Interior Design

Graduates are prepared for careers in:

• Interior Design
• Workplace / Corporate Office Design
• Healthcare Design
• Hospitality Design
• Residential Design
• Lighting Design
• Furniture Design
• Set Design
• Retail and Experiential Design
• Exhibition and Museum Design
• Design Strategy and Space Planning

Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA)

Student Achievement Data

Kean University

Interior Design Program

BFA in Interior Design

 “The interior design program leading to the Bachelors of Fine Arts degree is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, www.accredit-id.org, 206 Grandville Avenue, 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 BFA degree in Interior Design granted by Kean 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 BFA in Interior Design is a 120 credit hour degree.  It typically takes a full-time student taking approximately 15 credits per semester four years to complete the degree program. Transfer students with approximately two years of prior interior design coursework can typically complete the degree program in two years.

The following data was collected using institutional records, along with a survey of graduating seniors and recent alumni, and was administered following the graduation of the class of 2022. 

Student Attrition and Retention

92 % of students admitted in the fall of 2021 returned in the fall of 2022, putting attrition at 8%.

Graduation Rates:

Of the students graduating in 2022, 83% graduated in 4 years.

Acceptance into Graduate Programs:

3 out of 30 students who graduated in 2022 applied for graduate school, and 3 were accepted.

Job Placement Rates:

67% of students who graduated in 2022 are employed in interior design or a related profession.

The educational philosophy of the BFA Interior Design program is to develop a human-focused creative professional who can synthesize information and analyze and solve problems from many perspectives. The curriculum provides an in-depth study of the principles and practices of interior design as well as a foundation in the liberal arts, studio arts, and design history. Emphasis is upon aesthetic awareness, creative development, and effective design solutions based on human needs in the contemporary environment.

The educational philosophy of the BFA Interior Design program is to develop a human-focused creative professional who can synthesize information and analyze and solve problems from many perspectives. The curriculum provides an in-depth study of the principles and practices of interior design as well as a foundation in the liberal arts, studio arts, and design history. Emphasis is upon aesthetic awareness, creative development, and effective design solutions based on human needs in the contemporary environment.

The pedagogical approach of the BFA Interior Design program is to prepare graduates for positions in the interior design field with the basic educational background necessary for entry-level professional practice, and eventual NCIDQ certification. To enhance the mission of the program, the curriculum is designed to develop the abilities of the graduate to identify, analyze, and creatively solve problems related to interior environments.

The institutional characteristic of cultural diversity and proximity to one of the major art and design centers in the world – New York City – has a strong and positive impact on the program. Students from diverse cultures, both traditional and non-traditional in age, and varied in socioeconomic backgrounds provides diverse cultural design approaches within the program. The institution’s proximity and convenient access to NYC provides a constant resource for students and faculty alike. The university’s mission to provide socially, linguistically, and culturally diverse students the means to reach their full potential, including students from academically disadvantaged backgrounds oftentimes plays a role in the variety of students that enter the program.

The interior design program at Kean University is proud of its status as the longest CIDA-accredited interior design program within the New Jersey state educational system. Faculty and administrators are committed to further developing and maintaining a program of excellence which contributes substantially to the design community and which supports the development of potential design leaders. Excellence of the interior design program has been demonstrated through the following ways:

• Outstanding students who are involved in professional associations, professional practice, and leadership positions within the regional design community
• A positive reputation of the interior design program and its graduates among the NY/NJ metropolitan area
• Interaction with interior designers, architects, industry representatives, and other educators with diverse backgrounds
• An accredited curriculum based on the common body of knowledge required in a professional program of interior design
• Faculty who exemplifies strength in interior design practice, teaching, and research
• Strong administrative support

The departmental faculty, students, regional design community, and university administrators believe that this document conveys mutual pride and enthusiasm for the interior design program at Kean University.

The primary goal of the Interior Design program is to prepare students for entry-level positions in the professional practice of interior design, and for eventual qualification as NCIDQ-certified designers. This goal is achieved through the development of the various areas identified below:

To provide students with an understanding of the underlying concepts governing the visual arts, and to provide the opportunity to develop basic artistic skills through the exploration of a variety of two- and three- dimensional media. Specific goals include:

• Develop a working knowledge of the principles of basic visual organization in two and three dimensions
• Develop the knowledge and skills to create and manipulate two-dimensional images and compositions in a variety of media, as well as competence in freehand drawing
• Develop the ability to create and manipulate three-dimensional form in a variety of media through an understanding of space and composition
• Develop an understanding of color and the ability to manipulate it using a variety of drawing media

To provide students with the ability to identify and creatively solve problems with an understanding of the ever-changing relationship of people and their environment. Specific goals include:

• Human-centered design, placing an emphasis on students, faculty, and staff as humans, as well as design team members, clients, and especially those affected by design
• Develop competencies in designing interior spaces for a variety of applications with knowledge of the impact interior design has on human functioning, quality of life, and the health, safety and welfare of the public
• Provide opportunities to develop individual aesthetic and creative points of view through design experimentation and exploration
• Provide knowledge of how aesthetic design solutions must be supported by the functional requirements utilized in a variety of interior construction techniques, building systems and interior materials, codes and regulations, lighting systems, environmental control systems, interior finishes, and furnishings
• Provide an understanding of interior design business and professional standards
• Create an awareness and understanding of the social, psychological, and physiological support that can be provided through interior design
• Create an awareness of cultural diversity in a global context
• Create an awareness of the environmental impacts of design in a global context
• Understand the design, art, and historic architectural precedents that contribute to design
• Create an understanding of the available fine arts and interior design resources

To provide students with the necessary skills to realize design concepts through communication in visual, oral, and written format. Specific goals include:

• Develop competencies in translating design concepts into drawings sufficient to explore, communicate, and execute design intentions
• Develop competencies in technical drafting, perspective, rendering, and related graphic communications, in both manual and computer-generated formats, depicting designed interior spaces
• Develop competencies in oral presentation and written communication skills required for the designer to communicate intentions and instructions to clients and professionals in related design professions, the industry, and business practice