Suffolk university’s

Master of Arts, Interior Architecture

“Discover innovative ways to shape compelling residential, commercial, and public spaces in Suffolk’s Master of Arts in Interior Architecture (MAIA). Our rigorous, CIDA-accredited program will enhance your creativity while boosting your tactical skills, teaching you code laws and preparing you to incorporate sustainability principles into your design projects.” - SU

completed courses

Interior design studio I

This studio introduces students to basic design principles, design theory and concept development. Emphasis will be placed on design process, problem solving, spatial organization, anthropometrics, universal design awareness, and presentation techniques. Students will be given a series of projects of increasing complexity, utilizing and building upon the skills developed in the Foundation courses. Students will be expected to produce process diagrams, plans, elevations, models, and finish boards.

History & Theory of Interior Architecture

This course introduces students to the important individuals, ideas and issues that have shaped the direction of contemporary interior design practice in the twentieth century, building upon the historical foundation established by the Art History I and II and History of Furniture and Architecture classes. Intermixing lectures and readings with visits to important local buildings, it discusses the influences of culture, technology, fashion and media upon the work and thinking of the first generation of modern designers, as well as emerging social, moral and environmental imperatives that will form the basis of future practice; cultural identity, interdisciplinary collaboration, sustainability and universal design.

Interior Codes & Construction

This course examines various interior construction assemblies of non-load-bearing walls, load-bearing walls, floors, stairs, elevators, fireplaces, ceilings, doors, interior windows, frames, millwork and fire-related construction. Emphasis will be placed on building codes including state, BOCA, Underwriters Laboratory, ASTM, state and federal accessibility codes and construction materials. Students will also be introduced to basic structural concepts and characteristics of structural materials.

interior materials & finishes

Students will study the visual qualities, technical characteristics and applications of the common materials and finishes used in interior installations. These materials include floor coverings, wall coverings, textiles, ceiling and sustainable materials. Related fire, health and safety codes, as well as maintenance and life cycle costs, will be discussed. Class material will be presented in the form of lectures, guest speakers and a tour of the Boston Design Center. Students will learn to analyze, select and specify materials and finishes for the appropriate applications, write specifications, and prepare a resource notebook.

environmental systems

This course studies mechanical, electrical, and plumbing technology and systems commonly employed in residential and commercial interiors. It will introduce students to the vocabulary, concepts and basic components of these fields of engineering. This will enable students to integrate these building systems in their design work and communicate ideas effectively with project engineers and contractors. The course will include commonly used heating, ventilating, air conditioning, plumbing piping and fixtures, fire sprinklers, electrical supply and distribution, smoke detection and fire alarm systems. Related mechanical, electrical and plumbing codes will also be discussed.

furniture & Detailing Studio

This course introduces students to the design process as it applies to furniture, addressing furniture ergonomics, materials, construction techniques, manufacturing and design. Students will research selected topics, and design seating, work/service pieces and cabinetry. Emphasis will be placed on furniture precedents, research, design process, human factors, accessibility, detailing, documentation and presentation techniques.

urban ecology : The Workplace

This studio focuses on the design of work environments. The course will explore the history of the workplace and the social, economic and cultural factors that will shape our relationship to work in the future. Students will develop research, programming and planning skills unique to these environments. In doing so students will consider how workplaces integrate human factors, building codes, accessibility and regulatory requirements through spatial organization, detailing, furnishing systems, equipment, finishes, and lighting.

graduate lighting studies

This studio course explores the design of natural and artificial lighting for interior environments. Knowledge will be acquired through lectures, readings and demonstrations. Students will apply this knowledge to design exercises, employing manual and digital simulations of light to communicate their ideas. Students will learn to measure, analyze and calculate lighting levels. They will learn to select appropriate light fixtures and integrate these into design documentation drawings. In doing so participants will learn how site and planning constraints inform lighting strategies and consider how lighting design impacts the human experience of space.

thesis design studio

Comprised an independent project executed by each student working with a team of advisors. Realization of the thesis project includes schematic design, design development and a final thesis presentation. Students must demonstrate an understanding of the historical, technological and aesthetic parameters of interior architecture and design. Students must demonstrate independence in relationship to their own design process and ability to realize an interior design project. Students unable to successfully complete the design development review will be required to enroll in the subsequent Thesis Studio Continuation.

digital visualization

This course provides a platform for developing computer generated skills pertinent to different stages of the design process. Demonstrations and assignments will enable students to build upon familiar orthographic and perspective rendering techniques. In doing so, students will enhance their ability to represent spatial hierarchy, materiality, illumination and fabrication. A lecture component and short exercises will provide students with hands-on exploration of color theory.

Graduate Portfolio

This course provides students with the opportunity to compose a professional folio as well as prepare their Thesis process studies for the final exit portfolio review. Students will address key elements of portfolio content. Through in-class demonstrations and hands-on exercises, students explore mock up, layout and compositional techniques. In addition to composing their final Thesis studies, students will employ more advanced concepts pertinent to the composition and printing of multi-page documents.

Spatial graphics

Students will employ a range of computer programs used in the design industry. Exercises will introduce students to Building Information Modeling, vector graphics and raster file formats. 2D and 3D compositional and graphic principles will also be explored in order that students better understand the importance of file hierarchies and the efficient organization of digital workflow. Import and Export functions will to enable students to work between applications in order to integrate images, drawings and vector graphics into their design presentations. Vector graphics will also be employed to generate 3D artifacts using digital fabrication tools. Prior drafting, Raster and Vector graphic experience recommended.

advanced interior design communications

As a continuation of the Interior Design Communication course, students will develop proficiency in communicating aspects of the design process. These "process" skills include digital wireframe modeling and manual drawings enhanced by digital tools. Students will employ three-dimensional rendering software to enhance perspectives and create walk-through visualizations of their digital models. Movie editing software will be used to create multimedia presentations and students will learn to employ a variety of media formats for presenting their work.

history of Furniture & architecture

This course provides students with the skills to critically analyze historic styles and examine the impact they have had on design. Emphasis will be placed on chronological periods, from antiquity to the 21st century. By examining visual characteristics of each time period, the course reveals how geography, culture and societal values have shaped furniture and architecture for centuries. The course also introduces terminology germane to a study of contemporary furniture and architectural styles. Using the city of Boston as a reference point, students will explore issues of preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, and adaptive re-use in order to identify how the region's design landscape is adapting to environmental and social demands.

Environmental systems

Residential design studio

This course addresses residential interior environments on a large scale. Students will develop client contact and programming skills. Emphasis will be placed on residential precedents, design process, human factors, accessibility, building codes, diagramming, spatial organization, detailing, presentation techniques, furnishings, finishes and lighting.

thesis research

Students are expected to identify a thesis topic, conduct research, interpret it abstractly, identify an appropriate design vehicle that will prove the thesis, then program the project, select a site, and begin pre-schematic design. The course is conducted in seminar format and is dedicated to self-directed independent research. Students learn research techniques, fact finding, scholarly writing conventions, and information organization, and are exposed to philosophical arguments that attempt to establish rules of language regarding design and art. Aesthetic theory, research, abstraction and programming are addressed as the basis of design. During class discussions, close attention is given to the construction of a thesis, preparation of its argument, and justification.

design documentation

Building on the curriculum of Digital Orthographics, students will gain a more in-depth knowledge of computer aided design and building information modeling software. Students will employ new and familiar computer programs to draft, organize and compile a set of construction drawings. The course requires students to manage more complex layers of information and develop strategies for managing their work virtually.

Urban ecology : Living systems

This studio focuses on the design of environments for health and wellness. The course will conduct research into existing precedents in order to understand the social, economic and cultural factors that shape the way we design for human wellbeing. Students will develop research, programming and planning for a multi-faceted facility. In doing so students will consider how health and wellness integrate human factors, building codes, accessibility and regulatory requirements through spatial organization, detailing, furnishing systems, equipment, finishes, and lighting. Students will explore the physiology of the human being and consider how complex systems can be addressed at a human and architectural scale. Using the city of Boston as a platform for inquiry students will engage with a variety of stakeholders to better understand this evolving field of inquiry.

entrepreneurship & internship

This course will cover the business aspects of interior design, including firm management, client and contractor relationships, project management, proposal writing, and market resourcing. In addition, students will explore career planning practices and consider the importance of independent entrepreneurship. Strategies for creating physical and online portfolios will be covered along with resume composition. Participants will gain exposure to a variety of professional design and advocacy groups. Students will also participate in network and interviewing sessions with design professionals. Although students may complete the required internship hours prior to taking this course, every participant will systematically analyze their experiences of practice, characterizing the business models within which they have worked.

thesis documentation

This course represents the final phase of the thesis process and constitutes the conclusion of the Master's program sequence. Having defined the design problem, and completed the research and design portions, the student will then document the project in written and visual form. The components will include construction documents and specifications, as well as a book in which the thesis proposal and results are composed in both text and images. The MAIA thesis document serves as an exposition of the process and nature of the thesis program and ultimately serves as a resource of interior design research for the greater design community.