Although it's only been around for 10 years, Miami's interior design program is ranked ninth in the country by DesignIntelligence, a publication for design professionals.
According to John Weigand, chair of Miami's architecture and interior design programs, the interior design program started out small.
"In 1995 we recruited the first class in and I think we had about 2 or 3 students," Weigand said. "The numbers gradually grew to where we now have about 100 applicants."
In 1995, the interior design program separated itself from the now disbanded family and consumer sciences department where the housing and interior design major existed.
The old program began in the early 1970s and was more "home economics" based, focused on home decorating rather than thearchitectural standpoint it works with now, according to Weigand.
Weigand added that since the 1995 transition moved the program to Alumni Hall, the interior design program began an entirely new curriculum and hired nearly all new faculty.
Weigand said the curriculum of the interior design and architecture program are very integrated and that Miami is fortunate to put these two programs together.
"Almost all of our interior designers will move into the corporate sector," Weigand said, relating interior designers to architects. "They'll be working on big projects. They have to understand building codes and how to lay out floor plans."
According to Weigand, first-year architecture and interior design students share all their design classes, while second year students in either program have about half of their classes with one another.
"I think it's unique that they're very integrated," said Katherine Comeau, a sophomore interior design major. "Both have a background in each other and it makes them easier to work with each other."
Comeau said that because the program has so few students, everyone becomes good friends with each other and their professors.
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However, the workload can sometimes be overwhelming.
"A lot of times there is just so much to do," Comeau said. "Projects get piled on top of each other."
Comeau said she spends about four hours per day in her design classes and another four hours in the studio finishing her work.
Despite the long hours, Comeau thinks the time commitment isworth it.
"Miami has a great reputation," Comeau said. "They set you up with internships while you're still in school and jobs when you graduate. They have great connections."
Weigand said there are only approximately 400 or so interior design programs in the country, 160 of which have been accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).
Weigand said Miami was accredited in 2002.
Of the interior design programs in the country, Weigand said that there are only 25 to 30 programs that work as closely with the architecture program as Miami's program.
The selective interior design program and architecture program, which integrate many of their classes, together admit around 75 students each year of the approximately 450 who apply.
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