Interior Design Frequently Asked Questions

Interior Design at Virginia Tech is a highly collaborative and interactive program. Our ever-developing program encourages the growth and innovation of student ideas within group, individual, and competition-based projects.

The Interior Design program is a studio-based curriculum with supportive lecture courses that intend to develop students' project knowledge. The supportive courses include History, Professional Practice, Materials, Building Systems, and Construction Documents. Our program's courses are all supplemented by the required University Pathways Curriculum.

This balanced curriculum ensures that every graduate has the knowledge and skills needed to successfully contribute to the work of a design firm as an emerging professional. We also place a great deal of emphasis on student service - service to our community of design students and in the larger context of Southwestern Virginia.

A YEAR IN THE LIFE

FIRST YEAR :    

• Embrace your creative passions through ideation, sketching, and modeling. Dive into the world of interior design and its importance.

SECOND YEAR:

• Expand your knowledge of history and building code and reflect it on your project by diagramming, modeling, sketching, and graphic representation.  

THIRD YEAR:

• Create design solutions to challenges we face today in contemporary society. Apply your knowledge of lighting design, materials, construction documents, and professional practice.

FOURTH YEAR:

• Exhibit your knowledge and understanding of interior design in your self-developed thesis project and engage with professionals in Washington, D.C.

Our program, accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, prepares future designers for licensure and practice. A degree from a CIDA-accredited program is increasingly important as a requirement for professional certification and licensing of Interior Designers in the United States. Graduating from a CIDA-accredited program is the first step in a three-part process in achieving certification or licensing as an interior designer in various states. Candidates must then complete two years of work experience in interior design and pass the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination. A CIDA-accredited degree, work experience, and successful completion of the NCIDQ exam satisfy the requirements in Virginia for recognition as a “Certified Interior Designer.”

Year 1: Fall Semester

• ARCH 1015: Foundation Design Laboratory (Area VI) - 6 credits
• ITDS 1114: Design Appreciation (Area VI) - 3 credits
• MATH 1535: Geometry and Mathematics of Design (Area V) - 3 credits
• ENGL 1105: Freshman English (Area I) - 3 credits

15 total credits

Year 1: Spring Semester

• ARCH 1016: Foundation Deisgn Laboratory (Area VI) - 6 credits
• Curriculum for Liberal Education Requirement (Area VII) - 3 credits
• MATH 1536: Geometry and Mathematics of Design (Area V) - 3 credits
• ENGL 1106: Freshman English (Area 1) - 3 credits

15 total credits

Year 2: Fall Semester

• ITDS 2044: Interior Design I - 6 credits
• ITDS 3125: History in Interior Design (Area II) - 3 credits
• ITDS 3175: Building Systems for Interior Design (Area II) - 3 credits
• Curriculum for Liberal Education Requirement (Area IV) - 3 credits

15 total credits

Year 2: Spring Semester

• ITDS 2054: Interior Design II - 6 credits
• ITDS 3126: History in Interior Design (Area II) - 3 credits
• ITDS 2134: Materials and Methods in Interior Design (Area II) - 3 credits
• Curriculum for Liberal Educaiton Requirement (Area IV) - 3 credits

15 total credits

Year 2: Summer Semester (Optional)

• ITDS 3954: Study Abroad - Interior Design - 3 credits

Year 3: Fall Semester

• ITDS 3044: Interior Design III - 6 credits
• ITDS 3176: Building Systems for Interior Design - 3 credits
• Free Elective - 3 credits
• Curriculum for Liberal Education Requirement (Area III) - 3 credits

15 total credits

Year 3: Spring Semester

• ITDS 3054: Interior Design IV - 6 credits
• ITDS 4554: Contemprary Practice in Interior Design - 3 credits
• ITDS 3184: Construction Documents for Interior Design - 3 credits
• Curriculum for Liberal Education Requirement (Area III) - 3 credits

15 total credits

Year 4: Fall Semester

• ITDS 4044: Interior Design V - 6 credits
• Professional Elective - 3 credits
• Professional Elective - 3 credits
• Free Elective - 3 credits

15 total credits

Year 4: Spring Semester

• ITDS 4054: Interior Design VI - 6 credits
• Professional Elective - 3 credits
• Free Elective - 3 credits

12 total credits

120 total required credits

The School of Design encourages prospective Industrial Design, Interior Design, and Landscape Architecture students to visit us to discover our approach to design education, to find out about the curricula of our academic programs, to meet faculty and current students, and to tour the School's facilities.

Tours for Interior Design are scheduled for Fridays at 12 pm, register here to attend.

The Interior Design program offers a study abroad to Florence, Italy. During your month-long study during the summer, you will partner with SRISA (Santa Reparata International School of Art) to help you get settled into your apartment. SRISA also hosts different cultural events and classes that cater to a variety of different interests. While abroad, you will have the opportunity to take day trips to different cities and sites in Italy along with being able to thoroughly explore Florence.

During the summer between the third and fourth year of the curriculum, interior design majors are highly expected to seek out an internship with an interior design or architectural firm. Students are responsible for finding their own intership position, but with the excellent reputation our program enjoys and an extensive network of alumni and professional friends of the school, our students routinely find paid internship oppourtinities with top firms. If assistance is needed in seeking opportunities, our diverse Advisory Board can be used as a resource.