Refined Taste and Business Acumen
Interior design school trains students in both the artistic and business aspects of this exciting and dynamic field. At a school of interior design, you'll be introduced to the fundamental aesthetic principles you'll draw on throughout your career while sharpening your self-marketing and self-promotion skills.
The best interior design schools delve even deeper. They instruct students in the ideological and environmental impact of their work, and help them use cutting-edge technologies to create culturally and socially relevant interior spaces.
Interior Design School Options
If you want to take interior design courses, you have three options: interior design degree programs, community college diploma programs and online interior designer education programs.
The best way to ensure you attend an accredited interior design school is to seek out a four-year program at a traditional college that leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. Admissions requirements are usually stricter for degree programs, but they can vary. For instance, a school for interior design in one state may demand a certain level of education and marks, while another may consider experience and related expertise when making their admission decisions.
Community college programs are usually more generalized in their approach to interior design education, and are perfect for students seeking a quick transition into entry-level work in the field.
Finally, an online interior design school is a good option for students with commitments during the day which make attending traditional classes impractical. Internet-based classes have largely replaced correspondence interior design schools, but use the same educational principles: they help students master key concepts through independent, self-directed learning.
Get Into an Interior Design School
If you want to study interior design at the college level, it is highly recommended that you take both physics and visual arts courses at the high school level. When applying to top interior design schools, you should also expect to submit a portfolio which showcases your artistic abilities as part of the application process.
Even at the community college level, it is common for applicants to encounter portfolio review requirements. Taking classes through an online interior design school is a good option for students with limited or no portfolio samples – these programs will provide you with a good foundation going forward and will help you get your feet wet with key concepts you'll encounter in more advanced interior design programs.