The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) Interior Architecture & Design has implemented an NCIDQ Exam requirement as part of its accredited interior design program. The program now requires all graduating seniors to apply for and take the IDFX portion of the NCIDQ Exam as a part of their curriculum.

 

During the Spring 2024 program, two student volunteers took the IDFX for this inaugural launch. Sean Vincion was one of the volunteers who not only took but passed the IDFX; he stated, “Passing the IDFX has been very beneficial to me post-grad. It shows others that I am serious about what I want to be doing in the field of interior design. Many people, including some other designers, will say that passing the tests for NCIDQ is not important if your area does not require registration or certification. I disagree because it shows our employers, clients, and other people that interior design is a justified and serious career. Passing the IDFX has allowed me to educate people who know nothing about the NCIDQ.”

 

With the successful inaugural launch, the UTC interior design faculty planned its curriculum to officially mandate that enrolled senior students take the IDFX exam as part of their Senior Seminar class for the Fall 2024 semester. Further refinement of the program will continue to the Spring 2025 semester when all seniors will be required to take the IDFX exam as part of their Business Practices class.

 

Dana Moody, UTC Professor, stated that UTC faculty “feels like this has the potential to be a game-changer for our students and a positive contribution to the profession. So often, graduates let their anxiety about taking the NCIDQ keep them from moving forward. We believe that sitting for the first exam will demystify the process and that our alumni will experience a higher ratio of NCIDQ Certifications.”

 

CIDQ applauds  UTC faculty for their efforts in supporting emerging practitioners and providing them with much-needed guidance on interior design certification and regulation. Such efforts bolster the need for reasonable regulation of the interior design profession.