Interior Design Program

Design beautiful spaces that make a lasting impact

Every room you walk into tells a story — about style, comfort, purpose, and personality. With a career in interior design, you have the power to shape the way people live, work, and feel in the spaces around them.

At Harper, you’ll study space planning, color theory, furniture selection, materials, and finishes, as well as drafting, visual communication, and presentation techniques. Through hands-on projects and collaboration, you’ll learn to balance creativity with technical skill, using tools like CAD software and industry-standard design methods.

You’ll be prepared to transfer to a design program at a four-year university or enter the field equipped with practical experience, portfolio-ready projects, and a working knowledge of ADA compliance, safety codes, and collaboration with architects and contractors — giving you a strong start to create spaces that are both beautiful and functional.

Program highlights

Earn industry-recognized training. Our program is endorsed by the National Kitchen & Bath Association and aligned with NCIDQ exam standards.
Get hands-on experience. Build real-world skills in Harper’s AutoCAD/CAD Studio and on industry field trips.
Learn in a supportive studio environment. With a 19:1 student-to-faculty ratio, you’ll get personalized guidance from experienced instructors.

Earn a career-ready degree in Interior Design

Harper's two-year Associate in Applied Science in Interior Design (AAS) offers the training you need to become a professional interior designer. With courses in interior design studio, history of furniture and interior architecture, materials and sources, interior detail/construction drawing, environmental design, kitchen design studio and more. You’ll be prepared for a career in the furnishing and design industries.

Associate in Applied Science in Interior Design

To make transferring to a bachelor's program in fashion studies as easy as possible, Harper College has developed transfer agreements with area universities. To learn more, visit our Transfer Information page or see your advisor.

Interior Design certificate programs

Harper's interior design and architecture certificate programs are designed to give you an introduction to the furnishing and design industries or to learn new skills. Many of the courses you take for these certificate programs can also be applied to the Interior Design AAS degree.

Explore careers in Interior Design

Learn more about career outcomes for Harper's interior design degree and certificate programs. Each career profile offers a complete picture of the local job market, including salaries, open positions, top local employers and more. To learn more, visit Interior Design Careers.

Interior Designers

* Data sampled April 2025. Visit the Interior Designers career profile for most current data.

$58,661
Median Salary

-1.8%
Projected Job Growth (2025-2032)

246
Job Postings

Description:

Plan, design, and furnish the internal space of rooms or buildings. Design interior environments or create physical layouts that are practical, aesthetic, and conducive to the intended purposes. May specialize in a particular field, style, or phase of interior design.

Core tasks:

Design plans to be safe and to be compliant with the American Disabilities Act (ADA).
Use computer-aided drafting (CAD) and related software to produce construction documents.
Research health and safety code requirements to inform design.
Confer with client to determine factors affecting planning of interior environments, such as budget, architectural preferences, purpose, and function.

Quick facts:

Set and Exhibit Designers

* Data sampled April 2025. Visit the Set and Exhibit Designers career profile for most current data.

$43,693
Median Salary

-1.2%
Projected Job Growth (2025-2032)

10
Job Postings

Description:

Design special exhibits and sets for film, video, television, and theater productions. May study scripts, confer with directors, and conduct research to determine appropriate architectural styles.

Core tasks:

Develop set designs, based on evaluation of scripts, budgets, research information, and available locations.
Prepare rough drafts and scale working drawings of sets, including floor plans, scenery, and properties to be constructed.
Prepare preliminary renderings of proposed exhibits, including detailed construction, layout, and material specifications, and diagrams relating to aspects such as special effects or lighting.
Read scripts to determine location, set, and design requirements.

Quick facts:

For more information about starting your interior design degree at Harper, please contact Admissions Outreach at 847.925.6700.