About This Degree

The master’s degree in human environments with a required specialization in interior design allows students to pursue a variety of personal research interests, such as sustainability, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, historic preservation, residential design, hospitality design, marketing, analysis of interior design products and services, and more. The program now embraces sustainable design. Graduate students take a sustainability class that prepares them to take the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Associate Examination, which gives students additional credentials when they graduate.

Students in the program pursue one of two courses of study:

• Standard Program: This program is for students who have previously earned a bachelor’s degree in interior design from an accredited program and can be completed in approximately two years. Students follow a directed path of study where they explore and research topics related to the human environment.
  
  Students pursuing this path work closely with their graduate committee to research meaningful areas related to informing and improving the human environment.
  
  
• First Professional Program: This program is for students with bachelor’s degrees in disciplines other than interior design and can be completed in approximately three years. Graduate students in this path undertake a year of classes designed to give them the design and technical skills needed to successfully work as a graduate students in the interior design program.
  
  Graduate students in this program complete both residential and commercial studios as well as the core interior design classes that are essential in becoming a practicing interior designer.
  
  USU’s program also hosts a visiting designer series each year. Visiting designers typically send students a project assignment before their visit. Once they arrive, students receive feedback and personal attention from some of the world’s leading interior designers on these projects.
  
  Students in this program must also complete a professional internship. The program has a track record of students woking for nationally known designers in New York, Great Britain, France, Australia, Peru, and more.

Specialization(s):

Students must choose a specialization.

• Interior Design:

Location(s)

• MS - Logan Campus

Graduates can find careers in a wide variety of areas related to interior design, including:

• Residential interior design
• Commercial interior design
• Sales
• Design analysis
• Space planning
• Event planning
• Interior construction
• Architectural firms
• Drafting
• Building codes
• Designing furnishings

Additionally, students who graduate from the two-year master’s track are well-prepared for PhD programs if they wish to pursue the academic field of design.

Admissions Requirements

Students with any undergraduate major may apply. Students admitted from a background in interior design will be admitted to the standard program, and students with other undergraduate degrees will be admitted to the first professional program.

Application Requirements:

• Complete the online application
• Pay the $55 application fee
• Score at or above the 40^th percentile on in the GRE or MAT
• Have a 3.0 or higher GPA on your last 60 semester or 90 quarter credits
• Provide transcripts of all college/university credits
• Provide three contacts for letters of recommendation

International students have additional admissions requirements.

Admissions Deadlines

The department has the following deadline:

• Fall semester – April 1
• The department will continue to review applications submitted after this date, but chances of acceptance and financial assistance are better for students who apply earlier.

Master's Degree Plan Option(s)

Students pursuing the standard program receive the MS by pursuing one of two options:

• In the Plan A option, students complete graduate-level coursework and must write a thesis.
• The Plan B option requires the production of a paper or creative work of art and is expected to reflect equivalent scholarship standards as a thesis.

Students pursuing the first professional program must complete the following option:

• The Plan B option requires the production of a paper or creative work of art and is expected to reflect equivalent scholarship standards as a thesis.

Financial Assistance

The department has a limited number of assistantships, both teaching and general, for its graduate students.

A variety of additional funding opportunities are available, including fellowships, scholarships, tuition awards, and travel support. Additionally, students may be eligible for subsidized health insurance through qualifying assistantships.

Program Requirements

Click here to see course requirements for the Master of Science.

Students in the first professional program must complete an  interior design internship during the summer before their final year of coursework. Most students arrange these internships on their own, but the department will help students who are unable to find an internship.

Advisor(s)

Carol Hatch
Staff Assistant
Office: FL 320 B
Phone: (435) 797-1560
Email: carol.hatch@usu.edu

Faculty

Darrin Brooks, MFA, Utah State University
Assistant Professor
Area: Residential design and interior history
Office: FL 320 G
Phone: (435) 797-1559
Email: darrin.brooks@usu.edu

Stefan Bruce, ---, ---
Assistant Professor
Area: ---
Office: ---
Phone: (435)797-3348
Email: stefan.bruce@gmail.com

Steven Mansfield, MArch, University of Utah
Lecturer
Area: Architecture and computer-aided design
Office: FL 320 E
Phone: (435) 797-1566
Email: steven.mansfield@usu.edu

Susan Tibbitts, MS, Utah State University
Lecturer
Area: Graphics, branding
Office: FL 320 D
Phone: (435) 797-1563
Email: susie.tibbitts@usu.edu

JoAnn Wilson, MArch, MFA, Texas Tech University, University of Utah
Associate Professor
Area: Historic preservation, green design
Office: FL 320 A
Phone: (435) 797-7520
Email: joann.wilson@usu.edu

Professional Organizations, Honor Societies, and Clubs

American Society of Interior Designers: ASID is the oldest, largest, and leading professional organization for interior designers. The society's 18,000 practicing interior designers work in all areas of both commercial and residential design. Professional members of ASID must pass rigorous acceptance standards: they must have a combination of accredited design education and/or full-time work experience and pass a two-day accreditation examination administered by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification.

International Interior Design Association: IIDA is a professional networking and educational association of 13,000 members in 10 specialty practice forums and 31 chapters around the world. IIDA strives to create a strong niche for the most talented and visionary interior design professionals, to elevate the profession to the level it warrants, and to lead the way for the next generation of interior design innovators. IIDA stands at the intersection of passion and strategy where designers create extraordinary interiors and experiences.

Labs, Centers, Research

Tippetts Exhibit Hall: A 4,500-square-foot open space with movable display walls, the Tippetts Exhibit Hall supports art exhibits of all types and styles and serves as one of the main display venues for the Art Department and Interior Design program.