Interior Architecture, M.I.A.

Offered by: College of Environmental Design, Architecture Department

Judith Sheine, Chair
Kip Dickson, Graduate Coordinator

The Department of Architecture offers a program of study that leads to the degree, Master of Interior Architecture. This program is offered collaboratively by Cal Poly Pomona and UCLA Extension. At Cal Poly Pomona, the program is offered only through the College of the Extended University. Most of the classes are taught at UCLA Extension facilities in Westwood in Los Angeles.

The Master of Interior Architecture is a professional degree (M.I.A.) and is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. The M.I.A. program accepts students from varied academic backgrounds, including non-design disciplines, for a program requiring 63 units of graduate academic work. For students with no previous study in interior architecture, 82 units of prerequisite course work precedes the final 63 units of the Master of Architecture program. The 82 units of prerequisite work are offered by UCLA Extension and credit may be awarded for equivalent courses taken at other institutions. A culmination Master’s project must be completed in this program before the Master of Interior Architecture degree is granted.

The primary goal for the Master of Interior Architecture program is to provide an opportunity for individuals with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to pursue a rigorous program of part time study that prepares them to enter the field of Interior Architecture incorporating the highest standards of professional practice. The program particularly serves career-change students seeking to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming interior architecture professionals.

Admission to the Program

For admission to the Master of Interior Architecture program, an applicant must have received a baccalaureate degree, have attained an overall undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.0 and have completed the 82 prerequisite units or their equivalent. An applicant who does not meet these criteria may be admitted on a conditional basis if evidence of compensating qualifications can be furnished. Students who are admitted to the program must be able to demonstrate that their undergraduate degree includes a minimum of 30 semester units (45 quarter units) of diverse liberal arts and science courses, as defined by CIDA, or have taken additional approved courses in these areas to achieve this minimum number of units. Students may enter the Master of Interior Architecture program during any quarter and the program accepts non-resident and foreign students. If you are applying as a foreign student, please contact the Foreign Student Advisor in Admissions at (909) 869-5299.

The University’s Office of Admissions requires the following material sent directly to them:

The CSU application for graduate admissions can be found at http://www.csumentor.edu/AdmissionApp/grad_apply.asp. Please submit you application online and download a pdf and print a hard copy. For any other questions regarding application procedures please contact the Office of Admissions (909 869-3210).

Official copies of your transcripts from ALL schools, sent directly from the schools, to the Office of Admissions. For those whose native language is not English a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper based)/213 (computer based)/80 (internet) or an IELTS (International Language Testing System - Academic) bad score of 6.5 or higher is required for admissions. This score should not be more than two years old and should submitted directly to the Office of Admissions. The mailing address is:

Office of Admissions
Cal Poly Pomona
3801 West Temple Avenue
Pomona, CA 91768

In addition to the standard university application forms and official transcripts of all college work that must be submitted to the university Admissions Office, applicants are required to submit the following to:

UCLA Extension
Architecture and Interior Design Program
10995 Le Conte Ave., Suite 414
Los Angeles, CA 90024

1. A copy of your application;
2. Official transcripts (directly from all schools, including all of your university coursework and certificate coursework);
3. A statement of purpose explaining your interests, motivations, and goals in pursuing a professional degree in Interior Architecture. The statement of purpose should be on a separate sheet and NOT included in the application.
4. Three letters of recommendations from those in a position to assess the applicant’s potential for either the profession of interior architecture or for a master’s level academic program. (The recommendation should be written in letter format on letterhead, there is no form to complete.); and
5. A portfolio, (NO LARGER THAN 9” X 12” BOUND) illustrating creative ability in graphic form (should not be original material). A self-addressed postage paid envelope must be included if you want your portfolio returned; otherwise it will be discarded/destroyed.

Applicants should consult the Department website for deadlines for submission of applicant materials for admissions. Personal interviews are not required. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is recommended but is not required. Additional materials, beyond those required, may be submitted.

Requirements and Conditions

1. In the Master of Interior Architecture program (M.I.A.), a minimum of 63 quarter units must be completed.
2. A minimum of 32 units of acceptable graduate credit must be taken in residency. All units taken in residency or transferred from another graduate institution are subject to a time limit of 7 years.
3. An overall average of “B” (3.0) or better must be maintained in Cal Poly Pomona courses in order to receive a graduate degree. The minimum grade in interior architecture courses that will be accepted for credit toward the degree is “C.” Any course in which a lower grade is received must be retaken, although the initial grade will not be removed from the student’s record nor from the calculations for the grade point average.
4. In order to advance to candidacy for the M.I.A. program, a student must pass the Graduate Writing Test.
5. A final Master’s project is required of candidates in the M.I.A. degree program.
6. All class work becomes the property of the department.
7. The candidate must be enrolled in the university during the quarter of graduation.