UNC Greensboro’s offers the only Interior Architecture and Design (IARc) B.F.A. degree among public universities in North Carolina. This four-year CIDA-accredited, studio-intensive professional program provides more dedicated art and design coursework than many comparable programs, giving you the time and space to develop your creative voice, technical skills, and professional portfolio.
Through hands-on studio experiences, community-engaged design projects, internships, and exposure to professional practice, you’ll learn to design spaces that support people’s health, safety, and well-being. Coursework explores materials, finishes, furnishings, manufactured products, buildings, context, human behavior, and human development, helping you understand how design shapes the built environment. Graduates are well prepared for careers in interior architecture and design and to pursue professional credentials such as the NCIDQ Examination.
Interior Architecture and Design PROGRAM DISTINCTIONS
UNCG’s interior architecture program is accredited by both the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Commonly called IARc on our campus, the program’s faculty regularly receive university-wide teaching and mentorship awards for their dedication to student success.
A key component of the interior architecture program is community-engaged design, which promotes social, psychological, health, and ecological well-being. UNCG students have pitched designs in class projects that have been used in healthcare, hospitality, and consumer spaces in Greensboro, the greater state, and beyond.
In 2024, the cohort’s final project traveled to Charleston, SC to present redesigns of restaurants and suites at Wild Dunes Resort.
“IARc has given me everything I need. Now I just need to believe in myself. I am proud of the education, proud of opportunities I’ve gotten, and proud of the chance to represent UNCG in the workforce.”
–Jason Rich ’26
THE Interior Architecture STUDENT EXPERIENCE
Interior architecture students study together all four years of the program and enjoy their own individual workspace in our premier studio facility, enhancing your creative life and work. The facilities offer the following state-of-the-art design and building equipment, software, and facilities:
- Computer-aided making (CAM) facilities for digital prototyping.
- A fully equipped woodshop for working with materials.
- A computer lab with the latest design software.
Experience interior design in diverse environments, with ample faculty-led opportunities to explore design centers and exhibitions around the country. Join faculty-led study abroad opportunities to places such as Italy, Greece, India, Spain, and throughout Western Europe.
Real-World IARC Learning Opportunities
UNCG’s Interior Architecture and Design program is CIDA-certified for our emphasis on hands-on learning. You’ll benefit from expanded time spent working in our state-of-the-art studio spaces, internships and professional experiences, and opportunities to engage nationally and globally with professionals and their practices in the field. A required internship experience plus coursework on professional practice in interior architecture further ready you for careers in the field.
Leading real-world learning opportunities include our Center for Community-Engaged Design (CC-ED) and Main Street Fellows program. You can put design into practice for real communities, learning and making impactful designs that improve real lives. You’ll graduate ready to build on this powerful foundation, bringing your own creativity and energy to the fore in professional practice.
AFTER GRADUATIng with your BFA in Interior Architecture and Design
More than 95 percent of IARc graduates secure employment after graduation or continue their education through graduate study. Alumni work for firms specializing in interior design, architecture, and related fields such as graphics, furniture design, historic preservation, home furnishings, museums and exhibitions, lighting design, and other areas of the built environment. Many graduates also pursue advanced degrees at prominent national and international institutions.
As a graduate of UNCG’s CIDA-accredited program, your are qualified to sit for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification Examination (NCIDQ), a key professional credential for interior designers. You’ll also gain professional membership in the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), further expanding your professional network and solidifying your reputation as an outstanding design professional.
Potential Career Paths
- Interior design and architecture
- Furniture and product design
- Historic preservation
- Residential design
- Corporate design
- Hospitality design
How to Apply to the Interior Architecture and Design Program
In addition to the general application to UNC Greensboro, the IARc degree program requires a secondary application, which includes:
- Application form
- One-page personal statement
- Piece of original visual work
- Short video introduction
- Transfer students must also submit a portfolio and unofficial transcript to be considered for advanced placement in the program
You can find more detailed information on the IARc admissions process and requirements here.
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Program Details
Degree Type: Bachelor's
College/School: College of Arts and Sciences
Program Type: Majors & Concentrations
Class Type: In Person
Catalog Name: Interior Architecture and Design, B.F.A.
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Contact Us
Kate Horton
Lecturer, Admissions Coordinator
kshorton@uncg.edu