Interior Architecture Program is Reaccredited

Kansas State University’s bachelor of interior architecture program has received the maximum re-accreditation of six years from the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).

Further, CIDA has extended the accreditation of the Bachelor of Interior Architecture to the professional-level Master of Interior Architecture being implemented in the fall of 2006.

The program, offered through the College of Architecture, Planning and Design’s Department of Interior Architecture and Product Design, consistently ranks among the best in the country by an annual survey of architecture and design employers.

Stephen Murphy, head of the department, notes that “the accreditation process provides important validation of the quality of our students’ education. Ours was one of the first three programs in the nation to receive this accreditation, which started in 1973,” Murphy said.

A team of three individuals representing the CIDA accreditation commission visited the K-State campus last April to examine the curriculum; inspect the facilities; interview students, teachers and administrators; and review student work. The commission report noted, “Parents, students and employers of graduates can be assured that your program meets the rigor of peer review and develops the skills and knowledge required to practice interior design. Furthermore, the accreditation process provides your program with valuable input for continued development and assists the program in adapting to meet evolving professional requirements as the Council updates standards.”

Dennis Law, dean of the College of Architecture, Planning and Design, said “A full six-year accreditation for our interior architecture program is a reaffirmation of the quality of education our students receive. Our success is a function of good curriculum, a great faculty and a group of highly talented students.”

CIDA was formerly known as the Foundation for Interior Design Education and Research (FIDER).

For more information, contact:
Stephen Murphy, 785.532.5992
Diane Potts, 785.532.1090