The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is a highly regarded architecture and interior-design school. Ranked No. 1 in the discipline of interior design in 2008 by U.S. News & World Report, RISD offers a certificate program in interior design that holds as much weight as a degree from many other schools. The certificate is an additional program that students can pursue in conjunction with their degree. One of the more popular choices is the interior architecture degree with the interior design certificate. The school offers both bachelor and master of fine arts degrees in interior architecture.
Rhode Island School of Design
Master of Fine Arts Program
2 College St.
Providence, RI 02903
401-454-6300
www.risd.edu
The Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y., also is highly rated, sharing U.S. News & World Report's No. 1 ranking with RISD in 2008. The institute's School of Art & Design offers a bachelor of fine arts and a master of science in interior design. As with RISD, the Pratt Institute program is heavily weighted toward interior architecture, emphasizing spatial design. Students at Pratt have the advantage of working in New York City, with its multiple opportunities for interior design in both commercial and residential spaces.
Pratt Institute
Master of Fine Arts Program
200 Willoughby Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11205
718-636-3600
www.pratt.edu
Although not nationally ranked like RISD and the Pratt Institute, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is a well-recognized institution offering a bachelor's degree in interior design. The innovative aspect of this program is its online format leading to a bachelor of science degree in interior design. The degree program covers a wide variety of topics, such as space planning, 3-D design, history of architecture and design and computer-aided drafting. Graduates of the program go on to work in a variety of fields in addition to interior design.
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh
1400 Penn Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
877-872-8869
aionline.edu