FIDER Foundation for Interior Design
Education

Thinking about pursuing a degree in interior design? There are many factors to consider when picking a school – location, price, the programs on offer – but there is one thing that should be on top of every prospective interior design student shopping list – FIDER accreditation. Choosing a FIDER accredited degree program may impact a career for a lifetime.

FIDER is the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research. Started in 1970, the organization vets interior design schools and programs throughout the US and Canada and awards accreditations to the courses that meet their standards. The group them publishes a once yearly list, alerting students to the schools which have received accreditation, lost accreditation, or have applied for accreditation.

The FIDER governing board is made up of members of other interior design organizations, such as ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) and IDC (Interior Designers of Canada). The members of the board set the standards for accreditation, based on their real world experience in the field, and make the decisions about which courses fit the bill.

The FIDER accreditation process takes a minimum of 12 months – often longer, depending on changes FIDER might require to made to the program prior to approval. There are three stages in the process. First, the school must complete a lengthy self evaluation of their own program, identifying any weak spots and areas of concern. After the self evaluation is submitted, the school is visited a number of times by FIDER board members from both their Evaluation Committee and Accreditation Committee. During this period, the program is also subject to peer reviews. The information collected about the school then is evaluated by the FIDER board and accreditation is either approved or denied.

The FIDER members who conduct the accreditation research are volunteers from the interior design community, both active designers and interior design educators.

FIDER looks for programs that are academically rigorous, and programs that provide students with a practical education that prepared them for the real world demands of interior design. Their standards are constantly being updated to reflect changes and trends in the field.

FIDER accreditation is valid for a maximum of six years. After that, the school must re-apply and go through the process again.

FIDER also occasionally funds interior design research projects and brings together designers for discussions about issues in design. Between 1982 and 2001, FIDER awarded the Fixed Furniture/Joel Polsky Endowment Grant to further research in the field of interior design. Though the award is currently on hold, FIDER plans to bring back endowments in some form in the future.

FIDER received non-profit organization status in Michigan in 1999. The group is funded by the application fees of accreditation hopefuls, donations from the interior design community, and proceeds from fundraising events.

A FIDER accredited education is one approved by the interior design community as a whole and may allow you easier entry into the field. Some states only issue practice licenses to those who complete a FIDER approved education program. All in all, attending a FIDER accredited course will ensure all the opportunities out there are available to you.

A list of FIDER accredited programs is available on their website. Keep in mind that FIDER accreditation of one program at a school does not imply accreditation of all of that school’s interior design degrees.

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