Interior Design Degree

While traditional schooling is definitely an important part of a career in interior design, it's also important to remember that there are several other facets of education and training that go into this field. 

Review the following article in order to learn more about Interior Design degrees.

Training for a Career in Interior Design

According to the National Council for Interior Design Accreditation, there are twenty-five states that require certification in order to be able to work as a licensed interior designer.  In order to get this certification, you must meet all of the state's qualifications by passing a standardized test and completing various on-the-job training programs.

The degree or certificate that you'll receive varies between art institutions, which may offer interior design programs ranging from two to three years to a complete bachelor’s degree.

While attending a school for a degree in interior design, you'll need to study art, architecture, style, design, perspectives, furniture design, and even psychology.  During your interior design program, you will likely be required to study a blue print of a room and come up with a viable design for the room combining everything you’ve learned about functionality, style, and spatial planning. 

After you’ve finished learning everything you can from your interior design classes, you'll then have to undergo a period of apprenticeship where you'll study under an experienced designer for up to four years.  In this setting, you'll use the information you learned in school in real world situations – working with clients to understand their needs and offering solutions based on your knowledge.  It is this type of on-the-job training that will give you the real world experience that you can use to launch your own professional career.

Once you’ve completed your apprenticeship, you'll need to take the test administered by the National Council for Interior Design Accreditation in order to get licensed.  To qualify to take the exam, you'll need to have at least six years of combined education, training, and experience as an apprentice.  This doesn't mean that you can take the licensing exam by being an assistant to an experienced interior designer without a formal education – at least two years of the combined six must be from a certified educational program.

Once you've passed the test for your license, you'll be given a title of Certified, Registered, or Licensed Interior Designer, depending on the state where you live and their individual requirements.  However, the certification for interior designers isn’t over once the exam is over – even if you've passed the exam, you'll need to take continuing education classes to maintain your license.  It's also recommended that interior designers gain membership in an association like The American Society of Interior Designers in order to maintain their credibility and bolster their credentials.

As your career progresses, you may find yourself seeking additional educational opportunities outside of those required to maintain your license.  New software programs and handheld devices are already changing the way interior designers work, and this trend is sure to continue into the future.  If you're serious about staying at the top of your profession, you'll need to be well versed in these new technological opportunities.

Should I Earn an Associate Degree in Interior Design?

Should you earn an associate degree in interior design? The answer is a resounding “yes!” if you are a creative yet logical individual who is passionate about creating beautiful and functional spaces. Whereas interior decorators are merely concerned with combining colors, textures and furnishings to create attractive decor, interior designers seek to create harmony between the architecture of a space, its function and the decor within it.

An associate degree in interior design is needed for most entry-level interior design positions. Educational programs can be found at many professional design schools as well as colleges and universities. Online associate degrees in interior design are becoming increasingly popular, as the online environment affords a great deal of flexibility to students who are changing careers or raising a family while they attend school.

Most interior design associate degrees can be earned in two to three years. Upon graduation, an interior designer with such a degree may find employment as a design assistant or enter a one to three year apprenticeship. Some states are requiring registration or licensing for interior designers. Interior designers with at least six years of education and experience in interior design can take a certification exam administered by The National Council for Interior Design Qualification.

An associate degree in interior design is the first step towards a potentially lucrative career. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of an interior designer (as of May 2008) was $44,950 per year. The top ten percent of interior designers earned more than $82,750 per year. Salaries for interior designers vary depending upon education, experience, specialty and employer. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that salaries tend to be higher at specialized architectural firms and lowest in retail environments (where designers are often asked to work on commission).

Associate degrees in interior design can also lead to self-employment opportunities, especially in the residential design field. Graduates, who are talented, motivated, driven, and posses excellent interpersonal skills, may find success opening their own freelance interior design consulting service.

Whether you choose to join a firm, work in retail or start your own interior design business, the field of interior design is a growing one. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment of interior designers to grow 19 percent by 2018. Employers, businesses and homeowners are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of interior design, and this trend is expected to contribute to the need for more interior designers.

If you’re creative, logical and passionate about beautiful form as well as function, there has never been a better time to pursue an associate degree in interior design and embark on a fascinating journey to a stable, lucrative and rewarding career in the interior design field.

What Can I Do With a Bachelors Degree Interior Design?

Do you want to sit in an office all day, filing papers and making phone calls? Do you want to spend hours on spreadsheets, memos and mundane busywork? Do you enjoy routine tasks and prefer a schedule and environment that never changes? If you answered “no” to all of these questions, then put down those TPS reports, tell the boss to pick up his own dry cleaning, and take the first step towards earning your bachelor degree in interior design.

Whether you’re fresh out of high school, have completed a few years at a liberal arts college, or have found yourself stuck in an unrewarding job like the poor soul above, a bachelor of interior design could be your ticket to an exciting, lucrative and creative career you can truly enjoy. Your educational options are many, as there are numerous programs to help you earn an online bachelor degree interior design as well as programs at traditional design schools, colleges and universities.

The average bachelor degree in interior design can be earned in four years. It will be four years well spent as you study exciting subjects such as computer-aided design, drawing and perspective, spatial planning, architecture, and how to utilize decorative elements such as color, textiles and furniture to enhance an interior. Once you’ve earned your degree at a bachelors of interior design school, you can enter the workforce as an interior designer, design apprentice or assistant to a more experienced interior designer.

Interior designers are employed to design many types of spaces including private homes, hotels, hospitals, schools, shopping malls, small business offices and large corporate business offices. Great interior design can enhance a company’s productivity, increase a retail business’s sales, attract potential clients and increase the market value of real estate. While crafting beautiful and harmonious decor for a space is a vital part of an interior designer’s role, they may also be involved in planning the architectural elements. Interior designers may even consult with architects, electricians and other contractors as spaces are built or remodeled.

An interior designer with a bachelor of interior design may work alone as a freelancer, within a large corporation or design firm, or in a smaller consulting firm. Wherever they work, they will not suffer from boredom. Between traveling to consult with clients, architects and contractors, visiting showrooms and design centers and actively seeking new projects, interior designers have many opportunities to step away from their desks and get out of the office. This makes interior design a fantastic career for creative individuals who enjoy interacting with a variety of people, prioritizing projects and deadlines, and the opportunity to do something different nearly every day.

The Benefits of an Online Masters Degree in Interior Design

If you have been asking yourself, “Should I get masters degree in interior design?” the answer is “yes.” If, that is, you want to further advance your interior design career, earn a greater salary than the average interior designer or work for any of the best design firms.

While the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the demand for interior designers will increase 19 percent by 2018, they also expect competition for the best positions to be quite fierce. Many creative individuals are attracted to the exciting field of interior design. As such, candidates with formal education, advanced degrees and additional experience will be the most attractive to potential employers. Interior design masters programs can help you get a leg up on your competition when applying for a new interior design job or a promotion.

As of May 2008, the median salary for an interior designer was $44,950, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, the top ten percent of interior designers earned more than $82,750 per year. It is safe to assume that many of these top performers have their master degree in interior design. Interior designers with advanced degrees are also more likely to be salaried and work for large specialized design and architectural firms. Designers with associates degrees often find themselves employed as assistants or working in a retail environment, possibly even on commission.

An interior design masters degree may also provide graduates with a better foundation for starting their own design firm or freelance consulting business. If you’d prefer to be your own boss, starting your own business or working freelance could be an excellent option to consider. If you’re already employed in the field of interior design, adding a master degree in interior design to your years of experience could be exactly what you need to succeed as the head of your own company.

An online masters degree in interior design offers additional benefits that other programs do not. One is the flexibility inherent in online learning. For students employed full time in other careers or working to raise a family, online degree programs are a simple way to balance work, family and education. There’s no need to commute when you’re earning a degree online. You can complete coursework at your own pace, study according to your individual schedule, multi-task and prioritize your assignments as necessary.

If you’re currently employed at a design company or firm, you may even be able to have your employer pay for at least a portion of your tuition and fees for an interior design masters degree. An increasing number of companies are recognizing the value of continuing education and promoting from within. As such, many offer tuition reimbursement and educational incentives. Discuss the possibilities with your human resources manager or supervisor. You may be surprised by the assistance available.

Interior design masters programs have many benefits to offer. If you want a better job, better salary or greater opportunity for advancement within the field of interior design, you owe it to yourself to explore your educational options today.