The Bachelor of Interior Design degree program at Conestoga has been awarded a six-year accreditation from the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). The accreditation affirms that the program meets CIDA’s professional standards for post-secondary interior design education and will permit graduates of Conestoga’s program to pursue registration as interior designers with the profession’s provincial regulator.
Accreditation of the program was awarded following a comprehensive self-study, submission of a program report, and an on-site assessment by a CIDA team that included an evaluation of facilities, interviews with faculty and students, and a review of students’ work.
Conestoga is now one of only four Ontario colleges to host CIDA-accredited programs. The six-year accreditation became effective in August 2017.
“We are very pleased at this validation by CIDA, which affirms the high standards for quality and professionalism set by Conestoga in our efforts to prepare students for successful careers,” said Julia Biedermann, Executive Dean of Conestoga’s School of Engineering and Information Technology.
CIDA is the independent non-profit accrediting organization for post-secondary interior design programs throughout North America and internationally. Its professional standards, which describe specific student learning outcomes and program expectations for high quality educational experiences, measure whether an interior design program will prepare graduates with the skills and knowledge required to meet the demands of the interior design industry.
In Ontario, use of the title “Interior Designer” is reserved exclusively for registered members of the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO). The provincial regulator of Ontario’s interior design profession, ARIDO sets the standards for membership, including education and experience standards, professional development requirements and adherence to a Code of Ethics and Practice Standards. Successful completion of a bachelor’s degree from a CIDA-accredited program is an essential education requirement for registered membership.
Conestoga’s Bachelor of Interior Design program provides students with the theoretical, practical and technical skills required for the practice of interior design. Through a comprehensive curriculum delivered by an interdisciplinary faculty, the program prepares students to apply an integrated approach to interior design solutions for the built environment and its occupants and to meet the technological changes and currency relating to sustainability, universal design, and health and safety.
The four-year program includes two co-operative education work term opportunities that provide students with relevant experience to complement their academic studies.
Applications are open for August 2018 entry. For more information, visit the program website.