Although there is not an interior design school ranking, per say, there are certain qualities that make one design school a better choice over another one.  For instance, if an interior design school is not accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design in the USA or by a similar organization in other countries, then the school should not be considered at all.  In addition, it is a good idea to see how competitive a particular school is because that probably shows which schools have the best programs and attract the best students and faculty.  Some interior design firms will also support some of the best schools by holding contests as well as providing internship positions for top students, which shows that these firms consider the school one of the best or they would not want to hire students from that school.

Another requirement that students should look for is whether the school has an interior design graduate school so that they do not have to change schools should they want to specialize further in their education before starting their career in interior design.Interior design graduate schools provide the specialty areas that students are most interested in, usually providing classes combined with internships to allow students to apply what they learn in gaining their Master’s degrees.

Undergraduate Degrees

Before students can get into interior design graduate schools they must have completed the two year certificate degree and the four year Bachelor’s degree in interior design.  In the best schools, the first two years are spent learning the basics of interior design so that the foundation is there on which to apply the skills in the real world.  Once the certificate degree is gained then students can go on to pursue the Bachelor’s degree for the next two years, wherein they are usually continuing to take some classes as well as participate in internships where they can take on real projects in conjunction with other students and learn from the real world environment. This also helps them to build their portfolios and to start deciding what they want their specialty to be, so that if they decide to go to interior design graduate school they will have a focus of study.

There are different specialties that interior design graduate schools offer in both residential and commercial interior design.  These specialties can have to do with a particular type of design, such as modernism, or it can be particular rooms in houses or businesses such as kitchens or bathrooms.

There are many different qualities to look for in the best interior design schools today.  Whether the education desired is a certificate, undergraduate or graduate interior design school degree, the basic qualities of the best interior design schools are the same across the board.  The application process to get into these schools can be quite a competitive process, especially if the school is one which popular interior design firms hire out of on a regular basis, so it is important that individuals have all of their work and background education in order before applying to the schools.

Searching and Applying

Every one of the best interior design schools are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design in the United States and by similar organizations if in other countries.  If a school is not accredited it should be avoided altogether.  The accreditation process insures that all students will receive a quality and uniform interior design education at that school.  The best interior design schools usually provide for a two year certificate program where the basic interior design concepts are taught and applied on a small scale basis.  The next two to four years are spent in class and internship experiences where students have the opportunity to choose real projects to work on in conjunction with other students and faculty so that they gain more experience in a ’safe’ environment with a lot of support.  This allows them to build their portfolio of work so that it is easier to get hired after receiving their degrees since companies can observe their previous work and talk to references.

The application process for the best interior design schools can be quite arduous.  Every school has its own requirements so it is best to go to the schools catalogue and application’s office to find out what the specific requirements are for that particular school.  However, like many schools, the transcripts of previous educational experience are evaluated for admission as well as the application information for that school.  In addition, there is usually an entrance essay in which the students will need to express why he or she wants to go to that particular school for interior design and why the school should choose him or her for entrance into that school.  Many of the best interior design schools will also require a portfolio of work to be presented before admission, usually of different fine arts materials, but most have specific requirements for the portfolio or work, which may require that individuals spend some time getting the portfolio up to date.

When deciding to go into the field of interior design, individuals want to find the best interior design schools in the country, or even the world, so that their education is the best it can possibly be and they can be hired quickly to start their careers after school.  There are several different qualities to look for in top interior design schools, the first of which is whether they are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.  If a school is not accredited, it should be thrown out immediately as a choice of interior design schools since a degree from that school would mean nothing without being accredited.  Accreditation means that a school has met the minimum standards set by the NASAD in terms of its faculty and curriculum to assure that every student will get a quality interior design education at that school no matter what degree he or she pursues.

Top Schools

In looking for a top interior design school, after accreditation, individuals should look at top interior design firms and see what schools they host students from and what schools they will host contests within since those schools are the ones that these firms consider top interior design schools.  Another thing to look for is whether the faculty at a given school is still active in practicing interior design or if they are only teachers of the concepts.  The best interior design education will be gained from teachers who are actively in the field of interior design on a regular basis.

In addition, top interior design schools usually provide a solid foundation during the first two years of school in the basic concepts of interior design.  After that time, which would provide a certificate in interior design, the school usually will move into more of an internship program where students will continue to take classes but will also start to take on more and more complex interior design projects in conjunction with other students under the supervision of faculty so that they gain real life experience that they can use to build their portfolios.  This gives students the real world experience and application of the concepts that they have learned in a structured environment and allows them to start deciding on their specialty, especially if they are going to pursue a Master’s degree in interior design.  Students looking for the top interior design schools should also look at what types of specialties are offered by a particular school to see if they can use that school for their entire schooling or if they would have to change schools to complete their specialty.