Our national and regional award-winning students, design quality, strategic, & intentional design solutions innovatively while also addressing health, safety, & wellness. We are recognized as the top 2-year Interior Design Program in Iowa, as well as a leading Interior Design Program in the Midwest, and in the top 25 2-year Interior Design programs in the United States. The Kirkwood Interior Desig
n + Interior Architecture program prepares and equips students to practice and serve the community by providing education and training in residential design, commercial design, sustainability, and other areas of specialization in the field of interior design. Students graduate from a CIDA-aligned curriculum with educational requirements for NCIDQ, LEED credentials, network connections, and minimal student debt. Our students are highly skilled with all phases of design, design software, and design knowledge in addition to such critical life skills, soft skills, and ability to function as design professionals. We not only prepare students academically, but personally and professionally as well. This highly rigorous and interactive program is taught with a student centered approach within a positive and respectful learning environment. Students are provided with a combination of classroom projects, hands on training, and classroom instruction that emphasizes ethical, creative, technical, and responsible problem solving through design. Students study all areas of interior design including but not limited to: Residential Design, Commercial Design, Hospitality Design, Product Design, Sustainable Design, Historical Design, Photoshop, SketchUp, and Revit. Students also learn professional practice concepts and are able to apply those concepts towards assembling a portfolio and resume which are then used to obtain an internship in the field of Interior Design. Additionally, students have the option of attending numerous field trips to major urban cities such as Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City and more. Other national and international trips are open to students at various times throughout the year, including our Italy and Australia study abroad programs. For individuals interested in entering the Interior Design Program at Kirkwood Community College, existing knowledge of basic computer applications is highly recommended. If you are currently a high school student, any additional training or classes that you can take relating to art, design, or drafting will assist in building up your knowledge of design as you prepare to enter the Interior Design Program at Kirkwood Community College. Interior Designers are creative business professionals who have the ability to innovatively solve design problems functionally and aesthetically while also improving the overall health, safety, and welfare of users through design. The interior Design program prepares and equips students to practice and serve the community by providing education and training in residential design, commercial design, sustainability, and other areas of specialization in the field of interior design. This highly interactive program is taught with a student centered approach within a positive and respectful learning environment. Other national and international trips are open to students at various times throughout the year. Advantages of the Kirkwood Interior Design Program:
At Kirkwood, we offer the quality, courses, and content of a 4 year interior design program, within a 2 year time-frame and for a 2 year price. Students spend an extensive amount of time focusing nearly exclusively on interior design courses without the additional requirement of numerous general education courses typically required at a 4 year University. If students desire to take general education courses or have interests in addition to interior design, there are a wide variety of course offerings with multiple times available that students can enroll in. Students are taught creative and technical problem solving skills by passionate and dedicated faculty members. Our college is accredited by the HLC and we follow CIDA-accrediting standards. Our interior design facilities are some of the best in the state! Students have access to a wonderful resource room, work room, photography studio, and studio classroom space where students can feel at home, and access to computer labs and printing, not to mention close proximity to a cafeteria (shout out to the best chicken strips out there!). The design of our facilities demonstrates sustainable practices while offering a comfortable working and learning environment for our students. Students are highly encouraged to purchase a laptop, but we also have laptops available to check-out as well, and an attached computer lab. Our program interacts with our community. Whether it is going on tours of historically preserved buildings, visiting current construction sites, interning at design firms, or helping to build homes with local organizations, our students have great access and connection with our community and professional organizations. Kirkwood Community College promotes travel and field experiences. There are numerous opportunities to travel locally, regionally, nationally or internationally for all of our interior design students. Employment opportunities may include but are not limited to the following:
Architecture and Design Firms
New Home Construction/Home Building
Contract Furniture Dealerships
Manufacturer’s Representative
Furniture Design
Kitchen Design and Dealerships
Residential design
Residential Staging
Commercial Design Firms
Historic Preservation or Restoration
Interior Design and Architecture Firms
Interior Design Photography
Professional Rendering (Manual or Digital)
Model Building
Real Estate
Upholstery Workrooms
Sales and Retail
Professional Organizations
Sustainability Consultant
Design Journalist
Lighting Design
Opportunities for learning extend beyond the classroom. Field trips to major cities with the Midwest provide students with the ability to see and explore design, while meeting and interacting with representatives and industry professionals through tours and visits to showrooms, design firms, significant historical landmarks, urban communities, art museums, and more. Field trips to other cities outside of the Midwest allow students to explore design on a much larger scale. Trips may include New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, as well as international sites. Being involved in a professional organizations provides students a great way to network and become familiar with the interior design industry. Below are some useful Interior Design Sources and websites:
American Society of Interior Design (ASID): www.asid.org
International Interior Design Association (IIDA): www.iida.org
Interior Design: www.interiordesign.net
Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC): www.idec.org
Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA): www.edra.org
National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA): www.nkba.org
International Association of Lighting Design (IALD): www.iald.org
National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) www.ncidq.org
United States Green Building Council (USGBC) http://www.usgbc.org/
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) http://www.usgbc.org/leed
Architecture for Humanity http://architectureforhumanity.org/
