Interior Design

Undergraduate Interior Design

Lynn M. Jones, Chair

Click Graduate Interior Design for information specific to graduate Interior Design.

Career Opportunities Commercial designer, exhibit designer, facilities manager, graduate student, healthcare designer, hospitality designer, lighting designer, residential designer, retail designer, sales representative, set designer, space planner, teacher, universal design specialist.

Disciplines and Degrees Please see a detailed list at the end of this section of majors and courses offered by the Department of Interior Design. The combined program (B.F.A./M.I.D.) is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, CIDA. The undergraduate phase of the program is offered through the Women’s College or through the Undergraduate School at the North Atlanta location. Online courses and occasional travel to both locations may be required. This section of the Catalog addresses the undergraduate phase. The graduate phase is offered at the North Atlanta location. The Residential Planning (B.A.) is only open to students who do not advance into the graduate level of the combined B.F.A./M.I.D. program.

Courses may incur a materials fee in addition to tuition charges.

Accreditation The combined B.F.A./M.I.D. program is the only program certified by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). Students must complete both the BFA and MID coursework in order to receive the Council for Interior Design Accreditation certified degree. The degrees are only awarded simultaneously; students may not graduate with only a B.F.A. in interior design. The combined degrees are a professional practice designation, and not considered a terminal degree.

Mission The Interior Design Department of Brenau University supports the four Learning Portals of the Institutional Strategic Plan and is committed to the goals set forth in the University’s mission statement and principles of practice. The mission of the department, consistent with the University’s stated mission, is to provide excellence in interior design education in a student-centered environment grounded in a liberal arts tradition that prepares students to practice interior design in the 21st century.

Program Philosophy The interior design program endorses the definition of interior design as defined by the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications:

Interior design is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment. These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants and are aesthetically attractive. Designs are created in response to and coordinated with the building shell and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project. Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability. The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology, including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process, whereby the needs and resources of the client are satisfied to produce an interior space that fulfills the project goals.

Interior design includes a scope of services performed by a professional design practitioner, qualified by means of education, experience and examination, to protect and enhance the life, health, safety and welfare of the public.

Brenau University’s interior design program in support of this definition believes that

Interior design education is available to all, regardless of previous experiences and innate talent.
Interior design graduates have a strong foundation in the visual arts, art history and aesthetics.
Interior design graduates have a broad focus in a variety of design fields, styles and solutions.
Interior design curriculum shall incorporate real-life problems, where possible, to inspire practical design solutions.
Interior design graduates acquire strong oral and written communication skills.
Interior design graduates apply critical thinking skills to creative problem solving.
Studio courses are taught by faculty who have passed the NCIDQ and have relevant professional practice.

Educational Outcomes The specific educational outcomes for the interior design program are as follows:

Demonstrate evidence of a global perspective and ability to weigh design decisions within the parameters of ecological, socio-economics and cultural contexts.
Demonstrate ability to apply human factors data and the theories of behavioral science to design solutions.
Demonstrate ability to apply critical thinking and the design process to creative problem solving within the interior environment.
Demonstrate ability to produce drawings from ideation through contract documents using a variety of media, techniques and technology.
Demonstrate knowledge of professional ethics and business practices.
Demonstrate knowledge of the history of interiors, architecture and art.
Demonstrate ability to apply the principles and elements of design in two-dimensional and three-dimensional projects.
Demonstrate ability to select and specify furniture, fixtures, equipment and finish materials in interior spaces.
Demonstrate knowledge of lighting, building systems and interior construction methods and materials.
Demonstrate ability to apply knowledge of laws, codes and standards that impact the design of interior spaces.
Demonstrate ability to express ideas clearly in oral and written communication.

Course of Study A BFA in interior design shall consist of art and design foundation courses, art history and interior design courses, as well as successful completion of the sophomore graduate entry portfolio review. Additionally, students are only awarded the BFA in interior design upon completion of the MID requirements as listed in the graduate section of the Catalog.

In addition to the requirements listed below, students are reminded that all majors will demonstrate oral and written communication competency within the context of writing and/or speech intensive courses in the major. Students enrolled in the Interior Design Program are required to obtain a laptop computer capable of running CADD by the first semester of the sophomore year. See the Information Technology website or contact the helpdesk for specifications.

Graduate Interior Design

Through the College of Fine Arts & Humanities, the Interior Design Department offers the Interior Design major with the degrees of Master of Fine Arts and a combined Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Interior Design.

Master of Interior Design (combined with Bachelor of Fine Arts)

The graduate courses are offered at the North Atlanta campus location and may require online coursework and travel to the Gainesville campus. Students who proceed into the M.I.D. program from the Women’s College will receive a Women’s College B.F.A. degree. Students proceeding into the M.I.D. program from Undergraduate School will receive a B.F.A. degree from the university. All M.I.D. degrees are awarded by the university.

Purpose The B.F.A./M.I.D., is certified by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). The graduate portion focuses on advanced design specialties and professional development skills in business and social-psychology. Students are challenged to create a graduate interior design problem and solve that problem through complex design analysis and synthesis. As a capstone requirement, students must successfully defend their graduate studio problem and solution which includes the presentation of the student’s studio graduate project to a faculty committee. ID 690, Internship, may be simultaneously completed during the student’s graduate level course of study. Students must also complete ID 728, Portfolio Review and attend the M.I.D./M.F.A. Student Exhibition.

Admissions Requirements
Because the Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees are awarded simultaneously, all students will initially enroll through the undergraduate program either in the Women’s College or the University and meet the residency requirement for the undergraduate portion of the program. At least two semesters prior to graduate work, students will enroll in ID 400 - Graduate Entry Portfolio Review to determine their status for continuing onto the graduate level program. At that time students must

Pass a portfolio review by the interior design faculty members
Maintain a 3.0 GPA overall and a 3.0 GPA in their interior design coursework. (Does not include art and design foundation courses.)
Additionally, all applicants must meet the following criteria for acceptance into the graduate level program at the end of their senior year.

Completion of the Bachelor’s Degree portion of the program
Possess a 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA and a 3.0 GPA in interior design related coursework. (Does not include art and design foundation courses.)

Master of Fine Arts

The M.F.A. in Interior Design is offered online and prepares students to teach at the college level and develop evidence-based design skills bridging practice and research. Students explore current issues in the interior design profession and develop skills to effectively communicate these issues to future students. Graduates develop and teach an undergraduate interior design course, form a research topic, prepare a thesis derived from their evidence-based research, and display their final design and teaching portfolios at the MFA/MID Student Exhibition. The M.F.A. is a terminal degree.

Program Expected Learning Outcomes Upon completion of the Master of Fine Arts, students will be able to

Demonstrate knowledge and techniques for evidence-based research and apply to a design.
Research, plan, implement and assess undergraduate interior design courses.
Demonstrate critical thinking skills as related to design analysis and project solutions.
Demonstrate links between professional practice and design research
Demonstrate knowledge of critical issues in design education and research
Exhibit competency in written and oral communication and visual literacy.

Admissions Requirements Standards as per Admissions-Graduate requirements plus

Official transcript from all post-secondary institutions attended. Applicants must hold an undergraduate baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution.
Design Portfolio. This can be presented digitally or in person. Contents should include

Process: Processing drawings & programming materials leading to schematic design. Schematic design example leading to Design Development Solutions. Minimum to include: Scope and Square footage requirements, bubble diagrams and matrix, conceptual sketches, concept statement and project description, furniture presentation plans, selected FF & E, Elevations, 3-D element
Design Project: Includes Construction Drawings - full set developed on CADD - must submit in electronic format in AutoCAD on memory stick. Specifications - FF & E and Construction. Images of completed space(s) where possible.
Examples or Details (if not included in above CD’s)
Sample of written work
Sample of 3-D drawings - CADD preferred
Sample of free-hand sketching
Other materials as deemed appropriate by the perspective student

Resume

Note: - Ideally, candidates should possess:

An Interior design degree accredited by CIDA
A GPA of 3.0 or better
Professional work experience - 3 years minimum
NCIDQ certification

Assistantship Program Limited assistantships are available. Contact the department chair for details. Application deadline is April 15th for students enrolling summer semester, June 15th for those enrolling fall semester, and November 15th for those enrolling spring semester.

Programs

Master’s Degree

Interior Design (M.F.A.)

Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees

Interior Design (B.F.A. to M.I.D.)

Bachelor’s Degree

Residential Planning (B.A.)