Thirteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

The central objective of this study is to investigate the learning outcomes requirements of the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) and Local Accreditation. Accordingly, this study uses a documentary analysis and a case study of interior deign program to achieve the objective. The CIDA is an independent, non-profit accrediting organization for interior design education programs at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. For more than 35 years, the CIDA has promoted quality standards and is recognized by the US Council for Higher Education Accreditation. As of April 2018, 195 interior design programs are currently accredited by the CIDA, serving an estimated 20,000 students (Bachelor, Master, MFA, BS, BA, and MA). In this study, the Education Evaluation Commission (EEC) - the National Commission for Academic Accreditation and Assessment (NCAAA) used as an example of local accreditation. The EEC-NCAAA primarily responsible for determining standards and procedures for accreditation and quality assurance and accrediting higher education institutions. The requirements of program learning assessments (PLOs) are dissimilar under both CIDA and EEC-NCAAA standards. Using a case study of an interior design program in Saudi Arabia, the study reveals that the PLO assessment should be directed towards ensuring the quality enhancement not the accreditation motives. The study proposed a model for aligning learning outcomes under various accreditation bodies requirements. The findings could be generalized in other countries in which the local accreditation bodies requirement is somewhat dissimilar to the CIDA requirements.