Mission Statement

Design Institute of San Diego is a private independent college, founded in 1977, and devoted to a single purpose: professional education in interior design. The faculty, resources, administration, physical facilities, and educational activities of Design Institute are entirely committed to this purpose.

The college seeks to teach, preserve, and expand the knowledge of design which is essential to the quality of life in the diverse society it serves, and to educate individuals capable of assuming significant roles in the interior design profession.

Our objective is to educate interior designers who are prepared for the professional world they will enter upon graduation. The curriculum and methods of instruction are intended to provide the student with a broad understanding of the interior design profession; develop the student's creative, technical, and analytical skills; provide an understanding of the historical and social foundations of design; introduce the practical aspects of business; and develop in the student a keen awareness of the professional responsibilities of an interior designer.

The faculty is comprised of practicing interior designers, architects, artists, historians, environmental psychologists, engineers, computer technologists, lighting designers and business consultants; all working professionals in their fields who bring to the classroom practical instruction based upon current professional knowledge.

Undergraduate study in interior design provides an artistic, intellectual and technical foundation upon which to build not only a professional career, but a rewarding and meaningful life; productive for the individual and for the community as well.

General education courses provide the student with a grounding in the liberal arts traditions, values, and critical thinking, and the interior design major offers a solid foundation of professional study for a career in interior design. The four-year program leads to the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design degree.

Since its founding, Design Institute graduates have enriched the profession through their training and their creative talent.

Interior Design Education

Interior design is a visual art. Interior design is a technical art. Interior design is a practical art. The challenge of interior design education is to address the artistic, intellectual, technical, and practical considerations necessary to provide students with a stable base upon which to begin to practice the art of interior design. If this foundation incorporates awareness of the total context out of which design emerges and of which it is a part, the student will have been prepared to continue to develop as an artist and practitioner in the years to come.

Accreditation

FIDER Accreditation

"FIDER sets standards for postsecondary interior design education, evaluates college and university interior design programs, and publishes a list of accredited programs that meet the standards. FIDER is recognized as a reliable authority on interior design education by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and is a member of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA)."

FIDER is recognized by the United States Department of Education (ED) as a national accrediting agency for post-secondary interior design programs.

FIDER's mission is to provide the foundation for excellence in the interior design profession by setting standards for education and accrediting academic programs that meet those standards. Accreditation is a voluntary process. Accreditation's primary purpose is to provide quality assurance for protection of the public.

Who is the public Fider serves?

• FIDER serves students who are seeking or attending interior design programs by ensuring that baseline knowledge, skills, and educational credentials are acquired to ensure success in the profession.
• FIDER serves programs through maintaining up to date standards that reflect the requirements of employers and industry and thus providing a tool for continual development by which programs maintain currency with professional requirements.
• FIDER serves employers by ensuring that interior design education meets baseline requirements for preparation to practice.
• FIDER serves the profession by strengthening interior design education, the foundation upon which the profession is built.

ACICS Accreditation

Design Institute of San Diego is a senior college accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) to award the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design degree.

The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools is listed as a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

State of California Institutional Approval

Design Institute of San Diego has been approved by the Bureau for Private Post-secondary and Vocational Education, State of California, United States of America as a degree-granting educational institution.

The City of San Diego provides a wonderful classroom without walls for students of Design Institute.

San Diego is alive with visual interest, from its gracious old missions to the bold excitement of Horton Plaza. The natural beauty of Balboa Park, the houses designed by Irving Gill, Louis Kahn's monumental Salk Institute, the Hotel del Coronado, and the vibrant colors of the buildings across the border in Mexico make San Diego an ideal city in which to live, learn, and work.

Often called "America's Finest City," San Diego has an extraordinary climate. Whether you enjoy swimming, running, boating, surfing, hiking, biking, ballooning, windsurfing, hang-gliding, horsebackk riding, or just sitting on a great beach; all of these activities are available throughout the year in one of the most beautiful settings anywhere.

Facilities

Located near the Pacific beaches of La Jolla, the facilities are of high-tech contemporary design and include spacious classrooms, drafting studios, exhibition spaces, computer labs, lighting lab, sample room, media center, student lounge, faculty lounge, administrative offices and convenient parking. A library containing books, design files, periodicals, manufacturers' catalogues, and audio-visual materials is available for student use during school hours.

Design Institute's campus is convenient to freeways and services. Affordable housing, restaurants, theaters and shopping are within close proximity to the school.

Housing

There is no housing on campus. Students may arrange for their own living accommodations close to the school. Additional information about housing in the area is available through the Admissions office. This service is provided as a courtesy to students. Design Institute takes no responsibility for locating housing for its students.

Student Life

Southern California is a mecca for artists and designers who find the beauty of the Pacific ocean, the colors and textures of the desert, and the intense clarity of the California sun conducive to the creative life. Many come as students and find it hard to leave.

The student entering Design Institute may be a recent high school graduate, a transferring college student, or someone with previous post-secondary education or work experience interested in a new career. All are united by a common goal to become professional interior designers. Because their desire is strong, they are prepared for the discipline required by a rigorous program and are motivated by the outstanding professionals who encourage them to succeed.

Faculty

The faculty at Design Institute includes practicing interior designers, architects, artists, historians, environmental psychologists, lighting designers, engineers, computer technologists, and business consultants; all working professionals in their fields who bring to the classroom practical instruction based on current professional knowledge.