Bachelor of Science in Interior Design
The Interior Design program prepares students for careers in interior design and closely related industries. The program is structured through a holistic approach to designing that integrates industry standards as well as scientific and experimental methods which all serve to develop broad student skill sets and professionalism. As San Francisco State University is located in close proximity to a dynamic design center, the program is able to foster additional experiential learning through utilization of these resources in addition to our own.
The program focuses on both residential and commercial interior design and includes curricula that build on rigor within the transition from foundational courses through advanced-level practicum courses. Program study includes a culminating experience within the final semester of study, the Senior Thesis Project.
Students earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design are equipped to engage in entry-level interior design practice and are eligible to sit for the IDEX California Exam immediately upon graduation.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Students will exhibit technical and professional interior design graphic communication skill sets and abilities.
- Students will plan interior design solutions considering individual and family needs including health, wellness, and lifecycle changes.
- Students will plan interiors considering cost analysis and construction methods and approaches.
- Students will develop design process methods that include application of theory, current methods and technologies, and understanding of diversity and global needs.
- Students will consider sustainability and eco-sensitivity within interior design study and solutions.
- Students will exhibit the ability to research, investigate, synthesize and apply findings to the interior design solutions.
- Students will identify and evaluate issues of social responsibility, professional behavior, and ethics.
Mandatory Advising
Interior Design majors must meet with their program advisor to discuss a Graduation Plan which outlines their individual course sequence. Students who wish to substitute credits earned at another institution for courses offered for the major at SF State must get approval from their major advisor and the Department Chair.
Writing Competence
Writing skills are necessary for success in the major. ID 340GW should be taken at the beginning of the sequence of upper-division ID courses, which fulfills the Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR).
Interior Design (B.S.) — 54 units
The major includes 6 units of prerequisite work and 48 units of additional major courses. A prescribed sequence of courses must be adhered to as some classes are offered only in the fall or spring semesters. Students should check Bulletin descriptions for prerequisites to individual courses.
All major courses (core and elective) must be passed with a letter grade of C– or better. CR/NC is not allowed.
Core Requirements (45 units)
Courses must be passed with a C– or better; CR/NC is not allowed.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ADM 260 | Textiles | 3 |
| FCS 600 | Professional Development | 3 |
| ID 240 | Color and Design | 3 |
| ID 242 | Interior Design Graphic Communication I | 3 |
| ID 244 | Heritage of Housing and Interior Design (formerly ID 342) | 3 |
| ID 245 | Contemporary Design in Housing and Interiors | 3 |
| ID 340GW | Human Dimensions in Housing and Interiors - GWAR | 3 |
| ID 343 | Housing for People with Special Needs | 3 |
| ID 345 | Interior Design Graphic Communication II | 3 |
| ID 440 | The Housing Structure and Its Component Parts | 3 |
| ID 445 | Professional Practices for Interior Design | 3 |
| ID 540 | The Materials of Interior Design | 3 |
| ID 640 | Interior Design Solutions - Residential | 3 |
| ID 641 | Interior Design Solutions - Commercial | 3 |
| ID 645 | Advanced Interior Design Solutions | 3 |
Electives (9 units)
Must be passed with a C- or better; CR/NC is not allowed. Select three of the following with the approval of an advisor:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ADM 569 | Visual Merchandising and Promotion | 3 |
| ARTH 201 | Western Art History I | 3 |
| ARTH 202 | Western Art History II | 3 |
| ART 210 | Introduction to Digital Media Arts | 3 |
| ART 222 | Introduction to Textile Art | 3 |
| ART 231 | Introduction to Drawing | 3 |
| ART 260 | Introduction to the Darkroom | 3 |
| DES 210 | Our Manufactured World: The Life Cycle of Everyday Objects | 3 |
| DES 220 | Introduction to Drawing for Designers | 3 |
| DES 221 | Introduction to 3D Digital Design | 3 |
| DES 222 | Digital Design Foundations I | 3 |
| DES 256 | Design and Society: Contemporary Design Issues and Applications | 3 |
| DES 300 | Design Process | 3 |
| ENVS 130 | Environmental Studies | 3 |
| FCS 543 | Sustainability in the Textile, Housing, and Food Industries | 3 |
| FCS 685 | Projects in Teaching of Family Interiors Nutrition & Apparel | 3 |
| FCS 699 | Independent Study | 1-3 |
| GEOG 455 | Geography of Ethnic Communities | 3 |
| HTM 110 | Introduction to Hospitality and Tourism Management | 3 |
| HUM 375 | Biography of a City: United States Cities | 3 |
| HUM 376 | San Francisco | 3 |
| ID/ADM 366 | Forecasting Apparel and Interior Design Trends | 3 |
| MKTG 431 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| USP/PLSI 580 | Housing Policy and Planning | 3 |
General Education Requirements
| Requirement | Course Level | Units | Area Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Communication | LD | 3 | A1 |
| Written English Communication | LD | 3 | A2 |
| Critical Thinking | LD | 3 | A3 |
| Physical Science | LD | 3 | B1 |
| Life Science | LD | 3 | B2 |
| Lab Science | LD | 1 | B3 |
| Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning | LD | 3 | B4 |
| Arts | LD | 3 | C1 |
| Humanities | LD | 3 | C2 |
| Arts or Humanities | LD | 3 | C1 or C2 |
| Social Sciences | LD | 3 | D1 |
| Social Sciences: US History | LD | 3 | D2 |
| Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (LLD) | LD | 3 | E |
| Ethnic Studies | LD | 3 | F |
| Physical and/or Life Science | UD | 3 | UD-B |
| Arts and/or Humanities | UD | 3 | UD-C |
| Social Sciences | UD | 3 | UD-D |
| SF State Studies | |||
| Courses certified as meeting the SF State Studies requirements may be upper or lower division in General Education (GE), a major or minor, or an elective. | |||
| American Ethnic and Racial Minorities | LD or UD | 3 | AERM |
| Environmental Sustainability | LD or UD | 3 | ES |
| Global Perspectives | LD or UD | 3 | GP |
| Social Justice | LD or UD | 3 | SJ |
Note: LD = Lower-Division; UD = Upper-Division.
First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)
- The roadmaps presented in this Bulletin are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor. For a more personalized roadmap, please use the Degree Planner tool found in your Student Center.
- In order to choose your English Composition A2 course and your QR/Math B4 course, please complete the online advising activities at writingadvising.sfsu.edu and mathadvising.sfsu.edu. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.
General Advising Information for Transfer Students
- Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
- The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
- a course in U.S. History
- a course in U.S. & California Government
For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.
Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.
Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).
Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.
Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.
Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.
Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs
Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet A1, A2, A3, and B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.
Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.