Interior Design and Interior Architecture Program FAQ

The curriculum includes 21 required courses (57 semester units) and two to four electives (4 semester units) for a total of 61 semester units.

Candidates must pay a non-refundable certificate registration fee.

All courses must be taken for a letter grade. To receive the certificate, you must maintain an overall minimum 2.5 grade point average, with a grade of C or better in each course. A Certificate with Distinction will be awarded to those who complete the certificate with a GPA of 3.9 or higher. All coursework must be completed within five years.

Each course is priced individually listed on the Interior Design and Interior Architecture program page. You pay the course fee at the time of enrollment. The certificate program has an estimated total cost of $24,660 (not including textbooks, course materials or registration fee). Course fees are subject to change.

We offer all required courses in the Live Online format and select courses in person at our San Francisco campus located at 160 Spear St., San Francisco. We also have two elective courses available in the fixed-date online asynchronous format.

Live Online: These courses meet live via video conferencing on scheduled dates and time (Pacific Time.) This learning format offers classroom-style interactive learning with live demos, lectures and class participation via Zoom with course resources available on the online platform, Canvas.

Fixed-Date Online: This format provides extra flexibility with content presented via pre-recorded videos and online interactions with your instructor and classmates on our online platform, Canvas.

The program can be completed in as little as 8 semesters with full-time study or in 11 semesters with part-time study.

Information sessions are scheduled throughout the year. Please check our website for updated schedules.

Courses are available in the spring, summer and fall semesters. Several of the beginning-level courses are available every term—all other courses are offered at least once per year.

Yes, you do not need to have any prior coursework in art or design to successfully complete this program.

A bachelor's degree (in any field) is required to register for the Certificate Program in Interior Design and Interior Architecture. If you do not have a bachelor's degree, you may still be eligible based on prior interior design coursework or professional experience. Contact the department at extension-interiordesign@berkeley.edu for more details.

If you possess a degree in interior design or architecture, you may be granted advanced standing admission and exempt from some preliminary coursework. You must pay a separate registration fee if you qualify for advanced standing. Contact the department at extension-interiordesign@berkeley.edu for complete details on advanced standing registration.

To register online for the Certificate Program in Interior Design and Interior Architecture, complete these two steps:

1. Submit the online registration, and complete your student account profile if you are a new student.
2. Pay the non-refundable registration fee through your shopping cart. Please allow 3–5 business days for the registration to appear in your student account.

We highly recommend that you take the courses in the order they appear on our website from phase 1 to phase 3, as many courses have prerequisites. Please check with the program office for the Course Sequence chart to assist with planning.

If you are working full time and would like to study part time, we recommend that you enroll in two or three courses per term. For full-time study, expect to enroll in three to four courses per term.

Yes, you can enroll in ARCH X409.2 Internship in Interior Design as one of your electives. With the guidance of the instructor and under the supervision of the host organization, you can gain exposure to the real design world and prepare for your future profession.

Courses are posted on our website approximately four months before the term begins. You will receive reminders via email if you sign up at “Get More Information” on this page.

Enroll through our website. Go to the course that you wish to register for, read the course description and section information, select the Add to Cart button, and then follow the on-screen instructions. You must pay for the course in full at the time you enroll.

For information on financial assistance, please visit the Financial Assistance webpage.

It may be possible to transfer credit if you have completed an equivalent course at another college or university. You will need to provide an academic transcript and course information for review by the program. Please see our website for Berkeley Extension’s substitution and transfer credit policies.

The certificate provides educational credits needed to qualify for the California Council for Interior Design Certification exam (the IDEX® California exam) and the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) certification exam.