Interior Architecture and Design Portfolio Review

“Your work is your voice. Speak clearly with purpose.”
— Michael Beirut

Portfolio review submission

After completing the Pre-Interior Design curriculum, students may apply for admission to the upper division of the Interior Architecture and Design (IAD) program and declare an IAD major.

In the upper division, students engage in rigorous coursework and advanced design studios. The third-year challenges students with commercial design projects of varying scales with stakeholders from global corporations to community organizations. Students confront pressing design issues, employ next-generation visualization and communication techniques, become immersed in the design development process, collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, and advance in the IAD professional development sequence through field experience and specialized design leadership courses.

In the final two semesters, students undertake a senior capstone project that integrates applied research into a comprehensive and original design culminating a CIDA-accredited professional degree. Joining the Interior Architecture and Design major signifies a commitment to excellence and professionalism in both local and global design communities.

Declaring an Interior Architecture and Design major is more than an academic choice—it is a commitment to excellence, creativity, and meaningful contributions to the design profession.

2025 dates and deadlines

Jan 30Informational meeting (RIDI Lounge)
May 9  Deadline to submit application materials (via online portal) – 5 p.m. EST
May 16 Notification of application eligibility and an invitation to schedule a portfolio review (email)
May 30Portfolio Review Day
June 6

Notification of review decision (email)

(Students accepted into the IAD program will be able to self-register for Y3 courses upon receiving acceptance email.)

Application process

Applications are submitted through the online IAD Portfolio Review Submission Portal. Students can submit applications from March 14 – May 9, 2025. Please make sure to submit applications by 5:00 pm on May 9, 2025. Applications will not be accepted via email or by any other method. Late applications will not be accepted. Applicants will be contacted no later than May 16 via WMU email with eligibility notification and portfolio review scheduling. Each applicant will receive a 20-minute interview timeslot on May 30. Please bring a minimum of (3) printed and bound portfolios to the interview session for reviewers. 

Eligibility for second-year portfolio review

Inability to meet the minimum standard eligibility requirements will prohibit you from participating in the second-year portfolio review and moving on to the upper division of the interior architecture and design courses.

  1. Successful completion of pre-interior design curriculum, including any pre-approved transfer credits from other institution(s). See the full list of pre-interior design courses below.
  2. Minimum of 3.0 cumulative GPA status in interior design courses, including Spring 2024 semester courses.
  3. Minimum of 2.5 cumulative University GPA, including Spring 2024 semester courses.
  4. Comprehensive interior design portfolio (submitted PDF documentation). See required portfolio contents below.

Day-of logistics

Portfolio Review Day will take place on May 30, 2025, from 8 am – 6 pm on the first floor of Central Kohrman. Second Year Portfolio Reviews will be held in person in RID+I Conference Room 1003 (near Annmarie’s advising office). Further appointment details will be provided via email on May 16. Applicants should arrive on time with physical portfolio books. Digital presentation of portfolio work is not permitted during the interview.

There will be a variety of IAD faculty present throughout the reviews, including previous instructors to speak on your professionalism, growth, development, design curiosity, work ethic, and classroom conduct. There will also be Y3 and Y4 instructors to provide objective evaluation based on application materials and the interview discussion. RID+I academic advisor(s) or admin may also be present during interviews to observe. Review sessions will be back-to-back. Please wait until the previous applicant is finished before entering the conference room.

The intention of these reviews is not to drill or discourage applicants. It is a professional development exercise to help reviewers understand a student’s level of preparedness to succeed in the upper-level curriculum. It is also an opportunity for students to have dedicated time with IAD faculty for focused, in-depth discussion and advising. While each session can vary, appointments follow a standard format: 

  • Welcome and introductions
  • 10 minutes: applicant reviews and showcases portfolio
  • 10 minutes: group discussion:
    • Why and how (relating to competencies in portfolio or application response questions)
    • Performance, conduct, and behavior review in Pre-ID courses
    • Professional ambitions, internship goals
    • Academic and/or professional advising

Throughout the day, professionals and design practitioners will be tabling in the RID+I Lounge for all RID+I students to meet. This is also an important professional development opportunity. Visiting professionals use this day to assess upcoming talent and seek out potential interns while emerging designers use this opportunity to get feedback on their portfolio, discuss design journeys, and network. Professional reviewers come from Detroit, Grand Rapids, Chicago and Kalamazoo to meet with you. Allied professionals also participate to provide graphic design insights and presentation feedback. Visitors also include representatives from various graduate schools.

Application requirements

Applications include a comprehensive portfolio demonstrating competencies based on the IAD Portfolio Review Second Year Rubric, a resume that includes the points listed below, and considered written responses to the below question prompts. All application requirements are to be included and formatted within a single PDF that is no larger than 22 pages and 20 MB.

  1. Resume: professional and/or job experiences, community involvement, extracurricular activities, affiliations, design skills and proficiencies, awards and scholarships. 
  2. Portfolio: curation of design work demonstrating competencies across evaluation areas. 
  • Cover page that minimally includes first and last name, ‘Spring 2025,’ and ‘2nd Year Design Portfolio’
  • Title page that includes a professionally composed design statement establishing design philosophy, creative process, identity, values, mission, and/or ambitions (i.e. manifesto).
  • A portfolio represents a designer’s best work and areas of excellence. Any non-digital work (hand drawing, physical models, marker renderings, etc.) should be scanned (or photographed of model) and edited appropriately for inclusion in a design portfolio.
  • Portfolios distinguish personal and professional identity; they should highlight and feature those characteristics and not mainstream them. The portfolio is an artifact of graphic representation and communicates one’s thought process, graphic sensibilities, and ability to story tell. 
  1. Written responses formatted legibly on a single page:
    • What inspired you to pursue interior design and how has that inspiration evolved over time?
    • What opportunities and experiences are you hoping to have as an IAD major in the upper-level curriculum? What do you specifically want to learn more about?
    • How do you incorporate feedback into your design process? Provide an example.

Describe how you seek out opportunities to enhance your design education and knowledge outside of school.

Successful completion of coursework

All students admitted into upper-level IAD courses need to have completed and passed the below courses to a minimal standard of 3.0 cumulative GPA.

Design Studio Courses

IADN 2480 – Studio I: Space Planning 

IADN 2490 – Studio II: Residential Architectural Design

Design Communication Courses

IADN 1490 – Design Communication I: Architectural Drawing 

IADN 1570 – Design Communication II: Sketching  

IADN 1590 – Design Communication III: Graphic Representation

IADN 2500 – Design Communication IV: Digital Design 

History and Theory Courses

IADN 1560 – Psychology and Philosophy of the Built Environment 

IADN 2420 – Design History of the Built Environment

Interior Design Application Courses

IADN 1500 – Intro to Interior Design 

IADN 2200 – Interior Design Textiles

IADN 3530 – Intro to Interior Construction IADN 2440 – Interior Materials