Contact us
For questions about the program, please contact: Dr. Arash Soleimani (Chair, Graduate Studies).
Master of Interior Design
The Master of Interior Design (MID) is a STEM-designated program offering two-year and extended three-year options. The program explores interior environments through an innovative approach that expands and reimagines the discipline of interior architecture, drawing on the diverse ways people experience and interact with space.
Degrees Offered
Master of Interior Design
Program Types
Graduate
Mode of Study
On Campus
Department
Woodbury School of ArchitectureSchool / College
College of Architecture, Design and MediaWhat is a Master of Interior Design (MID) degree?
A Master of Interior Design (MID) prepares students to design safe, functional, and meaningful interior environments. Going beyond decoration, the program combines interior architecture, space planning, building codes, and material selection with a human-centered approach that reimagines how people experience the built environment. In doing so, this graduate program cultivates scholars, academics, and critics while generating emergent and alternative approaches to the profession, specifically in Southern California. Career paths extend beyond traditional interior design to include workplace, hospitality, exhibition, set design, experiential design, and digital environments.
Why earn an MID at Redlands?
The Interior Design program at the Woodbury School of Architecture encourages students to explore new ideas and expand what's possible in the field. You'll learn to design a wide range of interior environments, from homes and workplaces to public spaces, exhibition installations, and even virtual experiences. With an interdisciplinary curriculum, you can customize your education by taking courses in areas such as gaming, film, animation, psychology, graphic design, fashion, curation, and business. This flexible approach helps you develop a unique perspective, explore emerging design opportunities, and prepare for a wide range of creative careers. Our students and alumni have received design awards and work at firms such as Gensler, HKS, HOK, Perkins & Will, and ZGF.
The curriculum is organized into four interconnected knowledge tracks: Figuring Space, Criticism, Professional Practice, and Visualization. Through the studio sequence, you'll bring these areas together, combining design thinking, technical knowledge, visual representation, and critical inquiry to explore the design of objects, interiors, buildings, and larger spatial environments.
The culture of the Woodbury School of Architecture extends beyond the studio through public programs, exhibitions, reviews, and study away opportunities. You'll engage with designers, scholars, and practitioners, share their work with broader audiences, and experience architecture and interior design in diverse cultural and urban contexts.
Officially designated as STEM
The Master of Interior Design is a STEM-designated degree program under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's STEM Designated Degree Program List. Eligible F-1 international students who complete this program may apply for a 24-month STEM extension of post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT), potentially providing up to 36 months of employment authorization in the United States. Students should consult the International Student and Scholar Support (ISS) office for current eligibility and application requirements.
Accreditation
The MID program prepares graduates to complete both the NCIDQ and the IDEX exams. Though our program meets the educational requirements in all 50 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, and Canadian provinces, students who wish to practice in a location outside of California may or may not have additional non-educational requirements to fulfill prior to applying for a certificate or registration status in that location.
Prior to enrollment, prospective students are strongly encouraged to review the Master of Interior Design (MID) professional licensure webpage to determine whether our MID program meets the educational requirements for certification/registration in the location(s) they wish to practice.
We would like to assist prospective and current students with navigating this process. Please contact Admissions at graduateadmissions@redlands.edu or 818-252-5221 for help.
Classes you'll take
To view specific classes, program requirements, and coursework information, visit the current university catalog for the two-year track or three-year track.
MID tracks
Students who possess baccalaureate degrees in any discipline can enter the MID three-year track, while students who possess baccalaureate degrees in interior architecture, interior design, environmental arts or architecture are eligible to enter the MID with advanced standing. Transdisciplinary project-based studios allow students to work across practice, from the built, to the virtual, to the augmented.
MID course details
The MID program provides students with a flexible and relevant curriculum. This agile program allows students to actively participate in crafting their education, to inflect each course with their own critical approach, and to specialize in their own professional pursuits. Click here to find out more about transfer articulations, and you can also review the two-year and three-year program tracks below.
First year
Fall
- WSDA 500 Groundworks (1 credit)
- IDES 503 Studio 3 (6 credits)
- IDES 574 Figuring Space 1 (3 credits)
- WSDA 533 Visualization 3 (3 credits)
- WSDA 561 Practice 1 (3 credits)
Spring
- IDES 504 Studio 4 (6 credits)
- IDES 575 Figuring Space 2 (3 credits)
- IDES 576 Figuring Space 3 (3 credits)
- WSDA 543 Criticism 3 (3 credits)
Summer
- 60 Hours of Work Experience
Second year
Fall
- IDES 505 Studio 5 (6 credits)
- WSDA 544 Criticism 4 (3 credits)
- IDES 577 Figuring Space 4 (3 credits)
- Unrestricted Graduate Elective (3 credits)
Spring
- WSDA 506 Studio 6 (6 credits)
- WSDA 562 Practice 2 (3 credits)
- Unrestricted Graduate Elective (3 credits)
First year
Fall
- WSDA 500 Groundworks (1 credit)
- WSDA 501 Studio 1: Spaces Within Spaces (6 credits)
- WSDA 521 Build 1: Matter and Making (3 credits)
- WSDA 531 Visualization 1: Making Techniques (3 credits)
- WSDA 541 Criticism 1: Architecture History 1 (3 credits)
Spring
- WSDA 502 Studio 2 (6 credits)
- WSDA 522 Build 2 (3 credits)
- WSDA 532 Visualization 2 (3 credits)
- WSDA 542 Criticism 2 (3 credits)
Second year
Fall
- IDES 503 Studio 3 (6 credits)
- IDES 574 Figuring Space 1 (3 credits)
- WSDA 533 Visualization 3: Advanced Drawing (3 credits)
- WSDA 561 Practice 1 (3 credits)
Spring
- IDES 504 Studio 4 (6 credits)
- IDES 575 Figuring Space 2 (3 credits)
- IDES 576 Figuring Space 3 (3 credits)
- WSDA 543 Criticism 3 (3 credits)
Summer
- 60 Hours of Work Experience
Third year
Fall
- IDES 505 Studio 5 (6 credits)
- WSDA 544 Criticism 4 (3 credits)
- IDES 577 Figuring Space 4 (3 credits)
- Unrestricted Graduate Elective (3 credits)
Spring
- WSDA 506 Studio 6 (6 credits)
- WSDA 562 Practice 2 (3 credits)
- Unrestricted Graduate Elective (3 credits)
Program information
Review the admissions requirements and financial information for this program below. We're here to help prospective and current students navigate this process. Please contact Admissions at graduateadmissions@redlands.edu or 818-252-5221 for assistance.
- Completed application
- To process your graduate application, all sections must be completed, and all required admissions documents must be uploaded through the application portal. There is a $50 application fee; however, applicants who meet with Brett Chin or attend a graduate student event are eligible to receive a fee waiver code. Schedule a meeting with Brett →
- Personal statement
- Discuss your educational and/or professional background, and your reason for pursuing a graduate architectural education at the Woodbury School of Architecture.
- Resume
- Electronically submit a professional resume or curriculum vitae via our online application system. This information should list your academic research, professional experience, and/or published works.
- Two (2) letters of recommendation
- Submit two professional and/or academic letters of recommendation. All letters must be uploaded by the recommender. Applicants will need to provide recommender information through the online application, and the recommenders will then submit letters on the student’s behalf.
- Portfolio
- All graduate design applicants are required to submit a portfolio of creative work conveying the scope of their design sensibilities. Submit your portfolio through the application portal. Detailed instructions and requirements are available there. For general artwork, we recommend uploading scanned images rather than photos for the best resolution. You may also submit URLs by uploading a PDF or document that includes the link.
- Transcripts
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended are required, regardless of credit received or courses completed. These records must confirm that a bachelor's degree has been granted from a regionally accredited institution.
- Electronic Submission: Request official transcripts via Parchment, Naviance, and The National Clearinghouse. Electronic transcripts can be sent to: appprocessing@redlands.edu
- Mail Submission: Official transcripts through mail submission must include an original signature of the school official(s) and be sealed in an unopened envelope. Transcripts should be mailed to:
University of Redlands
Graduate & Professional Enrollment
1200 E. Colton Ave.
Redlands, CA 92373
- Completed application
- In order to process your application, all sections must be complete, including submission of required admissions documents uploaded through the page.
- University of Redlands, Los Angeles is a member of The Architecture Centralized Application Service (ArchCAS), a marketplace for prospective architecture students to research participating architecture programs and apply to as many participating Master’s in Architecture programs as they desire with one application portal.
- English Proficiency
- For international students whose primary language is not English, one of the following is required:
- A minimum TOEFL score of 550 on the paper-based test (or 213 on the computer-based test or 80 on the internet-based test)
- An IELTS minimum score of 6.5
- For degrees completed in English, the TOEFL or IELTS exam may be waived
- Please discuss other options for fulfilling this requirement with your admissions counselor
- For international students whose primary language is not English, one of the following is required:
- Personal statement or research proposal
- Master of Science in Architecture applicants only: Submit a 250-500-word research proposal in which you identify your area of concentration and potential thesis topic.
- Master of Architecture, Master of Interior Design, Master of Design in Interdisciplinary Design, and Master of Science in Design of Interdisciplinary Design applicants only: Discuss your educational and/or professional background, and your reason for pursuing a graduate architectural education at the Woodbury School of Architecture.
- Resume
- Electronically submit a professional resume or curriculum vitae via our online application system. This information should list your academic research, professional experience, and/or published works.
- Two (2) letters of recommendation
- Submit two professional and/or academic letters of recommendation. Upload letters of recommendation directly through the online application.
- Portfolio
- All graduate design applicants are required to submit a portfolio of creative work conveying the scope of their design sensibilities. Submit your portfolio through the application portal. Detailed instructions and requirements are available there. For general artwork, we recommend uploading scanned images rather than photos for the best resolution. You may also submit URLs by uploading a PDF or document that includes the link.
- Transcripts
- Please submit official transcripts along with certified English translations for all non-English documents. A course-by-course foreign credential evaluation from a NACES-approved organization must also be completed and submitted by the applicant. NACES-approved members can be found here: naces.org
- Electronic Submission: Upload unofficial transcripts to the online application, or submit official transcripts via Parchment, Naviance, and The National Clearinghouse. Electronic transcripts can be sent to: appprocessing@redlands.edu
- Mail Submission: Official transcripts through mail submission must include an original signature of the school official(s) and be sealed in an unopened envelope. Transcripts should be mailed to:
University of Redlands
Graduate & Professional Enrollment
1200 E. Colton Ave.
Redlands, CA 92373
Graduate Tuition (Excluding MBA)
$1,574 per credit
$35 - Technology Fee (per credit)
Fees (University of Redlands, Los Angeles campus)
$500 - Admissions Deposit (non-refundable)
$200 - Campus Life (per semester)
$600 - Early Arrival Fee
$100 - Graduate Architecture Association Student Fee (per semester)
$160 - Parking (All students; Los Angeles Campus) (per semester)
$120 - WUSO Woodbury University Student Orientation - Graduate
*Applicable Fee varies depending on the program.
Graduate application deadlines
Fall Term
Priority 1 Deadline: January 15
Priority 2 Deadline: June 1
Note
Most graduate program applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications submitted after the Priority 2 deadline will be reviewed based upon program capacity.
Program highlights
Modality
In-person at Los Angeles campus
Credits
55-88
Courses per semester
3-5
Program length
24-36 months
Find us on campus
The Los Angeles campus in Burbank.
Why choose Woodbury School of Architecture?
Woodbury School of Architecture supports our students in building a strong foundation for professional practice while investigating the expanding boundaries of practice itself. Surrounded by major creative industries — to include film, animation, and gaming — and in a city of constant adaptive re-use, our students graduate well-positioned to engage with and transform practice. Visit our School of Architecture Career Services page for more information about our services.
Woodbury School of Architecture’s Making Complex gives you access to advanced fabrication tools, technologies, and collaborative making spaces. You’ll also have access to the Design Center, virtual reality facilities, gallery and exhibition spaces, digital fabrication labs, top-of-the-line computer labs, and additional making and creating facilities that support hands-on experimentation, fabrication, and design.
Our internationally recognized and award-winning faculty work closely with students, teaching the skills required to push the limits of practice and explore disciplinary possibilities in both theoretical and professional arenas. Through individual attention, we foster close mentoring relationships between faculty, staff and students that extends to network opportunities after graduation.
Why choose Woodbury School of Architecture?
Upcoming Information Sessions
We’re so glad you’re interested in learning more about graduate programs at University of Redlands. Our graduate admissions team is more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
Connect with us
Student work
The Interior Design program at the Woodbury School of Architecture encourages students to explore new ideas and expand what's possible in the field. See our students' work and their designs in action.
Making at Woodbury
Facilities at URLA
Advanced Material Testing Laboratory
The Advanced Material Testing Laboratory is equipped for its role as both a space for hands-on education and as a resource for cutting-edge research in the area of material science. It contains a range of equipment and technical support staff for the testing of material samples. Students can manipulate the interior space of the experimental environment with various materials and test the result to determine how color, surface textures, shade devices, lighting systems, and similar factors change the climate and perception of the space.
Facilities at URLA
Intelligent Lighting Laboratory
The Intelligent Lighting Laboratory allows the students to simulate lighting scenarios and explore through hands-on experience the effects of light on materials and space. It allows them to question the status quo of lighting design and to develop innovative ways of using lighting in architectural spaces. During their coursework new technologies are tested and the equipment and facilities help with the investigation of new ideas. Experiments investigate the impacts of these applications on both the experience of human users of architecture and energy consumption.
Facilities at URLA
Materials Resource Library
The Materials Resource Library holds a large collection of physical samples and online resources, including a subscription to a comprehensive online material database called Material ConneXion. Samples represent a wide range of both standard interior finishes, and more experimental materials.
Facilities at URLA
Making Complex
The Burbank facility takes full advantage of the university’s academic offerings, student support services, comprehensive library, and residential campus life. At the same time, it offers specialized facilities including a wood shop, a metal shop, a materials resource library, a digital fabrication lab, a lighting lab, computing facilities, a render farm, and 24-hour access to studios, including a 15,000-square foot studio building.
Woodbury School of Architecture
Woodbury School of Architecture believes that instilling in students the joy of creative problem-solving, a curiosity about the world around us, and the value of professionalism will prepare them for a lifelong career that is financially, intellectually, and creatively rewarding. Learn about our programs, accreditations, faculty, and more.
Request for Information
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