Opportunity knocks - but for whom? - careers in interior design - includes related articles on resource information and what designers really do - Cover Story

Black Enterprise, Feb, 1994 by Suzanne Riss

While in some states you can just hang out a shingle, other require licensing; and there is no question that the complexity of the work requires preparation and training. About two-thirds of the interior designers employed by firms are college graduates, with over a fourth earning some graduate school credits. Over a third earned their degree in interior design, while others majored in fine arts or liberal arts.

More and more states are requiring designers to take an intensive two-day test called the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). To date, more than 10,000 interior designers have been certified by the NCIDQ. To gain recognition as professionals, they are pushing for title acts, national certification, rigorous testing and stringent education requirements. Eighteen states have boards or agencies that regulate the design industry.