Interior design students need a lot more than just great taste in furniture
to succeed in a training program.
Joyce O'Keefe is chair of the interior design department at the International
Academy of Design. She says students need creativity, analytical ability
and attention to detail. They also need an entrepreneurial attitude and
strong visual skills.
Math ability and technical proficiency will also come in handy.
Marilyn A. Read is an interior design professor at Auburn University. She
says it's a good idea to get a bachelor's degree. "I believe understanding
the complexity of the discipline requires a bachelor's degree," she says.
However, there are also shorter diploma programs available. O'Keefe's
school, for example, offers both a two-year and three-year diploma.
Either way, students take similar classes. These include technical drawing,
space planning, lighting, visual presentation techniques and autoCAD (computer-assisted
design).
Some programs also include internships. Read's students also do
an eight-week, full-time internship. O'Keefe says her students must complete
a 120-hour internship during their third year.
At the International Academy of Design, students take art classes such
as color theory, drawing fundamentals and 2D and 3D design. Other classes
include drafting, textiles, marketing, architectural detailing and project
coordination.
At Read's school, students can choose a specialty. "A directed research
course is required at the senior level. [That] offers the student an opportunity
to focus on one specific design area -- for example, hospitality design, or
research and development," Read says.
It is a demanding major, says George Verghese. He is chair of a
school of interior design. Students attend 24 hours of classes every week.
Students can also expect to spend an additional 25 hours working on homework
and projects.
In fact, Verghese says first-year students will not want to have a part-time
job. The workload is too intense and time-consuming.
One way to find a quality program is to look for one that is accredited
by the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research (FIDER).
Links
Occupational Outlook Handbook
For more information related to this field of study, see: Interior
Designers
Interior Design Directory
Links to some good information
Interiordezine
Free interior design and decorating education