Interior Design Department

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	Interior Design Department
	Greetings from the Interior Design Dept! Thank you for your interest in our program. There are two possible tracks in Interior Design at Delgado Community College. The first is the Interior Design Associate degree program. This program is for students that are seeking a post secondary degree in interior design. The Associate degree is 72 credit hours or two years. That is two years with a minimum of 18 credit hrs per semester. The second option is the Technical Diploma. The Technical Diploma program is 60 credit hours or two years. That is two years with a schedule of 12 hrs per semester including a summer semester. The Technical Diploma specifically caters to students with postsecondary degrees; it provides the required number of classes in order for students to sit for the NCIDQ licensing exam while exempting students from retaking general education classes. (for current NCIDQ exam requirements go to ncidq.org)
	What is 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 that solves the customer's problems and links space to business strategies and goals. 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. Interior design can also influence the choice of real estate that will address the organization's needs through the architecture and design elements. 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. Interior design includes a scope of services performed by a professional design practitioner, qualified by means of education, experience and examination, to protect and enhance the life, health, safety, and welfare of the public. For the full definition, consult the National Council for Interior Design Qualification.
	Why is a Degree important? Completing a degree, either an associate or bachelors, is becoming increasingly more important to the interior design profession. Currently, 26 states and jurisdictions have licensing requirements for interior design practitioners. In many of these states, you cannot even call yourself an interior designer unless you meet or exceed a certain level of accredited education and in some cases pass the qualifying exam administered by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification. Regulation of interior design practice continues to become increasingly wide spread. To find out what your state requires of interior design practitioners, review the registration law fact sheet.