Bachelors Degrees in Interior Design

Bachelors Degrees in Interior Design

Interior designers and decorators offer our society something much different than do the rest of our working industries: these skilled professionals have the opportunity to build comfortable work and living spaces for their clients in a hands-on and creative manner. Helping improve the quality of life for others is the deeper purpose of interior design professionals.

Interior design is regulated by the government in 24 states, including the District of Columbia; earning a Bachelors degree interior design is recommended before applying for your decorator’s license which will allow you to work with different firms, launch your own business, or work privately with individual clients.

A bachelors degree in interior design is often necessary to compete for a career with design and architecture firms, home furnishing stores, hotel and restaurant chains, department stores and freelance interior design assignments.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics report that as businesses realize the improvements that can be made to worker and customer satisfaction through good design, they will utilize the creativity and unique skill set of interior designers to redesign their offices and stores, not to mention the home owners and healthcare industry directors who wish to make their living and working environments appealing to the eye, as well.

Typical coursework within a bachelor’s program includes lighting, color theory, drafting, graphic drawing and construction technology. Also, interior design curriculum also include classes on human factors, safety and building codes, internships and ethical business practices. Your work value and desirability has the potential to skyrocket as long as you have an accredited bachelors degree in interior design. Begin your new career today.

Graphic Design Degrees

Graphic Design Degrees Resource Articles

Thank you for visiting Graphic Design Degrees, a site devoted to providing accurate easily accessible information and resources for students who are considering obtaining a graphic design degree. Below you will find resource articles on:

• Online Graphic Design Degrees
• Graphics Design Degree Programs
• Online Graphic Design Degrees
• Graphic Design Degree Online v. Campus
• Graphic Designer Degree Options
• Accredited Graphic Design Schools
• Degree for Graphic Design Online
• Online Graphic Design Degree Schools

1. What Types of Online Graphic Design Degrees and Programs Are Available?

Graphic Design Certificate (GDC): Go straight to the core classes with these certificate programs. They can be achieved in as little as nine hours and focus mainly on software and design.

Associate of Arts in Graphic Design and Multimedia (AA/GDM): Students learn to create effective designs that visually communicate a message in a variety of multimedia environments. They also develop skills in critical thinking, logic, communications, and problem solving.

Associate of Science in Graphic Design (AS/GD): The goal of this degree is to provide a focus on conceptual thinking while developing graphic design technical and creative skills. This includes an introduction to the theory and practice of design production, electronic publishing, graphic imagery, and sales promotion.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design (BFA/GD): This degree is designed to provide graduates with advanced skills and training in graphic design that enable them to keep up with the changing technology and trends in the industry.

Master of Arts in Graphic Design (MA/GD): A graduate degree in graphic design enables students with more career choices on graduation. Course load may include mastery of different softwares, advanced projects, and even the role of design in social awareness.

2. What Education, Training, and Experience is Required to Become a Graphic Designer?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, those seeking a career in graphic design are expected to face keen competition. A stand out feature of these candidates will be their education, knowledge of software, particularly those in website design and animation. An exemplary portfolio is crucial as well.

A Bachelor’s degree is required for many entry-level positions, but an Associate’s or relevant experience may do. In addition, about a quarter of graphic designers are self employed and focus on freelance work or do it as a secondary career.

Excellent elective and alternate courses to take for graphic design include writing, foreign languages, cultural studies, marketing, and are useful in helping designers work effectively.

Beginning graphic designers normally need one to three years of on-the-job training before they can advance to higher positions. Experienced graphic designers may advance to chief designer, creative director, or other supervisory positions. Some experienced designers may even open their own firms.

3. Important Things to Consider When Choosing a Graphic Design Degree:

Accreditation from the U.S. Department of Education is key when choosing a graphic design degree from an institution or university. Accredited by the department is The National Association of Schools of Art and Design. They approve approximately 250 postsecondary institutions with programs in art and design.

According to the American Association of Community Colleges, the average tuition and fees for the 2006-2007 academic year was $2,727 at public two year schools and $5,836 at a four year public institution. These costs can be decreased with loans, grants, work for study, and even scholarships. Financial aid (FAFSA) is also available online and should be applied for every year.

With a degree, graduates can find positions such as advertising and design coordinator, graphic designer/artist, web designer, or production manager.

4. What Schools Offer Online Graphic Design Degrees?

Sessions Online School of Design

Graphic Design Certificate

Choose from a Foundation, Advanced, or Master’s certificate at this online school. The Advanced and Master’s certificates offer single or dual career concentration and a portfolio review.

Westwood College

Associate in Graphic Design and Multimedia

This two year degree features courses in digital illustration, image editing, 3D modeling, web page design, and more. Study online or in campuses at five different states.

International Academy of Design and Technology

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design

Many courses such as digital imaging, project management, and web design are required for this degree. They also offer an online Associate of Science in Graphic Design.

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh

Associate of Science in Graphic Design

Degree requires 104 total credit hours with seven quarters, some offered on a rotating basis. There is also a Bachelor’s degree in the same field offered by the school.

Savannah College of Art and Design

Master of Arts in Graphic Design

Students who have an applicable four year degree can complete their Master’s in as little as 45 hours. The school also has a variety of other graphic design degrees available.

5) What Career and Salary Opportunities are Available to Students With a Graphic Design Degree?

As demand for graphic design continues to increase from advertisers, publishers, and computer firms, job expectation is expected to increase at about the same average as other positions. Those who can design for interactive media such as websites, video games, cellphones, and other technology will be in higher demand.

Graphic designers can be employed by large advertising, publishing, or design firms generally working regular hours. Designers in smaller design consulting firms and those who freelance may work on a contract basis. Consultants and self-employed graphic designers tend to work longer hours and in smaller environments.

In 2006, the median average of salaries among graphic designers was $39,900. Entry level designers made an average starting salary of $35,000 in 2007. Senior designers, who may supervision duties or an advanced degree, earned a median of $62,000. Self employed graphic designers reported median earnings of $60,000. The creative heads of design firms or in-house corporate design, earned $98,600. Those who did best were the graphic designers with their own firm, or who were principals of the firm, earning $113,000.

Online Interior Design Degree Program Requirements

Online degrees in the field of interior design are available for those students who would like to receive a distance learning qualification in this area, but they aren't common and are offered by only a few postsecondary and tertiary educational institutions.

General Information about Online Degrees in Interior Design

Online interior design degrees are available at the associate level, the bachelor's level and the master's level, but it does not appear that any online educational institution has, as yet, developed an online interior design doctoral program. Should students wish to practice in the field of interior design and obtain a full qualification online, then they should research the online programs available at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco as, at present, this institution offers online interior design degree programs at the associate, bachelor's and master's levels.

Although there aren't many degrees in interior design available online, there are quite a few online career certificates, diplomas and other course qualifications in the subject. Schools that offer these courses include:

1. Penn Foster Career School

Online Interior Design Degrees at the Bachelor's Level

Bachelor's degrees are usually completed within four years and, although they do include a certain level of specialization, they are not as specialized as master's degrees. They are usually the most popular degrees and there is thus a correspondingly larger selection of online bachelor's degrees in interior design than either associate or master's degrees. Again, a student studying online will be able to work at his or her own pace and complete the program in less than four year.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design: Rocky Mountain College of Arts and Design

Bachelor of Science in Interior Design: The Art Institute of Pittsburgh

This degree program offers a student the opportunity to build their own interior design portfolio while being trained in such aspects of the field as exhibit, hospitality and retail store design as well as 3D design and space planning. The program also has a highly practical and technical side to it in that students will be trained to communicate interior design concepts through the use of the types of visual media that are found in the interior design profession. The degree comprises program courses (117 credits), program electives (3 credits of which 1 can be selected) and general education courses (60 credits) and includes such individual subjects as:

1. History of Furniture: 1830 to present (program course);
2. Theory and Development of Form (program course);
3. Computer 3D Architectural Model Making (program course);
4. Interior Architectural Systems and Detailing (program course); and
5. Residential Design: Kitchen and Bath (elective program course).

Those wanting to request further information concerning this degree program, or perhaps to register for it, can contact The Art Institute of Pittsburgh directly care of their Online Division Administrative Office

Bachelor of Science in Interior Design: Westwood College

Although this degree program does not provide certification - and students would have to take further examinations in the subject to acquire this - the program is well rounded and provides students with training in subjects ranging from the history of interior design to safety and building codes and computer aided design (CAD). The skills imparted by this program are both practical and theoretical, and, while the practical courses include such things as drawing and drafting, the theoretical courses include subjects like interior design business practices and professional responsibilities and ethics. Individual courses offered by this degree program include:

1. Visualization and Portfolio;
2. Residential CAD Design;
3. Commercial CAD Design;
4. Digital Walkthrough; and
5. Space Planning.

Students who want to obtain further information regarding this degree program can contact Westwood College.

Online Interior Design Degrees at the Master's Level

At present, there appears to be only one master's degree in interior design available online. A master's degree takes an average of two years to finish and generally requires a student to complete a master's thesis, capstone project or final project.

Master in Fine Arts - Interior Architecture and Design: Academy of Art University

The Academy of Art University offers associate, bachelor's and master's degrees in the arts / fine arts with an interior architecture and design course concentration and a student can therefore remain at this institution for the entire length of his education. The master's program offers a range of highly specialized subjects and also requires a student to complete a Final Project. The program's eligibility requirements are rather strenuous, however, and include a letter of intent stating why a student wants to enroll, letters of recommendation and a portfolio that is representative of the student's work in his requested area of specialization. Individual courses that are available through this program will include:

1. Sketching and Perspective for Interior Environments;
2. Sacred Geometry;
3. Concept, Theory and The Design Process;
4. Sustainable Design and the Built Environment; and
5. Building Information Modeling.

More information about this degree program can, again, be obtained from the Academy of Art University, at the address listed above.

Online Interior Design Degrees at the Doctoral Level

At present, there does not appear to be any online interior design degree programs available at this level.

Career Opportunities and Salary Scales

Several broad areas of practice are available to students who hold qualifications in interior design and, apart from basic commercial and residential interior design, these include architectural draftsmanship, space and facilities planning and furniture design and manufacture. Positions are also open in the retail and wholesale industries relevant to the sale of interior design products and equipment, and the performing arts is another area where interior designers can work as, for instance, set and lighting designers for both stage and screen. Another discipline in which those qualified in interior design can work is teaching as qualified instructors are required to teach both on-campus and online interior design courses and degrees.

Studies have been performed to determine the average annual salary that people who are qualified in various areas of the field of interior design receive and the results of these studies are as follows:

• Interior designer with 5 years experience: $37,500;
• Architectural draftsman with 5 years experience: $35,000;
• Facilities planner or space planner with 5 years experience: $45,000;
• Sales representative in the interior design industry with 5 years experience: $40,000;
• Project designer with 5 years experience: $35,000;
• Furniture designer with 5 years experience: $38,000;
• Set and exhibit designer with 5 years experience: $34,000; and
• AutoCAD designer with 5 years experience: $38,500;
• Computer aided designer with 5 years experience: $39,000; and
• Senior interior designer with 5 years experience: $43,000.

Conclusion

Although distance learning programs in interior design are not common, they are available and a student who wishes to obtain a full qualification in this field online can do so.

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Interior Design Degrees at Must University

Must University’s School of Applied Arts offers on online degree in Interior Design. This is an Associate of Arts Degree from the School of Applied Arts, with a specialization in Interior Design. This program is flexible and easy, affordable and fast. This online Interior Design degree takes less than 1 year to complete. The degree consists of 96 credit hours or 16 total courses and the tuition is roughly $7,200.

Must University provides the option to achieve a Liberal Arts degree online quickly and makes it as financially accessible as possible. The University offers convenient monthly payments and all course materials are provided online, free of charge.

Coursework for this online degree program in Interior Design consists of topics such as Interior Design, Furniture Style, Color Theory, Interior Design Materials, Sustainable Interior Design, Interior Design Technology, Professional Interior Design, Building Construction, Facility Planning, Design Graphics, Design of Mechanical and Electrical Systems, Set Design for Stage and Screen, Lighting Design, Furniture Design, Journalism, and Product Development.

General Education courses for this online Interior Design degree include Introduction to the Humanities, Social and Cultural Geography, English Composition, College Algebra, World Religions, Ethics, Art Appreciation, Pre-Calculus, Human Biology, and World History. The Core Education courses offered are: Introduction to Applied Arts, Introduction to Architecture, and Essentials of Interior Design.

The university suggests this Interior Design degree will help graduates achieve jobs within Design firms, Architecture firms, Design Divisions of corporations or institutions, Carpet Manufacturers, Furniture Stores and Home Stores, as well as offering job opportunities with design publications, in illustration or rendering, facility management, or Historic preservation.

Some possible job opportunities with this Interior Design degree are Junior Designer, Design Assistant, Intermediate Designer, Senior Designer, and Project Manager. The University website is heavy in excitement and financial options, while being a little secretive about coursework and degree plans—proceed with caution.

How to Get a Degree in Interior Design Online

How to Get a Degree in Interior Design Online

Have you dreamed of getting your degree in interior design, but know you don’t have the time to commute to classes? You’re not alone – for a lot of people, being a full time student just isn’t an option. The responsibilities of a full time job or a family make it very hard for many people to pursue their interior design degree.

Luckily, we’re in the middle of an online revolution – hundreds of fully accredited schools across the country are opening to serve the needs of our severely underserved population of full time workers and parents.

That’s why we’ve established this website – Interior Design Online Degrees.com – to help you sort through the online clutter and find the best online schools out there. Below you will find information on our top two interior design school picks to get your started with your search.

1. The Art Institute of Pittsburgh: Online Dividion

One of the best schools in the country to study interior design is the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Now, they’re offering three separate online degree programs for those who have the talent, but not the time.

Because there are a lot of fly-by-night online schools out there looking only to separate you from your money, a few words about institute’s accreditation. The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, established in 1921, has been teaching classes in art and design for nearly 90 years. Their campus comprises of six centers in the downtown area, relocating into a renovated building on the Boulevard of the Allies, and their faculty comprises of experts from all around the world. Their design philosophy brings together the elements of composition and design to teach the fundamentals of perspective, design, drawings and color theory.

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is also notable for being the first two-year associate’s degree school to successfully attain bachelor’s degree-granting status from the State Department of Pennsylvania. This is great news for the online student, because now you can earn a fully accredited bachelor’s degree right from your home. In fact, the Art Institute of Pittsburg offers a bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree in kitchen and bath design and a diploma in residential planning.

These three interior design programs can help you find placement in the following positions:

• Assistant Designer
• Draftsperson
• Facilities or Space Planning
• Kitchen & Bath Designer
• Kitchen Planner
• Assistant Project Manager
• Draftsperson
• Kitchen and Bath Retail Sales Consultant
• Residential Planner
• Kitchen & Bath Planner
• Interior Design Retailer
• Showroom Coordinator

These three programs utilize a full spectrum approach to learning the interior design trade, from space planning to 3D design to computer aided drafting to the fundamentals of the history of architecture and design. Both aesthetics and planning come to bear in your studies of digital design.

Finally, and I can’t stress this enough: The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is fully accredited by the Higher Education Commission of the Association of Middle States Schools and Colleges. The Pennsylvania Department of Education has also authorized the Art Institute of Pittsburg to distribute Associate of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees.

The Academy of Art University Online (San Francisco)

Before I get to discussing the school’s accreditation, it’s exciting to note that The Academy of Art University Online offers the ability to earn a Master of Fine Arts, a Bachelor of Fine Arts and an Associate of Fine Arts – all online! Incredibly, the Academy of Art University, founded in 1929, offers you the chance to get your Master’s, Bachelor’s or Associate’s degrees in Interior Architecture & Design.

The Interior Architecute & Design program of the Academy of Art University is world reknowned for its integration of technology and theory to achieve the high standards of quality demanded by the interior design industry.

Richard S. Stephens, the creative director of Sunset Magazine, started the Academy of Art University, which celebrates its 80th anniversary this year. Today in 2009 the Academy of Art University has nearly sixteen thousand students, which makes it the biggest private art and design school in the United States. This is all by way of proving the credentials of the school, but let’s take a look at the degree opportunities:

Undergraduate Fine Arts Programs:

The Academy of Art University’s Architecture & Design associate’s and batchelor’s programs are wonderfully robust. They involve a sixty six or one hundred thirty two unit program (respectively) that’ll grant its students the following skills:

1. Portfolio Readiness: the skills it takes to produce the professional portfolio needed to get your first industry job.

2. Comprehensive Design Process: the skills it takes to plan both commercial and residential spaces, with emphasis on design development, blueprint design and the final presentation to clients.

3. Drawing Skills: the skills necessary to draw, accurately and with perspective, in color or black and white.

4. Sketch Skills: the skills necessarily to accurately communicate through the visual sketch process.

5. Rendering Skills: the skills necessary to bring a client’s intentions to life, accurately and professionally.

6. Digital Rendering Skills: the skills necessary to utilize automated computer drafting techniques to render interior design projects in both two and three dimensions.

7. Understanding of Color: the skills necessary to comprehend and utilize color, through finishes and materials, as an aid in good design.

8. Understanding of Business Elements: the skills necessary to navigate the business side of interior design, using best practices, contracts, and effective communication with clients.

9. Organization and Management Skills: the skills necessary to plan, manage and finish projects according to the timetable established between you and your client.

10. Communication and Presentation Skills: the skills necessary to communicate accurately and effectively with clients, to write professionally in a professional setting, to use the latest industry language and deliver professional and precise presentations.

11. Research Skills: the skills necessary to research the both the past and present design landscapes and leverage those assets for your own projects.

12. Problem Solving: the skills necessary to solve any design problem that comes your way.

And that’s just the undergraduate program! The grad program’s even more robust, but we’ll handle that in another article.

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Technology, Gadgets Latest In Design Trends In Dream Kitchens

Technology, Gadgets Latest In Design Trends In Dream Kitchens

Description About Technology, gadgets latest in design trends in dream kitchens

You might consider the kitchen of Las Vegas resident Dominique Doumani as an inspiration. In addition to the requisite two ovens and Subzero refrigerators of today’s fantasy kitchens, Doumani has an under-the-counter microwave and built-in steamer and wok stations. “Everybody puts an oven on top of an oven,” she said. To fit everything we wanted into the kitchen, it was painstaking.” Marjorie Poore, a producer who helped design the kitchen for Chef Hubert Keller’s PBS show, “Secrets of a Chef,” and has been producing cooking shows for 25 years, said Keller’s TV kitchen includes personal touches. “A lot of times, I’ve seen chefs roll their eyes when they go into these kitchens,” Poore said. “We go into beautiful kitchens to film, and we can tell from the decorations that they’re not real cooks — like when they fill their counter space with little decorations. Extensive counter space, she said, allows for better organization. Do you have great storage space, built-in storage space? A trend now is to incorporate professional items into home kitchens.” Marc Bartolomeo, host of the DIY Network’s “Kitchen Impossible,” agreed. “People are doing the spring-action (faucets) you generally find in commercial kitchens,” he said. Bartolomeo said long-arching and high-reaching gooseneck and pull-out faucets are particularly useful. The kitchen always looks like an army’s been through it. Bartolomeo said built-in steamers are increasingly popular, and those he generally installs are built into the countertop. Subzero/Wolf features a refrigerator with built-in air-purification system and built-in laminated cards that tell the owner how and where to store the food for optimal preservation. iPod-like technology is spreading to the kitchen, too. Consumers are paying more attention to lighting styles, Segler said, and energy-efficient LED and halogen systems, especially in track lighting, are popular.

Modern Living Room Interiors Ideas

Modern Living Room Interiors Ideas

Modern Living Room Interiors Ideas

Your living room is one of the most important rooms in the entire house, and most of the people spend a lot of time in their living room. A living room is not just a relaxing space that welcomes guests and visitors, it also serves as the focal point and acts as a showcase for the entire house. In simple terms, the living room is the focal point of a home, and a place that will bring comfort and joy to all of its inhabitants. Now we all know that when we have a guest the living room is usually the first room that your guests see, and I think that we should take care of how this place look by creating something that will reflect our own style. There are many decorating styles that you can choose from, and the most popular are traditional, country, contemporary, and transitional. Personally I prefer the contemporary style, and for those of you who look for a little inspiration on contemporary living room design here are six pictures that might inspire you.