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Appalachian’s Interior Design program receives accreditation

The interior design program leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design at Appalachian State University has been accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).

Founded in 1970, CIDA is an international non-profit organization that accredits postsecondary interior design education programs in the United States and Canada. The voluntary accreditation process uses internationally recognized educational standards to review programs.

“In recent years, professionals and external critics have confirmed that our program was strong, and we are honored by the external validation from the CIDA site visitors and accreditation commission,” said Jeanne Mercer-Ballard, Appalachian interior design program coordinator. “Our students, faculty and supporters have worked very hard and deserve this status. Accreditation will be particularly meaningful to our alumni in pursuit of professional status through the National Council for Interior Design Qualification examination and meeting the requirements of statutory legislation.”

Appalachian’s accreditation visiting team report noted that the program had no weaknesses and several strengths which included the program’s community and public service including incorporation of service learning projects in studio courses, emphasis on sustainable practices, sustainable building methods and materials, and environmental ethics.

Appalachian’s interior design program is a four-year, professional degree program that provides an educational foundation to prepare students to enter the interior design profession. The program positions the student to seek professional status through the National Council for Interior Design Qualification exam as well as state-specific licensure. The program is part of the Department of Technology and the College of Fine and Applied Arts. The program also is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

Professional level programs accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation voluntarily place themselves before the scrutiny of the profession to ensure that students receive an education that will serve them not only during their time at school, but also prepare them for future professional growth. According to CIDA, students enrolled in an accredited interior design program can be confident that the program meets the quality standards recognized by the profession.

In addition to Mercer-Ballard, interior design full-time faculty responsible for the accreditation achievement are Dr. Margot Olson, Timothy Dolan, Alex Poorman and Emily Maass. Mercer-Ballard also thanks the program’s adjunct professors, the interior design student ambassadors and Professor Emeritus Dr. Jane Harb for their work.

For more information about CIDA, visit www.accredit-id.org or call (616) 458-0400. The organization is located at 206 Grandville Avenue, Suite 350, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503-4014.

For more information about the interior design program at Appalachian State University, visit www.tec.appstate.edu, or contact Jeanne Mercer-Ballard, program coordinator, at (828) 262-7832 or via email at mercerja@appstate.edu.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 at 2:57 pm and is filed under TEC News & Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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