collageIf you’re looking for updated information on university of arizona interior design program, this article explains the most up-to-date information on university of arizona interior design program.
Collegelearners provides comprehensive information about asu interior design, best interior design schools in arizona, interior design school phoenix az, nau interior design, and interior design school online.
Interior Design
Design Intelligence has consistently ranked The Design School’s undergraduate program in Interior Design among the top in the nation, according to hiring professionals. Most recently, the program was ranked #11 for 2016-17.
#11 interior design bachelor’s degree —Design Intelligence (2016-17)Home / Degree Programs / Interior Design
Ranked #150 in popularity, interior design is one of the most sought-after degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.
For its 2023 ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools in Arizona to determine which ones were the best for interior design students pursuing a degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 158 degrees in interior design during the 2020-2021 academic year.
A Degree in Interior Design
The educational experience begins with our diverse and knowledgeable faculty. In addition, experienced local practitioners teach classes as visiting instructors, allowing the students to fully grasp the evolving and expanding nature of interior design and interior architecture. The emphasis is on collaborative and hands-on learning experiences created in the stimulating setting of a multi-disciplinary school. Our curricula is strong and includes the study of history, theory, communication materials, lighting, construction methods, technology, and other topics pertinent in industry. All of this ensures a solid education, which leads to the acquisition of internships and full-time employment in prestigious architecture and design firms.
For information on the interior design and interior architecture program student demographics, graduate placements and retention rates please see Arizona State University Interiors Program Data.
Choosing a Great Interior Design School
The interior design program you select can have a big impact on your future. That’s why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Interior Design rankings. We derive our Best Overall Interior Design School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.
In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the Best Interior Design Schools in Arizona ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out – you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
How to Become an Interior Designer in Arizona
Interior design requires a great deal of visual artistry, technical knowledge and an understanding of universal accessibility standards. When designing an office or commercial building, a home or even a government institution, it is important to understand the lifestyles, customs, needs and desires of those who will be inhabiting or visiting the building you are designing. Interior designers are responsible for choosing fixtures, placements of windows, flooring styles and more.
Requirements for Becoming an Interior Designer in Arizona
Nationally, there are no laws in place to regulate the profession of interior design. Instead, this career field is regulated at the state level. In Arizona, there are currently no licensing or registration requirements that interior designers need to follow in order to practice. That said, most employers prefer to hire candidates who possess either a bachelor’s degree or, alternatively, a lesser degree with at least two-to-three years of professional experience as an interior designer.
An interior design program may cover the following topics:
- Architectural and furniture history
- Space planning
- Interior merchandising
- Interior materials
- Color theory
- Computer aided design
- Rendering
- Basic codes
According to AZ Big Media, interior designers in Arizona must have any structural work on a building signed off on by a certified architect. This helps ensure that building codes, laws and safety standards are being followed.
There are several ways to increase your level of expertise within the trade. Completing a master’s degree program, finding an internship or apprenticeship, or earning national certification are all ways to increase your likelihood of being selected for higher-paying jobs. Since structural work must be signed off on by a certified architect in this state, you may even decide to complete a degree program in architecture. This will allow you to work more independently, though you will also be required to follow state regulations in order to work as an architect in Arizona.
Interior Design Schools in Arizona
Earning a degree will help you find more professional opportunities within this field. Consider one of the educational options below:
- Arizona State University offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design, which will take four years to complete. Tuition is currently about $11,00 per year.
- Northern Arizona University has locations in the cities of Flagstaff and Scottsdale. The school offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design, which will take four years to complete. Tuition is currently $24,000 per year.
- Penn Foster College has an Associate’s Degree program in Interior Design, which can be completed in two years or otherwise at your own pace. The program can be completed entirely online, and tuition is currently $79 per credit hour. The program requires completion of 67 credit hours, and the school often runs specials offering significant price drops in the cost of tuition.
- Scottsdale Community College has an Associate’s Degree program in Interior Design, which will take two years to complete. Tuition is currently $2,400 per year for in-state students and $9,000 per year for out of state students. The Art Institute of Phoenix offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design, which can be completed in four years. Tuition is currently $17,280 per year.
- Maricopa Community college offers an Associate degree in Interior Design. The program requires the completion of 60 credits and takes two years to finish. Tuition is currently $86 per credit hour.
National Certification for Interior Designers in Arizona
Working as an interior designer in Arizona will not require you to earn national certification. However, taking the initiative to earn this certification may allow you to earn higher compensation, or help expose you to more high-end clients as a freelance interior designer.
The National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) certification must be earned through the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ). To be eligible to earn this certification, you must first complete a bachelor’s degree program along with two years of work experience. The organization also allows those who have completed lesser degrees to earn certification, as long as these candidates also have at least two-to-three years of work experience to complement their degree.
This exam requires an initial application fee of $225. After your application is approved, you will need to register for each section of the exam individually. The exam sections are as follows:
- Interior Design Fundamentals Exam (IDFX)
- Interior Design Professional Exam (IDPX)
- Practicum Exam (PRAC)
The IDFX portion requires a registration fee of $295, the IDPX carries a registration fee of $350, and the PRAC will require a registration fee of $455. When you have successfully completed all three sections of the exam process, you will earn NCIDQ certification. Maintaining this certification also requires payment of an annual fee of $75.
If you have recently graduated from a bachelor’s or master’s degree program, or if you are in the last year of a degree program and have not yet had the opportunity to fulfill the work experience requirements needed in order to earn certification, you will be allowed to sit for the IDFX portion of the exam only. This requires a $95 application fee as well as the registration fee of $295. Completing this portion of the exam will likely aid you in your job search, but you will still need to return to complete the IDPX and PRAC portions of the exam in order to earn national certification.
Best Schools for Interior Design in Arizona
Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the interior design degree levels they offer.
Top Arizona Schools in Interior Design
#1
Arizona State University – Tempe
Tempe, AZ
Bachelor’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
3rdMOST POPULAR IN AZ
Arizona State University – Tempe is a wonderful decision for students interested in a degree in interior design. Located in the midsize city of Tempe, ASU – Tempe is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #130 out of 2,241 colleges nationwide means ASU – Tempe is a great university overall.
There were approximately 28 interior design students who graduated with this degree at ASU – Tempe in the most recent data year.More information about a degree in interior design from Arizona State University – Tempe
#2
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ
Bachelor’s DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
1stMOST POPULAR IN AZ
47INTERIOR DESIGN DEGREES AWARDED
Any student pursuing a degree in interior design has to take a look at Northern Arizona University. NAU is a fairly large public university located in the small city of Flagstaff. This university ranks 6th out of 26 schools for overall quality in the state of Arizona.
There were roughly 47 interior design students who graduated with this degree at NAU in the most recent year we have data available.More information about a degree in interior design from Northern Arizona University
#3
Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale, AZ
Associate DegreeHIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
2ndMOST POPULAR IN AZ
34INTERIOR DESIGN DEGREES AWARDED
Scottsdale Community College is a good choice for students interested in a degree in interior design. Scottsdale Community College is a moderately-sized public college located in the rural area of Scottsdale. This college ranks 18th out of 26 schools for overall quality in the state of Arizona.
There were about 34 interior design students who graduated with this degree at Scottsdale Community College in the most recent data year.
Best Interior Design Colleges in the Southwest Region
Explore all the Best Interior Design Colleges in the Southwest Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 905 | 327 |
| Oklahoma | 565 | 98 |
| New Mexico | 416 | 0 |
Rankings in Majors Related to Interior Design
Interior Design is one of 9 different types of Design & Applied Arts programs to choose from.
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Graphic Design | 232 |
| Visual Communications | 101 |
| Fashion Design | 78 |
| Game & Interactive Media Design | 51 |
| Other Design & Applied Arts | 43 |
| Industrial Design | 36 |
| Commercial Photography | 31 |
| Illustration | 24 |
| Commercial & Advertising Art | 11 |
Working as an Interior Designer in Arizona
You can expect to earn the highest pay working as an interior designer in the Yuma metropolitan area in places like Gadsden, San Luis and Somerton, Arizona.
Interior designers can be found working at architecture firms, home furnishing retailers, interior design studios and more. You can build a rewarding career for yourself as an interior designer by using your creativity, design skills and your ambition to succeed.
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