| Admission deadlines: | Fall – April 1 (February 1 for applicants applying for assistantships/fellowships) |
| Standardized Test Scores: | GRE is not required. |
| The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the PTE Academic is required of all applicants except those who hold a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a college or university in the United States or from an institution located in a country in which English is the official language, provided English was the language of instruction. | |
| Minimum scores for the program are: | |
| - Academic IELTS: an overall band score of 6.0 with no individual score below 5.0; | |
| or - TOEFL: 550 on paper-based or 80 on Internet-based; | |
| or - PTE Academic: 53 | |
| Students who are admitted with the requirement to take an English for Academic Purposes course must be available to take this course in the summer preceding enrollment in the MA program. | |
| Recommendations required: | Two (2) recommendations on business letterhead. |
| Prerequisite requirements: | A bachelor’s degree in either interior design or architecture. The MA in Interior Architecture is a post-professional degree and is only open to students with an undergraduate degree in architecture or interior design. |
| Prior academic records: | Transcripts are required from all colleges and universities attended, whether or not credit was earned, the program was completed, or the credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript. Unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended must be uploaded to your online application. Official transcripts are required only of applicants who are offered admission. |
| If transcripts are in a language other than English, English language translations must be provided. The English translation alone should be uploaded into your application. | |
| Statement of purpose: | In an essay of 250 – 500 words, state your purpose in undertaking graduate study in your chosen field. Include your academic objectives, research interests, and career plans. Also discuss your related qualifications, including collegiate, professional, and community activities, and any other substantial accomplishments not already mentioned on the application. |
| In addition to the statement of purpose, applicants must submit answers of approximately 75-100 words to the following questions: | |
| 1. In your own words, how would you define the profession of interior design? | |
| 2. What current designers influence you and why? | |
| 3. What are some considerations that an interior designer must adhere to while designing interior architectural space? | |
| 4. How will your undergraduate degree and any previous work experience contribute to the MA Interior Architecture Program? | |
| Additional requirements: | A portfolio that shows interior design and or architecture projects from undergraduate work as well as projects undertaken as a professional are welcomed. Creative projects (i.e., photography, sketches, and fine art) may be included; an interview may be requested. |
| Portfolios must be uploaded to your online application or emailed to ciarc@gwu.edu. Digital portfolios must be submitted as one document. | |
| International applicants only: | Please review International Applicant Information (https://columbian.gwu.edu/international-graduate-applicants) carefully for details on required documents, earlier deadlines for applicants requiring an I-20 or DS-2019 from GW, and English language requirements. |
For additional information on the admissions process visit the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Frequently Asked Questions page.
Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences – Graduate Admissions Office
The George Washington University
801 22nd Street NW, Phillips Hall 215
Washington DC 20052
Contact:
askccas@gwu.edu
202-994-6210 (phone)
202-994-6213 (fax)
Hours: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday
The following requirements must be fulfilled: 30 credits, including 24 credits in required courses and 6 credits in elective courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | ||
| Required | ||
| CIAR 6800 | Studio A | |
| CIAR 6825 | Advanced Visual Communications Methods | |
| CIAR 6850 | Architectural Design Theory and Criticism | |
| Elective | ||
| One approved 3-credit Corcoran School course. See example courses, below. | ||
| Spring semester | ||
| Required | ||
| CIAR 6900 | Studio B | |
| CIAR 6925 | Psychology of the Built Environment | |
| CIAR 6950 | Leadership in Design | |
| Elective | ||
| One approved 3-credit Corcoran School course (see below). | ||
| Sample elective courses: | ||
| Interior Architecture | ||
| CIAR 6225 | Interior Materials and Color Theory | |
| CIAR 6325 | Case Studies from Bauhaus to Bilbao | |
| CIAR 6350 | Sustainability and the Built Environment | |
| CIAR 6425 | Lighting and Acoustics | |
| CIAR 6525 | Practicum and Internship | |
| CIAR 6550 | Structures and Building Systems | |
| Art History | ||
| CAH 6213 | Islamic Art and Architecture | |
| CAH 6220 | Proseminar in Italian Art and Architecture of the Thirteenth Through Fifteenth Centuries | |
| CAH 6221 | Proseminar in Italian Art and Architecture of the Sixteenth Century | |
| Exhibition Design | ||
| CEX 6011 | Spatial Representation and Making I | |
| CEX 6012 | Spatial Representation and Making II | |
| CEX 6014 | Materials, Detailing, and Fabrication/Installation | |
| CEX 6100 | Lighting, Acoustics, and Design for the Senses | |
| CEX 6110 | Materials, Detailing, and Fabrication/Installation | |
| CEX 6210 | Special Topics in Exhibition Design | |
| CEX 6230 | Art and Design Writing | |
| Fine Art | ||
| CSA 6512 | Photography: Altered Landscapes | |
| CSA 6612 | Video: Remixing the Archive | |
| CSA 6913 | Painting Off the Wall | |
| CSA 6915 | Public Spectacle in Socially Engaged Art | |
| CSA 6951 | Creative Photovoltaics | |
| Museum Studies | ||
| CMST 6302 | Museum Exhibition Design | |
| CMST 6403 | Museums and Technology | |
| CMST 6701 | Museum History and Theory | |