Are you interested in: 

• The home transformations you see on HGTV
• Working with color, fabrics, finish materials
• Solving design problems for residential or commercial environments
• A fast-paced career combining creativity and function
• Collaborating, communicating, and selling your ideas verbally and visually
• Global design markets and sustainability

Interior design majors have the knowledge and skills to understand a client’s needs and offer creative solutions for residential and commercial environments. From small single rooms to large square footage applications, the interior design major utilizes effective communication and presentation skills. As an ever changing industry this major offers excitement and challenges. The interior design program, accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, prepares a graduate with a strong foundation of knowledge and skills for an entry level position in the interior design field.

Types of jobs:

• Residential interior designer
• Commercial interior designer (corporate, health care, retail, multifamily, government, institutional, and hospitality)
• Retail showroom consultants
• Home builder studio consultants/selection coordinator
• Space management specialists
• Product sales representatives

 

Attend graduate school for:

• Historic preservation
• Creative management
• Interior design
• Architecture
• Business administration
• Luxury management

 

Options for the major:

• B.S. in interior design
• Double major or minor in any additional related area of interest such as studio art, business, creative writing, fashion merchandising, or fashion design.
• Experiential opportunities – Internships are among the student’s first step toward professional development and a plus on a resume. Recent internships have included the following:
  • Hager Smith Design PA, Raleigh, N.C.
  • Professional Home Staging, Raleigh, N.C.
  • Alfred Williams, Herman Miller Deslership, Raleigh, N.C.
  • Smithsonian American Art Museum – Exhibition Office, Washington, D.C.
  • Delve Interiors, Raleigh, N.C.
• Study abroad opportunities specific to Interior Design are the summer program at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS), Copenhagen, Denmark, and Meredith College programs in Italy and the United Kingdom.
• Professional opportunities to participate in the Meredith College Student chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers.
• Participate in a Mentor Program working closely with design professionals from a variety of backgrounds.

 

Professional associations:

• American Society of Interior Designers www.asid.org
• International Interior Design Association www.iida.org
• National Kitchen and Bath Association www.nkba.org
• Retail Design Institute www.retaildesigninstitute.org
• International Furnishings and Design Association www.ifda.com
• Certified Aging in Place Specialist www.nahb.org
• International Facilities Management Association www.ifma.org
• U.S. Green Building Council www.usgbc.org/leed
• Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society www.kon.org

Career outlook:

Interior designer
Product sales representative

Additional information:

Meredith’s interior design major »

Our location in the Triangle offers exceptional internship and career opportunities. Professional development is available through active professional organizations (ASID, IIDA, NKBA, etc.)

The Sandra Graham Shelton Talent Scholarship is open to incoming freshmen interested in pursuing a major in Interior Design. Several other scholarships are available for rising juniors and seniors.