Interior Design Program Offered At Malaspina University-College

MALASPINA TO OFFER NEW

INTERIOR DESIGN DEGREE PROGRAM

Malaspina University-College will offer a new bachelor of interior design degree, creating increased opportunities for students to specialize in this high-demand field, Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell announced today.

“Our thriving economy has brought on a building and construction boom that has increased the demand for related professions like interior design,” said Coell. “Students graduating with a degree in interior design are well poised for success in today’s job market.”

Malaspina will begin offering the new degree in September 2008 and plans to admit 24 students. Students in the current diploma program will be able to continue their studies towards a degree.

The new degree program will offer a variety of courses – from design and illustration to business and marketing to building codes and materials. Students will be trained to work together with architects as well as mechanical and electrical engineers on building projects.

“Interior design is an extremely specialized technical field that goes well beyond decorating, so we felt it was important to expand opportunities for students to increase their earning potential and ability to receive certification,” said Malaspina University-College president and CEO Ralph Nilson. “Malaspina has a proven track record of preparing students for careers – in fact, all but one of last year’s interior design diploma students found work after graduation and the student that wasn’t employed was on maternity leave.”

Students graduating with a degree in interior design may work on a number of projects, including residential and office buildings, retail, hospitality, airport terminals, hospitals, manufacturing plants, government institutions and other types of buildings.

The Canadian Occupational Projections System (COPS) forecasts employment opportunities for interior designers and related fields will grow faster than the national average with a projected 700 openings to 2011, including new and replacement openings.

Since 2003, approximately 150 undergraduate and graduate degrees have been approved that complement government’s Pacific Leadership Agenda, helping B.C. improve its competitiveness and productivity through education and skills training.