We’re so excited to announce the news that our client, the Design Institute of San Diego, recently won a 6-year accreditation from the Western Association Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). They now join the roster of prestigious schools to receive WSCUC accreditation including USC, San Diego State and the University of California San Diego. Check out the full press release below.
(San Diego, Calif. – March 14, 2018) Design Institute of San Diego (DISD) today announced it has received a six-year accreditation by the Western Association Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) joining the ranks of other WSCUC accredited colleges and universities, such as San Diego State University, USC, UCLA and University of California San Diego. The WSCUC accreditation program is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and certifies institutional eligibility for federal funding, including student access to federal financial aid. DISD offers a single focused Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design degree accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).
“Receiving regional institutional accreditation from WSCUC is a testament to the quality of the institution and the dedication of the faculty, administration and students,” said Design Institute of San Diego CEO Margot Doucette. “WSCUC institutional accreditation coupled with the existing program accreditation by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) will open up more opportunities for collaboration and growth, enabling us to establish articulation agreements with community colleges.”
Design Institute of San Diego is the only San Diego program offering a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design. DISD alumni have gone on to successful roles in the interior design industry and include published and award-winning designers such as Robin Wilson, Kelly Hinchman, Jefrey Alan Marks, and James Denton.
DISD’s current job placement rate is 96 percent as reported to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) for 2016. “The DISD B.F.A. program places great emphasis on teaching students to think critically and creatively, to solve problems and make decisions both independently and collaboratively, and this high placement rate is an indication of the program’s quality,” said Natalia Worden, DISD Program Director. “We believe that the success of preparing students to enter the interior design profession is not a result of any singular area, instructor, or course, but rather a collective and collaborative effort of the entire institution. The addition of WSCUC accreditation is a reflection of a passionate community that shares a commitment to delivering the highest standards in education for our students.”
About Design Institute of San Diego
Design Institute of San Diego (DISD) has been educating award-winning interior designers for more than 40 years. The WSCUC- and CIDA-accredited Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design degree program focuses on developing outstanding creative and technical skills. DISD’s 35-member faculty of top working professionals teach students to think and design critically, globally and sustainably. DISD alumni include many of the region’s most prominent interior designers. The Institute’s Classroom Without Walls initiative gives students hands-on professional experience while serving the needs of nonprofit community service groups throughout San Diego. For more information, visit www.disd.edu and follow us on social media Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
About WSCUC
The WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) is a regional accrediting agency serving a diverse membership of public and private higher education institutions throughout California, Hawaii, and the Pacific as well as a limited number of institutions outside the U.S. Through its work of peer review, based on standards agreed to by the membership, the Commission encourages continuous institutional improvement and assures the membership and its constituencies, including the public, that accredited institutions are fulfilling their missions in service to their students and the public good. WSCUC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as certifying institutional eligibility for federal funding in a number of programs, including student access to federal financial aid. For more information, visit www.wscuc.org.
About CIDA
The Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) is an independent, non-profit accrediting organization for interior design education programs at colleges and universities in the United States and internationally. For more than 35 years, this knowledge-driven organization has been passionately committed to the ongoing enrichment of the interior design profession through identifying, developing and promoting quality standards for the education of entry-level interior designers, and then encouraging, accrediting and supporting educational programs to aspire to those standards. For more information, visit www.accredit-id.org.
