BFA Interior Design at Iowa State University

Programme overview

The department offers the degrees Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Interior Design, Master of Arts (M.A.) in Interior Design, and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Interior Design. Emphasis is on the student's application of design processes to creatively solve problems of the interior environment based on knowledge of human safety, functional utility, and physical, psychological, and contextual fit.

Faculty: College of Design | Study mode: full-time | Location: Ames, IA, United States

What you will study

Required and core courses listed in the curriculum include DSNS 1020 Design Studio I; DSNS 1150 Design Collaborative Seminar; DSNS 1310 Drawing I; DSNS 1320 Digital Design Literacy; DSNS 1830 Design in Context; ARTID 2500 Fundamentals of Interior Design.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission is to Iowa State University and its college, not to the individual major (Iowa State does not make admission decisions by major). First-year applicants are admitted on the Regent Admission Index (RAI = ACT composite x 3 + cumulative GPA x 30 + years of high school core courses x 5); an RAI of at least 245 with the minimum high school course requirements (4 years English, 3 years mathematics including algebra, geometry and advanced algebra, 3 years science, 2 years social studies) receives automatic admission, and applicants below 245 may be considered through individual review. Iowa State is test-optional for first-year applicants.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Entry terms for first-year applicants include Fall 2026, Spring 2027 and Summer 2027. International undergraduate applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and may be submitted up to one year before the intended start date; applying at least six to eight weeks in advance is strongly recommended.

International undergraduate applicants pay a nonrefundable application fee of $65 by credit card through the online application system; fee waivers are not offered. SAT/ACT are not required for applicants educated abroad or for transfer students. First-year applicants: Iowa State is test-optional for ACT, SAT or CLT scores; admission is based on the Regent Admission Index. Apply with the institutional application or the Common App.

Apply through the official page: https://apps.admissions.iastate.edu/apply/online/

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