Interior Architecture, M.I.A.: 42 units

Offered by: College of Environmental Design, Architecture Department

Major Required Major Electives

Culminating Experience

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 42 units of graduate academic work. For students with no previous study in interior architecture, prerequisite course work precedes the final 42 units of the Master of Architecture program. The prerequisite work is 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.

George Proctor, Chair
Irma Ramirez, Graduate Coordinator

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 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 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 fall or spring terms 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.

Before applying to the program, a transcript evaluation is required in order to qualify for Advanced Standing. Unofficial transcripts can be used for this review process. Contact Graduate Coordinator.

Required Application Materials

If you are applying as an international student, please refer to the Cal Poly Admissions Requirements for International Students for additional instructions. https://www.cpp.edu/~admissions//international/graduate/

1. Completed Online Application - to begin your MIA application, proceed to the CSU Graduate Online Application and choose the appropriate application form. If you have questions about the application, please refer the Office of Admissions (909 869-3210) and the CSU Application Guide. https://www2.calstate.edu/apply/graduate/Documents/graduate-application-guide.pdf. Please note: a printed copy of your application must be included in the documents you send to UCLA Extension.
2. Official Transcripts - transcripts from all college-level schools, including Certificate coursework must be mailed to Cal Poly’s Office of Admissions. All transcripts must be printed originals and sent directly from the college to Cal Poly Pomona.  No electronic copies will be accepted. In the rare circumstance that your school is unable to mail transcripts, you will need to set an appointment with Cal Poly’s Office of Admissions to hand-deliver an official transcript. For information about ordering official transcripts from UCLA Extension’s Foundation Level Certificate Program, please visit the UCLA Extension Website. https://www.uclaextension.edu/
3. TOEFL score - regardless of citizenship, if the principal language of instruction for your bachelor’s degree was NOT English, the TOEFL or IELTS is required for admissions. Applicants should have the following minimum scores to be considered eligible: TOEFL 550 (paper based), 213 (computer based), 80 (internet) or IELTS band score of 6.5.   You should have your score prior to applying to the program. This score cannot be more than two years old. Official results must be mailed directly to the Office of Admissions and Outreach. You can refer to the Cal Poly Pomona International Student website http://www.cpp.edu/~admissions//international/graduate/ or call (909)869-5299 for more information.
4. Application Fee - due at time of submission

Submit/Mail items 1-4 above to:
Office of Admissions & Outreach
Cal Poly Pomona
3801 W. Temple Avenue
Pomona, CA 91768

5. Statement of Purpose - explain your interests, motivations, and goals in pursuing a professional degree. The Statement of Purpose should not exceed 750 words. You may choose to include it on your CSU application or submit it separately to UCLA Extension.
6. Three (3) letters of recommendation - these letters can be from individuals in a position to assess your potential for either the interior design profession or a Master’s level academic program.
7. Portfolio - your portfolio must include visual work illustrating your creative or analytical abilities in written, graphic, or mathematical form. For electronic submission, please upload to the Box account listed below. To submit a physical copy, please mail to UCLA Extension MIA Degree Program. Physical copies should be no larger than 9″x12″ bound; include self-addressed postage if you would like it returned. Portfolios are not required for students who have completed (or in the process of completing) Studio I & II in the Foundation Level at UCLA Extension.

Mail copies of items 1-3 plus items 5-7 above to:

UCLA Extension MIA Degree Program
10995 Le Conte Avenue, Suite 414
Los Angeles, CA 90024-1333*

*90095 is also an acceptable zip code

Requirements and Conditions

1. In the Master of Interior Architecture program (M.I.A.), a minimum of 42 semester 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 work produced may be collected and used for the promotion of the department and its programs. Students will always be credited. Students may post their school work elsewhere if they credit the degree program, course, and responsible faculty.
7. The candidate must be enrolled in the university during the term of graduation.