Internships & Careers
Interior Architecture + Design Internships
At Marymount University, we strongly believe in the powerful role that internships can play in shaping a student’s career path. Internships give students the opportunity to explore an area of interest in a professional environment while building skills and knowledge necessary for success in their field. All Interior Architecture + Design majors at Marymount are required to complete an internship experience (course: ID-400) as part of their degree requirements.
While the studio and classroom afford you opportunities to gain theoretical knowledge and technical skills, an internship provides valuable practical experience. Internships are available during the junior and senior years with nationally recognized architectural and design firms, furniture and interior retailers, contract designers, and other organizations around the Washington, DC, area.
Information for Current Students
For more information on internship sites and placements, please review the internship section in our School of Design + Art course in Canvas. You can also email Prof. Jessica Bonness or connect with Marymount’s Center for Career Development to learn more about resources across campus to support job search, polish your résumé, and practice your interviewing skills.
Information for Employers
If you are interested in hosting a Marymount Interior Architecture + Design student at your firm, please contact Prof. Jessica Bonness. Jessica is our faculty internship coordinator and works with all of our student during their internship semester in the School of Design + Art. She can assist you in posting your internship opportunity on our internal job board (Handshake) and promote it to our students.
Interior Architecture + Design Career Outlook
Interior Architecture and Design Jobs, Salaries, and Career Outlook for Interior Architecture and Design Professionals
The career outlook for interior architecture and design professionals is bright. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for interior designers in May 2019 was $56,040. The highest 10 percent earned more than $96,470.
Obtaining a CIDA Accredited degree in interior design prepares you to work in these kinds of roles:
- Office Design
- Healthcare Design
- Restaurant or Retail Design
- Residential Design
Places of Employment for Interior Architecture + Design Professionals
Marymount’s Interior Architecture + Design alumni are currently employed at 6 of the top 15 interior design firms in the country. Many of these firms have offices in the Metro DC area.
Top 15 firms employing Marymount IA+D alumni:
- Gensler, Washington DC (ranked #1)
- AECOM, Roanoke, VA (ranked #3)
- HOK, Washington, DC (ranked #6)
- IA Interior Architects, Washington, DC (ranked #8)
- Perkins Eastman, Washington, DC (ranked #11)
- Smith Group, Washington, DC (ranked #13)
We are proud to share Marymount IA+D Alumni are also star employed at the following firms:
- Barbara Hawthorn Interiors, McLean, VA
- Builders Design, Gaithersburg, MD
- Carlyn and Company Interiors + Design, Great Falls, VA
- Cooper Carry, Alexandria, VA
- Design Collective, Baltimore, MD
- DBI Architects, Inc, Washington, DC
- Forrest Perkins, Washington, DC
- Hickok Cole Architects, Washington, DC
- HVS Design, Rockville, MD
- LEO A DALY, Washington DC, (ranked #29)
- Lighting Environments, Baltimore, MD
- The M Group Architects, Reston, VA
- OTJ Architects, Washington, DC (ranked #48)
- Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
NCIDQ Examination and Professional Organizations
Our rigorous program will prepare you to face a demanding job market. Marymount’s Interior Architecture + Design program is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, which qualifies graduates to sit for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification exam.
As you prepare for your career, here are some links you might find useful to research your options.
- American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
- ASID Washington Metro Chapter (ASID, Local Chapter)
- International Interior Design Association (IIDA)
- IIDA Mid-Atlantic Chapter (IIDA, Local Chapter)
- Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA)
- National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ)
- Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC)
- National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA)
- Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA)
- International Facility Management Association
- National Trust for Historic Preservation
The following journals are referenced by students, educators, and practitioners.
