Bachelor of Science Degree in Interior Design

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Interior Design is a four-year Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) accredited professional degree. The minimum number of semester credit hours required for the degree, including Core Curriculum requirements, is 124, at least 42 of which must be at the upper-division level. Students are advised to complete the B.S. in Interior Design degree coursework in the order indicated within the “Recommended Curriculum” issued by the College of Architecture for their catalog year.

External Transfer Students: All transfer students are required to submit a bound portfolio (maximum size 8.5 inches by 11 inches) to the College of Architecture as soon as admittance to the University is approved. Portfolios must be received at the College of Architecture prior to the first Monday in May for Fall Semester admission. The portfolio must clearly demonstrate creative and communicative skills in written and graphic form. A complete transcript of all professional courses accompanied by the catalog descriptions from the originating institutions must be included. Do not send slides or original work. A postage-paid, self-addressed return envelope must be included for return of the work to the candidate. The portfolio will be reviewed to determine the student’s placement within the curricular sequence.

Admission to the Major in Interior Design: Available openings within the Interior Design Program (second to fourth year courses) are limited and, therefore, entry is competitive. Entry is determined by the grade point average (GPA) of the 28 semester credit hours required in the Foundation Year of the College of Architecture. Students must complete all 28 hours of Foundation Year courses to be considered for acceptance into the Interior Design Program. Acceptance to the Interior Design Program is reviewed and granted only after the completion of the Spring Semester each year.

Laptop Initiative: The Laptop Initiative program requires that students entering the Interior Design Program (second year) have their own laptop (notebook) computer and required software. Digital technology will be integrated into the studio work and will be necessary in order to fulfill project requirements. The computer should be upgradeable in order to be of productive use for the duration of the academic program. A copy of the recommended minimum laptop specifications is available in the College of Architecture or online at http://utsa.edu/architecture/.

Student Work: The College of Architecture reserves the right to retain, exhibit, and reproduce work submitted by students. Work submitted for grading is the property of the College of Architecture and remains such until it is returned to the student.

All candidates seeking this degree must fulfill the Core Curriculum requirements and the degree requirements, which are listed below.

Core Curriculum Requirements (42 semester credit hours)
Students seeking the Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design must fulfill University Core Curriculum requirements in the same manner as other students. The courses listed below satisfy both degree requirements and Core Curriculum requirements; however, if these courses are taken to satisfy both requirements, then students may need to take additional courses in order to meet the minimum number of semester credit hours required for this degree. For a complete listing of courses that satisfy Core Curriculum requirements, see pages 3-5 of this catalog.

MAT 1093 should be used to satisfy the core requirement in Mathematics. PHY 1903 should be used to satisfy one of the core requirement in Natural Sciences. ARC 2413 should be used to satisfy the core requirement in Visual and Performing Arts. ARC 1413 or ARC 1513 should be used to satisfy the core requirement in World Society and Issues.

Degree Requirements

1. Foundation Year sequence (28 semester credit hours):
   
   
   1. 13 semester credit hours of mathematics, science, and writing Core Curriculum courses:
      
      MAT  1093  Precalculus
      
      PHY  1603, 1611  Algebra-based Physics I and Laboratory
      or
      PHY  1903, 1911  Engineering Physics I and Laboratory
      
      WRC  1013  Freshman Composition I
      WRC  1023  Freshman Composition II
      
      
   2. 15 semester credit hours of required courses completed with a grade of “C-” or better in each course:
      
      COA  1113  Introduction to the Built Environment
      COA  1133  Building Technology I
      COA  1213  Design I
      COA  1223  Design II
      COA  1313  Design Visualization
      
      
2. Interior Design Program sequence (69 semester credit hours). Must be completed with a grade of “C-” or better in each course:
   
   
   1. 66 semester credit hours of required architecture and interior design courses:
      
      ARC  2413  History of Architecture: Prehistory through Medieval
      ARC  3343  Building Technology IV
      ARC  3353  Building Technology V
      IDE  2116  Design III
      IDE  2126  Design IV
      IDE  2143  Interior Materials and Assemblies I
      IDE  2423  History of Design: Renaissance through Nineteenth Century
      IDE  3153  Interior Materials and Assemblies II
      IDE  3236  Interior Design Studio I
      IDE  3246  Interior Design Studio II
      IDE  3613  History of Modern Design
      IDE  4266  Systems Integration Studio
      IDE  4276  Capstone Studio
      IDE  4413  Capstone Preparation
      IDE  4423  Topics in Design Theory
      IDE  4513  Practice and Ethics
      
      
   2. 3 semester credit hours of electives

B.S. in Interior Design — Recommended Four-Year Academic Plan

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