Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Merchandising and Management

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Merchandising and Management at the School of Media and Design readies students to pursue successful careers in the business of interior design. Through the program’s dual emphasis on the creative, environmental and architectural side of interior design, and its organizational management and operations side, students graduate with a complete understanding of the many aspects of this dynamic industry.

Why Interior Merchandising and Management?

Operational management and design merchandising are essential to the interior design industry. As innovative and desirable as an interior designer’s work may be, he or she must rely on effective, streamlined and well-managed organizations to help execute and oversee their vision. Talented and creative merchandisers with a deep understanding of trends and consumer behavior are also critical to showing their work in its best light. The same is true of home builders, retail developers, restaurateurs and any enterprise that relies on the built environment as part of their consumer experience.

Interior Merchandising and Management Curriculum

The BFA in Interior Merchandising and Management is a rigorous 123-hour program that integrates design and business education. The first two years of the BFA program are identical to the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design degree program, ensuring that students pursuing work on the business side of the industry are well-versed in its design, artistry, theory, construction and technical applications. The final two years of the program will focus on the courses from the student’s selected concentration path.

The interior design program is structured to provide students with a solid foundation from their first year to graduation. Each subsequent semester is strategically building on the knowledge and skills acquired previously. This scaffolded approach ensures a comprehensive understanding of the field as students' progress through the curriculum. Our program follows a cohort model, where students are expected to move through the program with their assigned cohort. To maintain the integrity of this model, students are not permitted to register for courses outside of their cohort, even if the courses have no prerequisites or corequisites.

After the completion of the first year and one-half, all Interior Design (INTD) and Interior Merchandising and Management (INMM) students are required to submit a portfolio of the work completed in the INTD and INMM first-year and one-half. Portfolios are reviewed in March/April of their second year. Only upon passage of the Portfolio Review may students continue the BFA Interior Design degree or BA Interior Merchandising and Management degree (all four concentrations) and continue studying within their major.

Click here for Interior Merchandising and Management Course Descriptions

Career readiness is an integral part of the program. As part of the curriculum, students will take two courses that provide them direct professional experience in the working world.

  • INTD 4361: Work Experience for Interior Design, students assist a business or organization through approved work in a supervised business environment directly related to their concentration and area of interest.
  • INTD 4395: Professional Practice focuses on developing professionalism in the interior design industry. Students will explore its practices and procedures, project management, industry terminology and ethics.

Students of the Interior Design department will learn and work on a number of programs used in the industry today. To run them effectively, it is recommended that students use computers with the necessary space, capabilities and operating systems.

Recommend a PC (not Mac) with the following:

  • Intel i7 6700 series or higher
  • 16 GB DDR4 21 32 Ram
  • 512 GB SSD (for Operating System and Programs)
  • 1 TB HDD (for data)
  • Nvidia 1070 graphics card OR AMD Radeon 480
  • Wifi capability

Your system will need to run the following programs which may be provided at no charge:

  • Microsoft Office Suite
  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • SketchUp
  • AutoCAD
  • Revit
  • Enscape
  • Various Plug Ins for Sketchup and Revit

Concentrations

As part of their degree program, students will select from among four concentrations: Business Administration, Marketing, Management and Merchandising. Each concentration engages the student with an interior design focus for the first two years and then switches to a business focus the remaining years. This major is for those who are more interested in the business or retail side of the interior design field. While interior design is an art and a science, it is also a business that must be run in an appropriate manner to maintain clientele and profits. The four concentration options allow students to follow their interests, and, with their background in interior design and business, to enter the interior design field in a wide range of positions: office managers, department managers, merchandisers, sales representatives, specification writers, coordination specialists, and more.

The Business Administration concentration is an interdisciplinary program that incorporates courses from the H-E-B School of Business and Administration. The Business Administration concentration employs a broad approach to business education and preparation, through which students gain proficiency in business fundamentals through courses in Accounting, International Business Management, Business Law, Management Theory and Practice, Marketing, and Information Systems. They may also choose from a wide range of elective options.

The Management concentration is an interdisciplinary program that incorporates courses from the H-E-B School of Business and Administration. The Management concentration dives deep into the mechanics of organizations from staffing to ethical business practices to oversight, preparing graduates to pursue career paths that lead to management positions. Students can expect to take courses in Management Theory and Practice, Human Resource Management, Business Ethics, Organizational Behavior, and a wide range of elective options in accounting, marketing, promotional strategies and information systems, among others.

The Marketing concentration is an interdisciplinary program that incorporates courses from the H-E-B School of Business and Administration. The Marketing concentration is ideal for students hoping to pursue careers in sales, promotions, retailing, public relations, and related fields. Students of this concentration are fully prepared through such courses as Accounting, Retailing, Internet Marketing, and Consumer Behavior, as well as a wide range of elective options in management, marketing, promotional strategies and information systems.

The Merchandising concentration is an interdisciplinary program that incorporates courses from the H-E-B School of Business and Administration. The Merchandising concentration integrates a broad understanding of business fundamentals and develops a student’s creative skills and ability to create environments with consumers and audiences in mind. Students can expect to take courses in Accounting, Management Theory and Practice, and Marketing, as well as industry specific courses in Retailing and Fashion Operations Management and a wide range of elective options in business law, human resources, promotional strategies and information systems, to name a few.

 

Careers in Interior Merchandising and Management

Career opportunities for the BFA in Interior Merchandising and Management are varied, and include such work as store and department managers/specialists, office managers, model home staging, visual merchandising, specification writers, coordination specialists, company representatives, and business owners.