The Master of Science Degree or Master of Arts Degree in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences is designed for professionals seeking advanced study in one of the specialty areas of family and consumer sciences.
Our department currently offers a master’s degree program in Family and Consumer Sciences with an option emphasizing Interior and Environmental Design. This program is appropriate for students with previous degrees in interior design, architecture, construction management, art, design, and other related majors. Our undergraduate program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, formerly known as FIDER, and emphasizes commercial interior design. Our graduates are typically employed by one of the Top 100 Design firms, such as Gensler, SpAce, Callison, IA Interior Architects, The Gettys Group, Design Forum and Environments Group in Chicago, St. Louis, and other major cities.
Family and Consumer Sciences graduate students with an interest in the interior design field can potentially include the following nine graduate level courses in the interior and environmental design area as part of their graduate degree program. These courses include:
FCS 338 – History of Interior & Environmental Design I (3 sem hr.)
FCS 340 – Interior Design I: Studio (4 sem. hr.)
FCS 345 – Interior Design Business Practices (2 sem. hr.)
FCS 346 – Environmental Lighting Design (2 sem. hr.)
FCS 347 – Human Factors in Interior Environments (2 sem. hr.)
FCS 348 – History of Interior & Environmental Design II (2 sem hr.)
FCS 352 – Rendering for Interior Designers (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 370 – Interior Design II: Studio (4 sem. hr.)
FCS 375 – Interior Design III: Studio (4 sem. hr.)
The Graduate Catalog provides course descriptions and other information about these 9 graduate level courses and our mater’s degree program. Lower level courses are also available for students needing to complete deficiency coursework as course prerequisites and for their master’s degree, licensing exam preparation, and future career success. Students without a related background are generally required to take the following prerequisite courses.
FCS 104 – Environmental Design Elements: Studio (3 sem. hr.)
FCS 218 – Interior Construction and Building Systems (2 sem. hr.)
FCS 225 – Textiles (3 sem hr.)
FCS 242 – Drafting for Interior Design (3 sem. hr.)
Plans are to develop a sequence-specific master’s degree in Interior and Environmental Design in the future.
Students may choose one of the following degree program options:
- 32-semester-hour program which includes a thesis
- 39 semester hour program of course work
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework
- The GRE exam with a preferred verbal score of 420
- Three letters of recommendation
- Statement of goals for seeking the degree
Illinois State University, M.S. and NCIDQ
Illinois State University, M.S. and NCIDQ
Iowa State University, M.S., Ph.D.
Purdue University, M.A.; Illinois State University, Ph.D.
University of Illinois, Chicago, B.Arch. and AIA member
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign M.Arch.
For information about other Illinois State University graduate programs, visit the Graduate Program Web site.
Robert Cullen, Ph.D.
Graduate Program Coordinator
Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
Campus Box 5060
Office: Turner 203F
Phone: (309) 438-8850
Fax: (309) 4388-5659
Email:
