General Education Component of Bachelor of Interior Design
[CIDA Liberal Arts & Sciences]
All KPU Bachelor degrees require that students take general education courses in addition to discipline specific courses. KPU requires a minimum of 18 credits of General Education credits for all baccalaureate degrees. [Per Policy AC11 General Education in Degree Programs
In addition, the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA)** requires a minimum of 30 semester credit hours of diverse college-level liberal arts and science courses.
The Interior Design program requires the completion of 128 credits of coursework. Students may take their general education and non-discipline specific courses prior to entering the program and/or during the summer semester in order to lighten their workload during the term. Many general education courses are offered during the semester semester.
In order to succeed in the program, students should have proficiency in AutoCAD, and should try to complete ENGL 1100 prior to commencing second year. ENGL 1100 is a graduation requirement.
The Interior Design program requires 30 credits that fulfill the following conditions:
- 3 credits - ENGL 1100: Introduction to University Writing
- 27 credits - Elective course credits chosen from courses in the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Science, including:
- at least three different academic disciplines
- at least 6 credits from the Faculty of Arts
- at least 3 credits from the Faculty of Science
General Education courses must be selected from at least three different academic disciplines (in addition to the required English course) and must include a minimum of six credits from the Faculty of Arts and 3 credits from Sciences. General Education courses taken at other institutions may be transferred for equivalent or unassigned credits. If you have completed courses or are already holding a bachelor and/or master degree from a recognized post-secondary institution and wish to use those courses to satisfy the General education requirements, you must submit a sealed official transcript and a Request for Transfer Credit form (available at all Admission offices) to ensure that your transcript is evaluated.
Approved Disciplines for Elective Courses:
FACULTY OF ARTS
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
In addition students may choose courses from:
Quantitative Courses: list of courses that are approved to meet the quantitative requirements for KPU credential.
For accreditation purposes, design related courses that enhance students' specialized skills in that area are not considered to be outside the discipline and do not meet CIDA's definition of liberal arts and sciences.
Students should refer to KPU’s Academic Calendar for up-to-date course descriptions and requirements for co-requisites and prerequisites.
**CIDA’s Definition of Liberal Arts and Sciences:
Liberal arts and sciences are defined as those college or university studies intended to provide general knowledge and to develop general intellectual capacities (such as reason and judgment). Course work that is generally considered to be professional studies (e.g., business) is not included. Education in the liberal arts and sciences provides a well-balanced foundation for professional studies and develops the capacity for lifelong learning. The intent of requiring liberal arts and sciences course is to ensure students develop quantitative reasoning and critical thinking skills. This includes humanities, which are defined as studies emphasizing the cultural aspects of civilization. Courses designated to fulfill the liberal arts and sciences requirement for eligibility should be of this nature and should not be courses that might generally be considered interior design course work.