Related Downloads: Admissions Diagram - Curriculum Diagram

Objectives of Study Within the MID Program

• To provide students with design and problem solving skills to achieve excellence in the design of architectural interiors
• To provide students with the skills needed to propose and conduct research that adds to the body of knowledge in the profession through the examination and consolidation of previous research findings
• To offer opportunities for specialization in preservation through the College of Design, Construction and Planning Graduate Interdisciplinary Concentration and Certificate in Historic Preservation and through participation in the College of DCP external programs such as the Preservation Institute: Nantucket (Pl:N) , Preservation Institute: Caribbean (PI:C); and Vicenza Institute of Architecture (VIA).
• To prepare MID graduate students without undergraduate degrees from a FIDER accredited interior design program to practice in interior design and architecture firms
• To offer a terminal degree for Interior Design practitioners who seek advanced study in areas of specialization found in contract public interior design firms (For example, hospitality, education, medical and gerontology, childcare and educational facilities, business offices, commercial and entertainment facilities all are changing rapidly and require specialized knowledge).
• To offer MID graduates the opportunity to pursue entry level teaching positions within Interior Design programs
• To prepare MID graduate students to enter Ph.D. Programs for advanced research specialization(s) in Interior Design or related design disciplines
• To provide MID students with the opportunity to disseminate knowledge through publications, conferences, teaching, and collaboration with various professionals in related fields

Program Requirements of the MID Degree

The Master of Interior Design Program accepts students with prior educational experience from any field. Each student entering the MID program works with the graduate coordinator to evaluate his or her unique background and to determine the specific courses needed to strengthen the student’s educational foundation and interests. After assessment of previous coursework and design work, leveling courses may be required to prepare the student for graduate studies. Thus, the estimated credit hours and length of study time vary according to each student’s individual baccalaureate degree and experience. There are four courses of study or options:

1. For students who graduated from a Foundation for Interior Design Education and Research (FIDER) accredited first professional degree program within an architectural framework, the course of study is 36 graduate credit hours. Expect 1 ½ - 2 years to complete the MID. (Curriculum Sheet)
2. For students who graduated from a design-related (architecture or interior design) baccalaureate degree program, the course of study is estimated to be a maximum of 58 graduate credit hours. Expect 2 – 3 years to complete the MID.
3. For students with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than design, the course of study is estimated to be 85 undergraduate and graduate hours. Expect 3 – 4 years to complete the leveling courses and the MID.
4. For students enrolled in the Bachelor of Interior Design program at the University of Florida, 12 hours of graduate level coursework in the senior year can be counted for both the undergraduate and the MID degrees. An additional 24 graduate credit hours are required. Expect at least one additional year to complete the MID.

Estimates of the number of credit hours and length of study time may be adjusted based upon the individual student’s previous preparation including experience as a practicing designer, architect, or other professional.

After leveling courses are complete and with approval by the graduate coordinator and supervisory committee chair, a student completes 24 hours of departmentally approved graduate work in the Department of Interior Design. In addition, with the graduate coordinator’s approval, the student is required to take 3 hours of coursework in graduate statistics and 9 hours of multidisciplinary graduate electives that reinforce and extend the research. Courses from such departments as Psychology, Anthropology, Sociology, Gerontology, Engineering, and Business provide possible electives. The College of Liberal Arts has a certificate in Gerontology. If the focus of a student is the design of facilities for an aging population, then Gerontology courses leading to a certificate would strengthen the research/design effort. Likewise, existing appropriate courses in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning, and Building Construction offer both collaborative study and research opportunities for MID students.

Each student must select a two-member supervisory committee to guide their course choices as well as thesis selection, study, and production.

Descriptions of MID Courses

The descriptions of courses comprise the departmental offerings and are documented in the Graduate Catalog. There are numerous opportunities for additional courses open to graduate students in the College of Design, Construction, and Planning. (Your selections are subject to pre-requisites for the individual courses) Please review the Graduate Catalog for course listings in Landscape Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning, M. E. Rinker School of Building Construction, and Architecture.