Internship in Interior Design

The Internship in Interior Design is a pre-professional experience in an interior design firm or related business. Undergraduate majors in Interior Design who meet the qualifying criteria may, upon acceptance, participate in an internship experience. The major goal of an internship is to provide an experience that will enable the student to apply the knowledge and skills acquired through coursework. The internship has been established to supplement a balanced academic program and enhance career preparation by enabling students to:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the business where the internship takes place;
• Develop decision making and problem solving abilities necessary in the field or interior design; and
• Perform self-assessments of personal interests, goals and skills leading to choices of role and involvement in career and society.

The internship is coordinated and supervised through MSU with the cooperation of business management personnel. Individual evaluation will help the student assess his/her leadership development and progress in the workplace. This experience-based program is offered in the summer and is available to Interior Design majors after the completion of the junior level design courses. Academic criteria for acceptance to the internship include:

2.5 or better Overall Grade Point Average.

Official admission to the upper level Interior Design program.

A combined grade point average of 3.0 or better, with no single grade lower than 2.5 in the following courses: IDES 340, IDES 342, IDES 343, IDES 350, and IDES 352.

Completion of one credit in IDES 393 during the fall preceding the intended summer internship. This one credit course is available to all juniors.

Students must complete all of the above courses before beginning an internship. If a course is taken at the same time or subsequent to application for the internship, the grade will be used in determining academic qualification for the internship at the end of that semester. Students failing to meet the minimum grade point criteria will not qualify to receive credit for the internship.

The first step in making application for an internship is to enroll for IDES 393 in the fall prior to your intended summer internship. That course will provide all the detailed information for obtaining the actual internship placement.

© 2006 Michigan State University Board of Trustees.
MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity institution. East Lansing, MI 48824