Laptop Requirement
In addition to the standard tuition and fees, students entering the Interior Design program should also factor in the cost of a laptop and recommended software in order to complete projects and course deliverables. The following laptop specifications are the minimum requirements; please ensure your laptop has a graphics card that will enable you to create digital drawings.
Laptop Specifications
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit or later
- Processor: 11th Generation i7, 2.5 GHz Quad Core (or better)
- Memory: 16GB (or more)
- Graphics: DirectX 11 capable graphics card with Shader Model 5 and a minimum of 4GB of video memory (from the Revit site)
- Network: Stable WiFi connectivity
- Storage: 512GB SSD (or higher)
Software Specifications
Software is listed in alphabetical order and is broken down per year of the program. Many of the software packages below are free for students enrolled in post-secondary. Please research accordingly.
| SOFTWARE | YEAR 1 | YEAR 2 | YEAR 3 | YEAR 4 |
| Adobe Acrobat Pro | X | X | X | X |
| Adobe Creative Cloud | X | X | X | |
| AutoCAD | X (spring semester) | X | X | X |
| FastStone Capture | X | X | X (or alternative) | X (or alternative) |
| FastStone Image Viewer | X | X | X (or alternative) | X (or alternative) |
| Kerkythea Plugin | X (spring) | X (optional) | X (recommended) | |
| MS Office | X | X | X | X |
| OneNote | X | X | X | X |
| Revit | X (optional) | |||
| SketchUp | X (spring semester) | X | X | |
| SU Podium | X (optional) | X (recommended) |
Please bookmark this page to stay up-to-date on software and laptop specification requirements.
Lab Fees
Students are charged a studio fee per semester of $198 (cost approximate) which covers many materials and incidentals related to the program. Students entering the program should also keep in mind there may be extra costs for materials in some courses; please consult with your instructor first before purchasing any supplies or materials.
Design Field School
Students in the interior design degree program are also required to take one of the yearly Design Field Schools as part of their degree requirement. This is an amazing international experience for our students. To find out more about Design Field Schools, please go to the following pages: Design Field School and KPU Field School
In addition to the course tuition, students should factor in the cost of a program fee which varies yearly depending on travel destination(s); this fee covers accommodation, city transportation and transfers, and museum/gallery/exhibition entrance. International flight(s), personal expenses, most meals, and tuition are not included in the program fee.
Textbooks
In 2021, the Interior Design program became the 2nd program within the Wilson School of Design to join the Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) program. KPU's ZTC program allow students to pursue an education without spending money on textbooks.