Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in Design - Interior Environments (Professional Entry-Level)

The mission of the Department of Interior Design in VCU’s School of the Arts is to provide an intellectually rigorous, studio-based experience grounded in the issues of interior architecture. The department develops in its students an enduring passion and curiosity for their work, a determination to continually seek quality in their endeavors, an ability to reflect constructively upon their actions as individuals, and a responsibility for their lifelong education. The department focuses a student’s professional activities while encouraging connections between these activities and a larger forum of ideas that enrich their culture and their environment.The professional entry-level track is a 60-72 credit-hour program for second-degree seekers who have a proven record of academic excellence in a field other than architecture or interior design and are interested in pursuing a career in interior design. The structure of the track echoes the B.F.A. in Interior Design program in content, but advances the student at an accelerated rate during the first year and summer, bringing students parallel with the curriculum of the post-professional track by the second year.The curriculum is highly sequenced, and students are admitted to the program for the fall semester only. All incoming students are required to take part in an intensive workshop in the summer that introduces and develops drawing, presentation skills and an understanding of two- and three-dimensional design methods. Students must successfully pass the workshop with a minimum grade of B to begin the professional entry-level track. Applicants who have an art or design background are strongly encouraged to submit a portfolio for review with their application. PowerPoint is the preferred format for the portfolio. Applicants are also required to submit three letters of recommendation and a three-to-five page writing sample.