It might be, but you need to know more. While aesthetic elements such as color and style are a part of interior design, our students also must understand health and safety codes and regulations, environmental sustainability and business practices. Interior design is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve an interior environment.

Graduates of the program are prepared to work in the field for one to two years, then take the National Council for Interior Design qualifying examination, NCIDQ, to become a registered interior designer. The UNT Interior Design B.F.A. degree program is accredited through the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, CIDA, ensuring that the program meets quality standards recognized by the profession. The State of Texas licensing agency is the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners. 

Designers are creative problem solvers. Our students develop critical thinking skills and verbal, written and graphic communication abilities. They use manual and technical methods in drawing, visualizing and documenting interior environments.

Information related to our portfolio review process, requirements, submittal dates and prerequisites can be downloaded from the CVAD website as listed above. A portfolio is not required for a student to be admitted to the university. Currently, the interior design program requires a portfolio review that occurs during the spring semester of the freshman year primarily based on work done in the class Drawing for Interior Design, ADES 2630, the entry portfolio review preparatory course. Each student submits a physical portfolio. Students do not present their work. All submittals are anonymous and reviewed as a group by a jury of design faculty and practitioners. Students passing this review enter the fall semester of their sophomore year as interior design majors.

It is not possible to give exact percentages for our portfolio review. Approximately 40 students will progress after the Entry Review.

A student may retake a course in the interior design program only once, and he or she may retry to advance in the program in a subsequent review — within one calendar year — one time only.

Courses are offered in a fixed sequence as outlined in the suggested curriculum. A common misconception is that if you have attended another institution for two years that you only need two more years to graduate. The UNT program may still require four years for you to complete depending on your previous courses and grades, when you submit for the portfolio review, passage of the review, etc.

General curriculum courses are evaluated by transcript review through the CVAD Undergraduate Advising Office. Check the website for the next scheduled Prospective Student Advising Session and register online. Prerequisites and requirements are evaluated by the Interior Design faculty. Visit the Interior Design home page for a current version of the Approval Form for Course Substitution. The Interior Design program cannot approve courses that are not accepted by UNT. Also, note that 36 hours of art — including 12 advanced hours — must be completed at UNT. For the ID program, 42 hours must be advanced, and 24 of these hours must be completed at UNT.

In the current 120-hour-degree plan, a minor is not required. Popular elective courses or minors include merchandising, marketing, management, environmental science.

Because the interior design profession is very competitive, our B.F.A. program also is competitive. We employ a rigorous portfolio review process and course sequence for a student to gain admittance into the program, remain in the program and prepare for the job market. Getting a degree does not guarantee a job or success, but our location in the Dallas-Fort Worth region affords access to numerous professional resources and opportunities. A course in design business practices and an internship with a design practitioner are curriculum requirements. Acquiring technical skills in computer-aided drawing and drafting software programs such as AutoCAD and Revit is also required. See the Interior Design Hardware and Software information sheet for laptop and software specifications. Financial aid may also be available.

The job market is still in a state of recovery from the recent recession, but it is beginning to show signs of growth. Interior design is tied to building design, construction, real estate and lending cycles for both commercial and residential markets. In a slow economy, it is especially important for students to produce strong portfolios, as well as develop competency in flexibility, transferable skill sets such as computer and production skills. UNT graduates work in a variety of positions in the field including architecture and design firms of all sizes, institutional facilities departments, residential design firms, furniture dealerships and showrooms. Project categories include single- and multi-family housing, high-end custom homes, corporate office design, education, healthcare, retail and hotel or hospitality design. Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.