About

Do you imagine yourself designing living spaces, shopping spaces, or spaces for fun, leisure, and entertainment? Are you creative but yet detail driven? Do you want to influence the future of green design?

The East Carolina University interior design program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), and the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). Our computer-aided design studios, professional mentoring program, and intensive internship experiences add up to state-of-the-art preparation for work in the diverse, competitive, and rewarding field of interior design. Recently recognized by Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) for their scholarship in design education, faculty in our program give students the opportunity to explore their passion for design while preparing them for their future career.

ECU Advantage

Interior Design students at ECU are actively engaged in their studies. Our students are working on projects that have real-world impacts from a North Carolina Indian heritage center to US Marine barracks that help heal our physically and emotionally wounded soldiers. With an expansive network of alumni to pull from, interior design students have a vast array of internship opportunities. And, upon graduation our students are linked to those that came before them to aid in their job search.

As an ECU student, you can research your future career in Steppingblocks. Explore real-world stats about your major, your interests, and your dream job title with data-powered career exploration tools designed for doers like you.

What You Will Study

Program Co-Coordinators: 

The Department of Interior Design and Merchandising offers three concentrations: interior design, interiors merchandising, and fashion merchandising. Students earn a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Interior Design and Fashion Merchandising and encounter a uniquely blended curriculum to prepare them to enter careers that run the spectrum of interior design and merchandising, including clothing, home goods, and hard goods.

The department's mission is to provide students with the skills and knowledge aligned with industry demands for entry into a global and multicultural society and workforce. The Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) is the accrediting body for the interior design concentration. The fashion and interior merchandising concentrations are affiliated with the Textile and Apparel Programs Accreditation Commission (TAPAC).

Students entering the program start with a core set of courses to broaden their knowledge of how living environments and clothing influence each other to help human meet their varying needs. 

Students with a specific interest in fashion merchandising or interiors merchandising may declare their concentration upon entry to the university. Students must maintain a C (2.0) or better in all major courses throughout the program. To register for all 4000-level courses, students must have a minimum overall 2.5 GPA.

Acceptance into the interior design concentration is on a competitive, space-available basis, with admission decisions made in early summer with a fall semester start. To be admitted into the interior design concentration, a portfolio providing evidence of proficiency in studio work must be submitted to the designated interior design instructor after the student has completed a minimum of 30 semester hours (30 s.h.), including the following courses with a minimum grade of B (3.0) or better: IDSN 1180, IDSN 1181, IDSN 1201, IDSN 1202, and an acceptable level of proficiency in studio work as shown in the portfolio review.

Interior design faculty evaluate the submitted portfolios and recommend that students enter professional-level interior design courses. Students need to meet the proficiency level required for the professional-level courses. Students can resubmit a portfolio a maximum of two times. Meeting the minimum standards does not guarantee entry into professional-level classes. Students must maintain a 2.5 GPA or better in all IDSN required courses throughout the program. Students may also choose the interiors merchandising concentration. Interiors merchandising provides students with a more in-depth understanding of the principles of interior design but with the intent of preparing them for positions that align with business acumen in design firms, furniture retailers, and other auxiliary services that support interior designers. 

All students are required to complete at least one internship course. Merchandising concentrations are required to complete two internship experiences. Students are responsible for interviewing and securing their own internship experiences.

The Department of Interior Design and Merchandising reserves the right to retain, exhibit, and reproduce design projects submitted by students for class assignments to comply with accreditation and department requirements. Student work submitted for grades remains with the department until it is returned to the students.

The degree requires a minimum of 120 s.h. as follows:

1. General education requirements including those listed below - 40 s.h.

(For information about courses that carry general education credit view the General Education Program section.)

    All concentrations:
    • MATH 1050 - Explorations in Mathematics or higher general education mathematics course
    • ECON 2113 - Principles of Microeconomics
    • PSYC 1000 - Introductory Psychology
    Interior design concentration:

    Choose two of the following courses: 

    • ARTH 1905 - The Dimensions of Art
    • ARTH 1906 - Art History Survey
    • ARTH 1907 - Art History Survey
2. Core courses - 18 s.h.

Core courses address content relevant to students interested in fashion merchandising, interior design, or interiors merchandising. Coursework prepares students with critical thinking, professional preparedness, and the foundational knowledge to excel in concentrated areas that facilitate creative ideas from design implementation to product delivery.

  • IDFM 1000 - Introduction to Fashion and Interiors
  • IDFM 1200 - Problem Investigation Seminar I
  • IDFM 2100 - Textiles
  • IDFM 2101 - Textiles Laboratory
  • IDFM 2210 - Pre-Professional Seminar
  • IDFM 2215 - Historical Artifacts
  • IDFM 3000 - Internship I
  • IDFM 3200 - Problem Investigation Seminar II
  • IDFM 3300 - Consumer Studies for Fashion and Interiors
3. Concentrations - 30-45 s.h.

Choose one concentration from the following: 

    a. Fashion merchandising concentration - 30 s.h.
    • IDFM 4000 - Internship II
    • MRCH 2239 - Fashion and Culture
    • MRCH 2350 - Merchandising Strategies
    • MRCH 3050 - Apparel Product Development
    • MRCH 3300 - E-Fashion
    • MRCH 3350 - Merchandising Analysis
    • MRCH 3400 - Visual Merchandising, Planning, and Operations
    • MRCH 4300 - Global Economics: Textiles, Apparel, and Interior Furnishing Industries
    • MRCH 4350 - Merchandise, Planning, Buying and Sourcing
    • MRCH 4999 - Merchandising Capstone: Executing the Concept
    b. Interior design concentration - 45 s.h.
    • IDSN 1180 - Interior Design Fundamentals I
    • IDSN 1181 - Interior Design Fundamentals I Laboratory
    • IDSN 1201 - Interior Design Fundamentals II
    • IDSN 1202 - Interior Design Fundamentals II Laboratory
    • IDSN 2101 - Interior Design Communication
    • IDSN 2102 - Interior Design Studio I
    • IDSN 2201 - Interior Design Materials and K&B
    • IDSN 2202 - Interior Design Studio II
    • IDSN 2203 - Historic Interiors
    • IDSN 3101 - Interior Design Systems
    • IDSN 3102 - Interior Design Studio III
    • IDSN 3201 - Interior Design Professional Practice
    • IDSN 3202 - Interior Design Studio IV
    • IDSN 4102 - Interior Design Studio V
    • IDSN 4202 - Interior Design Studio VI
    c. Interiors merchandising concentration - 36 s.h.
    • IDFM 4000 - Internship II
    • IDSN 1180 - Interior Design Fundamentals I
    • IDSN 1181 - Interior Design Fundamentals I Laboratory
    • IDSN 1201 - Interior Design Fundamentals II
    • IDSN 1202 - Interior Design Fundamentals II Laboratory
    • IDSN 3201 - Interior Design Professional Practice
    • MRCH 2350 - Merchandising Strategies
    • MRCH 3300 - E-Fashion
    • MRCH 3350 - Merchandising Analysis
    • MRCH 3400 - Visual Merchandising, Planning, and Operations
    • MRCH 4300 - Global Economics: Textiles, Apparel, and Interior Furnishing Industries
    • MRCH 4999 - Merchandising Capstone: Executing the Concept
4. Minor, certificate, or electives

4a. Fashion merchandising concentrations A minor or certificate is required to complete a concentration in fashion merchandising. 4b. Interiors merchandising concentrations A minor or certificate is required to complete a concentration in interiors merchandising. 4c. All IDFM degree concentrations General electives are required to complete the minimum degree requirement of 120 s.h. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to ensure that chosen general electives will count towards graduation requirements.          

    For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.
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