Director: Beth R. Miller
Office: 125 Etheredge Hall
The Interior Design Program offers students the opportunity to develop an ability to identify, analyze, and create solutions using critical thinking and spatial comprehension in solving design problems in the built environment. The program prepares future professional designers to enhance the function and quality of interior spaces for the purpose of improving the quality of life, increasing productivity, and protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public as well as protecting the environment. Practical studio experience builds competency in design theory; the specification of interior materials and finishes; lighting, barrier-free, and computer-aided design; building and life safety codes; historical interiors; professional practices; interior construction and furniture design; space planning and programming; and graphic and verbal communication skills.
Accreditation
The Bachelor of Science in Interior Design degree program is fully accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
Curriculum Progression and Portfolio Review
All students are required to obtain a grade of "C" or better for all major core courses. Students who obtain a "D" or an "F" must retake the course. Only two retakes of any course are allowed.
2nd year Portfolio Review: Each student is required to participate in a portfolio review between the second and third year to determine a student’s admission to upper level courses. The 2nd year portfolio review will consist of original work (a minimum of two projects per class) from the first two years of ID foundation courses.
Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher and a 2.5 in the Interior Design major core. Students failing to pass the review will not be allowed to enter ID 3614 Interior Design Studio III or ID 3663 Color and Lighting for Interiors. Students will have two opportunities for portfolio submission.
Senior Portfolio and Exhibit: Each senior is required to submit a professional portfolio for faculty review and provide work for a senior exhibit in the spring of their senior year.
Internships
All Interior Design majors are required to complete an internship the summer following either their Junior or Senior year. The internship offers employment experiences through a wide range of projects in the design field. Many ID students are placed in interior design and architecture firms across the United States.
Financial Requirements
Costs for an interior design education are somewhat higher than other disciplines. In addition to standard costs of fees, tuition, room and board, books, field trips, etc., an interior design student must buy required drawing equipment and materials for drawings and models during the school year. A student should budget for at least $300 per semester for these extra costs.
Due to the technological aspect of the profession, each student is required to purchase a computer prior to the fall of their first year in the program. Computer requirements are available on the website: www.caad.msstate.edu/caad_web/id/home .
Field Trips
Field trips are an important part of the curriculum. The observations and experiences from field trips cannot be replaced by library research or reports. Because field trips are a vital part of the design education experience, the cost is an additional charge to the student's account to ensure that all students are able to take part in these essential learning opportunities.