Bachelor of Interior Architecture (BIA)
Fully Accredited
Marywood University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSHE).
The Bachelor of Interior Architecture (BIA) is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Our graduates are eligible to take the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam.
While Pennsylvania does not license interior designers and therefore does not require the NCIDQ certification to practice interior designer, most other states do. View more information about interior design licensure in the US »
Design a Fascinating Career with an Interior Architecture Degree
The four-year professional bachelor’s degree in Interior Architecture (BIA) is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The Interior Architecture degree is intended for students who will pursue a career as a licensed interior architect/designer or advanced study in the field of interior architecture. To become a licensed interior architect, most states require completion of an accredited degree, experience hours, and National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exams administered by the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ).
Students who have completed the BIA program and wish to continue their studies at Marywood are eligible for 41 credits of advanced standing in the Master of Interior Architecture program.
Focused on acquiring the skills needed to design interiors, buildings, and their environments, this accredited degree option trains students to create the specific character of spaces for human use and enjoyment. Interior architects must understand the important role of materials, colors, textures, and light in the creation of interior spaces that respond to the physical, social, psychological, and cultural needs of building inhabitants.
Interior Architecture students benefit from a professional curriculum that requires:
- Eight sequential semesters of design studios steadily growing in complexity from beginning studio to a comprehensive interior design project
- Building science courses covering topics in building systems, environmental science, and renewable energy sources
- Hybrid representation courses, including skill building in animation, digital and physical model making, digital rendering, fabrication, and hand drawing
- History and theory courses that explore the different influences that have shaped the built environment
- Program electives ranging from furniture design to urban ecologies
- Semester abroad in Italy studying with ISI Florence (International Studies Institute) in the Palazzo Rucellai
My time in Marywood’s Interior Architecture program taught me how to take control of my future given the opportunities at hand. One such opportunity was helping to launch the "A Student's Perspective" webcast with Professor Stephen Garrison in 2018. Throughout the 4+ seasons of the webcast I have learned not only professional communication skills but it has also taken me to many industry events throughout New York City, North Carolina and Las Vegas where all of the hosts have built a network of industry connections and advisors.
Natalia Colasurdo '20 Read All Testimonials
Design Your Future 2024
An Architecture + Design Summer 2024 Program
Design your Future Program 2024 will be housed in the Center for Architectural Studies at Marywood University. Students will be assigned individual desks and will have the opportunity of using the same spaces as our undergraduate and graduate students.
Students enrolled in the program will have the opportunity of seeing in action various laboratories and shops (wood / metal / 3D printing / CNC router / laser cutting / etc.). This program is designed with the desire of an immersive experience, engaging students in a number of demonstrations anchored to the Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Construction Management Programs.
Outcomes & Opportunities
Top Employers
- Architecture Firms
- Construction
- Event Management Companies
- Film Industries
- Retailers
- Museums
Top Career Paths
- Interior Architect
- Architectural Designer
- Industrial Designer
- Project Manager
- Stage and Film Set Designer
- Urban Designer
- Video Game Environment Designer
Dig Deeper Into the Program Details
If you have any questions about this program, we're here to help.
Undergraduate Admissions Requirements
- Completed application
- Official transcripts
- Letter of recommendation
- Official SAT and/or ACT test scores (Marywood is test optional)
- Essay (optional)
School of Architecture Classrooms
Map & Directions
The School of Architecture is a state-of-the-art example of sustainable design. It's a spacious, adaptive re-use of Marywood's former gymnasium and natatorium.
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Center for Architectural Studies
201 Morgan RoadMap & Directions
The School of Architecture is housed in this spacious adaptation of Marywood's former gymnasium. The building features a variety of green components, including a vegetative roof and an innovative heating and cooling system that utilizes geothermal energy from abandoned mine shafts beneath campus.
Learn More | Take a Virtual Tour
Morris K. Udall Scholarship
The Udall Foundation seeks future leaders across a wide spectrum of environmental fields, including policy, engineering, science, education, urban planning and renewal, business, health, justice, and economics. The Foundation also seeks future Native American and Alaska Native leaders in public and community health care, tribal government, and public policy affecting Native American communities, including land and resource management, economic development, and education.
View Tuition RatesDing, Dr. Liyang
- Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies
- Assistant Professor
- lding@marywood.edu
- 570-961-4539
Berman, Joshua David
- Director, Center for Urban Studies
- Assistant Professor of Practice
- jberman@marywood.edu
- x2310
Brakefield, Amy L
- Lecturer
Interior Architecture Student Work
From #DayOne, Marywood is here for you each step of the way.
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Fully Accredited
Marywood University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSHE).
The Bachelor of Interior Architecture (BIA) is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Our graduates are eligible to take the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam.
While Pennsylvania does not license interior designers and therefore does not require the NCIDQ certification to practice interior designer, most other states do. View more information about interior design licensure in the US »
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