100% of Villa’s interior design BFA graduates from the class of 2022 completed the program in 4 years and are currently employed in the field.
See the benefits.
Villa’s fully accredited Interior Design program goes beyond decorating, giving students the opportunity to explore creative and technical solutions to create functional, accessible, environmentally sustainable, and attractive interior environments.
Design
In studio courses, students create designs that incorporate and understand the physical location and social context of homes, workplaces, and people in the education, healthcare, hospitality and recreation markets.
Make
With a strong fabrication component that also stresses space planning and design, Villa’s interior design program shapes students into well-rounded designers. The program sets itself apart by focusing on the best ways to communicate visual ideas and by the technological tools needed to explore complex design issues.
Experience
Our 8:1 student to faculty ratio means you will get the personal attention you need to let your talent grow, while bridging the gap between education and practice with practical experience from internships across the region.
Facilities
An Interior Design Resource Room for the exclusive use of Interior Design students, includes a working library of materials, surface samples and textiles, along with many other design resources. The space can also be used as a workroom and includes a computer, scanner, printer, plotter, cutting surfaces, drawing surface and mat cutting equipment.
An Art Shop with a wood-working shop for various studio and furniture design projects. The shop is equipped with quality power and hand tools such as table saws, band saws, planers, drill press, power sanders, a 3D printer, and other professional grade equipment.
2 computer studios equipped with drawing tables, state-of-the-art computers, scanners, printers and large format plotters as well as a drawing studio. Software includes AutoCad, Revit, Google SketchUp, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator and other tools necessary to prepare quality industry standard presentations.
Apply Today
See for yourself.
Interior designers belong at Villa. Good interior design isn’t seen—it’s felt. At Villa, you’ll gain an understanding of the role physical location and social context plays in a variety of environments—from homes to offices, hospitals to hotels. Playing with light and color, materials and construction, you’ll learn what it takes to create environments that amplify individual and corporate identities in a way that connects deeper than aesthetics alone.
Interior Design Program
Questions about the program? Reach out to one of our professors.
- B.F.A. Program
- A.A.S. Program
- Historical Preservation Certificate Program
- Accreditation
- Organizations and Affiliations
The Career Potential
With the fast pace of change in business and industry, demand for interior designers will continue to increase. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of interior designers is expected to grow 19% from 2010 through 2020, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Designers with formal training or experience in green or energy-efficient design, in particular, are expected to have better job prospects.
As a graduate of this program, you’ll be prepared for a position as an interior designer in many different markets, including specialized areas such as:
- Healthcare
- Hospitality
- Commercial design and residential design with an emphasis on aging-in-place and universal design
- Residential kitchen and bath design
The Requirements
You must earn a grade of C+ or above for successful completion of all Interior Design (IND) courses. You must maintain the educational standards set by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).
Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) Interior Design Assistant Requirements
Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Interior Design Curriculum Requirements
Handbook
Learn more about Interior Design program policies, activities, and services in the Interior Design Student Handbook.
Villa Maria’s Interior Design Assistant program can offer you:
- The education you need to become an interior designer. To become a Certified Interior Designer in the State of New York (and in many other jurisdictions), you must have a minimum of two years of college-level interior design education. Our Associate in Applied Science degree program satisfies this educational requirement. All credits required for the A.A.S. degree may be applied to the B.F.A. program upon acceptance as a transfer student into that program.
- The fundamentals for career success. Our Interior Design program stresses space planning and design, as well as the development of advanced graphic and verbal communication skills needed to express visual ideas. You’ll also use drawing, drafting, rendering, and modeling skills and computer-aided design (CAD) equipment at all levels to explore and communicate increasingly complex design issues.
- Training in specialized areas. Through our Interior Design studio courses, you will be prepared to create safe, functional and attractive environments for homes, workplaces, and users in the education, healthcare, hospitality and recreation markets.
Villa Maria College’s Interior Design program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design (CIDA). CIDA-accredited programs assure the public that interior design education prepares students to be responsible, well-informed, skilled professionals.
Career Potential
With the fast pace of change in business and industry, demand for interior designers will continue to increase. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of interior designers is expected to grow 19% from 2010 through 2020, which is faster than the average for all occupations. Designers with formal training or experience in green or energy-efficient design, in particular, are expected to have better job prospects.
As a graduate of this program, you would qualify for entry-level positions such as:
- Assistant interior designers in areas of residential and commercial design
- CAD operators
- Renderers
- Home furnishings design associates
The Requirements
You must earn a grade of C+ or above for the successful completion of all IND courses.
Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Interior Design Assistant Curriculum Requirements
Our program offers you:
- An opportunity to study basic topics in the preservation and restoration of historic buildings and sites.
- The ability to recognize, analyze and effectively communicate ethical strategies to solve preservation and restoration problems.
Students complete a 15-credit core of course work emphasizing: design history and theories of, and practical techniques in, historic preservation and restoration of sites. The courses and credits comprising the Certificate requirements are fully applicable towards the College’s currently offered B.F.A. degree program in Interior Design.
Career Potential
Graduates of the Certificate Program in Historical Preservation should be able to:
- Integrate the theoretical and historical bases of preservation and restoration with practical design principles into a unified set of skills that is applicable to preservation and restoration problems.
- Apply knowledge of American architectural, art and design history to problems and issues of historic preservation and restoration.
- Research and document historic sites.
- Apply historic preservation standards, regulations and techniques to specific sites.
- Apply historic restoration techniques to specific sites and communicate historic preservation and restoration values to the general public.
The Requirements
- You must earn a grade of C+ or above for successful completion of all IND courses.
- Historic Preservation Certificate requirements
The interior design program leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is 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 Fine Arts degree granted by Villa Maria College 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/
Villa Maria’s Interior Design program by the numbers:
2021
2022
Learn more about SRISA, an approved study abroad program for Villa students.
Affiliations:
NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association)
SRISA (Santa Reparata International School of Art)
SBID (Society of British and International Interior Design)
Through Villa’s membership with NY11+, the Villa Maria College Interior Design program is now an affiliate school with the Society of British and International Design (SBID). The students have been extended complimentary membership in this prestigious organization (based in central London) while they are enrolled at Villa.
Accreditation:
CIDA (Council for Interior Design Accreditation)
Participation:
CIDQ (Council for Interior Design Qualification)
Develops and administers the three-part NCIDQ Examination.
BAF (Buffalo Architecture Foundation)
Architecture and Education Program.
Villa has Membership in these organizations:
ASID (American Society of Interior Designers)
We are part of the NYU and CE chapter (that means New York Upstate and Canada East). The Villa student club is an ASID Student Chapter.
IIDA (International Interior Design Association)
We are affiliated with the IIDA Buffalo City Center and we are an IIDA Campus Center.
IDA of WNY (Interior Design Association of Western New York)
We are a member organization.
IDEC (Interior Design Educators Council)
NY 11+ (New York Eleven Plus)
IFDA (International Furnishings and Design Association)
We have been grant and scholarship recipients.
2023 Interior Design Student Showcase
Student Work
Villa students are always making new and exciting pieces that showcase their talents and apply their skills in practical environments.
Our Faculty.
Join the family.
There’s a lot of pressure to know what’s next. We’re here to say, it’s OK if you’re still figuring it out. In fact, it’s great. Villa is a place where that kind of continual discovery is prized. Because going to college isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about inventing who you’re going to become. You’ll see.
