Master of Fine Arts
in Interior Design

If you have a bachelor’s degree in a field unrelated to design, our MFA is a full-time program that provides a fundamental and comprehensive interior design education in just three years. 

The professional-level Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design (MFA1) is designed to provide an advanced interior design degree to students who have a baccalaureate degree in a field unrelated to design. Most of our master's programs classes are held in our award-winning Graduate Center, and no portfolio is required to apply.  

For more information about the MFA program, contact the office of admissions at admissions@nysid.edu.

The focus of the MFA1 program is on the ability to formulate, propose, and work out design solutions that are safe, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing. The curriculum emphasizes research and analysis applied to a wide range of user groups, taking into account global practice, sustainable design, and social justice. The program is also structured to allow for ample opportunities to work outside the classroom, with an Experiential Learning course offered in the summer where students can do internships, independent study, study travel, or community/service learning. 

Graduates of the program are provided with the necessary skills to participate in leading the discipline into the future. In combination with the required professional experience, the curriculum satisfies the educational requirements for membership in national and local interior design associations and, with work experience, allows graduates to sit for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam for interior design certification.

• The program requires full-time study

• The program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA)

• Applicants can have an undergraduate degree in a field unrelated to design; portfolio is optional for admission

Per CIDA’s requirement, MFA1 graduates are required to complete 30 semester credit hours of diverse college-level liberal arts and science courses. Most students satisfy this by combining NYSID courses with courses taken from previously attended institutions. If a student does not have sufficient liberal arts and science courses from prior institutions, they will be required to take additional courses at NYSID that comply with CIDA’s requirement.

The interior design program leading to the Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design (MFA1) is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, 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 Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design (MFA1) granted by the New York School of Interior Design 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: cidq.org/eligibility-requirements.

Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design (MFA1) curriculum (90 Credits)

NYSID Faculty

New York School of Interior Design is a great learning institution because of its faculty. They come from a wide variety of backgrounds and bring practical and theoretical experience from their professional lives.

We have more than 100 faculty members who are practicing designers at many of the top design firms in the country: Gensler, HOK, Perkins+Will, Rockwell Group, and Robert A.M. Stern Architects to name a few. Many are also principals of their own firms--for instance Kati Curtis of Kati Curtis Design, Stefan Steil of Steilish Interiors & Architecture, and Warren Ashworth of his self-titled architecture firm.

NYSID Profiles

Advisory Board

NYSID advisory boards are voluntary boards of leaders who serve to guide and advocate for the college's programs.

The Graduate Center

Located at 28th Street and Park Avenue South, NYSID’s LEED-Platinum certified Graduate Center, designed by Gensler, is home to 150+ graduate students. The Graduate Center houses classrooms, studios with dedicated workspaces, exhibition space, a materials library, and a student lounge. Interiors & Sources magazine called it a “facility that fosters community and collaboration, and embodies the essence of the ‘studio’ atmosphere.”