The practice of interior design at The Ohio State University includes understanding the impact of human needs and environmental conditions on potential spatial design opportunities. Students in our program apply a sophisticated level of design thinking and design research approaches to the planning and development of public and private interior environments of all scales with a strong emphasis on commercial, workplace, hospitality, educational, and healthcare-related spaces. The balance of design studio and courses that provide the technical and theoretical knowledge that is required for students to emerge as design leaders encourages students to learn and practice collaboration, sustainable design strategies, and research-based design approaches to anticipate and provide for future environmental design requirements. Our interior design program culminates in a final project that demonstrates each student's comprehensive knowledge and ability to work independently.
Curriculum and Course Sequence
All required 2100 and 2300 series courses in the Design Foundations Program must be taken in an exact sequence, as they are offered only once per academic year and each course is a required prerequisite for the following courses. Any student failing a required course will be removed from the foundations program and be required to stop the course sequence.
Autumn
DESIGN 2110: Design Fundamentals I
DESIGN 2310: Visual Principles and Techniques I
DESIGN 2700: Introduction to Design Practice
OR
DESIGN 2750: Design History
Spring
DESIGN 2130: Design Fundamentals II
DESIGN 2330: Visual Principles and Techniques II
DESIGN 2700: Introduction to Design Practice
OR
DESIGN 2750: Design History
This Design Foundations sequence begins with a competitive selection process to become a design foundations student and concludes with a portfolio-based major admissions review process.
Autumn
DESIGN 3102: Introduction to Interior Design I
DESIGN 3200: Design Research I
DESIGN 3402: Design Media I for Interior Design
Spring
DESIGN 3152: Introduction to Interior Design II
DESIGN 3452: Design Media II for Interior Design
DESIGN 3502: Materials, Process, and Production for Interior Design
Autumn
DESIGN 4102: Intermediate Interior Design I
DESIGN 4200: Design Research II
DESIGN 4402: Design Media III for Interior Design
DESIGN 4502: Interior Design Technology II
Spring
DESIGN 4152: Intermediate Interior Design II
DESIGN 4650: Collaborative Design
DESIGN 5750: Advanced Design History: Interiors, Contents, Communication, and Culture
This course is required of all Interior Design major students on Legacy GE. It is strongly recommended as one of upper-division options in required History of Art Minor for all students on New GE.
Technology Requirements
Students in the Department of Design at The Ohio State University are required to have their own laptop computers after being admitted into one of our major programs. We do not make recommendations of specific computers, but students pursuing a major in Interior Design will need a machine that is capable of meeting the technology specifications of the following software:
Students should check with The Office of the CIO prior to purchasing software for site licensed software that is available at discounted prices for students.
Students should check Tech Hub for prices.
Tech Hub is the Ohio State campus computer store. Get software and hardware at or below academic discounted pricing. They work with students, faculty and staff for personal and departmental orders. A variety of Apple, Dell and HP hardware is available including laptops, iPads, tablets, desktops, accessories and add-ons. A variety of software is available including Microsoft, Adobe, EndNote/Reference Manager and more. Tech Hub prices extended to students, faculty and staff with a valid Ohio State BuckID.
Student Portfolios
This voluntary listing of digital portfolios represents our current students' professional preparation at varying levels of experience. It also provides insight into some of the learning experiences provided by courses in our program.
Looking to hire a Design student?
Prospective employers may reach out to students directly about freelance employment opportunities. Employers seeking to hire for internships and/or full-time opportunities are encouraged to work with the Center for Career and Professional Success to post openings via Handshake.
Gain Experiences & Discover Your Passion
Opportunities to become fully engaged in an experience are instrumental to discovering your passion. Internships will give you the experience you need to differentiate yourself from other candidates, support your career goals, contribute to your skill set and determine how your career exploration process and focus may need to be modified to support your long-term goals. Employers are looking for graduates that have already taken the next step to becoming professionals in their field.
Internship Spotlight
NetJets Design and Workplace
Fabian Perez
Fabian joined the Corporate Real Estate department working with the Design and Workplace team at NetJets, the world's largest private jet company.
Internship & Education Abroad Spotlight
Working and Learning in Sorrento, Italy
Mia Kobylinski
Mia studied and worked abroad in Sorrento, Italy, interning at JK Studios.
Internship Spotlight
Bath & Body Work's Store Design and Construction
Madison Keyse
Madison joined Bath & Body Work's Store Design and Construction team and dove deep into retail design.
Internship Spotlight
NetJets Design and Workplace
Fabian Perez
Fabian joined the Corporate Real Estate department working with the Design and Workplace team at NetJets, the world's largest private jet company.
Internship & Education Abroad Spotlight
Working and Learning in Sorrento, Italy
Mia Kobylinski
Mia studied and worked abroad in Sorrento, Italy, interning at JK Studios.
Internship Spotlight
Bath & Body Work's Store Design and Construction
Madison Keyse
Madison joined Bath & Body Work's Store Design and Construction team and dove deep into retail design.
Student Achievement Data
2018-2019 Academic Year
- Job Placement: 92%
- Graduate Program Acceptance: 100% of students who applied.
- 4-Year Graduation Rate: TBD
- Retention: 100% of the students enrolled during the previous academic year returned.
2017-2018 Academic Year
- Job Placement: 87%
- Graduate Program Acceptance: 100% of students who applied.
- 4-Year Graduation Rate: 80%
- Retention: 100% of the students enrolled during the previous academic year returned.
CIDA Accreditation Status
The interior design program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Design 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 Science in Design granted by The Ohio State Univieristy 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/eligibility-requirements.
The state of Ohio does not currently require licensure or registration, to work as an Interior Designer. If you plan to pursue licensure or registration in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure and registration and state licensing board contact information at go.osu.edu/onground. Many other states do already, or are working towards, requirements to attend CIDA accredited programs and/or passing the NCIDQ.
Career Prospects in Interior Design
Students graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Design take positions with design consulting offices, corporate design departments, and government design agencies. Interior designers often work with architects, building owners and managers, furniture dealers and manufacturers, and contractors to plan and organize the elements of space for effective environments.
The work of design occurs in either the context of consultant design, where independent design firms provide services to clients, or in the context of corporate, governmental, or non-governmental/not-for-profit design, where design services are provided within an organization.
Consultant design offices can be as small as one person -- an office of 15-20 people is considered relatively large -- and the largest might employ 100 or more. Consultant offices may specialize in one design discipline, or even a subcategory of that specialty. Consultant offices can also be multidisciplinary, and employ designers from all categories, as well as engineers, researchers, marketing and human factors experts, etc.
Corporate design groups exist in all major industries, and employ designers of all disciplines. Organizations with large corporate facilities often maintain an internal interior design department.
Design offers many opportunities for a challenging career. Many designers begin with project work, and advance to research, coordination and management. Planning activities often place designers in the role of analyzing business trends, and establishing strategic goals for design activities. Many organizations value the contributions designers make to their businesses, and provide good opportunities for advancement.
Who hired our graduates?
- Wellogy
- Continental Office
- Big Red Rooster / JLL
- Loomis Companies
- Windstar Homes
- Hellyer Lewis Smith, Inc.
- Perkins&Will
- NetJets
- DLR Group
- Anne Rogers Interiors
- RCF Group
- Corgan
- MKSK
- E4H Environments for Health Architecture
- Dhospitality
- Design Collective
- Fanning Howey
- M+A Architects
- Hyatt Regency Columbus
- Unispace
- Total Warehouse Solutions
- Design Collective
- BHDP Architecture
- Chute Gerdeman
- BHDP Architecture
- AECOM
- M+A Architects
- IKEA
- Lower
- Granaz Group
- Gensler
- Payne & Tompkins Design Renovations
- M+A Architects
- The Bellepoint Company
- Big Red Rooster, a JLL company
- BHDP Architecture
- Continental Office
- Element Design Build Remodel
- Knowlton School of Architecture
- Hamilton Parker
- WSA
- Vocon
- Copper Run
- EXA E&C
- Kimberly O Design
- Continental Office
- Sedgwick
- King Business Interiors
- Sketch Blue
- Lbrands
- Unispace
- Design Group
- Moody Nolan
- TRIAD Architects
- Design Collective
- SHYFT Collective
- M+A Architects
- Distinctive Residential Design
- LMH Architecture
- Tim O'Neil & Associates
- Burgess & Niple
- WD Partners
- Stephanie Schlegel Design
- WSA
- FITCH
- Chute Gerdeman
- TRIAD Architects
- SHP Architecture & Design
- WD Partners
- Chute Gerdeman
- IEE Council on International Educational Exchange
- Chemical Abstract Services
- Stratos Innovation Group
- Continental Office
- The Prestige Group
- Mitsch Design
- Judith Politi
- Francescas Interior Design Studio
- Gensler
- DesignGroup
- Shrekshock
- RRM Design Group
- D Hospitality
Professional Organizations
Professional organizations play an important role in the development of design disciplines and provide valuable resources to their student and professional members. The following organizations are all relevant to Interior Design.
International Interior Design Association (IIDA)
American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES)
Retail Design Institute (RDI)
Society for Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD)
The American Institute of Architects (AIA)
Learn more in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook
Alumni Spotlight: Paul Benson
BSD - Interior Design, 2009
- Principal Designer, Primate Studio
Paul Benson’s work spans a wide spectrum of environments, both physical and digital. His Emmy Award winning work often includes broadcast news set designs, events, and tour experiences. He cares about improving spaces, places, and experiences. Paul Benson is the principal designer at Primate Studio, based in New York City.