Hi, I graduated with BFA in interior design and wanted to clairfy that interior design=interior architecture. Interior archietecture is just a term some schools use to lure more students in, it's just a gimmick. It's their way of differentiantiang themselves from what the general public perceives interior designing to be - interior decoration.

I have worked in only reputable firms in NYC and have worked alongside architects and produce just as detailed architecture drawings from schematics, construction documents, and have even held a role as a proejct architect, leading projects even throught the contrcat administration phase. AND do decorating.

I am applying for the March I program to be a total designer. Thinking of spending the rest of my life designing interiors, scraps of space really left by architecture was too depressing.

Good luck to you but I hope I clarified the interior architecture thing. It just irks me whenever I hear people say that's "different", it just sounds really foolish. My personal opinion.

I agree with Newport2000. I'm in my last year of interior design. Actually I am the last class at my university to graduate with a degree in interior design. As of 2009-2010, the program is being renamed Interior Architecture. No difference what-so-ever in the degree curriculum with the exception that it will not be housed in the art school any longer but in the architecture school. I do mostly space studies, configuration and interior structure. I also work in medical facilities planning and design that plans and develops hospital spaces. They have a preference for interior designers over architects. The director of our department holds a MFA in Interior Design and most of her subordinates are architects.
Aside from that...
I was also considering Urban Planning for my master versus a MArch 1st professional since my interest is mostly in adaptive reuse. I was told that the MArch would open more opportunities instead of doing a MS in Urban Planning. Also certain school will let you do a dual master for both program. Please also note that most jobs available in Urban Planning are often with the city and state jobs are often not very well paid. I would know because hospital employees are state/city owned (but we do have kick ass benefits/health insurance/retirement funds).
I would look into all the programs in Urban Development if you really want to go for it. As for me, I submitted my applications for an MArch instead and will try to specialize through elective classes in adaptive reuse and urban planning.

Kaywris, as an interior designer with an MFA and also an educator, I will echo what has been said here already.

Interior Architecture education is the exact same thing as Interior Design education. They are both accredited by CIDA (the Council for Interior Design Accreditation) using the EXACT SAME accreditation standards. You are not an Interior Architect if you graduate from an Interior Architecture program. If you put this on your business card you are asking for a lawsuit. You cannot call yourself an architect unless you have gone to a NAAB accredited program and passed the licensing exam, period.

Schools do their students a horrible disservice by applying this misnomer to their programs and creating a rift or misconception about the difference between interior designers and "interior architects". No one in the architecture or interior design profession operates on there being any difference between graduates of ID or IA programs. There is no confusion in either profession about what interior designers do. The profession of "interior architect" doesn't exist as your school has presented it to you. It only exists if a registered architect chooses to call themselves an "interior architect."

Please educate yourself more about both professions before you try to enter either of them.