What is interior design, and why should you join our program?
Designers craft spaces that anticipate our needs and appeal to our emotions while pulling from a broad set of skills and technical knowledge. Interior design has changed dramatically since the early 20th century when it was just beginning to emerge as a profession.
Interior designers are expected to have the skill and knowledge of:
- Textiles, materials, color, space planning, sustainability, and more
- Software applications for 2D & 3D computer-aided design (CAD) and building information modeling (BIM)
- Structural requirements, health and safety issues, and building codes
Today, interior designers work with contractors, architects, engineers, craftsmen, furniture dealers, business and homeowners. To become a successful interior designer, you need a well-rounded education and the skills to work within many disciplines (architecture; graphic design; decorative arts; and textile, furniture, and lighting design, sales). The right education is the key to getting the skills you need to succeed, especially in a culture that increasingly embraces DIY design, a degree gives you the required credentials to be a successful designer.
The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) states that:
“Completing a degree, either an associate or bachelors, is becoming increasingly more important to the interior design profession. Currently, 26 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 (NCIDQ). Regulation of interior design practice continues to become increasingly widespread.”
With its strong professional focus, SLCC Interior Design education gives you access to internships and designers with real-world experience, invaluable connections that will serve you throughout your career.
Important information
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A laptop is recommended for several required technical courses in the ID program. Since we use Autodesk products, Microsoft Windows operating system is required to run all Autodesk products, including AutoCAD and Revit. If you already have an Apple computer, you must also purchase and install Parallels and Microsoft Windows to use any Autodesk products.
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When researching machine requirements to run Revit software, Autodesk's "minimum requirements" outlined are adequate, but if your budget allows, it would be ideal to choose "Value: Balanced Price and Performance"; this will give your laptop longevity while in school.
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Click to view the NCIDQ (Council for Interior Design Qualification) certification requirements.