What institutions offer Interior Design courses in Chicago?
Chicago, a city renowned for its architectural landscape, is home to several top-tier schools offering interior design education. Each institution offers a unique approach, catering to students seeking different emphases within the field.
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)
SAIC is globally recognised as one of the best art and design schools, emphasising creativity, innovation, and interdisciplinary design education. The institute provides an environment rich in student clubs, exhibitions, and studios, fostering experimentation and personal expression in interior and environmental design fields. SAIC stands out for integrating art, design, and theory, encouraging students to engage with social issues through design practice.
The undergraduate and graduate pathways at SAIC include Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects. The BFA in Interior Architecture takes a more in-depth approach, blending creative design processes with technical know-how. The program focuses on the design of indoor spaces, emphasising spatial functionality, aesthetic appeal, and environmental considerations. SAIC's approach to design education is deeply rooted in creativity, innovation, experimentation, and human-centered design.
Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT)
IIT offers a Bachelor of Architecture program focusing on hands-on, design-centered education with strong ties to Chicago’s architectural landscape. While it is primarily architecture, the program’s focus on the built environment closely overlaps with interior spatial design principles. Students benefit from immersive, studio-based learning with extensive one-on-one critique, plus access to advanced fabrication technologies in the Fabrication Center. The M.Des. program at IIT is recognised for its innovative approach to design education, focusing on human-centered and systems design, teaching students to develop solutions that are functional, accessible, and user-friendly.
Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago offers Associate’s and Bachelor’s Degree programs in Interior Architecture. The BFA in Interior Architecture program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). The program emphasises both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, incorporating guest lectures and site visits to expose students to current trends and demands of the interior design industry. Columbia College Chicago houses several cultural and research centers that support interdisciplinary approaches and community-engaged art practices, which enrich interior design education by integrating cultural research and contemporary artistic practices.
Joliet Junior College
Joliet Junior College offers an Associate Degree program in Interior Design that provides a solid foundation in the core principles of interior design. The program aligns with the standards required for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam. It places a strong emphasis on cultivating practical skills and industry readiness, incorporating guest lectures and site visits to expose students to current trends and demands of the interior design industry.
Loyola University Chicago also offers interior design education, noted for combining business and design perspectives. Graduates of Columbia College Chicago's BFA program are uniquely positioned to take the NCIDQ exam.
In summary, students in Chicago have a wealth of options when it comes to interior design education. SAIC is notable for its artistic and interdisciplinary approach to interior design education; IIT emphasises technical, sustainability-driven, and professional preparation within the broader architecture and design context; Columbia College provides a creative, community-engaged atmosphere rooted in urban culture. These varied strengths cater to students seeking different emphases within interior and environmental design education in Chicago.
- SAIC's undergraduate Interior Architecture program, deeply rooted in creativity, innovation, and human-centered design, focuses on the design of indoor spaces, blending creative design processes with technical know-how.
- IIT's Bachelor of Architecture program, with a strong focus on the built environment, offers an innovative approach to design education, teaching students to develop functional, accessible, and user-friendly designs by incorporating advanced fabrication technologies and one-on-one critique.
- Columbia College Chicago's BFA in Interior Architecture, accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), emphasizes both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, incorporating guests lectures and site visits to expose students to current trends in the industry.
- Joliet Junior College's Associate Degree program in Interior Design provides a solid foundation in the core principles of interior design, aligning with the standards required for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam and emphasizing industry readiness.
