How to Choose the Best Interior Designer College

Once you have made a decision to enroll in an interior designer college near Green Bay WI, it's time to start the process of choosing a school. Even if you have always had a talent for designing commercial or residential interiors, it's important that you get the appropriate training to put your talents to work. And since several states do mandate that interior designers become licensed, depending on your state of residence you could need preparation to pass a licensing examination as well. So it's crucial that you perform the proper research so that you can analyze and compare each college that you are looking at before you make your final selection. But exactly where do you start? Many prospective students will launch their research by searching for interior design colleges near their residence and then comparing tuition costs. While location and cost are relevant variables when making a decision, they should not be the sole ones. Qualifiers such as reputation and accreditation should be considered as well. We will discuss those issues and other important questions that you must ask the interior design schools you are interested in later in this article. But first, let's cover a little bit more about what interior design is and what degree and training choices are available.

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Interior Design and Interior Decoration

Many people confuse interior design for interior decoration. The key difference between them is the amount of training required. Any person can do business as an interior decorator if they possess a general knowledge of or a talent for decorating interior areas. However, working as an interior designer necessitates formal training and in numerous states one must have an accredited Associate or Bachelor's Degree as well as be licensed. Interior designers are educated to make work or living spaces attractive as well as functional. On many occasions they may team up with building engineers and architects. There are 2 broad categories that an interior designer in Green Bay WI may specialize in:

• Residential Design. Interior Designers typically work on existing homes as well as new construction. They can design basically any area of the home, including bedrooms, basements and closets. Or they can specialize in designing one particular room, such as kitchens or bathrooms.
• Commercial Design. When dealing with commercial or public spaces, designers frequently concentrate predominantly on either aesthetic appeal or functionality but pay attention to both. For instance, business meeting rooms and reception areas are spaces where aesthetics may be focused on over function. Designs for banks and hospitals might focus more on functionality over looks as the primary concern.

There are many areas of residential and commercial interior design that a designer must learn, including color schemes, lighting, acoustics and furniture. They have to be able to use graphic design and read blue prints in order to create their visions. From picking carpeting and wall paper to incorporating Feng shui concepts, Green Bay Wisconsin interior designers employ a wide variety of skills that help bring about their ultimate creations.
 

Interior Design Training Programs

There are four degree options offered in interior design to get the training needed to start your new profession in Green Bay WI. Your choice will no doubt be motivated by your career goals as well as the time and money that you have to commit to your education. But no matter which degree program you opt to enroll in, make certain to pick one that is accredited. Accreditation is needed in order to take the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination mandated in several states. More will be discussed on additional benefits of accreditation later. Following are brief descriptions of the interior design degrees that are available.

• Associate Degree. Associate degrees in interior design furnish the minimum level of education required to enter the field. They take about 2 years to complete and programs are offered at a number of Wisconsin trade schools and junior colleges. Graduates can commonly qualify for entry level positions as design assistants.
• Bachelor's Degree. Bachelor's degrees are 4 year programs that deliver more extensive training than the Associate Degree. They deal with the creative and technical aspects of the business needed to become a designer. They are the lowest credential needed by a graduating student in order to obtain an entry level job as an interior designer.
• Master's Degree. These 2 year programs supply advanced design training after attaining the Bachelor's Degree. Master's Degrees provide choices in specialized majors in general areas such as residential bathrooms or business offices. A number of students enroll to enhance their skills to be more competitive in their careers.
• Doctorate Degree. Doctoral programs are primarily for those professionals who wish to teach interior design at a college or university level. The degree programs vary in length but are usually completed in three to five years.

In order to work as a professional and adopt the title of "Interior Designer", a number of states mandate that graduates of accredited schools become licensed. In several instances, 2 or more years of field experience may be required before an applicant can take the licensing exam.

Why Study to Become an Interior Designer?

There are many options available to you once you graduate and enter the field of interior design.  If you’ve got an entrepreneurial spirit you may become self-employed and open your own interior design shop. You might also work for a small or larger design firm. Designers have careers creating interiors for businesses, hospitals, government buildings, as well as private residences. Rarely is a design career a 9 to 5 job. You’ll need to be flexible, patient, and persistent to get your career off the ground. But you will have the opportunity to earn an attractive income as well as the personal satisfaction of creating beautiful living and working spaces.

Questions to Ask Interior Design Colleges

When you have decided on the interior designer degree that you would like to earn, you can begin the task of evaluating your college options. Location will be an important issue, especially if the campus must be within driving distance from your Green Bay WI home. Obviously if you are interested in attending an online school, or are able to move to attend classes, then location might not be a qualification. The cost of tuition will narrow down your choices also. But picking the most affordable school or the one that is nearest to your residence are not the optimal ways to make your decision. There are other factors that you should look at as well, such as the accreditation and reputation of the college. Following are a few questions that you may want to address with the programs you are reviewing to obtain those answers as well as others in order to help you examine and ultimately choose the right degree program.

Is the Interior Design School Accredited? It's important to make sure that the interior designer program and college that you enroll in has earned accreditation from either a national or regional agency. One of the most highly regarded in the industry is the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Schools receiving accreditation from the NASAD have gone through an extensive evaluation of their programs and instructors. Just verify that both the college and the degree program have been accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Not only will it help confirm that the reputation of the college and the quality of the education are excellent, it may also help when applying for financial assistance or a student loan. Often they are not available for non-accredited colleges. Also, a number of Green Bay Wisconsin employers will only hire graduates of accredited colleges for entry level jobs.

Does the School Prepare you for Licensing? As we previously mentioned, several States do require that interior designers get licensed. This would necessitate a passing score on the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination as well as a degree from an accredited college. And in several of those States calling for licensing, two or more years of professional experience may be required as well. Therefore besides furnishing an exceptional education, the Green Bay WI college you select should also provide the proper instruction to pass the NCIDQ examination and fulfill the minimum licensing requirements for Wisconsin or the State where you will be employed.

What is the College's Job Placement Rate? After you have graduated and obtained your interior designer certification, you will undoubtedly want some assistance in finding your first position. Ask the programs that you are considering if they have a job placement program. If so, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher rate is an excellent indication that the college and its programs are held in high esteem within the interior design profession and its graduates are sought after. It may also indicate that the college has a large network of Green Bay WI business connections where they can refer students to secure internships or employment after graduation.

Is Financial Aid Available? Contact the financial aid offices for the Green Bay WI schools you are reviewing and find out what kind of assistance they offer. Many of interior design schools provide financial assistance to their incoming students. Certain schools offer partial scholarships and others provide help in acquiring federal student loans or grants. Again it must be stressed that enrolling in an accredited program is imperative for qualification in most cases. Often a college that has a higher tuition may actually be cheaper than its counterparts because they provide more generous financial assistance.

How Small are the Classes? Small classes are more personal and conducive to personalized instruction. If classes are larger, you probably will receive little individual instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Green Bay WI colleges you are reviewing what their average student to teacher ratios are. If convenient from your Green Bay home, go to the campus and sit in on a couple of classes. Take the opportunity to talk with some students and find out what their experiences have been. Ask the instructors what their teaching styles are and what their credentials are in interior design.

Are Classes Accessible that Fit your Schedule? Finally, verify that the interior designer program you enroll in offers classes the fit your hectic schedule. This is particularly significant if you will continue working while going to college. If you can only go to classes in the evening or on weekends near Green Bay WI, make certain that those classes are available. If working full-time means you can only attend part-time, verify that is an option also. Finally, check what the procedure is for making up classes missed because of work, sickness or family obligations.

Enroll in the Best Interior Design School near Green Bay Wisconsin

Picking the ideal interior design college is a crucial initial step toward starting your career in this artistic and rewarding occupation. Locating a college where you will receive your training and develop your skills in a particular area of study is a challenging task regardless of what field you have decided on. As with any undertaking to receive a higher education, there are a number of things to think about before selecting a school, program, or course. At a minimum, confirm that the program and design college are both accredited and highly respected in the profession. However it is still important that you perform your due diligence analysis. By doing so and following the balance of the recommendations presented in this article, you will be able to effectively evaluate and compare interior design programs so that you can make the right final selection. And with superior training and your desire to succeed, you can reach your goal of becoming an interior designer in Green Bay Wisconsin.