Program Philosophy

The philosophy of the undergraduate Interior Architecture and Design program at UNLV has been developed to provide gender-neutral content that provides a broad and rigorous educational experience that builds upon cultural, religious, and ethnic-specific design and design trends. The program merges lecture content and studio-based applications to promote creative thinking, problem-solving, innovative ideations, and evidence-based designs. Student activities and designs demonstrate an understanding of the complex factors relating to human physiology, psychology, and sociology, along with technological advances in computer-aided drawing, building systems, and international commerce. These educational elements are further integrated with an understanding of symbiotic and conflicting relationships between human occupation, global habitability, cultural evolution, and environmental change to make informed decisions.

With an eye to 21st-century opportunities and challenges, the UNLV Interior Architecture and Design curriculum call upon critical thinking skills to address complex design and planning issues. These include interdisciplinary collaborations with assorted professionals within and outside the design professions, the interconnections of science and technology as applied to the built environment, and the ethical, financial, and political effects of international trade and globalization. The Interior Architecture and Design Program at UNLV provides a solid foundation that meets the diverse needs of a first professional degree in Interior Design. The program further serves as an excellent foundation for those wishing to pursue higher education to advance their career or seek an area of specialization in one of the many areas in which interior designers practice.

Program Objectives

Graduates from the Interior Architecture and Design Program will be able to:

1. Recall important historical trends that have influenced the design of interior spaces.
2. Communicate effectively in written, spoken, visual, and digital modes.
3. Apply research data on the human condition to the design of interior spaces.
4. Recall construction methods and materials common to the practice of interior design.
5. Develop an awareness of building systems and the effects of human occupation.
6. Apply life safety codes seamlessly into finished design ideations.
7. Assess wayfinding and space planning measures for their capacity to support successful interactions between people and the designed environment.
8. Understand the symbiotic and conflicting relationships between human behavior, the natural environment, and the designed environment.
9. Develop technical sophistication with software commonly used within the profession of Interior Design.
10. Demonstrate a well-thought-out design that considers science and technology in equal measure.
11. Discuss ethical considerations that practicing interior designers face as part of their daily practice.
12. Convey the interior designer's role as a professional who makes decisions based on informed, responsible, and ethical considerations.