Interior Design- Getting the Degree

I am currently pursuing my Bachelor’s of Fine Arts Degree, with a concentration in Interior Design. The curriculum at The Art Institute of Tampa  (where I attend school) requires 192 credit hours to graduate. Once I graduate, I don’t plan on pursuing my Master’s Degree, unless it just so happens that my future employer is eager to pay for it.

I actually did not know that I wanted to be an Interior Designer until I already had about 4 years of college under my belt. I had changed my major too many times to count and never really had any guidance or instruction as far as choosing a career. I choose to come to The Art Institute of Tampa because it was conveniently located near my job. It has turned out to be a good decision, as our curriculum is much more in depth than the other nearby design school. My instructors are experienced, and well educated.

College is expensive!!!! And it has been a struggle, to say the least, to have to go to school full time and also work a full time job. I just cannot spend an extra $100,000 to get my Masters. Once I graduate, I plan to intern until I am eligible to take my NCIQ exam, which I will take in order to be a certified Designer.

Interior Design

Interior Design
The process of either creating a space, or reconstructing an already existing space, to achieve optimum levels of  functional, aesthetics, and form

• Final design should meet the clients’ needs and exceeding their expectations
• Taking into consideration the health, safety, psychology, and welfare of all potential residents or people that will be experiencing the space
• Final designs and construction should meet all safety and code requirements that can be applied

In most cases, Interior Designers are required to perform the following:

• Creative thinking/problem solving
• Space planning
• Hand drafting
• AutoCAD –drawings, renderings
• Sketch proposed design ideas
• Design furniture to make a space more functional
• Hand draw renderings for perspective clients
• Technical drawing
• Select materials
• Create construction documents
• Research- code compliance

In order to ensure that Designers are knowledgeable and properly educated, they are required to take a universal test in order to become certified. This test is called the NCIDQ, which stands for National Counsel for Design Qualification. The exam is composed of three different sections that are crucial for success in the Design field. The first one is based on Codes, Building Systems and Construction Standards. The second is Design Application, Project Coordination and Professional Practice. The third and final section is focused on Interior Design Practicum. It is a full-day examination, consisting of seven unique exercises that will focus on the following areas: space planning, lighting design, egress, life safety, restroom (washroom) design, systems integration and millwork.