Interior Design

Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
Curriculum Requirements - 2011-2012 (Click Here)

Villa Maria College's Interior Design program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design (CIDA).  CIDA-accredited programs assure the public that interior design education prepares students to be responsible, well-informed, skilled professionals.

Overview:

The professional interior designer is qualified by education, experience, and examination to enhance the function and quality of interior spaces. The Interior Design program stresses space planning and design, as well as the development of advanced graphic and verbal communication skills needed to express visual ideas.

Students use drawing, drafting, rendering, and modeling skills and computer-aided design (CAD) equipment at all levels to explore and communicate increasingly complex design issues. In Interior Design studio courses, students are prepared to create safe, functional, and attractive environments for homes, workplaces, and users in the education, healthcare, hospitality, and recreation markets. Required internships complement classroom learning and help to bridge the gap between education and practice. 

Program Description:

Students graduate prepared to meet the demands of the design profession and also the academic rigors of continued higher education.

Program Facilities:

Interior Design has two computer studios equipped with drawing tables, state-of-the-art computers, scanners, printers and large format plotters as well as a drawing studio including a Diazo blue print machine. Software includes AutoCad, Revit, Google SketchUp, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, and others necessary to prepare quality, industry standard presentations.

The Interior Design Resource Room is exclusively dedicated to Interior Design students and includes a working library of materials, surface samples and textiles, together with many other design resources. In addition, the space can be used as a workroom and includes a computer, scanner, printer, plotter, blue print machine, cutting surfaces, drawing surface, mat cutting equipment and much more. The Art Shop is a specialized facility housing a wood-working shop used for various studio and furniture design projects. The shop is equipped with quality power and hand tools such as table saws, band saws, planers, drill press, power sanders and other professional grade equipment.

Program Requirements

Students must earn a grade of C+ or above for successful completion of all IND courses. Students must maintain the educational standards set by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). 

Career Potential & Employment Outlook 

With the fast pace of change in business and industry, demand for interior designers in planning and remodeling will continue to increase. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of interior designers is expected to grow 19% from 2008 through 2018, which is faster than the average for all  occupations.

Designers with formal training or experience in green or energy efficient design in particular, are expected to have better job prospects. Graduates of the baccalaureate degree program are prepared for positions as interior designers in most markets, including specialized areas such as healthcare, hospitality, commercial design and residential design, with an emphasis on aging-in-place and universal design. Specialized areas such as kitchen and bath design are growing in response to the growing demand for home remodeling. 

For more information or to enroll, contact:

Kevin Donovan
Director of Enrollment Management
Phone: 716.961.1870
Email: kdonovan@villa.edu