification, and color use are emphasized to support specializations within the major. Studios offer design exploration in spatial experimentation, residential design, retail design, public buildings, office planning, and industry standards for sustainable design principles, and culminates in the Undergraduate Thesis Project. Students enrolled in a studio course are expected to work a minimum of two additional hours each week outside of class for each credit granted for that class
Interior design graduates are prepared for careers in independent practice and employment in interior design and architectural firms, institutions, corporations, and other settings. Following completion of this program, plus two years interior design work experience, students are eligible to apply and sit for the professional, nationally recognized NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) licensing exam. They may then apply for a "Certified Interior Designer" designation and the right to practice in New York State.
The Art and Design Department is committed to the intellectual, personal, and professional growth of the students. Through varied and increasingly complex coursework, coupled with a strong community-based project component, the students and faculty have and will continue to enhance the region in terms of residential, health care, and commercial designs, as well as culturally sensitive and public-interest projects. These projects connect the students, faculty, and community in a dynamic relationship, inspire students to expand their horizons, and create life-long learners. The program is rigorous and comprehensive, resulting in professional and innovative designers actively sought after by regional and national employers.
Admission Requirements
Requirements for Acceptance to Major:
1. Successful completion of the Skills Competency Exam following IDE 151, IDE 152, and IDE 153. The one-day exam evaluates entry-level ability to visualize, design, and communicate spatial solutions to a simple problem through scaled drafting, rendering, and model-building.
2. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.6 after the freshman year.
3. Transfer Students: Acceptance to the major is determined after reviewing a portfolio of work during an interview with the chair of the Interior Design Department; transcripts are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Program Requirements
General Education 23 Requirements
33 credit hours 33
Interior Design Major Requirements (84 credit hours)
Required Art/Design History Courses (21 credit hours)
AAD 251 ART HISTORY I 3
AAD 252 ART HISTORY II 3
IDE 103 DIGITAL PRESENTATION METHODS 3
IDE 104 ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF INTERIOR DESIGN 3
IDE 205 HISTORY OF INTERIOR DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE I 3
IDE 254 HISTORY OF INTERIOR DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE II 3
SPC 205 INTRODUCTION TO ORAL COMMUNICATION 3
Required Interior Design Courses (63 credit hours)
IDE 101 INTRODUCTION TO INTERIOR DESIGN 3
IDE 151 MECHANICAL AND PERSPECTIVE DRAWING 3
IDE 152 RAPID IDEATION AND VISUALIZATION 3
IDE 153 SPATIAL EXPLORATIONS AND MODEL BUILDING 3
IDE 201 INTERIOR DESIGN I 3
IDE 202 CONSTRUCTION FUNDAMENTALS 3
IDE 203 FURNITURE THEORY AND APPLICATION 3
or IDE 306 COLOR AND LIGHT
IDE 204 BUILDING MATERIALS - SELECTION, SPECIFICATIONS, AND ESTIMATING 3
IDE 251 INTERIOR DESIGN II 3
IDE 301 INTERIOR DESIGN III 3
IDE 302 COMPUTER APPLICATIONS FOR INTERIOR DESIGN I 3
IDE 303 CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION AND INTERIOR DETAILING 3
IDE 351 INTERIOR DESIGN IV 3
IDE 352 COMPUTER APPLICATIONS FOR INTERIOR DESIGN II 3
IDE 355 LIGHTING DESIGN 3
IDE 356 ADVANCED PARAMETRIC DESIGN 3
IDE 401 INTERIOR DESIGN V 1-3
IDE 403 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE 3
IDE 404 INTERIOR DESIGN THESIS RESEARCH 3
IDE 451 INTERIOR DESIGN VI THESIS STUDIO 3
IDE 488 INTERIOR DESIGN INTERNSHIP 3
All College Electives
3 credit hours 3
Total Credit Hours 120
Professional Licensure Disclosure
New York State prides itself in the high quality of its licensed and certified professionals. For the protection of its citizens, each license and certificate has requirements that individuals must meet in order to be licensed or certified in New York State. SUNY’s academic programs leading to licensure or certification are carefully designed to meet and exceed these State requirements. This is a role SUNY plays in protecting the public. Other states frequently have their own requirements, so if your goal is to practice in another state, this disclosure will help you check to see what that state requires.
Enrolled students and prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact their State’s licensure entity using the links provided in the full disclosure document to review all licensure and certification requirements imposed by their state(s) of choice.
Review full disclosure and licensure by state.
