Design courses and programs enjoy immense popularity these days. Design universities and colleges have quickly jumped on the bandwagon, and their courses have taken the education world by storm. This explains a large number of students interested in design courses and colleges. By 2021, the total student population of the best design schools reached 75,000.

This is an important trend, which means there are lots of courses offered to students to choose from. It also means that the choice is not always an easy one to make. That’s why we decided to carefully review all the available interior design courses to single out the top ones. Our assessment is based on a set of objective and rigorous criteria, so make sure you consider 10 interior design courses before you make up your mind to pick one that meets your needs and interests best.

1. New York Institute of Art and Design

The online interior design course of the Institute covers both history and current design trends, including fabrics, lighting, and colors. The curriculum incorporates more than 12 hours of HD video instruction. You have a chance to interact with and learn from leading interior designers. 

The Institute offers full-time courses that are practical and comprehensive. Some masterclasses are also available for small fees. You can obtain your RIDQC certificate endorsed by the Designer Society of America.

As part of your studies, you might need to complete complex and lengthy research projects. It can be a daunting task to manage all of them successfully. When the workload becomes unmanageable, you should order custom research papers from reliable and trustworthy online writing companies. Just make sure you do your due diligence to find one offering top-notch services at reasonable prices.

2. ASID master class

The ASID Academy is an online catalog of resources. You can earn CEUs in a range of objects, including interior design. Lots of students choose this online course because they find it a great alternative to traditional, class-based courses. The master class in interior design and home decor has already gained a lot of popularity. It covers an impressive range of themes, including color schemes, space planning, various patterns and styles, and many more. Students get to experiment a lot with newly acquired skills and knowledge.

3. Kelly Wearstler’s Interior Design MasterClass

This online course is designed to provide real-life learning experiences to students. It is led by Kelly Wearstler, the world-famous interior designer. She knows a thing or two about interior design and what it takes to master it. With her immense experience in the field, you can’t go wrong with this course. Be prepared to learn lots of DIY ideas and tools. You will be able to put them to practice wherever you are because most of them cost very little to implement. 

Kelly provides lots of smart, easy-to-follow tutorials and tips. She also offers numerous clues about choosing and matching colors, styles, and materials. Students rate this course very high, and they are usually willing to recommend it to their friends or fellow students.

4. MIT’s Open Courseware program

MIT has always been ahead of the curve in terms of offering cutting-edge courses in the most popular fields. Interior design has been one of them. The ground-breaking Open Courseware program helps students get a foundational understanding of interior design as a concept. These free courses are designed to be taken flexibly, depending on the students’ availability. 

The course material covers interior decorations, styles and themes, textiles, and many more. Students also learn to use 3D modeling and interior design software, including SketchUp, Revit, and others. Students enjoy using these great tools, which they are able to use through practical sessions. 

The course also does a great job of covering the best and most popular interior design trends in education. This is an important point because students are as much interested in the history of interior design as they are keen to stay abreast of the current or most recent developments and trends. All students want to build comprehensive portfolios that are multi-faceted and inclusive.

5. UC Berkeley Online Interior Design Course

This course is distinguished as one of the top courses among the paid programs in interior design. The certificate program covers interior architecture too. Applicants need to have a bachelor's degree to be eligible. Courses are designed to master the principles of interior design and practical ways of applying theoretical knowledge. 

They also build manual digital drawing skills for students. Some of the top industry professionals help students develop solid portfolios that get them off to great starts on their career paths.  

6. North Carolina State University

North Carolina State University runs an online program designed for those who are already employed. On top of it, it invites students who have already undertaken foundational training in design and who are able to maximize the advantages of their on-the-job training. All of this contributes to increasing their chances of finding and using the most rewarding career development options. 

The two-year master’s program in design is an ideal choice for students who are adept at conducting rigorous research. Each semester covers a three-credit seminar and a final research course. Different studio programs are included in semesters, and students get to learn from top speakers and experts in the field of interior design.

7. Wende Reid’s Interior Design Institute

Wende Reid offers a reputable and popular course in interior design. It focuses on royal collections of interior designs that you won’t be able to find covered anywhere else. In addition, the course also encompasses current trends in interior design. This means it is conceived to encourage creative thinking among students. 

The 12-month certificate program includes 12 assignments. These are interactive segments that are modeled on real-life examples. The course is also designed to cater to the needs of those who want to have flexible schedules. It is a comprehensive course that offers something to students of all stripes. Whether you are looking for a minimalist design or something really posh, you will be able to find something that fits your interests.

8. Carnegie Mellon University

The two-year Master of Design program is an advanced academic program that is designed for those who come on the heels of their bachelor’s studies. This is an exciting and inspiring program for those looking for creative sessions, hands-on experience, design labs, and sessions led by top tutors and professionals. Required classes include classes covering transition design, research-based design, and service design concepts.

The program is also designed to enhance students’ learning opportunities and skills. Those who enroll get a chance to select from a broad range of electives. Additionally, Carnegie Mellon offers a 12-month master of arts in design.

9. Full Sail University

Degree programs help students learn the ropes by unpacking the basics of design. They go on to master more complex and advanced forms of design. A lot of it has to do with how designers go about creating basic concepts and choose materials and other resources to transform great ideas into specific results.

Students benefit a lot from CADdetails.com to learn about ways in which CAD drawings and BIM models help them in their design efforts. All of these tools are free. Many experienced interior designers keep using them to devise their own concepts.

10. Udemy Class on Interior Design 

Udemy offers a great class on working with interior design as a pro. This is an in-depth and comprehensive course that includes up to 20 various interior design styles. It is based on the basic principles of design in general, such as color theory and materials. Once students are able to master the basics, they are well-prepared to go on to learn more nuanced aspects of design.

The other classes focus on patterns, more advanced color schemes, furnishings, and furniture selection. Students also learn about choosing specific themes and building their design ideas around them. That is when classes on the importance of lighting come into play. It is hard to overestimate the importance of lighting in design. The right use of lighting can underscore the strengths of the design, while a poor choice of lighting options can ruin the entire concept.

Final Considerations

Interior design is a popular subject for students. It is also a popular profession. But it is not judicious to just jump on the bandwagon without careful deliberation about which course to take. That’s why we have carefully selected the recommended courses to help you pick one that can meet your needs and requirements best. Assess your strengths and weaknesses honestly, weigh your options in light of the pros and cons of each course, and choose the one you will enjoy and benefit from most.

Author Bio: Jodi Williams is an experienced interior designer and blogger with numerous years spent in the trade. She enjoys posting articles and reviews of the best interior design courses that lots of students find extremely insightful and informative. Jodi works with several reputable publications, and her blogs are followed by a diverse group of loyal readers in lots of different countries.