Interior Design B.A.
Interior Design Major
The B.A. Interior Design major requires a minimum of 120 total hours to graduate. This total includes UNIFI/General Education requirements and the following specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 120 hours.
Admission to the University of Northern Iowa with an intended Interior Design major does not guarantee placement in the major due to the limited number of spaces available in the studio facilities.
Students majoring in Interior Design must satisfy the admission requirements including GPA, portfolio review/interview and the completion of specified courses before they can officially declare the major. Prior to completion of the admission requirements, students may sign an intent to major in Interior Design and be classified as a (pre)major.
| Required | ||
| School of Applied Human Sciences: | ||
| INTDSGN 1001 | Introduction to Applied Design | 3 |
| INTDSGN 1061 | Design Foundations | 3 |
| INTDSGN 1063 | Drafting for Interiors | 3 |
| INTDSGN 1065 | Design Visualization and Communication | 3 |
| INTDSGN 1067 | History of Interiors | 3 |
| INTDSGN 2063 | Computer Applications for Interior Design I | 3 |
| INTDSGN 2065 | Space Planning and the Human Experience | 3 |
| INTDSGN 2068 | Design Research Methods | 3 |
| INTDSGN 2069 | Materials and Resources for Interior Design | 3 |
| INTDSGN 2070 | Materials Lab | 1 |
| INTDSGN 3063 | Computer Applications for Interior Design II | 3 |
| INTDSGN 3069 | Building Systems and Lighting | 3 |
| INTDSGN 3129 | Building Codes and Standards | 3 |
| INTDSGN 3151 | Residential Design I | 3 |
| INTDSGN 3152 | Residential Design II | 3 |
| INTDSGN 3164 | Professional Practice of Interior Design | 3 |
| INTDSGN 3165 | Professional Preparation in Interior Design | 1 |
| INTDSGN 4151 | Commercial Design I | 3 |
| INTDSGN 4152 | Commercial Design II | 3 |
| INTDSGN 4153 | Commercial Design III | 3 |
| INTDSGN 4162 | Advanced Design | 3 |
| INTDSGN 4195 | Internship in Interior Design | 3 |
| Total Hours | 62 | |
Four-Year Plan
Interior Design, B.A.
This is a sample plan of study with a suggested sequencing of classes for the major. University electives may be applied to earn additional academic majors, minors, or certificates. Students should regularly meet with their academic advisor to plan their specific semester schedule to include UNIFI/General Education program and/or university elective hours required.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hour | |
| INTDSGN 1001 | Introduction to Applied Design | 3 |
| INTDSGN 1061 | Design Foundations 1 | 3 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 9 | |
| Optional Study Trip 2 | ||
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| INTDSGN 1063 | Drafting for Interiors | 3 |
| INTDSGN 1065 | Design Visualization and Communication | 3 |
| INTDSGN 1067 | History of Interiors | 3 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Summer | ||
| --Pass Portfolio Review end of Spring term | ||
| --Highly recommend pursuing a residential or commercial internship | ||
| Hours | 0 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| INTDSGN 2063 | Computer Applications for Interior Design I | 3 |
| INTDSGN 2065 | Space Planning and the Human Experience | 3 |
| INTDSGN 2068 | Design Research Methods | 3 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 6 | |
| Required Study Trip 2 | 0 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| INTDSGN 2069 | Materials and Resources for Interior Design | 3 |
| INTDSGN 2070 | Materials Lab | 1 |
| INTDSGN 3063 | Computer Applications for Interior Design II | 3 |
| INTDSGN 3151 | Residential Design I | 3 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Summer | ||
| --Highly recommend pursuing a residential or commercial internship | ||
| Hours | 0 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| INTDSGN 3069 | Building Systems and Lighting | 3 |
| INTDSGN 3129 | Building Codes and Standards | 3 |
| INTDSGN 3152 | Residential Design II | 3 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 6 | |
| Required Study Trip 2 | ||
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| INTDSGN 3164 | Professional Practice of Interior Design | 3 |
| INTDSGN 4151 | Commercial Design I | 3 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 9 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Summer | ||
| --Highly recommend pursuing a residential or commercial internship | ||
| --Consider a Study Abroad opportunity | ||
| Hours | 0 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| INTDSGN 3165 | Professional Preparation in Interior Design | 1 |
| INTDSGN 4152 | Commercial Design II | 3 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 10 | |
| Required Study Trip 2 | 0 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| INTDSGN 4153 | Commercial Design III | 3 |
| INTDSGN 4162 | Advanced Design | 3 |
| UNIFI/General Education or University Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Summer | ||
| INTDSGN 4195 | Internship in Interior Design | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- 1
INTDSGN 1061 Design Foundations can be taken either Fall or Spring semester of first year.
- 2
The Interior Design study trip typically occurs the last weekend in September and is a separate cost.
Learning Outcomes
Interior Design, B.A.
UNI Interior Design graduates are effective communicators.
- SLO 1.1 Students are able to express ideas clearly in oral, written and visual communication.
Students integrate oral and visual material to present ideas clearly.
- SLO 1.2 Students are able to produce well-coordinated presentation drawings across a range of appropriate media.
- SLO 1.3 Students are able to produce integrated contract documents including drawings, schedules, and specifications appropriate to project size and scope.
UNI Interior Design graduates identify and explore complex problems and generate creative solutions that optimize the human experience within the interior environment.
- SLO 2.1 Students identify and define relevant aspects of a design problem (goals, objectives, performance criteria).
- SLO 2.2 Students gather, evaluate, synthesize and apply appropriate and necessary information and research findings to solve the problem (pre-design investigation).
- SLO 2.3 Students generate multiple concepts and/or multiple design responses to programmatic requirements.
UNI interior design graduates apply elements and principles of two- and three-dimensional design.
- SLO 3.1 Students effectively apply the elements and principles of design to two-dimensional design solutions.
- SLO 3.2 Students effectively apply the elements and principles of design to three-dimensional design solutions.
- SLO 3.3 Students are able to analyze and communicate theories or concepts of spatial definition and organization.