Interior Design, BFA

Go beyond the classroom and experience interior design for yourself. In Nashville and around the world, you’ll find opportunities to learn and grow.

• Engage with your community. Nashville is booming with design, providing you with opportunities to present your work to professionals and partner with organizations like the nationally recognized Nashville Civic Design Center.
• Explore the world. Experience other cultures, visit iconic structures and take in the design mediums of the world.
• Join a student organization. With over 180 to choose from, there is no shortage of opportunities to get plugged in on campus. The Belmont chapter of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) is a great way to connect with fellow interior design majors.

Full CIDA Accreditation Information

There is no portfolio requirement for admittance into the O'More College of Architecture and Design's programs. All you have to do is complete your application to Belmont and indicate Interior Design as your major when applying.

If you are admitted to the University, then you are admitted to our Interior Design program!

Special Scholarships

Each year, the O’More College awards a number of scholarships to incoming fall undergraduates majoring in one of its academic programs. These awards are renewable for four years (five for B.Arch. majors), provided the recipient maintains all required academic and citizenship expectations. To qualify, you must submit your Belmont application and scholarship essay by December 1.

Learn More about the Scholarship

2025-2026 Interior Design Student Cost Breakdown

Commercial Design (retail, corporate, schools, churches): Commercial design involves creating aesthetically pleasing, practical and functional interior spaces for businesses and public venues.

Hospitality Design (hotels, restaurants, spas): The hospitality design industry is one of the best-performing sectors for interior design, and designers play a significant role in maximizing functionality and visual appeal.

Residential Design: Many interior design graduates begin their careers in the residential arena. The focus here is transforming a house into a stylish space that reflects the homeowner’s personality and needs while increasing the property’s long-term value.

Furniture and Product Design: Interior design degree holders aren’t limited to working with interior spaces; they may also design and create furniture and everyday products (such as household appliances), considering how these pieces fit into a space and interact with one another.

Tour Bus, Jet Plane, Yacht and Cruise Ship Design: Highly competent holders of interior design degrees can explore careers in aeronautical, marine or transport design. These fields require a vast amount of technical knowledge in ergonomic design and safety guidelines.

Exhibit Design: Exhibition designers create engaging and attractive displays to be enjoyed by a specific audience or the public. They may work with galleries, museums, convention centers, private businesses and a variety of other spaces.

Lighting Designer: Interior design graduates can use their acumen for creating and implementing the lighting plan for various productions or architectural spaces, enhancing the atmosphere and highlighting key elements of the space.

Accreditation, reputation, course offerings, graduation rates, location, cost, a sense of belonging and more are all important things to look for in a school. Remember that the best colleges for interior design will support you in reaching your goals and thriving with purpose in your chosen field.

National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) Certification is the industry's recognized indicator of proficiency in interior design principles and a designer's commitment to the profession. Professional interior designers who possess the NCIDQ Certification have distinguished themselves by demonstrating a specific set of core competencies, supported by verified work experience and a college degree. NCIDQ Certification is required for the practice of many types of interior design in regulated jurisdictions throughout North America and enables designers to easily validate their knowledge, experience and skill to employers and clients alike.
Students who complete Belmont's Interior Design program, and fulfill the required years of work experience, are eligible to take the NCIDQ examination for state licensure.

The Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) is an independent, non-profit accrediting organization for over 150 interior design education programs at colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. In order to receive accreditation through CIDA, an interior design program must meet a set of high academic standards and maintain those standards through a rigorous process of program self-evaluation and peer review.
Attending a CIDA-accredited interior design program ensures that you are receiving a quality education that will prepare you for entry into the profession upon graduation and lay the foundation for your future growth as an interior design professional.

Yes! Students who complete Belmont's Interior Design program, and fulfill the required years of work experience, are eligible to take the NCIDQ examination for state licensure.

We have many students who hold associate or bachelor’s degrees prior to enrolling in the Interior Design program. All credits from a previously earned associate or bachelor's degree program are evaluated on an individual basis by the Office of the Registrar and applied as appropriate toward the B.F.A. degree.

While credits earned from previous coursework may be transferred in, it is important to note that earning a B.F.A. in Interior Design will likely take 7-8 semesters as studio courses must be taken sequentially and the curriculum is planned as a four-year degree program.

There is currently no portfolio review requirement for admission to the Interior Design program at Belmont.

While income varies greatly depending on the state, specialization, experience and other factors, interior design can be an incredibly rewarding career with tangible opportunities for growth and success.

Students are encouraged to bring a laptop (preferably a PC) for use in and outside of the classroom. Software needed for coursework includes Adobe Creative Suite, AutoCAD (downloadable student version), Sketch Up (downloadable student version) and Revit. Most architectural software is designed for PCs, not Macs.

Students may begin the interior design program in the Fall or Spring term. Recommended term start is the Fall semester. See the official Academic Calendar for more important dates.

The typical entry-level education requirement for interior designers is a bachelor’s degree in interior design. However, you can also enter this occupation by completing any related field, such as interior architecture and other degrees in fine arts.

You can start your own business or work with companies as a commercial or residential interior designer. But don’t restrict your thinking to jobs that only involve conceptualizing and implementing designs. A bachelor’s degree in interior design will equip you with the specific technical and creative skills to succeed in various fields, including education.

The interior design market is growing, thanks to the rising value of the real estate industry, increasing disposable income and growing awareness of various interior designs due to social media platforms and influencers.