Interior design is the process of creating or enhancing the aesthetic and practical design of the inside of a building, office or home. If you’re wanting to become an Interior Designer without a degree, there are some challenges you may encounter. The good news is that it is possible to become an Interior Designer without a college education, thanks to professional training programs. Below you can learn all about the ways to become an Interior Designer without a degree, the types of training available to you, and the steps that can help you land your dream career.
Pros and Cons of Becoming an Interior Designer Without a Degree
Pros
- Creative freedom: Your artistic flare is not dependent on a college education. Without formal training, you can develop your own distinctive design aesthetic that can help you attract clients who value your individuality.
- Lower barrier to entry: Even without a degree, you can start working as an interior designer as soon as you have a portfolio. This doesn’t have to be anything too robust, smaller projects in your own home, work you’ve done for friends and family, or clients you’ve taken on through internships or entry-level work can create a portfolio that shows your competency and style.
- Flexibility: You can tailor your learning path to focus on specific areas of interest within interior design. Whether you choose commercial or residential interior design, both can provide you with fulfilling design challenges to match your interests.
- Cost-effective: Avoiding tuition fees associated with a degree program can be a financial advantage. Professional training programs tend to be much more affordable and often provide networking and job prep services that can help you land a better paying job faster.
Cons
- Personal Accountability: pursuing a career in interior design without a degree will require much more personal accountability than if you followed the traditional path. Whether you choose to attend a live in-person, live online, or on-demand, you’ll need strong organizational and time management skills. Especially if you pursue virtual learning, you alone will be responsible for showing up for you class times and due dates, even if you have to set them yourself.
- Time: Learning interior design on your own will require a large amount of your time. If you choose full-time training, you will spend less overall time on your education but will commit to longer hours up front. Attending part-time training can help you fit your education around your other commitments, but this will substantially lengthen the total weeks or months spent learning. Choosing to learn entirely on your own could be potentially the slowest path, depending on your determination and passion.
- Varying Curriculum: A major perk of a college program is tried-and-true curriculum. If you’re attending a professional training instead, you’ll need to do more legwork to ensure the course materials cover the necessary subjects. It’s also recommend you look for reviews from previous students or any reportable statistics on alumni job placement.
Learning Methods to Become an Interior Designer Without a Degree
Thankfully, there are several ways to become an interior designer without a degree. These include certificate programs, training bootcamps, introductory courses, free resources, and internships. It’s important to note that courses - whether they’re certificates, bootcamps, or intro courses - can be held in-person, live online, or on-demand virtually. Below you’ll find the main options outlined so that you can get a better idea of what pathways are available to you.
Certificate Programs
Certificate programs are focused on professional development, meaning they’ll cover topics that will be relevant to a career in web development or programming. These are longer than attending a quick course or bootcamp, and can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months, or even 1-2 years (depending on if you attend full-time or part-time). While their curriculum is robust and a certificate of competency will look good to potential employers, they may not be the best option if you’re wanting to focus on one individual skill or want to complete a course quickly.
It’s important to note that certificates can cost substantially more than a quick course, but the higher cost is often worth the more in-depth curriculum that these programs provide.
Training Bootcamps
Bootcamps are typically held live either in-person or virtually. Bootcamps allow for in-the-moment discourse with an expert instructor. If you’re struggling with a particular subject, you can ask questions and receive feedback instantly. Additionally, live bootcamps offer a level of accountability that many students say they need to succeed. Schedule class times and assignment due dates motivate you to stay on track.
These courses are shorter (a few hours to a few days) and cost less than a certificate program, in part due to how they primarily focus on one skill or tool, as opposed to an entire subject.
Learn Interior Design
- Nationally accredited
- Create your own portfolio
- Free student software
- Learn at your convenience
- Career placement assistance
- Authorized Autodesk training center
Introductory Courses
The shortest classes you’ll find will be introductory level courses. These classes can typically be completed in just a day or two. These classes are designed for complete beginners, so they’ll focus on the basics of interior design and the fundamental techniques and tools associated with it. These classes are often held live, either in-person or online, allowing you to chat with your instructor and receive feedback in real time. It’s important to keep in mind that these classes won’t cover advanced subjects, so if you want to learn more than just the basics, an introductory class may not be the best option for you.
These classes are often your cheapest option (not including free resources, of course), creating a low-pressure way to test out a new subject of interest. If you end up loving it, you can move on to an advanced course or attend a bootcamp or certificate course.
Free Resources
You could take advantage of free resources like YouTube making the most of the insights, tools, and short tutorials made available by industry experts. Coursera boasts hundreds of various training sessions and videos lasting from just a few minutes to a few days.
While free resources are financially helpful, this method can take the most time. You’ll be responsible for sourcing all your learning materials and ensuring that you’ve covered all the important subjects of interior design, and this process can take a substantial amount of time. Additionally, like on-demand courses, it’s easy to lose motivation and fall behind with free resources.
Internships
There’s often nothing better than on-the-job experience. While more of a crash course, an internship can be a great way to gain real-world experience, see how design firms operate, and network with other interior designers, vendors, and clients. They can also improve your professionalism by teaching you how to work in teams and increase marketability for future jobs. Plus, they’re a great way to explore potential career opportunities in different settings and can help you secure future employment through connections, references, and job opportunities.
What is an Interior Designer?
Interior Designers are professionals who are hired to create floor plans and layouts for the interior of various buildings, including offices, homes, hotels, businesses and virtually any other building. As more and more research is done into how the spaces in which we live and work impact human mood and productivity, learning interior design is about more than just learning how to create layouts and floor plans that are aesthetically pleasing. Learning how to design an open concept workspace is very different from designing a kitchen, though professional Interior Designers are likely to need to know how to do both.
Interior Designers are almost always either freelancers, independent contractors or employees of a company that specializes in interior design, meaning that these designers will work on a wide range of different projects (though they may be working in specific niches or sub-fields). They will be brought into projects when their services are required and they will often be given a basic outline of the kind of space that the client is looking for, though they may have increased creative freedom depending on the individual project. Interior Designers may find themselves working on a purely theoretical level (in so far as they will provide mock-ups and designs but not actually handle any of the physical furnishing) or they may find themselves tasked with going to the physical space.
Many interior design professionals will also have to work within constraints involving time, budget, logistics and the affordances of physical space. A 17th floor office renovation project, for example, can only cost so much and make so many changes to the physical building. This means working alongside contractors, estimators and other design professionals to get an understanding of the limitations of the project and what can and cannot be done during each stage. While being a professional Interior Designer offers a lot of opportunities for creativity and unique design decisions, learning to work within constraints is an essential part of the job.
Can You Really Become an Interior Designer Without a Degree?
Yes you can, in fact, become an Interior Designer without a college degree in interior design. Whether you have studied another subject in college or never went at all, it is still possible for you to have a successful and fulfilling career as a designer.
Unlike architecture, interior design often doesn't require a specific license in many regions, meaning you can technically practice without a degree. Most employers will favor candidates with a degree which will make it harder to land high-profile design jobs, but if you earn relevant certifications, you can still get your foot in the door to start your career. Once you’ve worked your way in, it’s simply a matter of developing a quality portfolio and making the right connections so that you can have the career of your dreams.
Steps to Become an Interior Designer
It can seem daunting when you’re first beginning your journey to becoming an Interior Designer, so it’s best to break it down into individual steps. Outlined below are the main ones but, depending on your education, location, and experience, these steps can vary.
Get an Education
The traditional pathway is to earn a bachelor's degree in interior design, architecture, or a related field. An associates degree is also acceptable, as is a professional training program offered in-person or online. Noble Desktop offers several professional training courses in a variety of subjects related to interior design. Hosted live online and in-person in New York, their courses boast top-notch curriculum taught by industry experts and often include added benefits like job prep, one-on-one mentoring, and portfolio development. So, even if you don’t choose the associate or bachelor’s degree route, you can still obtain a quality education in interior design.
Learn Specialized Software
As an Interior Designer, you’ll need to be adept in various software applications, like AutoCAD, SketchUp, and Revit. Each of these applications will require you to master various tools so you can design 2D and 3D models of your interior spaces. You can take specialized training courses in each of these programs, or gain experience in all of them through an interior design degree or certificate course.
Gain Experience
This is both the most important and challenging step of the process. After completing your education (or while pursuing your education), you’ll want to intern at a design firm, or work in a related field like construction, furniture design and sales, or architecture. Gaining professional experience will help you develop both the hard and soft skills needed to succeed. It’ll also help you with the next step, which is building a portfolio.
Build a Portfolio
Your portfolio isn’t just for potential employers like design or architecture firms; it’s also for potential clients. Showcasing your previous work, whether that’s from a training course, internship, or previous job, will allow potential clients and employers to get a better idea of your design style, the ways you’ve handled past projects, and how you’ve navigated challenging spaces, timelines, and budgets.
Pass the NCIDQ Exam and Get Licensed
The National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) tests your knowledge of building codes, construction standards, and more. This may or may not be required for you, depending on the job you’re applying for and the area you work in. Additionally, depending on your state, you may need to get a license to practice interior design.
Network
Interior design is all about connections. You’ll need connections to get jobs, find clients, and hire the best contractors and suppliers for your projects. You can attend industry events, get involved with professional organizations, and promote your work on social media to form these valuable connections.
Learn the Skills to Become an Interior Designer at Noble Desktop
AutoCAD Certification Program
In this Noble Desktop course, you'll learn beginner through advanced AutoCAD skills from a live instructor. You'll start with basic drawing and editing commands, then progress to higher-level techniques like using collaboration tools, customizations, macros, and more. You'll be able to ask questions, receive real-time feedback, and interact with fellow students in a supportive classroom environment. As a bonus, you’ll receive six hours of private AutoCAD tutoring and dedicated 1-on-1 time with an instructor, ensuring you're fully prepared for the certification exam. You can finish this course by taking the Autodesk AutoCAD exam, since this program includes the exam's cost, proctoring, and a free retake. Passing the exam and earning this professional certification will help you stand out in the competitive world of architecture, drafting, and design.
Interior Design Bundle
Offered by VDCI, this course combo will cover the main software applications used by Interior Designers to create drafting floor plans, 3D models, render realistic visuals, and design polished presentations for their clients. You’ll master computer-aided design (CAD) and 3D modeling (SketchUp) software to plan, design, and furnish rooms or buildings. You’ll also learn to use Photoshop to prepare additional visuals for their presentations. This course bundle is 100% online and self-paced with no live class sessions. Course materials are accessible immediately after purchase and you can choose when to start the training, offering the most flexibility possible.
AutoCAD Fundamentals Bundle
Also from VDCI, this programconsists of two courses that introduce you to the basics of using AutoCAD for Computer-Aided Design (CAD). You’ll learn how to create drafting symbols, kitchen and bath fixtures, a floor plan, and deliverable sheet files. All courses are taught by practicing professionals through hands-on, real-world, project-based training. This course bundle is online and self-paced with no live class sessions, making it ideal for those with busy schedules.
SketchUp Pro Fundamentals Bundle
This program from VDCI consists of two courses to develop your SketchUp skills for 3D modeling and rendering from the very beginning. You’ll learn the fundamentals of SketchUp to create individual 3D models, components, and topography in a series of professional projects. All courses are taught by practicing professionals through hands-on, real-world, project-based training. While offered on-demand, scheduled due dates help to keep you on track while you learn at your own convenience.
Revit Fundamentals Bundle
Consisting of two Revit classes, this VDCI program is designed to develop your understanding of Revit and its involvement in Building Information Modeling (BIM). You’ll be introduced to Revit and how information is interrelated throughout the Revit (BIM) model to design 3D models, generate 2D architectural drawings and create 3D perspective views. You’ll master Revit with the help of an expert instructor and hands-on, real-world, project-based training.