Interior Architecture

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Faculty

Jeannie C. Krumdieck, Chair, Professor
Charles L. Ford, Associate Professor
Preston Hite, Associate Professor

Undergraduate Programs and Requirements

Majors

Interior Design Major, B.F.A.  (with a required minor in Art)
Pre-Architecture Concentration (Non-Degree) 

The Department of Interior Architecture offers a major in interior design leading to a bachelor of fine arts degree. Interior design majors must declare art as their first minor, but are free to add a second minor if desired. Note: The art minor that’s part of the interior design major is technically different from the independent art minor as seen here . Students majoring in interior design should follow the minor requirements as detailed in the degree table. The department also offers a non-degree seeking concentration in pre-architecture.

The interior design major and the pre-architecture concentration students share a common curriculum for the first two years of study. These foundation courses introduce applicable theory and skills, preparing the students for a more specific design direction: interior design, interior architecture, or architecture.

Interior Design

Those choosing to complete their bachelor of fine arts in interior design at Samford University will engage in a curriculum sequence whose content adheres to CIDA (Council for Interior Design Accreditation) standards. The program prepares design students to combine aesthetic values with practical needs and realities. Program graduates weigh design decisions with social, cultural, and ecological context in mind. Based on a foundation in fine art, the students utilize a holistic approach that integrates interior design with architecture; stresses the three-dimensional use of space; considers the user’s awareness and experience of space; and incorporates the necessary understanding of codes and life-safety issues.

Pre-Architecture

A pre-architecture concentration is offered within the Department of Interior Architecture. This track is a two-year, non-degree plan that shares a common curriculum sequence with the interior design major. Students choosing pre-architecture, and meeting admission requirements, may transfer seamlessly into the bachelor of arts (B.A.) in architectural studies at Judson University, Elgin, Illinois, and continue into that school’s masters of architecture (M.A.), an NAAB-accredited architectural program. This is the result of collaboration between Samford and Judson, with an articulation agreement outlining such.

Pre-architecture students who choose to remain at Samford University and complete the aforementioned continuation requirements are on track to complete Samford’s bachelor of fine arts (B.F.A.) in interior design. These students can then pursue the masters of architecture degree program at Judson University or at other universities that offer similar programs of study.

Curriculum

Interior design students work toward a bachelor of fine arts degree. Course requirements include 46 core/general education credits, 22 credits for the art minor, and 66 interior architecture (IARC) credits, for a total of 134 credits required for graduation.

Freshmen begin their studies with core curriculum and foundational art courses shared with the pre-architecture concentration, as well as fine arts and graphic design majors within the School of the Arts. These students are also introduced (in IARC 101) to a survey of the professions (interior design, interior architecture, and architecture).

As sophomores, students continue foundation courses that build upon the art minor and extend those concepts and theories into the built environment. In addition, digital communication, presentation techniques, and building systems information are addressed. At the end of the sophomore year, students submit portfolios of their work for eligibility to continue in the program.

The junior and senior years are focused on application of the concepts and skills they have acquired. The projects are developed in studio settings and focus on small to large scale commercial and residential projects. Birmingham’s professional design community is actively engaged through field experiences to firms and built projects, and by providing lectures, project critiques, and final project juries. Students are also required to complete an internship under a registered interior designer or architect.

Department Fee

For all students in the Department of Interior Architecture, there is a $175 fee per semester for students enrolled in any IARC department program. The fee is subject to change without notice. See the Bursar’s Office Web site for more information.

Requirements for Admission to Interior Design Undergraduate Program

Because the bachelor of fine arts in interior design (IARC) presupposes a certain level of professional competence, each interior design major is required to fulfill application requirements for this major during the spring of the sophomore curriculum sequence.

1. Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in the major after completion of 26 credit hours, including ART 101 , ART 102 , ART 221 , ART 231 ; and IARC 101  , IARC 201 , IARC 220 , IARC 221 , and IARC 251 .
2. Successful completion of Portfolio Review including work from those courses listed above (in item 1) along with work in progress from IARC 222  and IARC 252 .
3. Successful completion of an interview with the interior architecture faculty members following completion of the aforementioned courses (in item 1) to continue in the program.
4. Completion of application form including permission to retain student work for use in marketing and accreditation purpose.

Note: Entering freshmen and transfer students in the Department of Interior Architecture are required to attend a seminar early in the fall semester. This will include delineation of the course of study for both interior design and pre-architecture, the purpose of the art minor, explanation of the portfolio review, and outline specifications for personal computers and software that will be required for the sophomore through senior courses of study. Opportunities for the pursuit of studies at Judson University, Elgin, Illinois, will also be discussed.

Accreditation

The Samford University interior design program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).

University Core Curriculum and General Education Requirements

See University Core Curriculum and General Education Requirements  in the Howard College of Arts and Sciences introductory pages for a list of required courses. General Education Requirements are detailed in the degree table, with the exception of the physical activity requirement. Consult the Physical Activity Program  for a list of applicable activity courses.

Graduate Programs and Requirements

Degree/Major

Master of Science in Design Studies (M.S.D.S.)

Design Studies, M.S.D.S. 

The Department of Interior Architecture offers an online master of science in design studies (M.S.D.S.) degree with a major in design studies.

Admission Requirements

1. Application for graduate admission.
2. Application fee.
3. Possess a baccalaureate degree or higher from an accredited college or university (degree should be first professional degree in interior architecture/design, or architecture and accredited by CIDA and/or NAAB).
4. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended verifying undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
5. International applicants or American citizens who learned English as a second language must score at least 550 (paper), 213 (computer) or 80 (internet) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
6. Copy of curriculum vitae or résumé.
7. Two letters of recommendation.
8. Graduate Record Exam.

Program-Specific Admission Requirements

1. Eligibility to sit for professional certification/registration (NCIDQ, NCARB, and or state licensure).
2. Personal statement of intent (completed with online application). Explain why you would like to pursue a graduate degree in design studies and identify a possible area of research.
3. A portfolio. Portfolios will not be returned to applicants. Candidates should submit portfolio of design work that demonstrates the candidate’s creative abilities as well as their verbal and graphic communications skills. A portfolio may include:

1. A selection of design projects produced within the last three years.
2. Examples of recent art projects completed by the candidate.
3. Studies of buildings that demonstrate the candidate’s analytical ability
4. Format: 8 1/2” x 11”, bound. 11” x 17” sheets maybe folded to 8 1/2” x 11”.

Progression Policies

In order to progress through the M.S.D.S. program, each student must:

1. Adhere to the Code of Ethical/Professional Conduct as specified in the Samford University Catalog.
2. Possess, or provide evidence of in-process, professional licensure in your state of practice.
3. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Any student who falls below a GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation.
4. Acknowledge that a required course can be repeated only once.
5. Acknowledge that failure of the same course twice constitutes dismissal from the program of study.
6. Acknowledge that any courses repeated will delay the initial projected graduation date.
7. Students must be aware that matters of plagiarism, unethical, unprofessional, or unsafe conduct may result in immediate dismissal from the School of the Arts.

Transfer Credit

A maximum of six (6) semester hours of graduate academic credit toward the 33- semester-hour graduate degree may be given for courses appropriate to the M.S.D.S. curriculum. Only graduate courses with grades of at least a 3.0 (B) taken at institutions with a level of graduate course content and level of instruction comparable to that of Samford University may be transferred. Credit may be accepted from institutions that are approved by the U.S. Department of Education and hold regional accreditation, or have appropriate specialized or programmatic accreditation, or have been evaluated and proven to be comparable in course content and level of instruction to Samford University, or are recognized by the ministry of education or equivalent agency in the applicant’s home country.

Prior to the end of the first semester of enrollment, the student must submit to the admission office official transcripts, course descriptions, a portfolio or, in the case of a lecture class, projects and papers, and a written request for transfer credit review for the course(s) the student wishes to transfer. Materials are reviewed to determine if the work is comparable to that which would earn at least a 3.0 in a Samford University graduate-level course. Transfer credit appears on the transcript as such and is not calculated in the student’s grade point average. Students who wish to appeal the transfer credit process after the first semester of enrollment must submit a written request to the program director.

Time Limit

All courses required for the M.S.D.S. program must be completed within a period of five years from the academic session of first admission.

Time-to-Degree Completion Plan

The program is designed to be completed in 24 months (approximately two years).

Programs

• Interior Design Major, B.F.A.
• Pre-Architecture Concentration (Non-Degree)

• Design Studies, M.S.D.S.

Courses

• IARC 101 - Architecture/Interior Design: Survey of the Professions (1)
• IARC 201 - Shop Craft (1)
• IARC 220 - Presentation Techniques (3)
• IARC 221 - Digital Communication I (3)
• IARC 222 - Digital Communication II (3)
• IARC 224 - Construction Documents/Building System I (4)
• IARC 251 - Design Fundamentals I (4)
• IARC 252 - Design Fundamentals II (4)
• IARC 301 - Design Concepts I (4)
• IARC 302 - Design Concepts II (4)
• IARC 312 - Lighting (2)
• IARC 324 - Construction Documents/Building System II (4)
• IARC 325 - Historic Preservation and Adaptive Reuse (4)
• IARC 340 - Concepts and Theories of Sustainability (2)
• IARC 346 - Textiles and Materials (2)
• IARC 380 - History and Theory of Interiors and Furnishings (4)
• IARC 400 - Interior Design Independent Study (1-4)
• IARC 401 - Special Topics in Interior Design (1-4)
• IARC 403 - Design Concepts III (4)
• IARC 415 - Professional Practice for Interior Designers (2)
• IARC 420 - Furniture and Millwork Design (3)
• IARC 450 - Portfolio (2)
• IARC 455 - Internship (2)
• IARC 490 - Thesis Research (1)
• IARC 495 - Senior Thesis (3)

• IARC 601 - Academic Writing (3)
• IARC 602 - Research Design and Methods I (3)
• IARC 603 - Research Design and Methods II (3)
• IARC 604 - Design Theory and Criticism (3)
• IARC 605 - Design Issues in the Interior Built Environment (3)
• IARC 610 - Pedagogy of Design Methods and Processes (3)
• IARC 611 - Architecture, Society, and Culture (3)
• IARC 695 - Master Thesis (6)