Southeast's interior-design program receives six-year accreditation

Southeast Missouri State University’s interior-design program has received six-year accreditation from the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), school officials said.

The accreditation follows an application process, self-study and program-analysis report, and site visit to the campus in November, school officials said in a news release.

CIDA, an international not-for-profit organization that accredits programs in the United States and Canada, uses internationally-recognized educational standards to review programs, according to Southeast officials.

Michelle Brune, professor of interior design at Southeast, said Tuesday the accreditation allows the school to compete nationally with other universities in recruiting interior-design students.

“It is a really big deal,” she said. “We really expect some growth from this.”

Brune added, “It is going to help our students get jobs.”

“Accreditation affirms Southeast’s program to be nationally recognized, meeting the highest standards for interior-design education,” she said.

The school’s interior-design program is one of four programs in Missouri accredited by CIDA. Southeast’s interior-design program also is accredited by the National Kitchen and Bath Association.

“Southeast offers one of the highest standards of interior design education at the best value,” Nicole Norwitz Beaton, instructor of interior design at Southeast, said in the news release. “It’s exciting we’ll be able to offer students an amazing program that competes with top-tier institutions across the nation.”

Southeast’s bachelor of science in human environmental studies, interior design option, program has 40 students enrolled.

“There are many architectural and design firms whose positions require that candidates graduate from a CIDA-accredited program,” interior-design instructor Carol Nesler said in the release. “Employers will now know our students have an excellent knowledge base and have received a high-quality education.”

Since CIDA reviewed the work of Southeast students over the past two years, the new accreditation may be applied to the credentials of Southeast interior-design students who have graduated since May 2015, university officials said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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