Objectives
To provide students with an undergraduate professional course of study that conforms to the established academic standards for interior design education
To promote intellectual inquiry through historical awareness, studies in the humanities, natural and social sciences, English communication, and critical thinking
To encourage the acquisition of intellectual habits which further active participation in the complex world we all inhabit
To create a strong foundation in the basic principles and elements of design, drawing and color in order to develop a non-verbal design language, visual logic, and fluency of expression
Students
To help the student learn to think critically about a design problem before, during and after creating a design solution
To encourage creative expression and original work within a structured curriculum that balances theory and practice, vision and planning, creativity and logic, art and technology
To develop skills in applying design principles in a wide variety of residential and non-residential projects; requiring knowledge of spaceplanning, materials, finishes, textiles, lighting, surfaces, structures and codes
To develop the ability to solve and present problems clearly, creatively and quickly
To stress the relationship of environment to behavior and the importance of design sensitivity to human needs, integrating such issues as universal design, barrier-free accessibility, and diverse populations with design elements in design work
To understand how users give meaning to the spaces they inhabit
To emphasize the historical context of art, architecture and design, understanding that art reflects the values of the time, not temporal caprice, but a series of choices made by the artist
To encourage the dialogue between interior design and architecture by providing students with knowledge of architectural history, spatial relationships and organizations, methods and materials, construction codes and building systems, and the need to restore the natural connections between a building, its interior, its inhabitants and the environment
Student
To introduce students to examples of professional accomplishment in art, architecture and design at national and international levels
To provide a beginning awareness of business practices as they relate to interior design and the designer's ethical responsibilities to the profession and society
To introduce students to research methodology and its importance to design solutions
To familiarize students with sources and the marketplace
Student Work
To enhance the student's ability to ask appropriate questions, communicate concepts, draw assumptions and implications, and listen empathetically to different points of view so that students will be able to develop solutions with clients, not simply for them
To provide extensive training in computer skills for computer-aided design (CAD) and business
To increase awareness of pressing social and environmental concerns, and address how design can help meet the needs of those with limited financial resources through community service
To provide students with opportunities to exhibit their work, enter meaningful competitions, and develop a design portfolio
To offer students many opportunities to observe and interact with the professional design community through guest lectures, juries, professional association meetings, and a valuable Internship experience
To provide students with marketable skills which enable them to obtain entry-level positions in interior design immediately following graduation, and to assist them in obtaining employment
To encourage students to consider design in its widest possible context as making a contribution to an improved world and to consider their individual potential to be of service
