Bachelor of Interior Architecture at West Virginia University

In response to professional industry trends, the WVU Interior Design program has expanded its curriculum to include building and construction systems and changed its major name to Interior Architecture beginning with the incoming 1st year class of 2021.  Graduates still practice interior design and can be certified by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification exam but will have a wider range of skills.

Interior designers create architectural interiors that improve inhabitants' quality of life and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.  The interior architecture program at West Virginia University prepares students for entry-level interior design practice and meets the education requirement for National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ) certification.  NCIDQ certification is the basic credential required by most states that license interior design/interior architecture professionals. In addition to an educational requirement, NCIDQ certification requires the completion of two years of professional practice as an interior designer and passing the NCIDQ examination.

The interior architecture program offers the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree and is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Career Opportunities

Recent alumni of the program are employed by interior design and architecture firms and work in the hospitality, education, office, healthcare, and real estate development sectors, while others have pursued graduate degrees in fields including architecture, historic preservation and sustainability studies. Some have followed paths in design publishing, product sales, social media, and entrepreneurship, to name a few.

According to the United States Department of Labor (Occupational Outlook Handbook), the 2021 median pay for interior designers was $60,340 per year.

Program Opportunities

In addition to study abroad and/or internships, students have opportunities to enroll in courses associated with Interior Architecture's allied programs and faculty within the School of Design and Community Development. Courses in product design, sustainability, landscape architecture, and global economies are regularly offered, and a minor in Sustainable Design is available.  Other common minors include Landscape Studies, Entrepreneurship, Event Planning, Marketing, and Strategic Social Media.

Interior Architecture

Interior designers create architectural interiors that improve inhabitants' quality of life and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Upon graduation from the interior design program at WVU, students will be able to demonstrate entry-level professional competencies that include:

• applying the elements and principles of design to the analysis and development of architectural interiors;
• understanding relationships between architecture, architectural interiors, interior artifacts, and the human condition – through historical, theoretical, social, and scientific lenses;
• utilizing hand and computer drawing and modeling technologies, techniques and conventions in the study, visualization, and presentation of architectural interiors;
• selecting and integrating appropriate building materials and construction assemblies; building systems; finishes, furnishings & equipment (FFE); and codes during the design of architectural interiors;
• understanding professional and ethical responsibilities, opportunities, and constraints associated with interior design practices.

These competencies are introduced in both design studio and lecture courses and are developed and expanded incrementally along the curriculum. The holistic integration and synthesis of these competencies in the design of architectural interiors are centered in design studio courses which are rigorous laboratories and typically have a high number of contact/meeting hours in relation to credit hours.