BFA Interior Design Program

The Program

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design is comprised of 132 semester units. The program provides a framework within which students can fully immerse themselves in a critical examination of then social, cultural, and environmental awareness while giving visual form to their investigations. The Program has an international reputation, attracting a substantial number of foreign undergraduate students. It supports opportunities for employment in the practice of Interior Design; in addition it helps prepare those who are interested in continuing on with a Masters degree or wish to pursue teaching. A diverse curriculum of lecture and studio courses develops the student's cognitive ability to analyze design challenges of a complex nature. Issues of graphic communication, project analysis, programming, space planning, design and selection of interior components are presented in a logical sequence. Instruction emphasizes the three-dimensional possibilities of sculpting interior space, from conceptual ideas. The courses include lectures, demonstrations, and critiques of works-in-progress. Professional designers and educators from outside the department visit regularly to lecture and review student projects.

Program Accreditation

The program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). NASAD, founded in 1944, is an organization of schools, colleges, and universities. It has approximately 240 accredited institutional members. It establishes national standards for undergraduate and graduate degrees and other credentials. The BFA Degree from CSULB meets the NCIDQ exam eligibility requirements for the necessary four to five years of accredited education. Once the student or graduate gains two years of work experience they qualify to take the exam to become a Certified Interior Designer. More than 95 percent of those who complete the Program are actively at work in the profession.

Portfolio Review

Prior to admittance into Junior and Senior studio courses, all students who wish to enter the CSULB Interior Design program must complete a portfolio review. The portfolio review is a competitive review process. The portfolio is a document that includes work created in the first and second years of Pre-Design at California State University, Long Beach. Please see Interior Design Flow Chart and the CSULB catalog for specific class requirements and descriptions.

Equipment Requirement

The Interior Design faculty is committed to bringing the highest quality educational experiences to the students. Changes in educational methods and changes in the professional practice of interior design and architecture have made it necessary for all students to have a personal computer in the upper division design studios, to enable students to learn effectively and implement ideas using digital technology. All students who successfully complete the portfolio review process will be required to have a personal computer.

The Facilities

The department academic facilities provide dedicated and secure studio environments. These studios are available twenty-four hours a day to all students in third and fourth year design studios. Each designated workstation has necessary computer workstation hookups, including Ethernet hookup through the CSULB server. In addition, several dedicated studios and design laboratories are provided for student use. These up to date, well equipped facilities include: a Multimedia lab with PC and Mac workstations with oversized printing capabilities, a Metal/Plastic and Wood shop (including a CNC, Rapid Protoype (RP) and 3-D scanning machines for precise computer generated models) and a three Materials Resource libraries.