Interior Architecture, MIA
Advance your practice and become a design leader who shapes the built environment. You'll expand your theoretical knowledge, tackle complex design challenges, engage in transdisciplinary collaborations, and drive interior design practice centered on the common good.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation and professional licensure
The MIA program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accre...
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
The Master of Interior Architecture program is a studio-based offering. In this program, you prepare to become a design leader who addresses pressing environmental, cultural and social challenges through the built environment. Drawing on history, theory and criticism, you develop evidence-based design approaches rooted in design excellence, creative innovation and advanced technical proficiency.
This program goes beyond foundational skills to cultivate strategic thinking and leadership capacity. You address complex design challenges --- including sustainability, adaptive reuse, health equity and community resilience --- and you learn to navigate the intersection of aesthetic, ethical and technical considerations. Through rigorous research and making, you drive interior architecture practice toward greater social impact.
Situated within The Design School, you engage in advanced transdisciplinary collaborations with peers in architecture, urban planning, industrial design and complementary fields. This integrated approach prepares you to lead challenging projects and shape the future of interior environments.
The program welcomes you, whether you have an accredited undergraduate degrees in interior design or architecture, or you come from other disciplines through a preparatory pathway.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
56 credit hours including the required capstone course (INT 622)
Required Core (39 credit hours) Elective (3 credits) Other Requirements (9 credits) Culminating Experience (5 credits) Additional Curriculum Information
INT 519 Designing with Materials (3)
INT 520 Professional Practice for Interior Architecture (2)
INT 521 Advanced Interior Architecture Studio I (5)
INT 522 Advanced Interior Architecture Studio II (5)
INT 527 Contemporary Design Theory (3)
INT 529 Design Criticism (3)
INT 541 Codes and Building Regulations (1)
INT 547 Sustainability in Interior Architecture (3)
INT 550 Environmental Systems of Interior Architecture (3)
INT 554 Construction Documents for Interior Architecture (3)
INT 558 Lighting Design (3)
INT 621 Advanced Interior Architecture Studio III (5)
Design Professional Elective (3)
DSC 598 Topic: Principles of Collaboration in Design (3)
INT 584 Internship (3) or Professional Design Elective (3)
INT 650 Diversity and Design (3)
INT 622 Advanced Interior Architecture Studio IV (5)
For Other Requirements, students take three credit hours each of DSC 598 Topic: Principles of Collaboration in Design (3) and INT 598 Topic: Diversity and Design (3). Students complete the three remaining credit hours by enrolling in an internship through INT 584 Internship or selecting a professional design elective. Electives should be selected in consultation with the program advisor.
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Perform professional-level tasks during their internship, including drafting, collaboration, and technical proficiency appropriate for design practice, as identified by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation.
- Synthesize iterative ideas and design concepts into plans for built works to meet professional standards and The Design School Design Imperatives (History, Context, Program, Technology, Construction, Representation).
- Create collaborative relationships that support dynamic co-creation in design learning and constructive outcomes in design creation.
Perform professional-level tasks during their internship, including drafting, collaboration, and technical proficiency appropriate for design practice, as identified by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation.Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information The Design School requires that the letter of intent, portfolio, resume or CV, and contact information for professional references be submitted via SlideRoom; the applicant also must complete the Graduate College application requirements. https://asudesign.slideroom.com/#/Login In the letter of intent, applicants should explain their motivation for pursuing the program and future goals in the field, briefly describing their background and the experiences and qualifications that make them a suitable candidate. The portfolio should be a curated collection of the candidate's design works, projects and creations that visually represent their skills, creativity, design sensibilities and ability to conceptualize, innovate and effectively communicate design ideas. Applicants must submit contact information for two professional references. These can be current or past faculty members, professional mentors, supervisors, or community leaders or elders. Admission to the program is selective and cannot be deferred. Students must enroll in the semester for which they are admitted; otherwise, they must repeat the entire application process. Applicants may be admitted to the two-year program with additional required coursework if their previous coursework is not equivalent to the ASU undergraduate requirements and standards. In this case, the student must complete additional coursework before taking the required courses, which may extend the program duration beyond two years. Admission requirements for the two-year program: Admission requirements for the three-plus-year program:
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
All applicants must have completed a minimum of a bachelor's degree or equivalent in interior design or interior architecture from a Council for Interior Design Accreditation-accredited program or a four-year degree in architecture from a program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board.
All applicants must have completed a minimum of a bachelor's degree or equivalent in a field other than interior design, interior architecture or architecture.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | In Person | 05/01 | Final* |
| Session A/C | In Person | 01/15 | Priority* |
*A final deadline means that all applications and application materials must be received by Admission Services by the deadline date. Applications that are incomplete may not be considered after the final deadline. Applications that are submitted past the final deadline may not be considered.
*A priority deadline means that applications submitted and completed before the priority deadline will receive priority consideration. Applications submitted after the priority deadlines will be reviewed in the order in which they were completed and on a space-available basis. An application is complete after all materials are received by Admission Services.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Graduates are prepared to fill leadership positions in interior architecture, interior design practice and education.
They find employment opportunities with interior design firms, architecture firms, corporations and government entities of all sizes. Firms may specialize in interior design for residential, commercial, retail, hospitality, institutional and health care spaces. Career specialties include historic restoration, branding, sustainability, new product innovation and incorporation of new technology.
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
The Design School
|
CDN 162
designgrad@asu.edu
480-965-3536
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
