Interior Design master of arts

Downtown Campus
500 Seventeenth Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 639-1800
www.corcoran.edu
master of arts
Office of Admissions
(202) 639-1814
Fax (202) 639-1830
E-mail: admissions@corcoran.org
Office of Financial Aid
(202) 639-1851
Fax: (202) 737-6921
E-mail: financialaid@corcoran.org
master of arts
Interior Design
Studying in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., offers Corcoran
College of Art + Design’s Interior
Design students a unique and vibrant
place of study. The District of Columbia
showcases some of today’s most
cutting-edge architecture and design,
providing our students with places
of inspiration and endless learning
opportunities.
D.C. also offers wonderful resources
to design students, such as various
galleries and museums, the Washington
Design Center, and leading design
firms. D.C. is home to the headquarters
of the U.S. Green Building Council, the
American Society of Interior Designers
and the National Council for Interior
Design Qualification.
The Georgetown Campus
The MA program in Interior Design
program is located at the Corcoran
College of Art + Design’s Georgetown
campus. The Georgetown campus
is also home to our other graduate
programs in Exhibition Design,
New Media Photojournalism, and
Art and the Book, offering wonderful
opportunities for cross collaboration
within the studios.
There are endless ways to get involved
with the College and the community.
Most notably, our Interior Design
program is home to a student
organization of the American Society
of Interior Designers. This student
group offers opportunities for
networking and relationship building.
The group organizes design tours
of local firms and recently designed,
award-winning spaces as well as
lectures on specific areas of interest in
design, such as sustainability. Finally,
the group is dedicated to community
service, and each year it participates
in the Georgetown Jingle, a charity
event that benefits pediatric oncology
units in the D.C. metro area. Some of
today’s most well-known designers
participate.
FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS
The Master of Arts in Interior Design serves students
with undergraduate degrees in various disciplines by
providing a course of graduate study that challenges
and motivates the student to develop advanced skills
necessary to the profession. Admission to the program
is based on the evaluation of:
•Completed application form with non-refundable
application fee
•Official transcripts from all post-secondary
institutions
•Design portfolio for students seeking direct
admission without prerequisites
•Written personal statement
•Interview with the department chair
•Résumé
•Two letters of recommendation
•Writing sample or excerpt, 3–5 pages (optional)
At the Corcoran College of Art + Design, we
know how important financial aid can be in
making graduate studies a reality. The Corcoran
offers a comprehensive merit scholarship and
need-based financial aid program. Through a
combination of institutional merit scholarships
and grants, federal and state aid, and tuition
payment plans, we help make the personalized
Corcoran education affordable.
International students should contact the Admissions
office for additional application requirements.
In assembling a student body of diverse educational,
cultural, and interest backgrounds, the Admissions
Committee reviews academic qualifications as well
as art and design ability. In general, the Committee
expects candidates to have a minimum undergraduate or graduate grade point average of 3.0.
Applicants who do not have a Bachelor’s degree
in architecture or interior design will be considered
for admission on the basis of completion of the
series of prerequisite courses at the Corcoran
College of Art + Design or other accredited
institution with a grade of B or higher. An applicant
may petition for advanced standing or waiver
of prerequisites based upon undergraduate
coursework already completed and reviewed
by the admissions office at the Corcoran College
of Art + Design and the Chair of Design.
Students interested in being considered for
need-based financial aid as well as non-needbased federal loan programs should ensure they
complete the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) as close to January 1 as possible for
the upcoming fall term. The Corcoran’s federal
school code number is 011950.
Please visit our website at www.corcoran.edu
for estimated student budgets, tuition and fee
information, financial aid awards, and the
financial aid process.
about the corcoran
Focused on the idea of direct and intensely creative
education, the Corcoran College of Art + Design is
the only college of art and design in the museumand college-rich environment of Washington, D.C.
It is one of the only art schools in the country
fully integrated with a world-class museum. The
Corcoran’s vibrant and active community includes
more than 600 degree students pursuing a wide
range of Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and Master’s
degrees in the visual arts. Undergraduate studies
culminate with an exhibition in the main galleries
of the Corcoran’s own renowned museum, the
Corcoran Gallery of Art, while MA candidates
may produce a symposium, publicly defend their
theses in our atrium, or exhibit in the galleries.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art, a privately funded
institution, was founded in 1869 by William
Wilson Corcoran. As Washington’s first and
largest nonfederal museum of art, the Corcoran
is internationally known for its distinguished
collection of historical and modern American art,
as well as contemporary art, photography, European
painting, sculpture, and the decorative arts.
Interior Design
Here, students master state-of-the-art
technology that is used in professional
design firms, including Revit, AutoCAD, Sketch Up, Rhino 3d, Adobe
Creative Suite, and more. Students
also gain valuable skills in visual
presentation techniques and learn
how to illustrate their design ideas
through pen and paper, producing
beautiful and complex hand sketches
and renderings.
Student Involvement
ADMISSIONS information
Interior Design
At the Corcoran College of Art + Design, the MA
in Interior Design program offers a challenging,
fast-paced, and exciting environment, preparing
students for careers in this field. Equal emphasis is
placed on interior architecture and design as well
as furniture and finish selections, helping to shape
well-rounded graduates who are ready for careers
with large-scale architectural firms, small boutique
firms, or anywhere in between. Students learn from
faculty who are experts in their area of practice,
bringing a wealth of knowledge to the classroom
from the working world of design.
Interior Design
A sustainable building plan by
Ornsiri Amatayakul, 2011.
Sustainability
Sustainability is everywhere today and
has become absolutely essential to the
fields of interior design and architecture.
MA students in Interior Design at the
Corcoran participate in sustainably
focused design, building construction,
lighting design, and material selection
and specification courses. Students learn
how to understand the information and
apply it within their designs, and they
also learn how to educate their clients on
sustainable practices and considerations.
The Corcoran is also a member of the
Partnership for Academic Leadership on
Sustainability, a collection Association of
Independent Colleges of Art and Design
institutions committed to sustainability.
Careers in Interior Design
Brooke J. Traeger
Department Chair, Design
An NCIDQ-Certified interior designer,
Brooke J. Traeger currently serves as
the associate chair of Interior Design for
the Corcoran College of Art + Design.
Prior to joining the Corcoran in 2011, she
served as a project manager and senior
designer for ForrestPerkins, specializing
in high-end hospitality design. In 2004,
Ms. Traeger graduated from the Savannah
College of Art and Design, where she
received an MFA in interior design. Ms.
Traeger also holds a BA in fine art, with
an emphasis in design, from the University
of Iowa.
Ms. Traeger has led and managed
interior design projects for Marriott &
Renaissance Hotels, Fairmont Hotels,
Hilton Worldwide, Starwood, HOST
Hotels and Resorts, and privately owned
hotel companies.
Ms. Traeger has been honored with
several industry awards in recognition
of her dedication to design. In 2009, she
received the ASID Washington Metro
Chapter “Designer of Distinction” Award.
Her design projects have won numerous
additional prestigious awards. Most
notably, the Palmer House Penthouse Suite
in Chicago was named one of Elite Traveler
magazine’s Top 100 Suites of 2009.
Sharing her commitment to design with
the professional and student community
is a passion of Ms. Traeger’s. She currently
serves as the President for the American
Society of Interior Designers Washington
Metro Chapter.
Career Preparation
and Instruction
ART HISTORY AND ACADEMIC
STUDIES REQUIREMENTS
CURRICULUM
An exciting range of courses is offered
each semester. The Graduate Design
Center includes state-of-the-art computer
labs for design students, studios, and
seminar rooms dedicated to this
specialized program of study.
The Interior Design MA program accepts
applications from students with backgrounds in interior design or architecture
as well as those with unrelated degrees.
A portfolio is required for those with
relevant backgrounds and optional for
those with unrelated degrees.
The standard curriculum totals 60
credits; however, additional coursework,
up to 21 credits, may be assigned upon
admission to those applicants whose
undergraduate degrees are unrelated to
interior design and for applicants who
need additional instruction in certain
areas. Upon acceptance to the MA
program, students are advised of any
necessary prerequisites to be completed.
•Survey of Decorative Arts II
•History of Architecture
and Interior Design
•Contemporary Culture and Design
•Principles and Theory
of Interior Design
•Interior Design Professional Practice
•Art History Elective
INTERIOR DESIGN
REQUIREMENTS
•Interior Design Studios (total of 4)
•AutoCAD II or Advanced Revit
•Revit I
•Lighting Design
•Materials, Finishes, and Methods
•Construction and Detailing
•Selected Topics in Interior Design
•Interior Design Pro-Thesis
•Interior Design Thesis
•Electives (total of 2)
Accreditation
The Corcoran’s MA program in Interior
Design is accredited by the National
Association of Schools of Art and Design
and the Middle States Commission on
Higher Education. This program fulfills
the education requirement that qualifies
graduates to sit for the National Council
of Interior Design Qualification
professional licensing exam.
Graduates from the Corcoran’s MA
program in Interior Design learn from
practicing professionals in the field of
design. The faculty is made up of interior
designers, architects, structural engineers,
graphic designers, color specialists and
renderers, textile designers, and more.
Class sizes range from 8 to 15 students.
The studios are centered on a collaborative work environment, and all students
participate in active critiques, discussions,
and design charettes.
During their time here, students interact
with the faculty as well as a variety of
area professionals who visit the studios
to offer critique, providing opportunities
for connections to the professional
world. Additionally, the Interior Design
department hosts a lecture series each
year. Past lecturers have included
practitioners from Gensler, OPX, DBI
Architects, ForrestPerkins, SKB Architects,
and more. Finally, students have a variety
of opportunities to develop their personal
portfolio, resume, and brand. Every
spring, Interior Design students participate in a College-wide portfolio review
with Gensler, Hickok Cole, Perkins and
Will, and more leading architecture and
design firms.
Study Abroad
Interior Design MA students are encouraged to participate in the valuable and
extensive Study Abroad programs the
Corcoran offers. Each year, programs
are hand selected and tailored to each
specific department. Our Interior Design
students have participated in Corcoran
programs developed in San Miguel de
Allende, Mexico, and Ladakh, India.
The College also offers opportunities to
study at The Danish Institute for Study
Abroad, The Domus Academy in Milan,
Italy, and more. Most students, during
their time here, participate in a Study
Abroad program that greatly benefits
their development as designers.
Aging in Place Consultant
Architectural Photographer
Color Specialist
Corporate Office Designer
Design Blogger or Journalist
Design and Construction Project Manager
Educational Designer
Facilities Planner
Healthcare Designer
Hospitality Designer
Lighting Designer
Multi-Family Residential Designer
Product Designer
Professional Renderer
Residential Designer
Retail Designer
Set Designer
Shelter Magazine Stylist
Space Planner
Sustainability Consultant or Designer
Textile Designer
Visual Merchandising and Display Designer
Graduate Placements
Hapstack Demetriou
ForrestPerkins
Fox Architects
Knoll
Anthropologie
Hickok Cole
SWB Architects
DBI Architects
Sunrise Senior Living
Culmination
of the Program
The Interior Design MA program
culminates in a year-long researchand project-based thesis. Through their
course of study, students are exposed to
all aspects of interior design, preparing
to select, design, document, and research
their specified topic. Students are
strongly encouraged to pursue theses
that are “outside the box,” socially
and environmentally responsible, and
otherwise atypical design solutions
or projects.
Recent thesis projects have included a
line of sustainable furniture, a collection
of textiles, a web-based magazine of
interior design, and an entirely sustainable
grade school in the slums of Thailand.
All thesis students present their work
within the Corcoran Gallery of Art to a
panel of critics, designers, and faculty.
They receive constructive feedback on
their projects so they can continue to
develop and hone the work, even after
graduation. The work is also exhibited at
the Gallery for several weeks, allowing
the public to view the impressive work
our students have created.