Interior Design

MC Interior Design Computer Requirements

All Interior Design students not owning a laptop computer with the specifications listed below will need to purchase one by the fall semester of the second year. Transfer students may need to
purchase a laptop sooner. Please check with the program director. This allows students to work
on their own computer in studio classes. Our current advice for laptop purchases includes the following minimum requirements:

HARDWARE

• Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 or higher
• Processor: Latest multi-Core Intel i-Series, Xeon®, or AMD® equivalent with 2.5 GHz or Higher as a minimum requirement and 3+ Ghz processor as recommended. NOTE: AutoCAD 2024 does not support ARM Processors on Windows devices.
• Memory: 16 GB RAM minimum (32 GB is recommended.)
• VRAM: 4 GB minimum (8 GB recommended)
• Hard Drive: SSD (Solid State Drive) storage of 500GB minimum.
• Display: 1920 x 1080 (higher resolution recommended but might impact performance).
• Required Graphics Cards:
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX or Quadro
  • Note: Most laptop vendors have built-in video cards or use system processors instead of an actual video card. Our software does not run with Intel Graphics Cards.
  • Recommended Graphics Cards for optimal performance:
    • NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000, 4000, 3000
    • NVIDIA GeForce RTX Ti, 2080, 2070, 2060
• Pointing Device: external mouse with at least 3 buttons.
• 15′′ screen is recommended.

**If you currently own a laptop and would like to know the level of compatibility with our program, please contact Mrs. Lantz (rtlantz@mc.edu).

With the current state of software, the program requires purchasing a Windows laptop computer.
This is largely due to the fact that Autodesk Revit does not yet run on a MAC operating system.

SOFTWARE

Software should not be purchased/downloaded until directed by the instructor. Students are expected to have a laptop with Windows operating system prior to enrollment in ART 469 (spring semester of second year) with the Microsoft Office suite of programs (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint). While most of the software needed for the program is free for educational purposes, students will have software licensing fees in ART 272 and ART 372 for Enscape and ART 302 and ART 372 for Adobe.

PRINTER

Students are strongly advised to purchase a color printer.

Accreditation 

The interior design program leading to the B.F.A. in Interior Design is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, www.accredit-id.org, 206 Grandville Avenue, Suite 350, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503.

The CIDA-accredited program prepares students for entry-level interior design practice, for advanced study, and to apply for membership in professional interior design organizations. The B.F.A. in Interior Design granted by Mississippi College meets the educational requirement for eligibility to sit for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification Examination (NCIDQ Exam). For more information about NCIDQ Exam eligibility visit: https://www.cidq.org/eligibility-requirements.

Program Mission

Provide high quality interior design education through professional accreditation in order to prepare students for careers in interior design while integrating faith and learning throughout the educational process.

Program Goals

To support the university mission to maintain an environment that “promotes the spiritual, social, emotional, and physical development of its students and encourages them to utilize their skills, talents, and abilities as they pursue meaningful careers, life-long learning, and service to God and others.”

Provide classroom instruction and faculty-student relationships based on principles of spiritual character and support while providing guidance, instruction, and resources in an effort to bring out the highest potential of each interior design student.

Prepare students for entry-level design positions in which they will be able to use visual and verbal vocabulary to effectively and efficiently communicate design concepts.

Promote ethical responsibility while preparing students to enhance the quality of life for individuals occupying interior spaces including protecting the health, safety, and welfare of those occupants.

Educational Philosophy

The program focuses on broadening the understanding of interior design, strengthening applicable skills and motivating academic interest and professional knowledge base. The program values project-based learning in which students apply concepts introduced by the instructor. Projects offer students the opportunity for creative interpretation and application. The program utilizes a linear course sequence that allows students to hone their critical thinking and problem solving skills by combining knowledge gained in previous courses with new knowledge and skill sets. Students are engaged and offered opportunities to collaborate in a dynamic learning environment.