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Bachelor of Interior Architecture (BIA)
Fully Accredited
Marywood University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSHE).
The Bachelor of Interior Architecture (BIA) is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Our graduates are eligible to take the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam.
While Pennsylvania does not license interior designers and therefore does not require the NCIDQ certification to practice interior designer, most other states do. View more information about interior design licensure in the US »
Design a Fascinating Career with an Interior Architecture Degree
The four-year professional bachelor’s degree in Interior Architecture (BIA) is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). The Interior Architecture degree is intended for students who will pursue a career as a licensed interior architect/designer or advanced study in the field of interior architecture. To become a licensed interior architect, most states require completion of an accredited degree, experience hours, and National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exams administered by the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ).
Students who have completed the BIA program and wish to continue their studies at Marywood are eligible for 41 credits of advanced standing in the Master of Interior Architecture program.
Focused on acquiring the skills needed to design interiors, buildings, and their environments, this accredited degree option trains students to create the specific character of spaces for human use and enjoyment. Interior architects must understand the important role of materials, colors, textures, and light in the creation of interior spaces that respond to the physical, social, psychological, and cultural needs of building inhabitants.
Interior Architecture students benefit from a professional curriculum that requires:
- Eight sequential semesters of design studios steadily growing in complexity from beginning studio to a comprehensive interior design project
- Building science courses covering topics in building systems, environmental science, and renewable energy sources
- Hybrid representation courses, including skill building in animation, digital and physical model making, digital rendering, fabrication, and hand drawing
- History and theory courses that explore the different influences that have shaped the built environment
- Program electives ranging from furniture design to urban ecologies
- Semester abroad in Italy studying with ISI Florence (International Studies Institute) in the Palazzo Rucellai
My time in Marywood’s Interior Architecture program taught me how to take control of my future given the opportunities at hand. One such opportunity was helping to launch the "A Student's Perspective" webcast with Professor Stephen Garrison in 2018. Throughout the 4+ seasons of the webcast I have learned not only professional communication skills but it has also taken me to many industry events throughout New York City, North Carolina and Las Vegas where all of the hosts have built a network of industry connections and advisors.
Natalia Colasurdo '20 Read All Testimonials
Design Your Future '25
An Inside Architecture + Design Summer Program
From June 21st to June 28th 2025, students enrolled in the Design your Future Program will be actively participating in the eight – days combination of fun design projects and competitions, organized and guided by our school’s experienced faculty.
Students will be exposed to a number of practical and theoretical questions presented as part of guest lecture and workshop series, and will have the opportunity to converse with practicing architects and designers.Students enrolled in the program will have the opportunity of seeing in action various laboratories and shops (wood / metal / 3D printing / CNC router / laser cutting / etc.).
Outcomes & Opportunities
Top Employers
- Architecture Firms
- Construction
- Event Management Companies
- Film Industries
- Retailers
- Museums
Top Career Paths
- Interior Architect
- Architectural Designer
- Industrial Designer
- Project Manager
- Stage and Film Set Designer
- Urban Designer
- Video Game Environment Designer
Dig Deeper Into the Program Details
If you have any questions about this program, we're here to help.
Undergraduate Admissions Requirements
- Completed application
- Official transcripts
- Letter of recommendation
- Official SAT and/or ACT test scores (Marywood is test optional)
- Essay (optional)
School of Architecture
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School of Architecture Classrooms
Map & Directions
The School of Architecture is a state-of-the-art example of sustainable design. It's a spacious, adaptive re-use of Marywood's former gymnasium and natatorium.
Learn More | Take a Virtual Tour
Center for Architectural Studies
201 Morgan RoadMap & Directions
The School of Architecture is housed in this spacious adaptation of Marywood's former gymnasium. The building features a variety of green components, including a vegetative roof and an innovative heating and cooling system that utilizes geothermal energy from abandoned mine shafts beneath campus.
Learn More | Take a Virtual Tour
Scholarships
Morris K. Udall Scholarship
The Udall Foundation seeks future leaders across a wide spectrum of environmental fields, including policy, engineering, science, education, urban planning and renewal, business, health, justice, and economics. The Foundation also seeks future Native American and Alaska Native leaders in public and community health care, tribal government, and public policy affecting Native American communities, including land and resource management, economic development, and education.
Tuition
View Tuition RatesMarywood University faculty are prepared to provide students with the best learning experience possible.
- Coordinator, Art Program
- Associate Professor
- sgarrison@marywood.edu
- 570-348-6211 x2656
- Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies
- Assistant Professor
- lding@marywood.edu
- 570-961-4539
- Director, Center for Urban Studies
- Assistant Professor of Practice
- jberman@marywood.edu
- 570-348-6211 x2310
- Lecturer
- Living City Lab
- Instructor of Practice
- mnmacdonald@marywood.edu
- 570-348-6211 x2688
80+ opportunities for you to find the right fit with 50+ undergraduate degrees and 30+ graduate and certificate courses.
Interior Architecture Student Work
From #DayOne, Marywood is here for you each step of the way.
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Fully Accredited
Marywood University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSHE).
The Bachelor of Interior Architecture (BIA) is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Our graduates are eligible to take the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam.
While Pennsylvania does not license interior designers and therefore does not require the NCIDQ certification to practice interior designer, most other states do. View more information about interior design licensure in the US »