Environmental + Interior Design (Major & Minor)
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
Degree Type
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
Program Type
Major, Minor
Program Delivery
On Campus
Time to Completion
4 Years
Freedom to Explore. Skills to Excel.
The mission of Chaminade University’s Environmental + Interior Design Program is to educate, engage and empower students to optimize design of the built environment as it relates to our global, multi-cultural, multi-generational living and working communities. Graduates are prepared to transition to entry-level professional practice and to collaborate with architects and related industry professionals.
The interior design program leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Environmental + Interior Design is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, 206 Grandville Avenue, Suite 350, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503.
The CIDA-accredited program prepares students for entry-level interior design practice, for advanced study, and to apply for membership in professional interior design organizations. The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Environmental + Interior Design granted by Chaminade University of Honolulu meets the educational requirement for eligibility to sit for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification Examination (NCIDQ Exam). Learn more about the NCIDQ Exam eligibility here.
We are proud to acknowledge that 100% of our graduates over the last five years have been employed in full-time design-related positions within six months of graduation.
Our E+ID program is unique from other academic programs in that it extends beyond the traditional scope of interior design by encompassing the broader aspects of the environment into the design process. The curriculum addresses the symbiotic relationship between the indoor (built) and the outdoor (natural) environments by cultivating a design approach that integrates rather than compartmentalizes the spaces and places humans occupy. Aspects of this expanded perspective include the influence of site conditions (climate, sun, wind, views, natural amenities) on the interior; the relationship of interior spaces to their exterior surroundings; landscaping considerations; ecologically sound design; and building facade design. Also emphasized throughout the curriculum is the knowledge and application of sustainable design and universal design principles, which speak to the health, safety and well-being of the public we serve. This broader environmental perspective helps us to understand our connection not just to the building itself, but also to the land, to the community, and to the planet.
How then does Environmental + Interior Design differ from architecture? While there is much common ground between the fields of interior design and architecture, architects generally work at a larger scale, creating the building shell and addressing its relationship to its site. Interior design operates on a more intimate scale, with an emphasis on human experience. Interior designers are concerned with how people use, perceive, behave, and interact in the spaces they inhabit. Important aspects of the user’s perspective that are addressed are safety, health, accessibility for users of varying abilities, and comfort–not only physical comfort, but also psychological and social well-being. Over 75% of what a person experiences in a space is multi-sensory – light, color, sound, tactile quality, thermal quality, air quality and olfactory engagement – which falls under the purview of interior design.
Design is a balance between the practical and feasible with the imaginative and abstract. A design education builds a comprehensive skillset: it cultivates creativity and discipline, organizational and interpersonal skills, artistic and technical drawing skills, planning and management capabilities, and a collaborative work ethic.
Service Learning
Students participate in real-life projects working in partnership with non-profit organizations in order to serve local communities in need. Students learn to embody altruistic values in professional practice and experience first-hand how design can contribute to a more just society. They are also involved with a ‘live’ project in which they see their design proposals realized and accrue invaluable experience interacting with real clients and challenging constraints.
E+ID Student Experiences
Design projects are geared towards providing a platform for students to apply what they have learned in their courses to solve real design problems. Freedom to explore in a safe environment fosters the ability to be open-minded; to engage in the iterative process of design; and to discover valuable lessons from mistakes and successes. Ultimately, a competent, confident, collaborative, teachable, skillful designer emerges. Students are encouraged to be creative and imaginative, while not losing sight of the need to develop practical, viable, cost-effective solutions. As part of the design process, students explore both abstract and theoretical ideas in conjunction with pragmatic considerations.
Internships
A requirement of the E+ID program, internships provide students with opportunities to explore the numerous and varied opportunities that a degree in design affords them. Guided by faculty and connected with industry professionals, students may intern for small to large architecture or interior design firms; contractors; lighting designers; furniture vendors/manufacturers; architectural finish vendors; theatrical, television or movie performance agencies; historic preservation agencies … the list is quite endless!
Professional Connections
In the spirit of camaraderie, students are encouraged to enter design competitions, participate in local design events, and become involved in leadership opportunities in IDpro (Interior Design Professional Resource Organization). This student-led organization offers students affiliations and connections with the local professional chapters of ASID (American Society of Interior Designers), IIDA (International Interior Design Association) and NKBA (National Kitchen & Bath Association). IDpro, in partnership with these organizations and internal fundraising, has provided travel opportunities for students to conferences, a key experiential component to counter-balance our isolated location and access to resources.
Upon completion of the undergraduate B.F.A. program in Environmental + Interior Design, students will be able to:
- Understand, and operate within, the dictates and standards of the design profession/industry.
- Explore and apply the design process from project inception to actualization/realization.
- Integrate principles of design in order to synthesize and optimize design solutions.
- Safeguard the welfare of occupants and the public at large, and promote the ecological balance between the natural and built environments.
- Communicate design concepts, design solutions, and problem-solving rationales through written, oral, and visual media.
- Evaluate, articulate, and actualize the social, environmental and ethical impact of design on the health, safety and welfare of the public to further service, justice and peace.
In addition to the general education requirements, these are the pre-major and major requirements below:
Students begin their studies in Environmental + Interior Design in their first year at Chaminade. Those seeking a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Environmental + Interior Design (BFA-EID) must complete a Declaration of Major (DOM) through the Academic Advising office. Passing the E+ID Comprehensive Exam and Practicum (end of 200 level courses) is required to move forward in the program and into the upper division studios.
On-going advising with the E+ID Program Director is required, and highly recommended before starting the first semester of studies. The scaffold structure of courses is strategically designed to build knowledge and skill sets. This structure begins in the Fall semester, however, entry into the program is possible in the Spring, as well.
Pre-Major Requirements
Major Requirements
Choose one (1) upper-division elective, from the following:
NOTE: For information regarding the Associate of Arts degree in Environmental + Interior Design (AA-EID), please contact the E+ID Program Director.
Upon completion of the Environmental + Interior Design minor, students will be able to:
Minor Requirements
The Environmental + Interior Design program (EID) is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), the body that oversees and evaluates academic standards for baccalaureate institutions.
A full-time student taking approximately 15 credits per semester can complete the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program in four years.
The following data was collected using institutional records:
Student Attrition and Retention
69% of students admitted in the Fall of 2024 returned in the Fall of 2025, putting attrition at 31%.
Graduation Rates:
Of the students graduating in 2024-2025, 75% graduated in 4 years and 100% graduated in 5 years.
Job Placement Rates:
Job placement information is available for 18 of the 20 students who graduated between 2022 and 2025. Of these, 91% are employed in interior design or a related profession.
Technology
The Environmental + Interior Design studios contain 24 workstations running the latest versions of Sketchup, Revit, Enscape, Autocad, and Adobe Suite. Students also have access to high-performance, Windows-based laptops running the same design software as the studio workstations, which can be loaned for use off-campus as required. Additionally, the department has a dedicated Apple lab with iMac workstations for advanced graphics, animation and communication design.
Inspired by student design proposals, our facilities support student productivity through dedicated studios and an on-site print room. The student resource center provides design publications, manufacturer catalogs, finish samples and work/collaboration spaces for students and faculty.
All design studios feature:
The resource center includes:
E+ID students also enjoy access to the Fine Arts Department workshop for sculpting, ceramics classes, constructing project mock-ups, or building large-scale assemblies.
Faculty & Staff
Your professors are leaders in their fields. They believe in the power of personal experience—stressing mentorship, collaboration and project-based learning inside and outside the classroom.