Interior Design Major: What It Includes, Classes and Careers

An Interior Design major designs functional, safe and attractive interior spaces. Interior design majors study space planning, materials, lighting, building codes, drafting and design software.

An Interior Design major includes coursework in space planning, materials and finishes, lighting design, building codes and accessibility, and CAD and 3D modeling and more. You build skills such as space planning, CAD, color and materials, and client communication. Programs often include studio courses. Typical degrees: associate, bachelor's and master's degrees.

Typical courses include space planning, materials and finishes, lighting design, building codes and accessibility, CAD and 3D modeling, and design studio. Exact course names and requirements vary by college, and most degrees also include general education courses.

It depends on the level. Interior Design is offered as certificate, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s awards at U.S. colleges; certificates take from a few months to about two years, an associate degree usually takes about two years of full-time study, a bachelor’s degree usually takes about four years of full-time study, and a master’s degree usually takes one to two years after a bachelor’s. Part-time study takes longer.

Associate, bachelor's and master's degrees. In the latest federal data, 64 colleges reported certificate awards, 107 colleges reported associate awards, 137 colleges reported bachelor’s awards, and 16 colleges reported master’s awards.

Career paths connected to interior design include interior designer, set designer, CAD drafter, visual merchandiser, and industrial designer. Some roles need additional training, experience, certification or a license.

Examples include interior designer (typical training: 4 years), set designer (typical training: Degree plus assisting experience), cad drafter (typical training: 1–2 years), visual merchandiser (typical training: 1–6 months), and industrial designer (typical training: 4 years).

Interior Design majors build skills such as space planning, CAD, color and materials, client communication, and project coordination.

Good pairings include Business (helps you run a design practice) and Construction Management (connects design to construction).

Often, yes. Programs commonly include studio courses. Ask each college how its program arranges hands-on work.

It can be a good fit if you are interested in the work it leads to, such as interior designer, set designer, and CAD drafter, and enjoy subjects like space planning and materials and finishes. No major guarantees a job, so compare the coursework, the careers and the education each career requires before deciding.

How hard it feels depends on your strengths. Core coursework includes space planning, materials and finishes, and lighting design; if those subjects interest you, the major is likely to feel more manageable. Reviewing a college’s course list and talking to current students helps you judge.

234 U.S. colleges reported awarding degrees or certificates in this field in the latest federal (IPEDS) data. Programs can have different names at different schools.

California (30), Texas (19), North Carolina (13), New York (12), and Florida (10), based on the colleges that reported awards in this field.

215 of the colleges that offer interior design also report offering at least one program entirely online, though not necessarily this one. Use the college search with this major and “Offers fully online programs”, then confirm with the school.

Interior Design designs functional, safe and attractive interior spaces. Graphic Design teaches you to communicate visually through layout, typography, images and digital media. Interior Design leads to careers such as interior designer and set designer, while Graphic Design leads to careers such as graphic designer and art director.

Interior Design designs functional, safe and attractive interior spaces. Fashion Design and Merchandising studies how clothing and accessories are designed, made and sold. Interior Design leads to careers such as interior designer and set designer, while Fashion Design and Merchandising leads to careers such as fashion designer and apparel patternmaker.

Yes. Short online career training can help you understand a specific job and build practical knowledge alongside your classes. It does not replace your degree or any required license.

No. Career Education Institute is not a college and does not award degrees. It offers short, non-credit online trainings about jobs connected to interior design, such as Interior Designer Training.