Interior Design is a stream in design and architecture concerned with the artistic and aesthetic planning and designing of interior spaces in buildings and houses. Interior Design deals with all aspects of interior space planning, from technical architectural considerations to room furnishings.
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Candidates aspiring towards a career in interior design can opt for the following undergraduate degrees -
Bachelor of Interior Design (BID) - 4 years
Bachelor of Science (B Sc) - 3 years
Bachelor of Design (B Des) - 4 years
Bachelor of Arts (BA) - 3 years
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) - 4 years
Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) - 4 years
Bachelor of Architecture (B Arch) - 5 years
Undergraduate Diploma
Certificate Courses
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Specializations offered in interior design include the following -
Aviation/Aircraft Interior Design
Corporate Interior Design
Education Interior Design
Healthcare Interior Design
Hospitality Interior Design
Industrial Interior Design
Interior and Furniture Design
Interior and Retail Spaces
Interior and Space Planning Design
Interior Environment and Design
Kitchen and Bath Design
Luxury Interior Design
Nautical/Marine Interior Design
Residential/Home Design
Retail Interior Design
Sustainable Planning and Design
Universal Interior Design
Students can enroll in interior design colleges and courses after appearing for entrance exams across the country. The eligibility criteria are as follows -
Candidates enrolling in interior design programs and entrances must have passed their 10+2 (or equivalent) examinations from a recognized Indian board with a minimum aggregate of 50-55% marks.
Candidates from any stream (Science/Commerce/Humanities) can apply for interior design courses.
Certain technical interior design courses like B.Sc. or B.Arch. require candidates to have chosen the science stream in their 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects.
The admission procedure for interior design colleges and courses in India is as follows -
Candidates applying for interior design courses must qualify for the minimum eligibility to appear for the respective entrance exams. Candidates can apply for the entrance examinations by registering in the online portal and submitting the required documents.
After appearing for the entrance exams, candidates will be shortlisted based on scores, ranks, and merit lists in the counseling session for the respective colleges/entrances. Some colleges may also conduct group discussions and private interviews (GD/PI) rounds for further screening of candidates.
In the case of merit-based admissions, candidates will be shortlisted based on their 10+2 examination scores.
Shortlisted candidates may finalize their admission at the concerned college by paying the fees and submitting the required documents for verification.
Some of the important entrance tests offering admission into undergraduate interior design courses include the following -
Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED) - conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai (IIT-M)
National Institute of Design-Design Aptitude Test (NID DAT) - conducted by the National Institute of Design (NID).
The All India Entrance Examination for Design (AIEED) - conducted by the ARCH Academy of Design
Joint Entrance Examinations (JEE) Main Paper-2 - conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) (Only for B.Arch. admissions)
The Indian Insitute of Art and Design-Design Aptitude Test (IIAD-DAT) - conducted by IIAD
Symbiosis Entrance Exam for Design (SEED) - conducted by the Symbiosis Institute of Design, Pune
Pearl Academy Entrance Exam/Design Aptitude Test - conducted by Pearl Academy
Unitedworld Institute of Design-Design Aptitude Test (UID-DAT) - conducted by UID
Students with an interest in home decor, planning, and furnishing will find interior design the ideal study goal for them. Students may gauge their aptitude for interior design with the following criteria:
Ideation and Initiative
Creative and Aesthetic Sense
Spatial Reasoning
Market Knowledge
Knowledge of Styles and Trends
Strong Grasp of Materials and Textures
Colour Sense
Originality and Innovation
Visual Imagination
Visual Communication
Technical Skills
Communication Skills and Teamwork
Business and Management Skills
Interior Design courses comprise subjects and topics such as:
History of Interior Design
Model Making
Materials and Construction Techniques
Analytical Drawing
Theory of Design
Architectural Illustrations
Furniture Spaces and Design
Anthropometry and Ergonomics
Space Layout
Materials Sourcing and Costing
Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
Building Services
Interior Landscape
Materials Exposure
The most coveted and lucrative interior design specialisations for the future include -
Sustainable Interior Design
Universal Interior Design
Corporate Interior Design
Luxury Interior Design
Hospitality Interior Design
Commercial Interior Design
Residential Interior Design
After completing their undergraduate degrees, candidates can further their interior design study goals through postgraduate and research degrees.
The eligibility criteria for pursuing postgraduate courses is completing an undergraduate interior design degree in the specialization/course of choice from a recognized university with a minimum aggregate of 55% marks.
Popular postgraduate degrees in interior design include -
Master of Design (M Des) - 2 years
Master of Science (M Sc) - 2 years
Master of Arts (MA) - 2 years
Master of Architecture (M Arch) - 2 years
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - 2 years
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) - 2 years
Master of Vocation (M Voc) - 2 years
Post-graduate Diploma - 9 months to 2 years
Master of Philosophy (M Phil) - 2 years
Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
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Important entrance exams for admission into postgraduate interior design programs include -
Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED) - conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai (IIT-M)
National Institute of Design Design Aptitude Test (NID DAT)
All India Entrance Examination for Design (AIEED)
Symbiosis Entrance Exam for Design (SEED)
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) - conducted jointly by IIScs and IITs (for admission into M.Arch. courses)
Interior design is a promising study goal and a leading stream in both: the design and architecture/engineering industries. Interior design offers several career avenues and job prospects in the government, public, and private sectors. Interior design graduates receive placement offers from established design and architectural firms and reputed brands visiting their college during campus placement programs organized by the training and placement cell.
Popular and lucrative career prospects in interior design include the following -
Residential Interior Designer
Commercial Interior Designer
Corporate Interior Designer
Kitchen and Bath Designer
Exhibition Designer
Healthcare Interior Designer
Industrial Interior Designer
Interior Architect
Furniture Designer
Visual Merchandiser
Lighting Designer
Education Interior Designer
Retail Interior Designer
Aircraft Interior Designer
Nautical Interior Designer
Space Planner
Starting salaries in interior design range between INR 2 to 3 LPA, and can go as high as 45 LPA for experienced senior technicians.
Students interested in interior design might be interested in similar subjects like -
Architecture
Civil Engineering
Product Design
Multimedia Design
Exhibition Design
Communication Design
Fine Arts
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