The term interior design is often confused with interior decoration. Interior design is a field complementary to architecture that involves space planning, designing and selecting materials, lighting and furnishings for all types of commercial and residential interiors. The best interior design schools offer not only a rigorous curriculum, but have a strong industry reputation and business partnerships.
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati's interior design program addresses interior space planning and experiential space sequences to complete a comprehensive five-year Bachelor of Science. The interior design program at the University of Cincinnati has been recognized in major design trade publications, such as Design Intelligence, as having one of the top programs in the nation.
Parsons The New School for Design in New York, NY
Founded in 1896, Parson's School of Design created one of the first U.S. interior design programs. Students work with a faculty of top professional designers at the school's Greenwich Village location of Manhattan to create comprehensive building space solutions, according to Parsons. The design school's current partnerships include Target, Kiehl's and Samsung.
Pratt Institute
With almost 5,000 students, the Brooklyn-based Pratt Institute is regarded as one of the nation's top design schools by Business Week. Students have the opportunity to study interior design as an integral element of the built environment: shaping space as well as planning and furnishing it with New York City as an inspiring backdrop, according to Pratt. Pratt offers a BFA in Interior Design.
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