Interior Design (INDS)

An introduction to the profession of interior design, this course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the role of the interior designer and the scope of the profession. Lectures, discussions, problem-solving and design application allow the student to explore interior design as both a creative process and a profession.

This course cultivates the ability to develop creative abstract design thinking and translate it into the three-dimensional composition of space and form with a system of formal architectural ordering. The course cultivates design process tools such as diagramming, drawing and model making through a series of design explorations, including abstract ideation, physical embodiment, architectural composition and precedent analysis exercises.

This course, the first in a series of five interior design studio experiences, introduces students to basic interior design principles, theory and conceptual processes. The emphasis is on creating small-scale environments based on the interaction of the individual with the environment.

This course presents a broad study of interior finishes and furnishings. The specification, composition, construction and application/usability of finishes and furnishings are covered. Lectures, demonstrations, projects and field trips promote the development of design ideas related to materials as well as sustainable materials and finishes.

This studio course continues the study of interior design through research, analysis, programming, conceptualization and design of the interior environment. Projects include exercises in spatial organization, anthropometrics and circulation on an increasingly complex scale.

This course offers a comprehensive and concise compendium of the history of interiors from antiquity to present with reference to interiors as a social art, responsive to historical and cultural influences. Design theories and philosophies are explored in reference to their influence on interiors along with the complexity and intricacies of the sensory relationship of humans with interior space over time.

This course explores the use of lighting as a design element in the interior environment. Basics of electricity and electrical distribution systems, function, use and control of light, lighting fixtures, and lighting installation are topics for lecture and discussion. Through demonstrations in the lighting lab, luminaries and lamps are compared with regard to glare, light distribution, intensity, color, color rendition, energy effectiveness and cost.

Through examination of interior building construction materials and systems, this course promotes understanding of the various constructed assemblies, both structural and nonstructural, that combined form complete buildings. Functional and environmental considerations about building technology systems, and the role of interior designers in improving the quality of the built environment, are also covered. Emphasis on the necessary partnership of building technology experts, architects, interior designers, engineers, and clients is integral to the course.

Communication of the design intent through construction documentation is the focus of this studio course. With an emphasis on constructability and integration of electrical, mechanical and code requirements, assigned projects expand student understanding, application and communication of lighting, color, materials, technology and structure through construction documents and specifications.

This course covers the exploration, development of technique and the application of sighted perspective drawings of architectural interiors and exteriors, furnishings, accessories and details. Employing a variety of media, students produce work to support and enhance portfolio presentation. Emphasis is placed on aesthetic concerns.

This studio course provides a collaborative and multidisciplinary structure for the exploration and application of human-centric design methodology in interior environments.

This course provides the opportunity for interior design students to develop a professional working portfolio. Emphasis is placed on organizing a strong body of work, focused on a specific area of expertise dictated by the students’ individual career goals. Presentation options are explored, examined and executed.

This course presents the professionalism and ethics of interior design. Design practice, public and client relations, administration and procedures, and social responsibilities are discussed. Professional qualifications and organizations are covered, and students set personal goals for achievement in the profession.

As the first part of a capstone project, students in this course advance their design skills to meet the challenge of a complex project. Selecting both client and project, students complete an in-depth precedent study, code and building analysis, user assessment, programming, conceptualization, and presentation. Design research methods, innovation, code compliance, sustainability and acoustical comfort are key issues that are addressed.

Internships offer students valuable opportunities to work in a professional environment and gain firsthand experience to help them prepare for careers. In an approved internship setting, a student typically spends one quarter working with an on-site professional supervisor and a faculty internship supervisor to achieve specific goals and objectives related to the program of study.

This course is the second part of a capstone project. Emphasis is on individual competence in interior design development and specification. Students develop the project selected in Studio V, with a focus on choosing, refining and effectively communicating design intent.

The built interior environment comprises multiple interacting elements, including construction, finishes and furnishings. Selecting and specifying the best materials plays an essential role in the successful communication of design concepts. Through lectures, demonstrations and projects, students discover why materials matter in support of design intent and how emerging new materials impact the design of contemporary interior environments.

This course serves as a comprehensive overview of the technical requirements of interior design projects. It emphasizes the critical nature of codes, interior building systems and construction, lighting, interior materials and sustainability as fundamental components of the interior built environment. Course content includes the introduction and application of LEED requirements, custom interior detailing and CSI specifications.

This course reinforces the graphic, technical and digital representation skills and techniques utilized within graduate-level study of interior design. Projects and assignments inform students of the importance of managing and communicating design data, construction documentation and interior detailing. Students explore alternative digital presentation methodologies through various software interfaces.

This course is a precursor to the advanced study of interior design in a studio setting, emphasizing individual competence in the total design process. Projects are structured to emphasize the individual phases of design and culminate in a multi-faceted design solution to serve as an assessment tool for gauging success in the graduate program.

Rendering skills for interior designers are critical in communicating design intent. In this course, students master freehand rendering through analog and digital methods to clearly and expertly communicate innovative solutions, developing the skills necessary for a lifetime of success as design leaders.

From the post-Renaissance to the present, interior design has influenced the world aesthetically, culturally and technologically. This course traces the progression of the philosophies of influential interior design leaders and the evolution of modern design theory. Through advanced research and writing, students connect the history of interior design to contemporary issues and discover how to use contextual knowledge of the industry's past to inform present-day practice.

This seminar course introduces students of diverse backgrounds to interior design as an academic discipline and as a profession. Students explore issues that affect interior design, establish personal goals of achievement and begin to develop a personal philosophy of design.

This course examines the ways in which architects, interior designers and theorists express and conceptualize the spirit of interior design. Readings are drawn from significant work detailing the history of interior design and the role of interior design in the future. Through active participation in discussions, research papers and independent analyses, students are expected to develop skills in analyzing and conceptualizing interior design principles.

This course is an introduction to research methods in design, exploration of history of research methods and contemporary applications.

This course begins the advanced study of interior design in a studio setting through the development and execution of strong design ideas. Projects are structured to emphasize the design process: analyzing, programming, conceptualizing, developing and presenting ideas of a medium level of complexity.

This course continues the advanced study of the interior design process through the development and execution of designs for special populations. Projects are structured to emphasize human factors and the design process.

Understanding and applying the underlying principles of graphic presentation and rendering techniques are the focus of this course. Students explore communication and promote design ideas through the application of perspective drawings of architectural interiors and exteriors. Emphasis is placed on aesthetic concerns and professional presentation techniques.

The focus of this course is on emerging materials that have the potential to be applied in interior design. This course presents an exploratory study of technological advances that have generated new interior materials recently introduced in the market and their impact on global sustainability. Sustainable and intelligent structural materials and finishes are covered. The specification, composition, construction and application/usability of these new interior materials are also covered. Group discussions, presentations, projects and field trips promote the development of design ideas related to new materials.

This course explores the advanced study of lighting as a design element in the interior environment. Electricity, electrical distribution systems, function, use and control of light, lighting fixtures and lighting installation are covered in lectures, discussion and application. Through demonstrations in the lighting lab, luminaries and lamps are compared with regard to glare, light distribution, intensity, color, color rendition, energy effectiveness and cost. Students utilize manufacturer catalogs, computer programs and lighting equipment to design and construct a lighting fixture.

In this course, the complex interaction and impact of the built environment on human behavior is examined through the context of social, behavioral, cultural and environmental variables. Issues of social and cultural context, gender, health and well-being are examined through environmental factors and characteristics of the built environment such as structure type and use, density, zoning, planning, development and transition, and transportation.

In this course, students explore a variety of critical, aesthetic and practical issues relevant to the current practice of interior design. This course employs readings, lectures and discussions to stimulate and refine critical thinking and practical design problem-solving abilities. Collaborative student groups conduct research about a current topic of interest and are responsible for preparing a project and presentation as a focal point for critiques and discussion.

Dedicated to the research of an interior design topic related to one’s personal area of interest, this course is the culmination of the M.A. in interior design degree. Emphasis is placed on multiple communication methods to clearly justify and explain research process and outcomes.

This studio course continues the advanced study of the interior design process through the development and execution of a comprehensive graduate-level design problem. Emphasis is placed on specialized interior environments based on students’ direction and areas of expertise.

This studio course continues the advanced study of the interior design process through the design of multifunction interior environments. Emphasis is placed on the human relationship to the interior environment. Projects are structured to require a high degree of complexity.

This course examines the professional aspects of the practice of interior design including office procedures, business law, contracts, letters of agreement, insurance and liability, as well as interaction with employers, clients and consultants. Emphasis is placed on the principles and ethics of design practice.

This course provides the opportunity for interior design students to develop a professional working portfolio. Emphasis is placed upon organizing a strong body of work focused on a specific area of expertise dictated by the student’s individual career goals. Presentation options are explored, examined and executed.

Students in this course undertake a field assignment under the supervision of a faculty member.

Students in this course undertake a teaching assignment under the supervision of a faculty member.

This studio serves as the first part of a two-studio sequence dedicated to the development and production of an interior design project as the culmination of the M.F.A. course of study. Students are required to develop and submit a programmatic thesis proposal to the thesis committee during the third week of the quarter. Following committee approval, analysis, programming and conceptual design, work begins on the project, with the advice and guidance of faculty. Emphasis is placed on a high degree of complexity and challenge within the design project.

This studio serves as the second part of a two-studio sequence dedicated to the development and production of a major interior design project as the culmination of the M.F.A. course of study. Students continue the design project through the conventional phases of design development, documentation and presentation. A written research component must accompany the drawings, models and other materials submitted for consideration.