VIRTUAL: Applying Education

Abstract

With many universities offering students the opportunity to create majors and take an abundance of electives, the idea of a structured, lock-step curriculum seems unusual. However, the author’s interior architecture program, which was completely restructured to give all of the students the same academic experience, has proven to be a success. This presentation will explain the rationale of the cohesive studio-based curriculum, where students move lock-step, taking a core studio and two supporting courses each semester. The core studio allows for creative and conceptual thinking with projects that increase in scale, while the supporting courses give students a combination of design and technical tools that support their studio projects and prepare them for the profession. Since all students take the same three courses each semester, there is an integration of the courses where course content can overlap. For example, faculty from the first semester meet prior to the semester and review their curriculum, looking for opportunities to connect content so that knowledge is woven throughout and re-emphasized in multiple courses. It also allows projects to be ‘shared’ between courses. This gives them opportunity for feedback from multiple faculty, enforces our curriculum, and strengthens student work. Since all courses are required, every student has the same knowledge, skills, and tools as they move from one semester to the next. The required curriculum gives all students the courses they need to be strong designers, while building a tight knit cohort that moves throughout their courses and semesters. With this ‘level playing field’, faculty have a clear view of what the students take before, during, and after their course, which is extremely helpful in guiding each cohort. Ultimately, the structured lock-step program creates a launching pad for students to find their niche in the industry, so that they can make a difference in the visual world.