Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Interior Designers
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at John C Calhoun State Community College, Chattahoochee Valley Community College, UA, and Auburn.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Auburn.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Chattahoochee Valley Community College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Chattahoochee Valley Community College, John C Calhoun State Community College, and Wallace State.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Samford University, Auburn, UA, and Chattahoochee Valley Community College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Samford University, UA, Auburn, and Wallace State.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Auburn, Samford University, and UA.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Samford University, Auburn, and UA.
Working as an Interior Designer in Alabama
Interior designers design and renovate living spaces in residential homes, hotels, shopping malls, airports, restaurants, schools, retail stores, and theaters. They deal with fixtures, fittings, lighting, color schemes, and furnishings to improve the aesthetic value of the space. Read a detailed job description and schools overview for Interior Designers.
Interior designers working in Alabama can get educational and professional assistance by becoming members of the International Interior Design Association Alabama Chapter.
State Requirements
Interior designers in the State of Alabama are required to be licensed by the Alabama State Board of Registration for Interior Design. In order to get this license, candidates must:
- Complete at least 6 years of education and experience, including 2 years of post secondary education
- Pass the licensing exam of National Council for Interior Design Qualification
Major Industries
Most interior designers work for creative firms or architectural and engineering support practices. The major industries offering employment in Alabama include:
- Architectural and Engineering Services
- Specialized Design Services
- Furniture Stores
- Aerospace Product & Parts Manufacturing
- Building Material and Supplies Dealers
- Colleges and Universities
- Department Stores
Major Employers
Major employers of interior designers in Alabama include:
- Auburn University (Colleges and Universities)
- Wal-Mart Supercenter (Department Stores)
- Information Engineering (Architectural and Engineering Services)
- Southern Phenix Textiles Inc (Specialized Design Services)
- Ace Hardware (Building Material and Supplies Dealers)
- Goodrich Aerospace (Aerospace Product & Parts Manufacturing)
- Old Time Pottery (Furniture Stores)
- Buchanan Lumber (Home Furnishings Stores)
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
Central Michigan University • Mount Pleasant, AL
Studying Interior Design (completion in 2009)
• 5/8/2011
"The school was average, not good not bad. Beyond my interior design classes my education was mediocre."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would warn them that there is not much support from the university, however the professors and the program make the experience completely worth it if you are serious about the profession. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | For how well put together the program is, the university did not do much to support it. Many students in other majors were surprised to find out we had an interior design program. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The Interior Design program was interesting and challenging. The only shortcomings were due to lack of funding from the university. |
| Instruction | 9 | All of my professors were extremely intelligent and talented in their fields. They gave a broad perspective of the design field. |
| How Difficult | 9 | The work was extremely detailed and complex. Our projects included challenges such as renovating a four-story restaurant and creating a day-time inter-generational center for the elderly and school aged children. There was not much time for anything else beyond school, and it took a lot of dedication and commitment to get through the program. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Almost all of our classes were project-oriented and focused on current trends in the industry. I had very few lecture classes, and even those involved creating realistic project plans, such as electrical wiring layouts for lighting and mechanical classes and installing cork flooring in our materials class. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | It was not flexible at all. I actually had to take only one class my last semester because it was only available in the fall and there was only one class. There were also no options to take online classes for my major. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Our CAD lab did not have enough computers, and our resources were outdated. We also did not have adequate drafting tables. |
| Social Life | 8 | I met some of the best friends I've ever had and have made excellent memories. I was not too involved in university events though, there just wasn't enough time. |
| Placement Services | 6 | There are some job leads provided via e-mail, however graduates have to find their own jobs and many are still unemployed that I know of. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | There is not much support for the program after graduation. Individual alumni are supportive, however there is no network affiliation through the university. |
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