As an interior designer, you could find yourself working with almost any type of building or room, from the largest airports to the tiniest dorm rooms. In homes, hotels and hospitals, the work of designers can make the difference.
Master's degrees in interior design go beyond the creative work and help you move into the business aspects of the field. You might find an in-demand area to specialize in, such as kitchen design. New trends like accessibility and environmentally friendly design should help drive growth in this career.
Earning master's degrees in interior design
Graduate studies are designed to help you develop communication skills as well as artistic talent, problem-solving abilities, visualization and attention to detail. Typical courses include the history of interior design, architectural interiors, theory, materials, computer applications, research methods and design in digital media.
Other subjects would depend on your area of specialization. Those who want to run their own design firm can consider business-related courses as well. Graduate programs often require a thesis or creative project.
Interior design career outlook and salary
Interior designers made a median annual wage of $46,280 in 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The job outlook is about average for those in this business, with employment projected to rise by 19 percent from 2010 to 2020, creating 10,900 new jobs.
Concentrating on a particular area can help further your career: The BLS expects the employment of interior designers in specialized design firms to grow by 27 percent from 2010 to 2020. Design specialties include sustainability, universal access, lighting, closets, kitchens, baths and more.
Going beyond the master's degree
Master's degrees in interior design offer many skills for graduates, and those abilities can be used to move into closely related fields. For instance, an interior designer with strong computer design skills might move into industrial design or landscape architecture. You might also choose to earn the Ph.D. in order to teach or conduct research at the university level.
About 30 percent of interior designers are self-employed, so schedules can be fast-paced and variable. Convenient online programs are available for both the master's degree and Ph.D. Web-based studies allow you plenty of time to progress at your own pace and study the material in-depth while still working full-time to gain valuable experience in the design world.
As an interior designer, you could find yourself working with almost any type of building or room, from the largest airports to the tiniest dorm rooms. In homes, hotels and hospitals, the work of designers can make the difference.
Master's degrees in interior design go beyond the creative work and help you move into the business aspects of the field. You might find an in-demand area to specialize in, such as kitchen design. New trends like accessibility and environmentally friendly design should help drive growth in this career.
Earning master's degrees in interior design
Graduate studies are designed to help you develop communication skills as well as artistic talent, problem-solving abilities, visualization and attention to detail. Typical courses include the history of interior design, architectural interiors, theory, materials, …
