Interior Design BS / Interior Architecture MS

Major: Interior Design and Interior Architecture
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS) & Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 226.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Five years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 50.0408
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code:
27-1025

About the Program

The BS Interior Design / MS Interior Architecture program offers a first-professional degree in interior design and a post-professional graduate degree for students looking to accelerate their career and/or specialize in an area of interior design. The BS Interior Design program explores the behavioral, technological, environmental and aesthetic aspects of interior design within the context of increasingly more complex design projects. Combined with art and art history and general education requirements, a core of interior design courses is completed along with a 6-month professional co-op. This undergraduate education prepares students to enter the interior design industry.

The MS Interior Architecture program reinforces design fundamentals; advances technical skills and conceptual approaches; allows for specialization in areas such as health/wellness, making/fabrication, or technology/representation; and culminates in a comprehensive thesis research and design project. Students select from a range of studio, seminar, and elective courses to create a program tailored to their professional interest.

Additional Information

For more information about this program, visit the College's Interior Design webpage.

Admission Requirements

Application for the Accelerated Degree Program must be made to the Department of Architecture, Design & Urbanism and the Graduate College after completing 90.0 credits, but no more than 120.0 credits.

Criteria for Admission

  • Overall GPA of undergraduate coursework – 3.2 minimum
  • Overall GPA in interior design studio coursework – 3.5 minimum
  • Portfolio Review – interior studio work and other visual work from other design courses
  • Essay – Address reason for application, attitude towards profession, professional goals and leadership qualities you possess
  • Two letters of recommendation speaking about your work ethic and leadership skills.

Degree Requirements 

General education requirements
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development *1.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
MATH 101Introduction to Analysis I4.0
PHYS 175Light and Sound3.0
PHYS 176Computational Lab for Light and Sound1.0
SOC 101Introduction to Sociology3.0
UNIV A101The Drexel Experience2.0
Required Arts and Humanities-students elect a minimum of 9.0 credits **9.0
Required Natural Science-students elect a minimum of 3.0 credits ***3.0
Required Social Science-students elect a minimum of 6.0 credits 6.0
Free electives24.0
Art & Design History requirements
ARTH 103History of Art III3.0
ARCH 141Architecture and Society I3.0
ARCH 142Architecture and Society II3.0
ARCH 143Architecture and Society III3.0
Visual studies requirements
VSST 101Design I4.0
VSST 102Design II4.0
VSST 103Design III4.0
VSST 110Introductory Drawing3.0
VSST 201Multimedia: Performance4.0
or VSST 202 Multimedia: Space
VSST 203Multimedia: Materials4.0
VSST 301Painting I4.0
or VSST 311 Sculpture I
Interior design requirements
INTR 160Visualization I: Computer Imaging3.0
INTR 211Textiles for Interiors3.0
INTR 220Visualization II: Orthographic3.0
INTR 225Environmental Design Theory3.0
INTR 241Visualization III: Digital3.0
INTR 245Visualization IV: 3D Modeling3.0
INTR 250Interior Materials3.0
INTR 300 [WI] Visual Culture: Interiors3.0
INTR 305 [WI] Visual Culture: Furniture3.0
INTR 322Interior Studio I4.0
INTR 323Interior Studio II4.0
INTR 331Residential Design Studio4.0
INTR 341Visualization V: Methods3.0
INTR 342Hospitality Design Studio4.0
INTR 350Interior Detailing3.0
INTR 351Interior Lighting3.0
INTR 430Commercial Design Studio4.0
INTR 440Health & Wellness ID Studio4.0
INTR 441Furniture Design4.0
INTR 445Contract Documentation for Interior Design3.0
INTR 450 [WI] Professional Practice3.0
INTR 451Interior Systems3.0
INTR 491Senior Project I3.0
Senior Project II ††
Senior Project III ††
Interior Architecture Requirements
Interior Architecture Studios-Choose 4 from the following:16.0
Graduate Studio A
Graduate Studio B
Furniture Design
Graduate Studio C
Graduate Studio D
Graduate Studio E
Fabrication and Making
Special Topics in Interior Design
Interior Architecture Seminars-Choose 4 from the following:8.0
Studio A Seminar
Studio B Seminar
Studio C Seminar
Studio D Seminar
Studio E Seminar
Special Topics in Interior Design
Interior Architecture Electives - Choose 4 from the following: ±12.0
Material Investigations
Advanced Visual Methods
Interior Systems I
Advanced Digital Methods
Interior Systems II
Technologies of Making
Data Visualization for Design Professionals
Translational Design Research
Civic Engagement & Participatory Methods
City of Systems
Urbanism, Health & the Built Environment
Thesis
INTR 694Thesis Programming3.0
INTR 697Thesis - Development3.0
INTR 698Thesis - Documentation3.0
Comprehensive Exam
INTR 699Comp Exam for Interior Design ±±0.0
Total Credits226.0
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

**

Select 9.0 credits from 100-499 level courses, including T380, T480 in AFAS, ARCH, ARTH, COM, DANC, ENGL, FMST, GST, HIST, INTR, IST, JWST, LANG, LING, MENA, MUSC, PHIL, PHTO, PPE, PBHL, RELS, SCRP, THTR, TVST, VSCM, WGST, WRIT

***

Select 3.0 credits from 100-499 level courses in ANAT, ENVS, PHEV, BIO, GEO, PHYS, CHEM, NFS (must take 100 + 101 to earn credit).

Select 6.0 credits from from 100-499 level courses, including T380, T480 in AFAS, ANTH, CJS, CS, ECON, ENSS, ENVS, PSCI, PSY, PBHL, SOC, WGST

††

Shared Coursework – counts for both UG and GR degree requirements

  • INTR 492 Senior Project II =  INTR xxx IA Seminar (GR) - 2.0 credits
  • INTR 493 Senior Project III = INTR xxx IA Studio (GR) - 4.0 credits
±

Select 12.0 credits from 500-700 level courses, including I599, I699, I799 and T580, T680 and T780 in ARCH, DSRE, INTR, URBS

±±

INTR 699 consists of several components: a series of sketch problems, design competitions, professional experience and portfolio review. These must be completed during the two + graduate years.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study 

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ARCH 1413.0ARCH 1423.0ARCH 1433.0VACATION
ENGL 101 or 1113.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0CIVC 1011.0 
MATH 1014.0UNIV A1011.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
UNIV A1011.0VSST 1024.0INTR 1603.0 
VSST 1014.0VSST 1103.0VSST 1034.0 
 (UG) Arts & Humanities elective3.0  
 15 17 14 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
ARTH 1033.0COOP 101*1.0INTR 2113.0INTR 2453.0
INTR 2203.0INTR 2413.0INTR 3314.0INTR 3003.0
INTR 2253.0INTR 3053.0INTR 3413.0INTR 3424.0
INTR 2503.0INTR 3234.0(UG) Natural Science elective3.0INTR 3503.0
INTR 3224.0PHYS 1753.0(UG)Social Science Elective3.0VSST 202 or 2014.0
 PHYS 1761.0  
 SOC 1013.0  
 16 18 16 17
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCEINTR 3513.0(UG) Arts & Humanities elective3.0
  INTR 4304.0(UG) Social Science Elective3.0
  INTR 4513.0(UG)Elective6.0
  VSST 2034.0(GR) INTR IA Elective3.0
  (UG) Arts & Humanities elective 3.0 
 0 0 17 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
INTR 4404.0INTR 4453.0INTR 4414.0Classified as a Graduate Student
VSST 301 or 3114.0(UG) Free elective6.0(UG) Free Elective9.0 
INTR 4913.0INTR 4503.0(GR) INTR IA Studio4.0 
(UG) Free Elective3.0(GR) INTR IA Elecive3.0(GR) IA Seminar2.0 
(GR) INTR IA Seminar **(INTR 492)2.0(GR) INTR IA Studio***(INTR 493)4.0Award BS ID Degree 
(GR) INTR IA Elective3.0   
 19 19 19 0
Fifth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
INTR 6943.0INTR 6973.0INTR 6983.0 
(GR) INTR IA Seminar2.0(GR) INTR IA Studio4.0INTR 6990.0 
(GR) INTR IA Studio4.0(GR) IA Seminar2.0(GR) INTR IA Elective3.0 
 9 9 6 
Total Credits 226
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.

**

Course Substitutions

  • INTR 491 Senior Project I = INTR xxx Interiors Elective (UG) - 3.0 credits
***

Shared Coursework – counts for both UG and GR degree requirements

  • INTR 492 Senior Project II =  INTR xxx IA Seminar (GR) - 2.0 credits
  • INTR 493 Senior Project III = INTR xxx IA Studio (GR) - 4.0 credits
  • Schedule of Classes
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