Interior design specializations
Core interior design
General Interior Design
Broad interior design programs covering space planning, drawing, materials, codes, studio projects and professional practice without a single named specialization.
357 verified programs
Interior Architecture
Programs titled interior architecture or with a documented interior-focused curriculum: adaptive reuse of existing buildings, spatial design and construction detailing. An interior architecture degree does not by itself qualify a graduate as an architect.
79 verified programs
Residential Interior Design
Programs with a named focus on residential interiors: housing, kitchens and baths, furnishings and client work for homes.
15 verified programs
Building types and specialist practice
Commercial and Workplace Design
Programs with a named focus on offices, workplaces and commercial interiors.
8 verified programs
Hospitality Design
Programs with a named focus on hotels, restaurants and other hospitality environments.
No verified program yet. A dedicated page is published once research finds one.
Healthcare Interior Design
Programs with a named focus on healthcare, senior-living and wellness environments.
2 verified programs
Retail Design
Programs with a named focus on retail, display and brand environments.
No verified program yet. A dedicated page is published once research finds one.
Sustainable Interior Design
Programs whose stated focus is environmentally responsible interior design, green building standards and healthy interiors.
7 verified programs
Universal and Accessible Design
Programs with a named focus on universal design, accessibility and design for aging in place.
1 verified program
Historic Interiors and Adaptive Reuse
Historic interiors, preservation and adaptive reuse as a named award, concentration or research area.
3 verified programs
Technology, materials and visualization
Lighting Design for Interiors
Lighting design as a named award, concentration or research area. A single lighting module does not make a lighting design program.
2 verified programs
Furniture and Interior Product Design
Furniture design and interior product design as a named award, concentration or research area.
2 verified programs
Materials and Finishes
Interior materials, finishes and textiles as a named concentration or research area.
1 verified program
Kitchen and Bath Design
Kitchen and bath design as a named award or concentration, often within technical or vocational programs.
31 verified programs
Interior Design Technology
Technology-led interior design programs, such as interior design technology associate degrees and building-information-based practice.
9 verified programs
CAD, BIM and Visualization
Computer-aided drafting, building information modeling and rendering as a named program focus.
5 verified programs
Research
Interior Design Research
Research-led study of interior environments at master’s and doctoral level, including human-environment and design doctorates with a documented interior pathway.
11 verified programs
Related: decorating and staging
Related study, not interior design education. Listed separately so a business or marketing degree is never mistaken for a design degree.
Interior Decorating
Decorating programs focused on furnishings, color, accessories and styling of existing rooms. Decorating is a separate field from professional interior design and is labeled that way throughout the directory.
8 verified programs
Home Staging
Programs focused on preparing homes for sale. Related skills training, listed separately from interior design education.
11 verified programs
Design Professional Skills
Structured professional skills training such as design business, software or exam preparation. Related study, not an interior design qualification.
3 verified programs