|
Part I:
What to Look for in Interior Design Schools
The recommendation is that
those interested in interior design get a postsecondary degree for most
entry level positions. Besides a school education, many interior
designers also do anywhere from 1-3 years of apprenticeship in the
field. Gaining this "real-world" experience can be just as
important as the school education. Therefore, consider schools
that help prepare you for work inside and outside the classroom.
Here are some items you should consider when
choosing an interior design school:
-
Take a look at class size and curriculum.
The school should offer both theory and hands-on experience in labs,
internships or other projects.
-
Set up an interview with faculty and/or students
along with a visit to the school. Some schools may let you sit
in on a beginning level class for the day to get a feel for the
school's culture and program style.
-
Consider the area of interior design you want
to specialize in when choosing a school. Some schools may have
more experience or strengths in different specializations.
Areas of specializations vary: Commercial Design, Residential
Design, Hospitality Design, Healthcare Design, Green Design and so
on.
-
Get to know the faculty members via online bios
or in-person interviews. Does their experience and expertise
fit in with the type of interior design you wish to pursue?
-
If required in your state, the school should
help you prepare for the state interior design
certification/competency exam.
-
Check to see if the school you selected did the
voluntary accreditation with the Council for Interior Design
Accreditation or the National Association of Schools of Art and
Design.
-
Find out what type of apprenticeships are
available or if students must arrange their own outside "real-world"
experience.
-
What kind of employment opportunities are
available to graduates? The school should offer data about
employment rates and a list of they types of employers their
graduates work for.
-
Does the school offer continuing education
classes that you may take after graduation? You may need
access to these types of classes to learn about innovations in the
field or keep an active professional certification or license in
your state.
|
Useful Interior Design Sites
American Society of
Interior Designers
www.asid.org
ASID is a community of people—designers, industry representatives,
educators and students—committed to interior design. Through education,
knowledge sharing, advocacy, community building and outreach, the
Society strives to advance the interior design profession and, in the
process, to demonstrate and celebrate the power of design to positively
change people’s lives.
ASID: List of
Registration Laws
www.asid.org/legislation/
Currently, 25 states and jurisdictions have licensing requirements
for interior design practitioners. In many of these states, you
cannot even call yourself an interior designer unless you meet or
exceed a certain level of accredited education and in some cases
pass the qualifying exam administered by the National Council for
Interior Design Qualification. Regulation of interior design
practice continues to become increasingly wide spread.
Careers in Interior Design
www.careersininteriordesign.com
This website has been created by professional organizations as a service
to individuals pursuing a career in Interior Design.
Council for Interior Design
Accreditation
www.accredit-id.org
The Council for Interior Design Accreditation is an independent,
non-profit accrediting organization for interior design education
programs at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.
Interior Design Educators
Council, Inc.
www.idec.org
The Interior Design Educators Council, Inc. (IDEC) was founded in 1963
and is dedicated to the advancement of education and research in
interior design. IDEC fosters exchange of information, improvement of
educational standards, and development of the body of knowledge relative
to the quality of life and human performance in the interior
environment.
The Interior Design
Society
www.interiordesignsociety.org
The Interior Design Society (IDS) was founded in 1973, and is the
largest design organization exclusively dedicated to serving the
residential interior design industry.
International Interior
Design Association
www.iida.org
The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) is a professional
networking and educational association of more than 10,000 Members in 8
specialty Forums, 9 Regions, and more than 30 Chapters around the world
committed to enhancing the quality of life through excellence in
interior design and advancing interior design through knowledge.
The Library of
Congress: Architecture and Interior Design
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/gottscho/
The Gottscho-Schleisner Collection is comprised of over 29,000
images primarily of architectural subjects, including interiors and
exteriors of homes, stores, offices, factories, historic buildings,
and other structures.
US Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics
www.bls.gov/oco/ocos293.htm
Statistics and review of the Interior Design profession.
|
