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If you are looking for a career that merges creativity, technical proficiency and business skills, interior design offers real opportunities to affect the way people live.

And Anne Arundel Community College’s versatile and award-winning Interior Design option can get you where you want to go. Whether you’re contemplating a career change to follow your passion or just beginning the higher education process, we can boost your career now or help you transfer to a top four-year college or university. The program is accredited by the National Kitchen & Bath Association.


Career Degrees

AACC offers the following Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees. The state of Maryland refers to the A.A.S. as a career degree, because it's intended to provide you with skills to enter the workforce. In some cases, AACC has entered into transfer agreements that allow these degrees to transfer to select colleges. A list of active agreements may be found on this website. You can also learn more about transferring from AACC to continue your education.

Interior Design, Architecture and Interior Design, A.A.S.

You’ll learn about both residential and commercial aspects of design and construction such as illustration, color, lighting, textiles, finishes and furnishings. You’ll gain employable skills in design analysis, presentation, CAD (computer-aided design), BIM (building information modeling) and interior material specifications. And when you’re finished? You’ll be ready to enter the workforce or transfer to a four-year program.

This degree also satisfies the minimum credit requirements for the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) allied or professional membership and the NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) certification. The A.A.S. degree provides the first step in the KB+BA accredited pathway. The A.A.S. degree provides the first step in the NKBA accredited pathway. Both the A.A.S. and Advanced Certificate meet the NKBA accreditation requirements.

If you are interested in transferring to a four-year institution, AACC has a transfer agreement with Wentworth Institute of Technology.

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Credit Certificates

The following certificates prepare students for employment and feed into the A.A.S. degree, if desired.

Interior Design

Our Interior Design Certificate will set you on a path toward entry-level positions in interior design or allied fields. It’s also ideal if you’re seeking American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) allied membership. You’ll develop an understanding of the design process from start to finish, from client needs, programming, schematic design, design development and product specification to final presentation. Credits earned may be applied to the Interior Design A.A.S. or the Advanced Interior Design certificate.

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Advanced Interior Design

You’ll build on the Interior Design A.A.S. degree by addressing advanced design aspects, strengthening your aesthetic and technical skills through in-depth study. You’ll learn sustainable and high-performance design based on the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) system and grow your research, writing and graphic presentation skills. When you’re done, you’ll be prepared to qualify as a candidate for certification as an interior designer in the state of Maryland or transfer to a bachelor’s program. The Advanced Certificate provides the pathway for graduating with NKBA accreditation.

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Interested in Transfer?

If you're interested in earning a four-year degree and want to study this subject, Transfer Studies may be your solution. This distinctive degree is designed to let you choose an area of concentration (or major), while completing your state of Maryland general education requirements.

Transfer Studies, A.A.

The Transfer Studies, A.A. allows you to explore different subjects or concentrate on a specific course plan that will best meet your in-state (and even some out-of-state) transfer goals. If you hope to transfer to a specific program or school, one of our advisors can help structure your AACC studies specifically for that purpose. The result? You get a well-rounded associate degree preparing you for further studies and successful career. 

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What can you do with a degree in Interior Design?

A number of exciting career paths are available to you, depending on which program you choose. Our graduates have gone on to become:

  • Event planners
  • Design assistants
  • Consultants
  • Commercial designers
  • Sustainable designers

Plus, with four-year transfer agreements with dozens of colleges and universities in Maryland and beyond, an AACC degree is an excellent investment for the next step. For outlook information about specific careers, visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.


Related Studies

If Interior Design sounds appealing, but you’d like to compare it to other offerings, see if one of these is a better fit.