Interior Design emphasizes the application of analytical, technical, business, and aesthetic skills in the development of spaces for living, working, and/or relaxation. Graduates are employed with architectural and design firms, in interior/facilities management divisions of large corporations, retailing home, institutional and commercial furnishings, and marketing positions and showroom management.

An active student organization, IDSO (the Interior Design Student Organization) provides exposure to professional activities, through student chapters of ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) and IIDA (The International Interior Design Association). Students are encouraged to combine a major in interior design with a minor in marketing, management, art, or communications.

The program is accredited by CIDA (Council for Interior Design Accreditation) and by NASAD (National Association of Schools of Art and Design).

Admission Requirements

Only the Office of Admissions and Orientation grants admission to Western Michigan University for undergraduate students. Application forms may be obtained from that office or the University’s website at www.wmich.edu.

The Interior Design program at Western Michigan University is in high demand by incoming freshmen and transfer students. The number of faculty and available space limits the number of courses and their sections that can be offered. Therefore, the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences has established two separate acceptance processes for students seeking to pursue the Interior Design program. The first, acceptance as a PRE-ITD (Interior Design) major, will ensure that incoming students with only the strongest motivation and credentials are able to enroll in the required interior design courses. Students accepted into the PRE-ITD program must begin the program in a fall semester only. Applications are accepted any time of the year, but are due no later than May 1 for the following fall semester. Applicants will be notified of their status by June 1. Applications are available at the Family and Consumer Sciences office, 3326 Kohrman Hall, or the College of Education and Human Development Academic Advising office, 2504 Sangren Hall. NOTE: Admission to the PRE-ITD program does not guarantee the student will be admitted to the upper-division of the curriculum. (See Portfolio Review Requirement)

The PRE-ITD program application consists of the following:

1. 1. Completed PRE-ITD Admission Application Form.
2. A one to two page, double-spaced word processed essay discussing why you wish to major in Interior Design. See Essay Requirement. 
3. A current resume which includes activities, awards, and work experience

Additional materials, such as examples of creative work, are highly encouraged but not required for acceptance into the program.