Mission: The mission of this program is to provide students with the skills needed for employment in the Interior Decorating Industry. Throughout this course, students will experience a "hands on” approach using the design tools, materials, and computer software used in the industry. Design history, color, furniture, and space planning, along with many other detailed aspects of design will be included in this program. After completing the program, students will have the knowledge and the skills to be successful in this profession.

This program prepares the student for the following credentialing exam:

Students who complete all four courses in the program are eligible to take the nationally recognized C.I.D. exam from Certified Interior Decorators International, use the C.I.D. appellation at the end of their names, and call themselves Professional Certified Interior Decorators.

Program V200600 consists of a planned sequence of courses:

Home Staging/Color Consultant - Course HEV0412 (200 Hours) – In this section, students will receive training on the foundational requirements for interior decorating and design. Including how human factors impact a design, the elements and principles of design, color principles, theories and systems and presentation skills. Students will also learn the basics of hand-drafting and its use in the design field. A focus on the phases of the design process, how to give a successful client design interview, and learning the first of three Computer-Aided Drafting(CAD) programs lead into the final project, where you use your new-found knowledge of design from the course and the skill of the client interview on a multi-room design project.

SMART Home Specialist/e-Designer - Course HEV0452 (350 Hours) – Takes instruction of Course HEV0412 and continues on with more extensive training in Design history and its impact on today’s design styles. Students learn space planning, architectural symbols, blueprint interpretations, measurement and calculations of floor plans. We will analyze the importance of SMART home technology and its impact on the built environment and its continuing evolution in the home.  Students will learn the impact of e-Design to the profession and an added job skill. They conclude this section by learning the second of three CAD programs, within the scope of a larger design project that includes all elements learned in this section as they apply to both the interior and exterior design of a new-build construction home. Students continue to practice and refine both their client interview skills and their presentation skills in communicating your design vision for a space or spaces, skills that are  necessary in this profession.

Sustainability Specialist/Kitchen and Bath Designer - Course HEV0453 (300 Hours) – Instruction from Course HEV0412 and Course HEV0452 will be used throughout this completion point. Students will go onto the advanced stages of the decorating industry using a “hands on” instructional approach. Instruction includes learning all the necessary knowledge a designer will need in building or remodeling an entire home. Focusing on basic construction of the built environment, all the various flooring materials and how they are installed, lighting, textiles, wall and ceiling treatments and finishes, window treatments, and how to fully accessorize the various spaces in a home. Sustainability is such a key element in the design industry that students will learn all the elements of how environmental responsibility informs sustainability in housing. Students learn in depth how to design kitchens and bathrooms, focusing on the final CAD program, which is the industry leading program for Kitchen and Bath design. Interactive class participation and a “hands on” approach with materials will be used throughout this course, with several planned field trips. The focus of the final project for this course is designing both kitchens and bathrooms on a budget and then again with no budget, so the student is skilled in designing across the spectrum of price points.

Interior Decorator/Entrepreneur - Course HEV0413 (200 Hours) – This course includes an introduction to the advantages and disadvantages of entrepreneurship. Students will research procedures needed to start up a business and what’s needed to maintain a successful design business. The final project for the entire course  will have students planning and implementing a design project for an entire home. They will leverage all the instruction, tools, and materials learned throughout this program. Students will compile and present a portfolio of their work throughout the program that shows the skills they’ve acquired.  They conclude by creating their resume and cover letters and work with the Instructors on getting their jobs in the field. 

Distance Education: Not available at this time

Educational Partner in good standing with Certified Interior Decorators International, Inc.  http://www.cidinternational.org 

Minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirement:  70%

Minimum Attendance Requirement:  90%

Basic Skills Exit Requirement for Program Completion:  Student's competency in computation (mathematics) and communication (reading/language arts) is assessed; required basic skills grade levels are: Computation - 9 and Communication - 9.

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Program length and costs are approximate, and subject to change.

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