PRACTITIONERS‘ PERCEPTIONS OF INTERIOR DESIGN: Graduate Education and Implications for the Future

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to determine the perceptions of leaders of interior design practitioner organizations regarding the purpose, need, and importance of graduate education. RESEARCH DESIGN: Two surveys were conducted using a modified DELPHI technique. Responses from the first survey were used to generate questions for the second survey. Targeted respondents included the top two tiers of leadership of the member organizations of the Unified Voice Task Force. ANALYSIS: The data were analyzed using cross‐tabular presentation with chi‐square or the Fisher Exact Test used to determine statistical significance. KEY FINDINGS: Although practitioners recognize that graduate education can develop an area of practice specialization and result in scholarship that expands the body of knowledge, there appears to be confusion regarding the purpose, need, and importance of graduate education to interior design. The practitioners indicated that specialization could be achieved through continuing education, and they appear to view the development of the body of knowledge from an insular position as opposed to broadening the intellectual foundation of the profession. CONCLUSIONS: Increased collaboration among industry, practice, and education is needed to rectify the problems that presently exist with graduate education in the field of interior design.