Admissions | Interior Architecture

Interior Architecture

Admissions

Admission to the graduate program is contingent upon acceptance by both the Department of Interior Architecture and The Graduate School. The UNCG Graduate School requires academic transcripts and letters of recommendation from all applicants. Applicants should have a minimum 3.0-grade point average in undergraduate work. In addition to the application materials required by The Graduate School, the following two items are critical for admissions to our program.

  • Personal Statement: Please submit a 1-2 page statement describing the reason for applying to the MFA program in Interior Architecture at UNCG, how it relates to the candidate’s career goals, and what specific areas of specialization that the candidate is interested in studying and why, if admitted. We are especially interested to hear how a prospective student’s interests align with current faculty interests.
  • Design Portfolio: We require a portfolio of design work, including representative examples of design work with short written descriptions of the projects to provide an overview of the candidate’s design skills and design experience. Examples of 2-D or 3-D artwork could be included, if applicable. List the software programs used for each project.
  • GRE Scores: Acceptable GRE scores are 152 for verbal, 152 for quantitative if taken after August 1st, 2011, or test scores in the 500 range on both verbal and quantitative sections. A score of 3.5 or better on the analytical writing section is an acceptable prerequisite for consideration.

 

Selected candidates will be invited for a personal interview, either face-to-face or online, after all the documents for admission are submitted. An undergraduate professional degree in interior architecture or interior design is preferred. Candidates who do not hold a professional undergraduate degree in interior architecture or interior design but are graduates of related environmental design programs, such as architecture or industrial design, can be admitted but may be required to complete specific undergraduate prerequisite courses in interior architecture as part of their graduate studies. Such decisions will be based upon the individual evaluation of credentials, portfolio, and design experience. Individuals who do not have a design-related undergraduate degree or a significant amount of design-related undergraduate coursework are encouraged to apply for the department’s professional degree program — the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture.

Enrollment in the graduate program is limited, and priority is given to applications received before March 15th. The department has a small number of competitive graduate assistantships and scholarships for incoming graduate students. These funding opportunities range from additional funds to 15 credits of tuition support for each semester with a stipend. Apply by January 15th to be considered for these funding opportunities.

The Department offers a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Historic Preservation that may be earned in tandem with the MFA in Interior Architecture or pursued as a stand-alone certificate by those seeking to gain additional expertise in the HP field. Those applying for the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate are strongly encouraged to apply by April 1.

How To Apply

To apply online, visit the Graduate School web site. Remember that electronic or manual portfolios should be sent to the department if files are too big for the Graduate School online system. For more information on the UNCG Graduate School, visit https://grs.uncg.edu/, or you may contact the UNCG Graduate School by telephone at 336/334-5596.

APPLY

Yes, the portfolio is required for admission to the Interior Architecture department. We accept digital (PDF only) formats. We ask for representative examples of design work, including short written descriptions of the projects and a list of the software program used on the project. If it is a professional project, please clarify your role in the project. Your portfolio should give us a sense of your design skills and design experience. We do not require a specific number of projects or a particular format for the portfolio. You may choose to include examples of 2-D or 3-D work.
Interviews will be scheduled in person or via Zoom by April 30 depending on the availability of the candidate and faculty.
For admission to the Interior Architecture department, the Graduate Record Examination is required by the UNCG Graduate School. Acceptable GRE scores are 152 for verbal, 152 for quantitative if taken after August 1, 2011, or test scores in the 500 range on both the verbal and quantitative sections. A score of 3.5 or better on the analytical writing section is an acceptable prerequisite for consideration.
For international students, information is available here.
UNCG accepts the IELTS score. A score of at least 6.5 is required on the IELTS. The minimum required score for TOEFL depends on the form of the exam taken (internet-based – 79, or paper-based – 550).
Please check the following webpage for estimated cost of attending UNCG.
Applicants who apply by January 15th will be considered for competitive assistantships and scholarships. These funding opportunities range from additional funds to 15 credits of tuition support with pay. Departmental assistantships require 4-16 hours of service per week, and students conduct a range of tasks -- from assisting with undergraduate courses to supervising woodshop and digital fabrication facilities. Nearly all of our graduate students receive funding assistance at some point during their graduate studies.
Graduate students follow the same technology guidelines as our undergraduate program. Detailed information is available here.
Yes, however, additional undergraduate coursework will be required before starting the traditional graduate level course sequence. Please contact the Graduate Program Director for more detailed information.