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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@utsoaThe 3rd Île-de-France Architecture and Landscape Biennial (@bapidf) invited Associate Professors Nerea Feliz (@feliz_nerea) and Clay Odom (@studiomodo) to lead their students in exploring how vernacular strategies from warmer climates—such as the southern U.S.—might inform climate-adaptive design ap
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@utsoaPlant Potential ATX South 🌱
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@utsoaWe’re thrilled to share that visiting faculty Cory Henry (@ateliercoryhenry) has been awarded the 2025-26 #RomePrize in Architecture by the @amacademyrome for his project, “Borders of Belonging: Rome’s Public Spaces as Arenas of Democracy and Dissent.”
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@utsoaWhere thoughtful design meets campus legacy.
Interior Design undergrad Valerie Balderas is one of two students from a university-wide competition selected to reimagine the Cactus Yearbook bookshelf for the Office of the Dean of Students.
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@utsoaCongratulations to @phoebelickwar’s @forgelandscape and Michael Averitt’s @_delineator for receiving 2025 Merit Awards from @texasasla!
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@utsoaThe Tren Maya is a monumental new passenger rail system traversing nearly a thousand miles of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.
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@utsoaFaculty making headlines at the 2025 @AIAAustin Design Awards!
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@utsoaIn Associate Professor @nicholewiedemann ’s advanced studio “FUTURING: 'un-thought of architecture’ or architecture beyond what already exists,” students tackled the complicated role of design competitions in the profession.
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@utsoaWe're proud to celebrate Professor Bjørn Sletto’s induction into the UT Austin Academy of Distinguished Teachers—one of the highest honors recognizing exceptional commitment to teaching excellence. 👏