Give me some space, and I'll show you what I can do.
You’re not the only person who has a knack for re-imagining the look of a room, and office, or even an entire building interior. For you though, it goes much deeper. You think about how a space connects to the people who use it—and to the environment. If you’re ready to go all-in and make a career out of it, our Interior Design degree program is the place to start. Here, you’ll develop the technical and creative skills to design interior spaces that meet demanding requirements—not just aesthetically, but in terms of safety, accessibility, and sustainability. You’ll be surrounded and inspired by other talented, creatively driven students. And you’ll be pushed, challenged, and, above all else, supported by experienced faculty*. It’ll take total commitment. But it could add up to a career doing what you love.
*Credentials and experience levels vary by faculty and instructors.
Degrees Offered
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design
Diploma in Residential Interiors
Diploma in Residential Interiors
Residential Interiors Student Learning Outcomes
Programmatic Student Learning Outcomes
- Drafting: Apply skills in drafting and drawing as a means to communicate design concepts and design documentation.
- Interior Design History: Apply principles of design utilizing knowledge of the history of architecture and furniture.
- Space Planning: Apply principles of space planning to the design of residential spaces.
- Textiles: Apply knowledge of textiles and materials as they relate to the planning of residential spaces.
- Professionalism: Apply the principles governing the business of interior design in an ethical and professional manner, exhibiting effective communication skills.
Classroom Experience
If it was easy, anybody could do it.
You have a unique vision—and a strong passion—for designing the spaces where people live and work. Our program is all about turning that passion and vision into a career that's both challenging and rewarding. You'll have the opportunity to learn to design attractive environments that are safe, accessible, and sustainable, while meeting today’s demanding technical requirements and regulations. We’ll start by guiding you through basics like perspective, proportion, color, drafting, and rendering. Then you can to build skills in areas from textiles, furnishings, and lighting to traditional and computerized design and computer-aided drafting. You’ll explore residential, commercial, institutional, and office design with courses in materials and specifications, building and safety codes, sustainable building principles and practices, environmental design, and human factors. See our gainful employment pages for possible careers that match the program that interests you.
What Will I Study?
I know what I want. Now show me what I need.
Creating living and working spaces isn’t just about color, light, and materials. It’s about building codes, accessibility, and sustainability. In a rigorous, all-encompassing Interior Design curriculum developed by industry and education innovators to deliver the right balance, you'll study:
- Traditional and Computerized Design
- Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD)
- Space Planning
- Textiles
- Lighting
- Barrier-Free Designs
- Interior Architectural Systems
- Residential Design
- Commercial Design
- Institutional Design
- Office Design
- Materials and Specifications
- Building and Safety Codes
- Sustainable Building Principles and Practices
- Environmental Design
- Human Factors
I'm looking for my proving ground.
At The Art Institutes system of schools, creativity is our core, our calling, our culture. We know that a creative career isn’t for everyone. It’s only for those who have the confidence and tenacity to make the leap from passion to profession. Our Interior Design degree program reflects the real world and all its challenges. Because it’s tough out there, it’s tough in here. But you’ll have the support you need to make your creativity marketable. We’ll provide the mentoring and real-world experience you need to prevail, with faculty* who’ve worked in the field and internship possibilities at successful businesses. You’ll be encouraged and expected to be bold. To take risks. To push yourself and the people around you. It won’t be easy. In fact, it’ll be the hardest thing you’ll ever love.
*Credentials and experience levels vary by faculty and instructors.
[My education] helped me to learn how to be an effective teammate and work well with others. Calvert Griffin
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, 2014, The Art Institute of Michigan
