TROY, Mich., March 17, 2009 – The International Academy of Design & Technology-Detroit (the Academy) has been granted accreditation by the Council of Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) for its Interior Design (Bachelor of Fine Arts) degree program. CIDA is a voluntary accreditation process that ensures students receive an education that will serve them during their time at school and prepare them for future professional growth. Students enrolled in an accredited Interior Design program can be confident that the program meets the quality standards recognized by the profession.
CIDA is an independent, non-profit accrediting organization for interior design education programs at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. For more than 35 years, this knowledge-driven organization has been passionately committed to the ongoing enrichment of the interior design profession through identifying, developing and promoting quality standards for the education of entry-level interior designers, and then encouraging, accrediting and supporting educational programs to aspire to those standards. The Council engages nearly 200 volunteers, all drawn from interior design practice and education, to carry out its work.
Nearly 200 interior design programs are currently accredited by CIDA, serving an estimated 20,000 students. The Academy joins an elite group of only five other Interior Design programs in Michigan that holds the accreditation status for their Interior Design program. CIDA is recognized as a reliable authority on interior design education by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The CHEA-recognized scope of accreditation is for professional-level programs in interior design.
“We are extremely pleased that the review visit last fall by CIDA resulted with accreditation for our Interior Design program,” said Cynthia Bechill, President of the Academy in Troy. “Countless hours of preparation, teaching, and execution went into this endeavor over the past few years and this outcome affirms that our graduates are prepared to enter the interior design profession.”
Interior design is more than creating aesthetically pleasing spaces and addresses the health and safety needs of users within the built environment. This includes acoustics, lighting, traffic flow, circulation, and exiting considerations when designing an interior environment. The interior design process takes in critical considerations such as codes, regulations, and safety requirements while also focusing on environmental sustainability. Interior designers are often sought after for interior projects for their creative problem-solving abilities.
About the Academy
The International Academy of Design & Technology was originally founded in Chicago in 1977. The Troy campus was established in 2003 to help Michigan students develop their skills and abilities needed for success in the fields of design and technology. The career-oriented degree programs provide hands-on training and real-world insights, taught by industry professionals who work in the fields in which they teach. The Academy is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools to award associate and bachelor degrees. The Academy currently offers degree programs in Interior Design, Graphic Design, Game Production, Fashion Design, and Digital Media.
For more information about the Academy, please visit www.iadtdetroit.com or call 888.838.2111.
Media Contact: Barbara Marini, FASID / IDEC
Program Chair for Interior Design
International Academy of Design & Technology
bmarini@iadtdetroit.com
248.457.2721
