About the Program
Art and Design Department
Upton Hall 402
(716) 878-6032
https://artdesign.buffalostate.edu/interior-design
Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) Accredited
Professional Licensure: This program leads to a recommendation for NYS certification; please check for certification requirements in all other states.
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.
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 Interior 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
Prospective students interested in the Interior Design Program must complete these requirements to be considered for admission:
1. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.6 after the freshman year.
2. Transfer Students: Acceptance to the major is determined after an admissions review with the faculty of the Interior Design Program; transcripts, portfolio of work, and course syllabi are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Completing the course sequence for the Interior Design B.F.A. could take a full four years; it should not be assumed that transfer students can graduate within two years of admission.
Learning Outcomes
1. Aesthetics, Visual Language, and Creativity: Students will demonstrate a mastery of the visual language of art and design through the aesthetic application of the formal elements and relational and organizational principles of art/design, and a mastery of advanced creative problem-solving skills.
2. Technical and Cognitive Skills: Students will demonstrate a mastery of advanced skills in the use of the technical tools, techniques, and processes and cognitive (conceptual development) to produce work from concept to finished product.
3. Professional Practice: Students will present a final project or exhibition and a professional portfolio.
Program Requirements
General Education 23 Requirements (33 credit hours)
Interior Design Major Requirements (78 credit hours)
Required Art/Design History Courses (21 credit hours)
Complete ALL of the following Courses:
AAD104 DIGITAL PRESENTATION METHODS | 3 - Credit Hours
AAD105 INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL DESIGN AND FABRICATION | 3 - Credit Hours
AAD251 ART HISTORY: FROM PREHISTORY TO MEDIEVAL PERIOD | 3 - Credit Hours
AAD252 ART HISTORY: FROM THE RENAISSANCE TO THE MODERN WORLD | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE104 SPATIAL CONCEPTS OF INTERIOR DESIGN | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE205 HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE I | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE358 HISTORY OF INTERIOR DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE II | 3 - Credit Hours
Required Interior Design Courses (57 credit hours)
Complete ALL of the following Courses:
IDE101 INTRODUCTION TO INTERIOR DESIGN | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE151 MECHANICAL AND PERSPECTIVE DRAWING | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE152 RAPID IDEATION AND VISUALIZATION | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE201 INTERIOR DESIGN I | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE204 BUILDING MATERIALS - SELECTION, SPECIFICATIONS, AND ESTIMATING | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE206 EVIDENCE BASED DESIGN | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE251 INTERIOR DESIGN II | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE301 INTERIOR DESIGN III | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE302 COMPUTER APPLICATIONS FOR INTERIOR DESIGN I | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE303 CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION AND INTERIOR DETAILING | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE351 INTERIOR DESIGN IV | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE352 COMPUTER APPLICATIONS FOR INTERIOR DESIGN II | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE355 LIGHTING DESIGN | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE356 ADVANCED PARAMETRIC DESIGN | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE401 INTERIOR DESIGN V | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE403 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE404 INTERIOR DESIGN THESIS RESEARCH | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE451 INTERIOR DESIGN VI THESIS STUDIO | 3 - Credit Hours
IDE488 INTERIOR DESIGN INTERNSHIP | 3 - Credit Hours
All College Electives (9 credit hours)
120 Total Credit Hours