Students delve into diverse areas such as Residential Design, Commercial Design, Hospitality Design, Product Design, Sustainable Design, Historical Design, and advanced software like Adobe Creative Suite, SketchUp, Chief Architect, AutoCad, Revit, and various rendering platforms to bring visual ideas to life. Our courses are continuously updated to reflect the latest trends and technologies in the industry, and build upon staples like rendering by hand and effectively communicating verbally and visually.

We emphasize experiential learning through a blend of classroom projects, hands-on training, and interactive instruction. This approach ensures students develop practical skills alongside theoretical knowledge. From studying historical architecture in Italy, to learning about cultural design in Africa, or visiting trade shows and expos in High Point or Las Vegas, our students are given the autonomy to select from a variety of experiences which enhance their learning beyond the classroom. Students are given real-life scenarios, real-life deadlines, and are taught about studio life of Interior Designers and Interior Architects.

Students have opportunities to attend field trips to major urban centers such as Chicago, Minneapolis, and Kansas City, enhancing their understanding of diverse design environments. We also offer national and international Study Abroad trips, broadening students' perspectives and inspiring their creativity. We are the leading college in our state for providing International Experiences for our students, and given that many of our students go on to have projects around the country and world, we love providing as much experience to our students as possible to understand people, cultures, and design around us.

Our program offers unparalleled access to industry professionals through guest lectures, presentations, tours, workshops, and networking events. These connections help students build a robust professional network that can lead to job opportunities and mentorships. We place a high value on networking and building networks as students, so that professional networks are already developed when entering the fields of Interior Design and Interior Architecture.​

Investing in your education at Kirkwood makes financial sense. Our program costs roughly $20,000, offering substantial savings compared to similar degrees with similar courses that can cost nearly $100,000. This allows you to receive a top-tier education without the burden of excessive student debt, and start out following graduation with less of a debt-burden, allowing you to more responsibly navigate life from a better starting point.

We provide robust career support built into our program courses, including resume building, interview preparation, and job placement assistance, portfolio development, and a final Portfolio Exhibit where our industry partners, families, and friends celebrate student success. Our strong relationships with industry partners help our graduates secure positions in top design firms and organizations in our state, nation, and even around the world. Our employment rate has been 100% for those pursuing employment following graduation, with an active employer waitlist that our students have access to.​

Students have access to cutting-edge facilities, including design studios equipped with the latest technology, software, and printing opportunities. Our resources ensure students have the tools available to them to bring their creative visions to life. We provide students with the largest student resource room in our state, which is packed full of FFE samples, literature, props for vignettes, and copy and assembly items. Our space is a professional quality resource room and is even used by varying Architecture and Design individuals. We also provide work rooms for project assembly, using tools, and projects which are a bit more messy in nature. All of our spaces are secure entry exclusive for our students.​

Interior Design & Interior Architecture 

School Year: 2024–25

Program Entry Semester: Fall

Design and practice like a professional as you build a portfolio and resume you can use when applying for internships and careers.

Look forward to gaining insight into a wide range of design markets and trends, including:

• Residential and commercial
• Hospitality
• Sustainable design
• Historical design
• Product design

When you enroll at Kirkwood, you’ll receive the foundation for the technical and theoretical knowledge to enter the design industry upon graduation. Classes cover a wide range of design aspects and provide training on common industry software. You’ll take classes like:

• Architectural Sketching
• Residential and Commercial Design Studios
• SketchUp for Interior Design
• Theories and Visual Application
• Textiles for Interior Design
• Architectural Photoshop Techniques
• Revit for Interior Design

View the Course Catalog

Kirkwood interior design graduates put their creative mark to work in an endless variety of fun and exciting environments. Most of our students already have a job or internship in place immediately after graduating. Some of these amazing experiences include:

• Residential firms
• Architectural firms
• Interior design firms
• Kitchen design
• Facilities planning and design
• Contract furniture dealerships

Explore Job Options

Field trips to major market cities and study abroad opportunities provide networking and industry exposure, as well as cultural design and architecture experiences. Kirkwood students have studied in Italy, Australia, and Africa, and visited design and architecture firms in Chicago, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, and New York City.

Earn a Design Introductions - Certificate after 1 term.

Students graduate with professional LEED Green Associate credential.

Meet educational requirements to take the NCIDQ exam.

Becoming a part of Kirkwood Student Interior Designers allows you to learn about job openings quickly. You can also connect with professional design organizations and network with other professionals. Contact program advisor Jillissa Moorman at: 319-398-4917 to learn more.

Join Today!

Students in Kirkwood's Interior Design and Interior Architecture program, as well as those pursuing the Design Introductions Certificate, are encouraged to join the Kirkwood chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), Business Professionals of America (BPA) and/or Future Business Leaders of America, INC. (FBLA).

FCCLA is the only national Career and Technical Student Organization with the family as its central focus, while FBLA is the largest business Career and Technical Student Organization in the world, helping more than 230,000 members prepare for careers in business each year. With 45,000 members in more than 1,800 chapters across 25 states and Puerto Rico, as well as an international presence in China, Haiti and Peru, BPA has the ability to enhance student participation in professional, civic, service and social endeavors.

FCCLA, BPA, and FBLA are three of eight recognized members of the National Coordinating Council for Career and Technical Student Organizations (NCC-CTSO). CTSOs are co-curricular groups that help students in career and technical education programs further their knowledge and skills by participating in activities, events, and competitions.

Kirkwood’s interior design program is the only 2-year interior design degree program in Iowa. We're a recognized campus center for the International Interior Design Association.

The mission of the Interior Design and Interior Architecture program at Kirkwood Community College is to prepare and equip students to practice and serve the community with respect to interior design in the areas of residential, commercial, sustainable, or another closely related area of specialization.

This is achieved by providing a respectful, student-centered approach and equipping students with a high-quality learning environment and experience that emphasizes ethical, technical, creative, and responsible problem-solving through design.