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Earn a BA or BFA in Interior Architecture at Columbia College Chicago, one of the greatest architecture cities in the world! You will gain real-world interior design experience by working on a diverse range of projects and learn transferable business skills to help you launch your career. Our CIDA accredited program integrates manual and digital work, and the conceptual with the practical. You'll learn how to design spaces for safety, functionality, and aesthetics. You'll develop a deep working knowledge of human needs, materials, structures, planning, building systems, and building codes. After you graduate, you'll qualify to take the required National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam for licensure.
Scholarships may be available. Request additional information and learn how to apply.
Explore the foundations of visual culture. In addition to shared art and design foundation courses, you will spend your first year exploring the practice of interior architecture. Introductory courses on the industry, design thinking, and human-centered design will help you understand the role of interior architecture in society through case studies, guest speakers, and interactive exercises.
Take specialized courses that will give you hands-on experience with research, materials, construction, lighting, building codes, drafting, and documentation.
Learn by doing. Our studio design courses are the heart of the program. These hands-on experiences are designed to reflect a professional interior architecture/design studio, in which you will research, plan, and prototype projects in a variety of contexts.
Columbia College Chicago will never sell or rent your personal information, and we take extensive security measures to protect this information. Students can opt out of communications from the college at any time. Visit colum.edu/privacy to read our privacy policy.
Our faculty and alumni shape and reshape the interiors industry. They are architects, interior designers, landscape architects, and other creative professionals working for an extensive list of companies in the Chicago area and beyond.
Chris Bennett ’09: is a design team member at Studio Gang Architects, legendary architect Jeanne Gang’s studio, where he works on urban design practice.
Jordyn Hunter ’16: Integrating his marketing skills in for a creative company, Alvarez-Smikle is now Executive Vice President, Head of Digital Marketing, at Interscope Records.
Kelai Diebel ’12: is design manager at MOSS, an Amsterdam-based sustainable design firm specializing in rooftop landscapes, greenhouses, and urban farming concepts.
