Virginia Commonwealth University

The VCU School of the Arts Department of Interior Design offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Interior Design, and a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Design: Interior Environments. Our Undergraduate program is currently ranked in the nation’s Top 10 by DesignIntelligence 2011 America’s Best Architecture and Design Schools. This VCU NewsCenter article highlights some of the reasons for the department’s high ranking. We have over one hundred undergraduate and graduate students from all over the United States and abroad. They participate in national design competitions and professional internships in design firms and have access to scholarships and financial aid. Design study tours to Chicago, New York, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, France, and England are made available to students throughout the year. The department of Interior Design at VCUarts is one of the oldest programs of its kind in the United States. We offer a curriculum that balances academic study with professional training, helping students gain both conceptual knowledge and technical skill. The department is one of 145 Council for Interior Design Accreditation programs in North America. We boast strong faculty, an active relationship with the professional community, an engaged alumni base and extensive resources for students, including individual work stations for each student. Students are required to serve internships in a professional design setting, part of the emphasis on real-world experience, and they receive training in all areas of design, including presentation and communication skills.