Welcome to the Interior Design Program at High Point University. Housed in the David R. Hayworth School of Arts and Design, equal emphasis is placed on commercial and residential design, given our longstanding relationship with High Point Market and nationally recognized design leaders. The curriculum emphasizes critical and creative thinking skills, integration of course modules and opportunities for internships and study abroad experiences.
To graduate with a B.S. in Interior Design or a B.S. in Fashion Merchandising Design, students must have an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher per the university’s requirements.
All design studio courses require the acquisition of specific materials and supplies. Students are expected to develop and maintain a reference library of texts, samples, and other necessary materials to complete course projects. Students are required to have a laptop by the beginning of their sophomore course work. Specifications are updated annually on the School of Art and Design website.
It is strongly recommended that students retain their textbooks to serve as valuable references in higher level courses and during their professional lives. Many of the texts may be used as references for portions of the NCIDQ exam.
Transfer Students: Since course titles and contents vary from institution to institution, placement and acceptance of credit for High Point University interior design courses are based on examination of student work to ensure that student knowledge, skill sets, and graphic communication abilities are commensurate with acceptable work in specific High Point University interior design courses. Students are required to have laptops once they begin 2000-level coursework in the major. Specifications may be found on the School of Art and Design website.
The interior design program leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, www.accredit-id.org, 206 Cesar E. Chavez Ave SW, Suite 350, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.
The CIDA-accredited program prepares students for entry-level interior design practice, for advanced study, and to apply for membership in professional interior design organizations. The B.S. in Interior Design granted by High Point University meets the educational requirement for eligibility to sit for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification Examination (NCIDQ Exam). For more information about NCIDQ Exam eligibility visit: https://www.cidq.org/eligibility-requirements.
The Interior Design program also falls under the University’s National Association of Schools of Art and Design accreditation. HPU is one of only two IIDA (International Interior Design Association) Campus Centers at a private college in the Carolinas. This designation affiliates our students with practicing Contract Design professionals, and coordinates student member activities with the professional activities of our local IIDA Triad City Center chapter, as well as the entire IIDA of the Carolinas.This includes the annual Portfolio Review and Mock interviews in the Triad and Charlotte (students may attend these at any Carolinas Chapter location if offered (i.e Charleston, Columbia, Greenville), Design Days in Charlotte and at High Point Furniture Market, and Professional Mentoring and Career / Job listing services for all of North and South Carolina.
INTERIOR DESIGN
The Bachelor of Science with a major in Interior Design is offered for those students wishing to enter the interior design profession. The program is accredited by CIDA and meets the education requirements for practicing designers applying to take the NCIDQ exam.
Student Learning Outcomes
The faculty has identified 6 programmatic goals essential for students to achieve the aforementioned outcome. They will demonstrate the ability to:
| Degree Requirements | Credits |
|---|---|
| Major Requirements | 72 |
| University Core Requirements | 36-44 |
| Electives | 12-20 |
| Total | 128 |
| Course | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ART 2000 | Art History Survey | 4 |
| INT 0999 | Portfolio Review | 0 |
| INT 1100 | Design and Society | 3 |
| INT 1220 | Design Communication I: Visual Ideation | 3 |
| INT 1280 | Studio I: Form and Space | 4 |
| INT 2120 | Design Communication II: Visual Abstractions | 3 |
| INT 2140 | History of Interiors I: Western Foundations | 2 |
| INT 2180 | Studio II: Plane and Pattern | 4 |
| INT 2220 | Design Communication III: Visual Presentation | 3 |
| INT 2260 | Building Technologies I: Construction Systems | 2 |
| INT 2280 | Studio III: The Human Interface | 5 |
| INT 3040 | History of Interiors II: Classical Interpretations and Modern Experimentation | 4 |
| INT 3160 | Building Technologies II: Materials, Finishes and Furnishings | 2 |
| INT 3180 | Studio IV: Programming | 5 |
| INT/GBS 3240 | Global Issues and the Built Environment | 4 |
| INT 3285 or VMD 3200 | Studio V: Special Topics | 4 |
| INT 4120 | Design Communication V: Building Information Modeling | 3 |
| INT 4160 | Building Technologies III: Building Systems | 2 |
| INT 4180 | Studio VI: Health, Safety and Welfare | 5 |
| INT 4200 | Professionalism and Business Practices | 2 |
| INT 4220 | Design Communication V: Construction Documents | 3 |
| INT 4285 | Studio VII: Capstone | 5 |
| Course Descriptions | ||
Here’s a quick glimpse at one of many impressive outcomes HPU graduates achieve. Name: Raegan Lowder, Class of 2025 Hometown: Salisbury, North Carolina Major: Interior Design Post-graduation plans: Raegan…
Here’s a quick glimpse at one of many impressive outcomes HPU graduates achieve. Name: Jaime Leon, Class of 2025 Hometown: Coral Springs, Florida Major: Interior Design Post-graduation plans: Jaime…
Here’s a quick glimpse at one of many impressive outcomes HPU graduates achieve. Name: Madeline Kline, Class of 2025 Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida Major: Interior Design Post-graduation plans: Madeline…
The chart below reveals information about each graduating class. The class is evaluated at the end of the calendar year in which they graduated. (Numbers are rounded to the nearest whole or half percent.)
| Date of Graduation (May and August) | # of Graduates | # of Responses (knowledge rate) | # employed or in internships/# who sought employment | # who sought continuing education / # continuing education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 32 | 25 (78%) | 20/20 | 5/5 |
| 2022 | 28 | 20 (71%) | 17/17 | 3/3 |
| 2021 | 22 | 18 (82%) | 15/15 | 3/3 |
| 2020 | 25 | 17 (68%) | 11/14 | 3/3 |
| 2019 | 25 | 22 (88%) | 20/20 | 2/2 |
| 2018 | 14 | 13 (93%) | 12/12 | 1/1 |
| 2017 | 25 | 23 (92%) | 22/23 | 0/0 |
| 2016 | 21 | 17 (81%) | 14/15 | 2/2 |
| 2015 | 33 | 30 (91%) | 29/30 | 0/0 |
Students have interned both formally and informally up and down the east coast. Below is a sampling of the locations. An internship is not required to complete the BS in Interior Design.
Below is a sampling of companies that have hired our graduates.
Below is a sampling of graduate programs that have accepted our students for continuing education and the disciplines our students pursued.
