Bachelor of Interior Architecture Degree | Marywood University | Marywood University

Bachelor of Interior Architecture Degree | Marywood University | Marywood University
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Interior Architecture (BIA)
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Design a Fascinating Career with an Interior Architecture Degree
The four-year, Interior Architecture degree at Marywood University prepares students to design dynamic interior environments for adaptive reuse, renovation, and new construction projects. This professional interior design program is the only BIA program in Northeast Pennsylvania accredited by National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
As one of the most forward-thinking colleges in the region, Marywood offers a unique blend of creative freedom, technical training, and sustainability-focused design education. Students learn to craft spaces that elevate function, form, and well-being — from residential interiors to commercial, institutional, and cultural environments.
Marywood also holds a prestigious Zero Energy Design Designation (ZEDD) from the U.S. Department of Energy — demonstrating its commitment to environmentally responsible design education at the undergraduate level.
To become a licensed interior architect, most states require an accredited degree, experience hours, and passing the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exams, administered by the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ). The BIA program fulfills the first and most essential requirement.
Students who complete the BIA program are eligible for 41 credits of advanced standing in the Master of Architecture or Master of Interior Architecture program. This makes it easy to deepen expertise in sustainable interiors and integrated design strategy.
Focused on developing the skills needed to design thoughtful interiors, buildings, and spatial environments, this accredited interior architecture degree trains students to create the specific character of spaces for human use and enjoyment. Interior architects learn how materials, colors, textures, and light influence human experience — and how to design spaces that respond to physical, psychological, and cultural needs.
Interior Architecture students benefit from a professional curriculum that includes:
Eight sequential semesters of design studios
, steadily growing in complexity from beginning studio to a comprehensive interior design project
Building science courses
covering building systems, environmental science, and renewable energy sources
Hybrid representation courses
, with hands-on training in animation, digital and physical model making, digital rendering, fabrication, and hand drawing
History and theory courses
exploring the diverse cultural and social influences that shape the built environment
Program electives
in topics like furniture design, lighting, and urban ecologies
required semester abroad
in Florence, Italy
Students also benefit from
shared coursework
with peers in Architecture, Construction Management, and Virtual Architecture — helping them build a collaborative, real-world design mindset.
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Program at a glance
Degree
Bachelor of Interior Architecture (BIA)
Total Credit Hours
120
College
Reap College of Creative and Professional Studies
School
Architecture
Program Highlights
Design Your Future Summer Program
From June 20 to June 27, 2026, students are invited to explore the world of interior architecture through Marywood’s Design Your Future Program, an immersive eight-day experience filled with creative design challenges, studio sessions, firm tours, and workshops.
This is a valuable opportunity for high school who want to preview life in an School of Architecture program — especially those considering an
interior architecture degree
focused on addressing the most urgent design challenges of our time.
Learn More About Design Your Future
Innovative Campus, Real-World Practice
Interior Architecture courses are taught in a LEED Gold-certified facility equipped with rainwater harvesting, geothermal cooling, and a green roof — a living example of sustainable, adaptive reuse design. Students gain hands-on experience with the tools and technologies that drive today’s design industry.
Marywood interior architecture students have been recognized for their creative achievements, including the Gravity Slope Colliery adaptive reuse project, which was nominated for a SAGE Award from the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.
Students also showcase their work at First Friday Gallery nights in downtown Scranton and during the Observe Scranton Festival, presented in partnership with the Center for the Living City.
Professional Partnerships & Career Success
Students and faculty frequently partner with industry-leading firms and organizations, including:
Fancy Parsley
HC Architects
Sordoni Construction Services
And with regional nonprofits and museums such as:
Black Scranton Project for Arts and Culture
Electric City Trolley Museum
Everhart Museum
Lackawanna Historical Society
United Neighborhood Center of Northeast Pennsylvania
With a strong focus on career development, Marywood hosts an annual career fair and supports students through internships, mentoring, and portfolio reviews. The program reports an 85% job placement rate in professional roles.
View All Testimonials
Top Career Paths
Interior Architect
Exhibit Designer
Furniture Designer
Project Manager
Stage, Media, and Film Set Designer
Visual Merchandiser
Top Employers
Interior Architecture/Design Firms
Architecture Firms
Event Management Companies
Film Industries
Retailers
Museums
Take Your Next Steps
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About the Interior Architecture Program
Admission Requirements
Scholarships & Tuition
Courses, Curriculum & PLOs
Current Student Resources
Facilities & Technology
Faculty
Admission Requirements
Undergraduate Admissions Requirements
Completed application
Official transcripts
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If you have any questions about this program, we're here to help.
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Scholarships
Morris K. Udall Scholarship
The Udall Foundation seeks future leaders across a wide spectrum of environmental fields, including policy, engineering, science, education, urban planning and renewal, business, health, justice, and economics. The Foundation also seeks future Native American and Alaska Native leaders in public and community health care, tribal government, and public policy affecting Native American communities, including land and resource management, economic development, and education.
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Tuition
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PAYMENT DEADLINE CALENDAR
Courses & Curriculum (120 Total Credits)
The four-year, professional Bachelor of Interior Architecture (BIA) degree program at Marywood is accredited by the
National Association of Schools of Art and Design
(NASAD). Marywood offers advanced standing in their professional Master of Interior Architecture (MIA) program for students with undergraduate degrees in Architecture, Interior Architecture, Virtual Architecture, or Construction Management. To become a licensed interior architect/designer, most states require completion of an accredited degree, Experience hours and NCIDQ exams administered by the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ).
The Bachelor of Interior Architecture degree program requires
study abroad
in the third year at Marywood’s education partner, the
International Studies Institute Florence
(ISI). Students with extenuating circumstances outlined in the
MU
SOA Study Abroad Policy may apply for an exemption.
A minimum grade of “C” is required in order to fulfill the University’s requirement of design competency in each of the following studio courses:
ARCH 110
ARCH 120
ARCH 210
IARC 220A
IARC 310A
IARC 320A
IARC 410A
, and
IARC 420A
B.I.A. (Four-year Degree) Program Requirements
Total of 120 credits required including:
Core curriculum*
Interior Architecture curriculum
General Electives
The Interior Architecture curriculum is scaffolded by four curricular sequences listed below. Please email the
MU
SOA Director at
architecture@marywood.edu
for a recommended, semester-by-semester curriculum tracker outlining the four-year program.
Studio Sequence
ARCH 110
Design Studio I
ARCH 120
Design Studio II
ARCH 210
Design Studio III
IARC 220A
Interior Architecture Studio IV
IARC 310A
Interior Architecture Studio V
IARC 320A
Interior Architecture Studio VI
IARC 410A
Interior Architecture Studio VII
IARC 420A
Interior Architecture Studio VIII
Representation Sequence
IARC 111L
Hybrid Representation Lab I
IARC 121L
Hybrid Representation Lab II
IARC 211L
Hybrid Representation Lab III
Technology Sequence
ARCH 127
Building Technologies I
ARCH 217
Building Technologies II
ARCH 227
Building Technologies III
ARCH 317
Building Technologies IV
ARCH 417
Building Technologies V
History and Theory Sequence
ARCH 128
Hist & Thry of Arch & Interior Arch I
ARCH 218
Hist & Thry of Arch & Interior Arch II
ARCH 228
Hist & Thry of Arch & Interior Arch III
Total Credit Hours: 131
Additional Courses
ARCH 462 (Professional Practice), Program Electives (9 credits)**, and General Electives (3 credits).
* ART 218, MATH 160, and PHYS 140 are recommended to fulfill Core requirements for Bachelor of Interior Architecture students. Equivalent or higher courses will be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
** Program Electives shall be selected from Interior Architecture, Architecture, Virtual Architecture, Construction Management, and other courses approved by the
MU
SOA Director. Program Electives shall not be otherwise required courses in the Bachelor of Interior Architecture degree program.
Student Resources
Interior Architecture Student Work
From #DayOne, Marywood is here for you each step of the way.
Academic Advising
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Center for Architectural Studies
In some cases, where students learn can be as important as what they learn. Where it can be a modern urban center or a historic city like Florence, or it can be a building so innovative in its design that it becomes a partner in the educational experience. Such is the case with Marywood’s Center for Architectural Studies, which houses the School of Architecture.
The School of Architecture is a
state-of-the-art example of sustainable design
. It's a spacious, adaptive re-use of Marywood's former gymnasium and natatorium. It features:
Two levels of open studios
Wood and metal shops
Digital Fabrication Lab
Plaster-casting room
Printers and plotters
Construction Materials Lab
Reference library
A two-story commons under a continuous skylight harvests abundant natural light throughout the day and serves as the building's "agora" -
an open, shared, central space for educational exchanges
among students and faculty. This is an ideal place for group discussions, debates, displays, and project critiques.
School of Architecture Classrooms
A two-story commons under a continuous skylight harvests abundant natural light throughout the day and serves as the building's "agora" -
an open, shared, central space for educational exchanges
among students and faculty. This is an ideal place for group discussions, debates, displays, and project critiques.
Every student is provided an
individual work space
with a drawing board, personal storage area, pin-up wall, and space for a laptop.
It features:
Two levels of studio space
Fully-equipped woodshop
Plaster-casting room
Printers and plotters
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) lab
Student lounge
Reference library
Cloud Room
The Cloud Room (CAS 251) is located on the second level of the Center for Architectural Studies, above the lobby. Including only chairs without desks, it is not considered a traditional classroom space. The Cloud Room is used by the School of Architecture as a meeting space and as a location for architecture lectures and guest speakers.
Faculty
Dr. Jodi L La Coe
Director, School of Architecture | Associate Professor
Arian Korkuti
Associate Director of Graduate Studies | Assistant Professor
Dr. Liyang Ding
Associate Professor | Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies
Scott D Allen
Lecturer
Dr. Elizabeth M Andrzejewski
Assistant Professor
Catherine M Armezzani
Instructor of Practice
Alexander J Belavitz
Lecturer
Joshua David Berman
Assistant Professor of Practice
Amy L Brakefield
Lecturer
Charles J Breig
Lecturer
Tess R Brown
Lecturer
Dr. Miguel Angel Calvo-Salve
Professor
Matthew Chorba
Lecturer
Carmen J Ciampi
Lecturer
Antonio Felice Cicco
Lecturer
Emily Elizabeth Fischetti
Lecturer
Michael A Fusco
Lecturer
Negar Goljan
Lecturer
Thomas Alexander Gongliewski
Shop Manager/Technician
Kimberley Ann Hagan
Instructor
Christian T Hoffer
Lecturer
Gerard Jacquinot
Lecturer
Michael Lawson
Lecturer
Joseph Thomas Leone
Digital Output Technician
Lincoln L Lewis
Lecturer
William R Long
Lecturer
Christopher J Loofs
Assistant Professor
Maria N MacDonald
Instructor of Practice
Joseph R Marcellus
Lecturer
Nicolas A Mendez
Lecturer
Scott S Napkora
Lecturer
Blake Charles Nickel
Lecturer
Michelle L Pannone
Associate Professor
Mario Joseph Paoli
Graduate Assistant - FWS | Lecturer
Dr. Arturo Pavani
Assistant Professor
Megan M Pavlowski
Lecturer
Gustavo Alfredo PulidoDelCastillo
Assistant Professor of Practice
Derrick P Ricci-Riner
Lecturer
Lucia J Riggi-Murray
Study Abroad Coordinator | Administrative Assistant
Sean M Ritter
Lecturer
Renee Lynn Rozaieski
Lecturer
Ryan Scavnicky
Assistant Professor
Kerry P Schimelfenig
Lecturer
Jordan M Slater
Lecturer
Lewis Strunk
Lecturer
James J Sullivan
Professor
David M Truitt
Lecturer
Philip Martin Vigoda
Lecturer
Kristen Anne Wolfe
Lecturer
Admissions Events
Explore the vibrant community and endless opportunities that await you at Marywood. Attend one of our special events designed specially for you to learn more about Marywood's degree programs, dedicated faculty, and welcoming campus.
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Related Programs
Architecture (BArch)
Virtual Architecture (BVA)
Environmental Design in Architecture (BEDA)
Construction Management (BSCM)
Centers of Excellence
Marywood University hosts three academic Centers of Excellence on campus; The Center for Law, Justice and Policy, The Center for Urban Studies, and The Mother Theresa Maxis, IHM Center. Each center provides students with the tools and resources to excel in their academic endeavors, fostering a dynamic environment where they can engage deeply with their respective fields of study and make meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond.
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Accreditation
Marywood University is accredited by the
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
(MSHE).
Art and design programs at Marywood University, including the
Bachelor of Interior Architecture (BIA)
are accredited by the
National Association of Schools of Art and Design
(NASAD). With experience hours, our graduates are eligible to take the
National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam.
Pennsylvania has enacted legislation (Act 144 of 2024/SB 1319) that establishes a voluntary "Certified Interior Designer" (CID) title for qualified professionals. This law protects the title, allowing those with specific education, experience, and passing the NCIDQ exam to register with the state.
View more information about interior design licensure in the US »
Curriculum Guide
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