Interior Design, MFA
The M.F.A. in Interior Design prepares students to become leaders in design who excel in critical thinking, exemplary expression, professional aptitude, and social responsibility, enhancing and transforming the human environment.
Through an inspiring and challenging course of study, the M.F.A. in Interior Design is a leading innovator in an expanding and dynamic discipline. Students generate creative solutions that integrate an understanding of craft and making, material research, emerging technologies and sustainable practices, cognizant of global cultural histories and diverse contexts. Students engage in critical inquiry which establishes them as innovators in interior design, expanding the potential of professional practice, design education, and research affecting our understanding of the interior.
The M.F.A. degree prepares individuals who are interested in contributing to the academic discipline as well as the profession. With their varying backgrounds, academic disciplines and life experiences, our international student body contributes to an intellectually stimulating environment.
Our faculty members include practicing professionals and academics whose experiences are reflected in their teaching. Open, dynamic dialogue between students and faculty focuses on the many scales, uses, and activities that comprise interior design and expands to address the larger issues of habitation, urbanization, and society, thus providing a rich exchange between the world of designers, makers, and users of the built environment.
Applicants with an undergraduate degree in interior design, architecture, or other closely related design fields may be eligible to complete the M.F.A. in two years, a total of 60 credits; a portfolio of academic and/or professional work is required.
Applicants with undergraduate backgrounds that are unrelated to interior design or architecture, but whose applications indicate a strong aptitude for interior design graduate coursework are required to take a 24 credit Core Year of preparatory study, prior to continuing the M.F.A degree. These students complete 84 credits in three years. A portfolio or proof of skills related to the major is not required. However, the department recommends that applicants submit a portfolio and/or material that represents their best skills and knowledge related to their own background, experience and interests. Applicants are also encouraged to include material such as painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, film, etc., even if it is not related to their background. The required statement of purpose provides the opportunity for applicants to articulate how their background can inform, and has prepared them for the field of study in interior design at Pratt Institute.
| Semester 1 | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| (Qualifying) 1 | ||
| INT-601 | Interior Design Core Studio I | 6 |
| INT-631 | Color and Materials | 2 |
| INT-606 | Architectural Drawing | 2 |
| HAD-609 | History of Interior Design I | 2 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| (Qualifying) 1 | ||
| INT-602 | Interior Design Core Studio II | 6 |
| INT-604 | Foundations Construction | 2 |
| INT-560 | CADD I: AutoCAD | 2 |
| HAD-610 | History of Interior Design II | 2 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| INT-701 | Interior Design Advanced Studio | 6 |
| INT-713 | Ideation and Representation | 3 |
| INT-715 | Light Color and Material | 3 |
| INT-717 | Interior Design Theory and Criticism | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| INT-702 | Interior Design Advanced Options Studio | 6 |
| INT-724 | Construction and Fabrication | 3 |
| INT-726 | Environmental Technology Sustainability Elements | 3 |
| Theory Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| INT-703 | Interior Design Thesis I | 6 |
| INT-731 | Interior Options Lab | 3 |
| INT-9601 | Interior Design Graduate Internship | 1 |
| Elective | 6 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| INT-641 | Professional Practice | 2 |
| INT-704 | Interior Design Thesis II | 6 |
| Elective | 6 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 84 | |
| 1 | Accepted students may be required to complete a 24-credit qualifying year of preparatory study prior to entering the two-year 60-credit M.F.A. |
NYSED Requirements
History of Interior Design I and II may be required for students whose undergraduate studies did not cover the subject matter. This will be determined by a review of an applicant’s transcripts and an interview with the academic adviser.
| Semester 1 | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| *Graduate Core Year | ||
| INT-601 | Interior Design Core Studio I | 6 |
| INT-613 | Constructing Representation | 3 |
| HAD-664 | History of Interior Design | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| *Graduate Core Year | ||
| INT-602 | Interior Design Core Studio II | 6 |
| INT-635 | Assembling Atmospheres | 3 |
| INT-628 | Representing Construction | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| INT-701 | Interior Design Advanced Studio | 6 |
| INT-713 | Ideation and Representation | 3 |
| INT-715 | Light Color and Material | 3 |
| INT-717 | Interior Design Theory and Criticism | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| INT-702 | Interior Design Advanced Options Studio | 6 |
| INT-724 | Construction and Fabrication | 3 |
| INT-726 | Environmental Technology Sustainability Elements | 3 |
| Theory Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| INT-703 | Interior Design Thesis I | 6 |
| INT-731 | Interior Options Lab | 3 |
| INT-9601 | Interior Design Graduate Internship | 1 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| INT-641 | Professional Practice | 2 |
| INT-704 | Interior Design Thesis II | 6 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Credits | 84 | |