(Survey closed)
Currently:
To be eligible to seek accreditation, the Council for Interior Design Accreditation requires interior design programs to graduate a minimum of two classes. The reason for this requirement is that standards for accreditation are heavily focused on student learning. Student learning must be assessed based on a representative body of student work produced out of the current and on-going curriculum. A program that has not delivered a curriculum for a sufficient period of time may show great promise, but lack sufficient evidence for full assessment of student learning.
While graduation of two classes is an important element of sound evaluation of student learning, this requirement does pose difficulty for programs that are newly formed or undergoing significant restructuring in order to seek accreditation. Graduates of these programs may have difficulty securing positions in the field without the professional accrediting body’s recognition of the quality of their education.
Proposed Candidacy Status:
In order to address this potential problem, accrediting agencies may offer candidacy status to recognize the quality of academic programs that are new or in development. Candidacy status is a public recognition that an agency grants to an institution or program for a limited period of time and signifies that the agency has determined the institution or program is progressing towards accreditation with the intent to achieve accreditation before the expiration of a limited period of time.
Candidacy status is most typical in accrediting agencies for professions that require licensure, registration, or certification in order to practice. Offering such a status supports legislative efforts and the formation of new programs in states or provinces that have strict licensure requirements. As state and provincial regulation of interior design becomes increasingly common, candidacy status forms a mechanism for graduates of programs that are in development to gain access to registration and licensure.
Candidacy status policy and procedures would be modeled on best practices in accreditation and honed to fit the Council for Interior Design Accreditation’s community. Efforts would be made to ensure that the cost of administration is minimized and in balance with value to programs. Appropriate safeguards would be included to minimize the risk of misrepresentation of candidacy status to the public.