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Interior Design Certification
Students who want to launch a successful career as an interior designer must first complete a rigorous interior design certification process. Though just about anyone can call themselves an interior decorator, many state and local governments license interior designers the same way they do other builders or contractors. In fact, twenty-four states have outlawed practicing interior design without a license. Because interior designers must create functional, safe design spaces, they work closely with government officials and national trade organizations to assure a high degree of safety as well as a strong regard for client satisfaction.
To gain interior design certification, a student must first enroll in one of over a hundred accredited interior design programs offered in the United States, or in an equivalent program offered overseas under a reciprocal arrangement. Because certification requires interior designers to understand more than just aesthetic sensibilities, design students must also study business management, occupational safety, project coordination and even communication skills. A successful, certified interior designer will use all of these tools on the job, especially when coordinating the work of apprentices, carpenters, painters and other subcontractors.
The next stop on the road to interior design certification involves an internship at an established design firm. |
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Professional interior designers firmly believe in the practice of hands-on learning, as well as the continuation of the age-old practice of handing down skills from one generation to the next. Some internships take place at night or on weekends while a student attends classes during the day. Other internships involve a student's full-time participation in the daily operation of a firm, usually during periods when classes are out of session or during a specific internship period designated by the design program.
Beginning interior designers often give themselves one more boost before taking their certification exam by performing an apprenticeship with a licensed interior designer right after receiving their diploma. These arrangements allow candidates to start earning money much sooner while polishing the skills they need to perform well on the exam.
The certification exam itself consists of three parts: two multiple choice sections, followed by an actual design challenge which puts all of a student's acquired skills to the test. A panel of experts grades each student as they create a multifunctional space which serves at least three of seven stated purposes. Panelists examine not only the creative elements of the student's solution, but also the way in which they listened to a client's needs and whether their solution meets all health and safety regulations.
Only a small number of students participate in the interior designer certification process each year. Those that pass enjoy acceptance into a passionate, exciting and rewarding community of creative professionals.
Start your interior design career today by requesting information from one of our highly respected interior design schools! Find a school near you >>
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