The Interior Design Program at The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture considers the design of interiors as a multi-faceted endeavor with tangible consequences for society and the planet. The program’s offerings—including its curriculum, resources, and opportunities—reflect the balance between theoretical and applied knowledge that is needed for an effective engagement with the world through design.
LEARNING-BY-DOING
At the center of the student experience is a sequence of studio courses that serve as laboratories of innovation, creativity, professionalism, and learning-by-doing. Studio projects provide opportunities for addressing problems through design while also encouraging the synthesis of knowledge that is gained from courses across the curriculum.
INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS
The program is among only a handful of Interior Design faculties in the nation housed within a School of Architecture. In this context, the program strives to build upon and advocate for specific disciplinary knowledge, while also actively engaging in and contributing to interdisciplinary collaborations and the dynamic atmosphere of the school.
INTERIORS WITH IMPACT
With a commitment to global relevance, emerging technologies, social equity, and sustainability, the program acknowledges that its teaching must continue to evolve along with the diverse society that it serves. The aim is not only to follow but to encourage students to be leaders in the profession, their communities, and the world throughout their lives.
Interior Design
DEGREES + PROGRAMS
The Interior Design Program at the University of Texas as Austin offers two graduate-level degree programs, an undergraduate degree, and a minor in interior design at the undergraduate level.
| GRADUATE | UNDERGRADUATE | |
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INTERIOR DESIGN NEWS
INTERIOR DESIGN STUDENT WORK
Click the images below for project details.
HISTORY OF INTERIOR DESIGN AT UT AUSTIN
UT Austin first offered Interior Design classes in 1912, making it the oldest Interior Design program west of the Mississippi River. The College of Engineering offered a five-year degree in Interior Architecture in 1930, which was discontinued in 1938. A sole curriculum remained in Human Ecology from 1945 onward that provided an emphasis area in Interior Design. In 1973, UT Austin’s program became one of the first accredited Interior Design programs in the country. The Interior Design major was transferred to the School of Architecture in 1997, and it has grown and flourished since then, offering a Master of Interior Design degree in 2010. More than 1,000 Interior Design alumni have left their mark beyond UT’s Forty Acres.
ACCREDITATION
The interior design program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Interior Design as well as the first-professional Master of Interior Design I are accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, www.accredit-id.org, 206 Grandville Avenue, Suite 350, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503.
The CIDA-accredited program prepares students for entry-level interior design practice, for advanced study, and to apply for membership in professional interior design organizations. The Bachelor of Science in Interior Design granted by The University of Texas at Austin meets the educational requirement for eligibility to sit for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification Examination (NCIDQ Exam). For more information about NCIDQ Exam eligibility visit:https://www.cidq.org/eligibility-requirements.
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@utsoaThis fall, work by Associate Professor @phoebelickwar and landscape architecture students was displayed at the 2024 International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) exhibition, “Nature of Hope.”
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@utsoa“It Takes a Village: A Cooperative Housing Project Through Aggregation” by Olivia Bowness @olivia_bowness for Martin Hättasch’s Horizontal Studio // 2023-2024 Design Excellence winner
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@utsoaIf you’re interested in environmental planning, green infrastructure planning, or water resources planning, meet Associate Professor Katherine Lieberknecht.
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@utsoaIn response to Austin’s density initiative and in consideration of the city’s rich natural resources, students in Danelle Briscoe’s (@danellebriscoe) “Other Nature” studio are proposing habitations for both human and non-human species to counter the effects of development that put fauna at risk.
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@utsoaLooking for something to do this weekend? Kory Bieg’s (@kory_bieg) and Clay Odom’s (@studiomodo) latest public art collaboration is on display this week at the Waterloo Greenway for the 2024 Creekshow.
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@utsoaJoin an interdisciplinary community of designers, planners, and scholars committed to creative exploration, ambitious scholarship, and critical practice.
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@utsoaCongratulations to Assistant Professor Tara Dudley, Lecturer Mark Wolfe, and the Hogg Memorial Auditorium renovation team on their 2024 Preservation Austin Merit Awards!
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@utsoaOne of our favorite days every year: Masonry Day. With the help from local contractors and suppliers, students get to work hands-on with building materials and construction practices that will be essential to any future project.
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@utsoaTomorrow, Master of Historic Preservation student Elizabeth Edwards (@ribo.flavin) is taking over our Instagram to share what she’s learning about material conservation during a site visit from Izabella Nuckels' (@IzNuckels) Lab Methods course.