Course description
The focus of the CIDA-accredited Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program is on the development of the professional interior designer's ability to formulate, propose, and carry out creative design solutions in a safe and pleasing fashion. With the required professional experience, the curriculum satisfies educational requirements for membership in national and local interior design associations and allows candidates to sit for the qualifying exam for interior design certification in many states.
The 132-credit BFA degree is comprised of 85 required professional credits and 30 liberal arts credits plus 17 elective credits. The program can be taken on a full-time or part-time basis.
Credits earned in Basic Interior Design or AAS courses are transferable to the BFA upon acceptance into the BFA program.
Of the 132 credits required for a BFA degree, a minimum of 66 credits must be taken at NYSID and not transferred from a previous college. Of these 66 credits, 60 must be in professional and design history courses. These required courses at NYSID include 328 Professional Practice II, 334 Residential Design III, 386 Contract Design II, 486 Contract Design III, 417 Thesis Preparation, and 487 Thesis. The last 26 credits prior to receiving a BFA degree must be taken at NYSID.
Bachelor of Fine Arts
in Interior Design Curriculum
132 Credits
first semester — 16 credits
101 Historical Styles I (2)
119 Textiles and Finishes (2)
128 Basic Drafting (3)
141 Color for Interiors (2)
150 English Composition I (3)*
171 Basic Mathematics (2)*
180 Visual Concepts (2)
Second Semester — 17 Credits
102 Historical Styles II (2)
134 Residential Design I (3)
135 Perspective (2)
160 English Composition II (3)*
175 Cultural Anthropology (2)*
182 Design Process (3)
187 Materials and Methods of Construction (2)
Third Semester — 16 Credits
111 Modern Architecture and Design I (2)
132 Construction Documents Using AutoCAD I (3)
165 Environmental Psychology (2)*
212 Elements of Rendering (2)
230 Codes (2)
234 Residential Design II (3)
288 Building Systems (2)
Fourth Semester — 17 Credits
112 Modern Architecture and Design II (2)
228 Professional Practice I (2)
236 Construction Documents Using AutoCAD II (3)
271 Environmental Science (2)*
283 Lighting I (3)
286 Contract Design I (3)
Professional or liberal arts elective (2)
Fifth Semester — 16 Credits
201 Art and Society I: Pre-19th Century (3)*
203 Humanities I (3)*
231 Kitchen and Bath Design (3)
332 Advanced Graphic Communications I (3)
334 Residential Design III (4)
Sixth Semester — 17 Credits
202 Art and Society II: 19th and 20th Centuries (3)*
204 Humanities II (3)*
340 Architectural Woodwork Detailing (3)
383 Lighting II (3)
386 Contract Design II (3)
Professional elective (2)
Seventh Semester — 16 Credits
305 Intensive French (4)* or
307 Intensive Italian (4)*
328 Professional Practice II (2)
417 Thesis Preparation (1)
442 Furniture Design (3)
486 Contract Design III (4)
Design history elective (2)
Eighth Semester — 17 Credits
355 Design Theory (2)
487 Thesis (4)
Design history elective (2)
Professional or liberal arts elective (9)
