Overview
The Program
The Diploma in Interior Design is designed for students seeking a career in residential and commercial interior design fields.
The Diploma focuses on commercial design including hospitality, offices and retail environments.
Students will study advanced design theory, commercial space planning, sustainability practices, codes and barrier-free compliance, lighting, design history, advanced 2D & 3D visual communication, critical reading and writing, construction drawings, and architectural millwork. Students will gain hands-on experience in the Joinery shop to expand their understanding of millwork details and assembly. Students will achieve both a strong academic and technical foundation on completion of this program. Students learn from industry-based faculty and develop extensive practical skills for rewarding careers.
All students intending to continue to the Bachelor of Interior Design must first complete the Diploma in Interior Design.
On completion of the Certificate in Interior Design Fundamentals plus ENGL 1177, students who meet the entry requirements may advance to the Diploma program, which is offered in both a full-time and part-time format.
The Diploma program in the full-time format is delivered in a nine month period.
Upon completion of the Diploma program, students who are eligible may continue to the Bachelor of Interior Design program.
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Entrance Requirements
Application processing
Applications are accepted October 1st* to April 15th.*
*or next business day
Entrance requirements
Admission to this program is highly competitive. Successful applicants exceeded entrance requirements. They also showed outstanding portfolio content and skills in space analysis and problem solving.
Competitive Entry: Two-step process
Preference will be given to applicants with a combination of:
- Academic grades above the minimum
- Outstanding portfolio content
- Highly developed skills in space analysis and problem solving
Step 1: Meet the following entrance requirements
- Post-secondary education:
- Certificate in Interior Design Fundamentals with:
- 65% in all INTD courses
- COMM 1120 - Communication 1 (70%)
- ENGL 1177 - Academic Writing (50%)
- Certificate in Interior Design Fundamentals with:
- Complete the following form for submission with your online application:
Students currently enrolled in the Interior Design certificate may be conditionally accepted. Applicants must submit proof of registration in all remaining certificate courses and ENGL 1177 to show they are on track to complete by the end of August.
- Submit your portfolio: Portfolio to include seven (7) pieces of work which demonstrates a variety of skills and current resume.
- No more than three (3) projects should be from BCIT interior design course work. Other selections may include, but are not limited to, photography, fashion design, painting, drawing, sculpture, real-life design projects, graphic design, or any piece that demonstrates a well-developed design aesthetic.
- Students who wish to use a project that includes many pieces should show only the best pieces, and format them appropriately (e.g., three (3) pages of work from one studio project count as one piece of work).
- Portfolio size is based on 11" x 17".
- Presentation should be clear, neat, and professional. Label each page and provide a brief description for each item of work presented. This description should also explain the significance of each submitted piece.
- Portfolio to be submitted digitally with your online application:
- Submissions must be a single PDF file.
- You may add a single link in your PDF portfolio to represent the items such as music or performance art (maximum one minute).
- Compress your PDF file to appropriate file size (maximum 2 MB). If your file is too large, you can use ArtStation.com to create your PDF portfolio.
- Name your PDF using this format: INTD_FTDiploma_INTAKEYEAR_A0NUMBER_PORTFOLIO.pdf.
Read more about how to meet BCIT’s entrance requirements
Step 2: Department assessment
All applications will be reviewed by the program area on the application deadline. Department assessment is based on academic standing, portfolio evaluation, and the Interior Design Entrance Project. Admission is competitive and will be offered to the most qualified applicants.
Portfolios will be assessed according to the following criteria:
- Quality, clarity, and completeness of the material included.
- Design of the portfolio- size, paper/image quality/typography, composition.
An Interior Design Entrance Project will be given to all applicants on the first Sunday in May from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Attendance is mandatory. If you are eligible to take the Entrance Project, please contact BCIT_Interior_Design_Entrance_FTS@bcit.ca for further instructions one week before the exam.
International applicants
This program is available to international applicants. A valid study permit is required prior to starting the program.
Transfer credit
If you completed General Education electives at another public post-secondary institution, you may be eligible for transfer credit. For more information, contact Program Advising at program_advising@bcit.ca or 604-434-1610.
To apply for Interior Design transfer credit, please contact the Program Assistant.
Apply to program
To submit your application:
- Include proof of meeting all entrance requirements.
- Convert all transcripts and supporting documents to PDF files.
- Have a credit card ready to pay the application fee.
Apply Now
Scheduled Intakes
September each year.myCommunication
Within two business days of submitting your completed application, BCIT will send a message to your personal and myBCIT email addresses. All correspondence regarding your application will be posted to your online myCommunication account at my.bcit.ca. We will send you an email when a new message is posted. It is important to watch for these emails or regularly check your account online.
You can expect to receive communication concerning the status of your application within four weeks.
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Costs & Supplies
Tuition fees
Use our tuition estimator to find tuition and fees for this program.
For more information on full-time tuition and fees, visit:
Books & supplies
$3,500 (general estimated cost includes Adobe Creative Cloud, SketchUp Pro, and Enscape software). All costs are subject to change.
In addition, all students prior to the first term of the Diploma in Interior Design are required to purchase a laptop computer suitable to run software used in their courses. The purchased laptop must support Revit.
A passport or visa may be required for field trips.
Financial assistance
Financial assistance may be available for this program. For more information, please contact Student Financial Aid and Awards.
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- Next up Courses
Courses
Class hours
8:30 am - 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday.Program matrix
Level 3 (15 weeks) | Credits | ||
---|---|---|---|
COMM 2320 | Communication 2 | 3.0 | |
INTD 3100 | Design Theory 2 | 3.0 | |
INTD 3300 | Commercial Design Studio A | 6.0 | |
INTD 3360 | Advanced Digital Illustration for Interior Design | 3.0 | |
INTD 4110 | Human and Environmental Factors | 3.0 | |
INTD 4320 | Commercial Construction Drawings | 3.0 | |
JOIN 4350 | Joinery Fundamentals for Interior Design | 3.5 | |
Complete 3.0 credits of General Education Electives* | |||
Level 4 (20 weeks) | Credits | ||
AHVC 1126 | Introduction to Western Visual Culture: European Renaissance to the Present | 3.0 | |
INTD 3240 | Commercial Lighting for Interior Design | 3.5 | |
INTD 3260 | Revit for Interior Design | 3.0 | |
INTD 3320 | Materials and Specifications | 3.0 | |
INTD 3460 | Virtual Reality for Interior Design | 1.0 | |
INTD 4120 | Interior Construction and Renovation | 2.0 | |
INTD 4200 | Architectural Millwork Studio | 7.0 | |
INTD 4300 | Commercial Design Studio B | 7.0 | |
INTD 4360 | Building Codes and Barrier Free for Interior Design | 3.0 | |
LIBS 7001 | Critical Reading and Writing | 3.0 | |
Note: Course duration will vary from 5 to 15 weeks in the winter term. Please refer to the course descriptions for information on specific course pre-requisites. |
|||
*General Education Electives (3.0 credits) | Credits | ||
HIST 1100 | Introduction to Modern World History | 3.0 | |
General Education electives [PDF] are offered within the program. If you completed General Education electives at another public post-secondary institution, you may be eligible for transfer credit. For more information, contact Program Advising at program_advising@bcit.ca or 604-434-1610. |
|||
Total Credits: | 63.0 |
Transfer credit
Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.
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- Next up Program Details
Program Details
Program length
Nine months, full-time, beginning in September, after completion of all entrance requirements.Students must complete the Diploma in Interior Design program within five years.
Please note that this program cannot be completed through distance education.
Grading
A passing grade of 65% is required for all Interior Design diploma courses and COMM courses, and 70% in JOIN 4350. Please refer to the course descriptions for information on specific course pre-requisites.
Program delivery
In person: This program is delivered on campus.
Program location
Burnaby Campus
3700 Willingdon Avenue
Burnaby, BC
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Graduating & Jobs
Job Opportunities
Graduates may work in the field of residential and commercial design with interior or architectural design firms. Students who would like to become a Registered Interior Designer are required to complete their studies culminating in a Bachelor of Interior Design program.
Graduate employment outcomes
The BCIT student outcomes report presents summary findings from the annual survey of former students administered by BC Stats one to two years after graduation. These reports combine the last three years of available results for the 2021-2023 BCIT Outcomes Surveys of 2020-2022 graduates and for Degree 2019-2021 graduates. The reports are organized into three-page summaries containing information on graduates’ labour market experiences and opinions regarding their education. More detailed information can be accessed at the BC Student Outcomes website.
To view these results, you may need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in your Web browser.
Professional associations
Students may apply for a student membership with the Interior Designers Institute of BC (IDIBC).- Go back Program Details
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Contact Us
Program Assistant
Tel: 604-456-1125
Email: BCIT_Interior_Design_FTS@bcit.ca
Questions or comments?
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