FSU Interior Design Grad Program: Most Admired in the Nation

CONTACT: Anna Trudeau, FSU College of Visual Arts, Theatre and Dance
(850) 645-2706; atrudeau@fsu.edu

FSU INTERIOR DESIGN GRAD PROGRAM: MOST ADMIRED IN THE NATION

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The graduate program of the Department of Interior Design at Florida State University has been named the most admired program of its kind in the country in a national survey of 122 deans and department chairs.

DesignIntelligence, a respected industry journal of the Design Futures Council, lauded Florida State in its annual “America’s Best Architectural and Design School 2013” rankings. The rankings have served for 14 years as the definitive analysis of architecture and design programs nationwide.

“I am so pleased with this recognition, which showcases our faculty-student relationships and the mentoring offered by the faculty,” said Lisa Waxman, department chair, who was previously named by DesignIntelligence as one of the “Top 25 Most Admired Design Educators in the United States” in 2012.

“This has been a high priority for us for many years, and the faculty work very hard to support our students,” Waxman said. “We are also lucky to have excellent students who go on to represent us well in the profession.”

Survey respondents cited Florida State’s graduate program’s quality of faculty-student interaction and the competence of graduates in their post-academic careers.

“We are proud of the accomplishments of our graduate students, who are winning national research awards, have earned the first-ever design patent for FSU, and regularly present their design research at national conferences,” said Jill Pable, director of graduate studies and an associate professor in the Department of Interior Design.

“Our students positively affect the lives of their design clients and students through the interior environments they create, including offices, homes, restaurants, schools, healthcare facilities and hotels,” Pable said.

The Department of Interior Design is a part of Florida State’s College of Visual Arts, Theatre and Dance. There are about 175 undergraduate students and 30 graduate students in the department’s programs, which are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).

Alumni work in architecture and interior design firms across the nation, and alumni of the graduate programs teach and conduct research in colleges and universities both in the United States and abroad. Faculty provide significant personal attention to graduate students, seeking to set them up for success both in their academic activities and their eventual careers in practice and teaching.

The Department of Interior Design offers three master’s-level degrees: the Master of Science First Professional degree, the Master of Science Advanced Professional degree and the Master of Fine Arts degree. Graduates of these programs enter professional practice in interior design or architectural firms upon graduation and MFA students are highly sought after for college and university teaching positions across the nation and world.

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