Spell Success with Professional Interior Design Organizations
By Kathy A. Johnsonkathy.johnson@interiordesignschoolreview.com
Interior Design School Review Columnist
If you're studying for an interior design career, you've probably come across a number of initials, such as ASID, FIDER, or NCIDQ. These initials stand for the names of organizations that support interior designers. Here are four of the most important:
- ASID - American Society of Interior Designers. ASID is the leading professional organization for interior designers, with a membership of more than 38,000. ASID consists of interior designers, industry representatives, educators, and students, and has 48 chapters in the United States. Various membership options exist, including student memberships. To become a "professional" member, you must have an accredited interior design education and/or full-time work experience as well as pass the two-day examination administered by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ - see below).
- FIDER - Foundation for Interior Design Education Research. This independent, non-profit organization sets standards for interior design education programs and accredits academic programs that meet those standards. It also publishes a list of accredited programs.
- IDEC - Interior Design Educators Council. IDEC is dedicated to the advancement of education and research in interior design. It encourages communication and the exchange of information between educators, designers, educational institutions, and others concerned with interior design education. Services IDEC offers include conferences, an electronic newsletter, career guidance, and a semi-annual publication, the Journal of Interior Design. Membership is open to qualified interior design educators and students enrolled in a professional post-graduate degree program.
- NCIDQ - The National Council for Interior Design Qualification. NCIDQ is an independent, non-profit organization that works to identify to the public those interior designers who have met the minimum standards for professional practice by passing the NCIDQ examination - sort of a "bar exam" for interior designers.
Learn more about The Art Institute Online's Bachelor Degree program in Interior Design.
One thing these organizations have in common is a desire to educate and support interior design students and professionals. If you use the services they provide, these initials can help you spell success.
About the Author:
Kathy A. Johnson has written articles on health, fitness, and many other topics in her career as a freelance writer and editor. She lives in Florida, and is the features editor of Forum, a bimonthly publication of the national mothers group, Mothers & More.Sources:
American Society of Interior Designerswww.asid.org
Foundation for Interior Design Education
www.fider.org
Interior Design Educators Council
www.idec.org
National Council for Interior Design Qualification
www.ncidq.org
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