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Frequently Asked Questions: Interior Design
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What is Interior Design?
Why do I need a degree to practice Interior
Design?
What kind of degree do I earn at ACC?
How long will it take me to earn this degree?
Where are design classes held?
Where do I park?
What sort of instruction will I receive?
What does the program prepare me to do?
How difficult is the program?
Can I attend part-time or at night?
Do I need an art or technical background?
How much will my Interior Design education cost?
Where do I obtain books, equipment and supplies?
Is the ACC program respected by the Profession?
What is the status of the interior design job
market?
What starting salary can I expect?
What is NCIDQ?
What are the eligibility requirements to take
the NCIDQ examination?
What is Interior Design?
From National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ),
the definition of Interior Design: “Interior design is a multi-faceted
profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied
within a structure to achieve a built interior environment. These
solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture
of the occupants, and are aesthetically attractive. Designs are
created in response to and coordinated with the building shell,
and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the
project. Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements,
and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability. The
interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology,
including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the
creative process, whereby the needs and resources of the client
are satisfied to produce an interior space that fulfills the project
goals.”
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Why do I need a degree to
practice Interior Design?
Over the years interior design has evolved into a separate and distinct
discipline requiring expertise and skills different from other professions.
Interior designers have become key participants in the total design
process. Educating practitioners providing interior design services
contributes to the public health, safety and welfare. Without formal
education and a degree, it will be difficult for you to attract
clients or obtain employment in the field.
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What kind of degree do
I earn at ACC?
Arapahoe Community College awards an Associate of Applied Science
Degree in Interior Design. ACC is accredited by North Central Association
(NCA), the same agency that accredits CU, CSU, Metro and the other
community colleges and universities in this region. Therefore, the
credits you earn at ACC can be transferred to other schools throughout
Colorado and the US.
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How long will it take
me to earn this degree?
For a full time student, we recommend a minimum of 7 semesters to
complete the program; part-time and evening students will take longer.
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Where are design classes held?
The majority of the interior design classes are held at the ACC
Art & Design Center located at the corner of Prince and Alamo
in downtown Littleton. It is within walking distance of the Main
Campus. Downtown Littleton is one block away with its quaint shopping
and eating establishments in every price range.
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Where do I park?
There are several options for parking at the Art & Design Center.
There is a student parking lot (Lot J) to the south of the complex.
A special parking pass is required to park in Lot J and is $9.15
per semester. There are other student parking lots closer to the
Main Campus. If you ride Light Rail, there is a stop directly across
the street. There is limited street parking around the facility,
but it is not recommended.
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What sort of
instruction will I receive?
All instructors in our Program are hired on the basis of their educational
credentials and years of field experience. All are successful practitioners
and respected members of the design community. Many are members
of professional organizations such as ASID,
IIDA, NKBA,
AIA, USGBC,
and CIDC. Some have achieved
national recognition and others are published authors.
We are a learning-centered Program. Class time is spent almost
entirely in instruction through lectures, demonstrations, A/V Presentation,
skills practice, and student work critiques. Although this means
that most of your projects and homework are done outside of scheduled
class hours, this approach does ensure that you get the instruction
and feedback you need to meet the high performance standards set
by the curriculum.
Internship (IND 280) provides field experience and the opportunity
to explore various job types within the profession before graduation.
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What does the program
prepare me to do?
The curriculum includes both theoretical knowledge and practical
training that prepares you for entry-level employment in the profession
immediately upon graduation.
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How difficult is the program?
We set high standards for performance, and earning high grades requires
your commitment to a rigorous education. You can control your workload
by the number of credits you take each semester. For each hour of
in-class time, you can expect, at a minimum, to invest two hours
of time outside of class doing homework.
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Can I attend part-time or
at night?
Yes! Courses are scheduled to accommodate those students who can't
attend full-time or during the day. Evening classes usually start
at 6 pm. In addition, some General Education courses are offered as a hybrid class
while others can be taken online. Hybrid classes usually only meet
once a week while online courses have no face-to-face time. None of the Interior Design classes are offered as hybrid or online. There are no minimum credit requirements per semester.
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Do I need an art or technical
background?
No. We don't assume that you have had any prior exposure to
art, design, drafting/CAD or computers. Our curriculum begins with
fundamental courses, which teach you the basic skills and knowledge
needed in this program.
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How much will my Interior Design education
cost?
Fulltime students can expect to spend approximately $1500 per semester
for tuition, fees, textbooks, computer discs, and other course supplies.
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Where do I obtain books, equipment
and supplies?
The ACC Bookstore, located on the first floor of the Main Campus
building, sells the textbooks. Supplies and equipment can be purchased
at local art and drafting supply stores.
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Is the ACC program respected
by the Profession?
With more than 300 students enrolled in the program, we are one
of the largest programs in the Rocky Mountain region. Most of our
students enroll on the advice of professionals and alumni.
In the spring of 1993, our students took First and Third Places,
among 70 entries from colleges and universities throughout Colorado,
in the only statewide Student Interior Design Competition held during
the last decade. In 2004, our students took Honorable Mention and
First Place in Student Design & Essay Competitions sponsored
by NKBA. This and the NKBA endorsement have cemented our program's
premier status and its reputation for providing superior Interior
Design Education. In 2007, Interior Design student Sian Rowlands won an Honorable Mention in the ASID Student Design competition. For the first time in the history of the competition, ASID decided to name four Honorable Mentions in addition to the winner.
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What is the status of the
interior design job market?
Interior design work is tied to the state's economy; the availability
of jobs goes up and down with it. At this time, Denver and other
metropolitan areas in Colorado are growing, so the job market for
Interior Designers is expanding and healthy.
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What are the job opportunities after
graduation?
Interior design, kitchen and bath, hospitality, architecture, facilities
management, wholesale and retail sales, healthcare, lighting, home
furnishings, home building, and real estate are only some of the
professions and industries that hire our graduates. IND108 Profession Survey is designed to familiarize you with employment opportunities.
Our graduates are employed throughout the Rocky Mountain region,
on both coasts and in several other states. IND178Design Resume
and IND278 Design Portfolio prepare you for the job-hunting process.
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What starting salary can I expect?
This will necessarily depend on the type of job you obtain and the
quality of the work in your portfolio. On the average, graduates
in their first year of full time employment can expect a starting
salary of $24,000 to $30,000 per year. Income usually climbs steadily
as you gain field and project experience.
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What is NCIDQ?
NCIDQ Mission Statement
"Protecting the public by identifying those individuals who
are competent to practice interior design."
NCIDQ Purpose
The National Council for Interior Design Qualification serves to
identify to the public those interior designers who have met the
minimum standards for professional practice by passing the NCIDQ
examination.
The Council endeavors to maintain the most advanced examining procedures,
and to update continually the examination to reflect expanding professional
knowledge and design development techniques. It seeks the acceptance
of the NCIDQ examination as a universal standard by which to measure
the competency of interior designers to practice as professionals.
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What are the eligibility
requirements to take the NCIDQ examination?
The criteria includes both interior design education and actual
interior design experience as follows:
- 4/5 years interior design education plus 2 years full-time work
experience
- 3 years interior design education (60 credit hours) plus 3 years
full-time work experience (such as ACC Interior Design AAS Degree)
- 2 years interior design education (40 credit hours) plus 4
years full-time work experience.
NCIDQ recommends working under the direct supervision of an NCIDQ Certificate holder.
NOTE: Eligibility is determined from the time that your application
is submitted. It is NOT determined from the time of the next examination.
For specific information, please refer to NCIDQ.
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