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Interior Achitecture students reviewing project plan

School of DesignInterior Architecture Bachelor's Degree

  • BFA

About the Interior Achitecture Major

In 51ÉçÇø's CIDA-accredited Interior Architecture BFA program, you'll develop a professional portfolio and a skill set that will prepare you to design interior space. Our program integrates the worlds of manual and digital project work, and the conceptual with the practical. You'll develop an understanding of the creative design process, including research and analysis. Your learning is focused in the design studio, where you'll develop solutions to a variety of project types and gain an understanding of your eventual professional focus.

Philosophy: Interior architecture shapes experience. It can question what exists and imagine what could come next.

Mission: The Interior Architecture Program cultivates curious, adaptable, and critical thinkers who approach design as a means of inquiry, exploration, and action. Drawing on Chicago's rich architectural and design culture and 51ÉçÇø's interdisciplinary creative community, students learn through rigorous investigation, experimentation, and making. We prepare students to develop their own point of view, challenge assumptions, and respond thoughtfully to a changing world. Graduates are prepared to enter the profession, and shape what it becomes.

Examples of Interior Architecture Careers

  • Architectural designer
  • Commercial space planner
  • Interior designer
  • Exhibit designer
  • Furniture or lighting designer
  • Historic preservationist
  • Landscape architect
  • Sustainable design consultant
  • Urban planner

The Student Experience

In your first year, you'll explore foundational courses in art and design, focusing on interior architecture through industry insights and human-centered design. Hands-on experience will cover research, materials, construction, and drafting. Studio design courses will simulate a professional environment for planning and prototyping projects while also preparing you for licensure. In your final semester, you'll apply your skills to a real-world project, culminating in a proposal presented to the Chicago architecture and design community for critique.

  • Take first year foundational courses in art and design You’ll explore interior architecture through industry insights, design thinking, and human-centered design with case studies and interactive exercises. You'll gain hands-on experience in research, materials, construction, lighting, building codes, drafting, and documentation.
  • Get hands-on studio experienceStudio design courses will be central to your experience, simulating a professional interior architecture studio where you'll research, plan, and prototype projects. You'll also study professional practices, portfolio development, and client communication, preparing for licensure and aligning your work with career goals.
  • Engage with the design communityIn your final semester, you'll apply your skills to a real-world project, selecting a client, building, and site. Your project proposal will be presented to the Chicago architecture and design community, providing a real-world critique experience.

Interior Achitecture student working on design

Career Readiness

Chicago is a leading hub for architecture and design, with landmarks like the Chicago Architecture Center, the Merchandise Mart, and the Art Institute of Chicago. You'll benefit from interactions with professionals and tours of architecture firms and design studios throughout the city.

  • Internships that Jumpstart your career

    Internships are crucial for career success. In your fifth semester, you'll prepare your portfolio and likely intern during your last three semesters. 51ÉçÇø interns are highly valued by firms, thanks to strong faculty connections and extensive internship listings. 

    • RGLA, a top retail design firm 
    • Perkins + Will Global, known for design excellence 
    • GREC Architects, celebrated for its collaborative environment 
    • Designs 4 Dignity, a pro-bono firm transforming nonprofit spaces  

     

  • Top-tier facilities and equipment

    You’ll spend most of your studio time experimenting and bringing your vision to reality in creative spaces, like our 15,000-square-foot Fabrication Facility and dedicated letterpress and printmaking studios.

Alumni Spotlight

Interior Architect Alumni Chris Bennett

Chris Bennett ’09

Design team member at Studio Gang Architects, led by legendary architect Jeanne Gang.

93%

career success among graduates with known outcomes

Accreditation + Outcomes

The Interior Architecture BFA program is accredited by the . The CIDA-accredited program prepares students for entry-level interior design practice, advanced study, and membership in professional interior design organizations.

The BFA in Interior Architecture meets the educational requirements for eligibility to pursue the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) Examination. Additional professional experience and eligibility requirements apply. For more information, visit

Graduate Outcomes

Interior Architecture graduates go on to work at architecture firms, design studios, and related fields in Chicago and beyond.

  • 93% career success*
  • 89% employed full-time*

*Among 2024–2025 graduates with known outcomes. Outcomes data was available for 28 of 38 graduates (74%).

Source: 51ÉçÇø Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

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