Overview

The Interior Design B.F.A. at Iowa State University provides a comprehensive professional foundation for students aspiring to become registered interior designers. This four-year programme blends creative problem-solving with technical expertise to address the complex relationship between people and their built environments. Students benefit from a curriculum that balances aesthetic innovation with practical requirements such as fire safety, structures, and environmental responsibility.

Why Interior Design at Iowa State University?

The programme is ranked as the 7th "Most Hired From" interior design course in the country, reflecting its strong reputation among employers. Students have access to the College of Design’s dedicated Career Services Office and an annual Design Career Fair that attracts over 125 firms. The curriculum is nationally accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), ensuring the education meets the highest industry standards and qualifies graduates for the NCIDQ Examination.

Tuition Fee Breakdown

International fee: USD 16325 per semester
National fee: USD 15322 per semester
Local fee: USD 5751 per semester

Visit the Fees and Funding section for a breakdown in your local currency.

Syllabus

All students begin with a shared Core Design Program before progressing to specialised professional studies. The curriculum involves service-learning opportunities and cross-disciplinary projects. Modules may include:

Interior Design Studio
Advanced Visualization in Interior Design
Modern Building Systems
Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility
Human Factors
Universal Design and Public Safety
Color and Materials
Building and Fire Codes
Professional Practice

Careers with Interior Design

Graduates are prepared for a wide range of roles within the design industry, supported by a strong network of alumni and recruiting firms. Since 2020, over 185 different companies have recruited students from this programme. Potential career paths include:

Contract and Commercial Design
Design Project Management
Facilities Design and Management
Healthcare Facility Design
Hospitality Design
Sustainable and Adaptive Re-use Design
Furniture and Product Design
Residential and Retail Design
Interior Illustration and Photography

The programme focuses on making students career-ready through integrated internships, portfolio development classes, and capstone projects that tackle real-world design challenges for genuine clients.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Interior Design

Human Factors in Design

Forces That Shape Interior Space

Sophomore Field Study

Graphic Communication for Interior Design

Interior Design Studio

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-08-25 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-06-01 00:00:00 , International

More details

Iowa State operates on rolling admission. We strongly recommend that you apply at least six to eight weeks in advance.

Language

English

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Credits

129 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Ames, United States

Disciplines

Interior Design View 200 other Bachelors in Interior Design in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

Required

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

105

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

ACT composite (or converted SAT) score x 3

Cumulative GPA x 30

Number of years of high school core courses x 5

RAI (Regent Admission Index)

SAT scores will be converted to their ACT composite equivalents for this calculation.

High school GPA is expressed on a 4-point scale (you can use our GPA calculator to convert your GPA if it's not on a 4.0 scale).

The number of core high school courses is measured in years or fractions of years.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

32650 USD / year

≈ 32650 USD / year
Out-of-State

30644 USD / year

≈ 30644 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

11502 USD / year

≈ 11502 USD / year

Living costs

Ames

United States

1158 - 1797 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Interior Design.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Ames

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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