First-Professional Master of Interior Design
Adrianne Bou-Zaid, MID Major Research Project: AI: The Future of Design
Interior Design Programs
Master of Interior Design
The First-Professional Master of Interior Design is a full-time, two-year program designed to prepare you for a successful career in the interior design industry. This degree is open to anyone with any undergraduate degree, even if it’s not in interior design or a related field.
This program blends creative practice with design exploration, allowing you to work in a studio environment and gain hands-on experience. You’ll develop creative design solutions for real-world challenges while exploring the latest trends in the design field. Through hands-on learning, research and community engagement, you’ll discover how the built environment plays a vital role in shaping meaningful interiors.
Degree Earned
Master of Interior Design
Program Format
Full time / 2 year
Student Showcase:
Jewel Mathieu, MID Major Research Project: Affordable Housing & Sustainable Design
In the First-Professional Master of Interior Design, you'll dive into intensive studio courses in your first year, tackling essential design challenges. Our professional courses will give you the practical skills you need for the industry, and supporting classes in history, theory, and electives will provide opportunities for deeper design exploration. In your final year, you'll complete a Major Research Project (MRP) to further develop your professional competencies and showcase your expertise.
Curriculum Sample
Actual curriculum may vary depending on courses offered that academic year.
Year One
| FALL | WINTER | SPRING/SUMMER |
| ID8110 Interior Design Studio 1 | ID8111 Interior Design Studio 2 | ID8112 Interior Design Studio 3 |
| ID8113 History of Interior Design | ID8114 Psychology and Design | ID8115 Professional Study |
Year Two
| FALL | WINTER | SPRING/SUMMER |
| ID8100 Design|Research Seminar I | ID8101 Design|Research Seminar II | ID8116 Professional Study Practicum |
| Graduate Elective | Graduate Elective | Milestone: Creative Project/MRP |
| Milestone: Creative Project Proposal |
Milestone: Creative Project Phase I |
Creative Project/MRP
The year-long Creative Project/MRP affords students the opportunity to pursue a topic of their interest that contributes to the interior design body of knowledge. Projects will be developed through phases informed by research that should broaden a student’s knowledge of the discipline by demonstrating design/research inquiry, theoretical underpinnings, and written reflection. A public jury composed of faculty and external reviewers will assess the final Creative Project/MRP. This is a Milestone
ID8100 Design Research Seminar I
This course will examine how objects, interiors, spaces and the built environment represent the transferal embodiment of ideas about culture, society, and identity. Interested in the historical and contemporary relationships of human society to objects and spaces - whether in their creation or use - this course will address ideas about style and substance as relating to the issues and concerns that define the design profession. 1 Credit
ID8101 Design Research Seminar II
Design|Research Seminar II offers students the fundamentals to situate their design|research in historical contexts, with an emphasis on gathering visual, textual, and other resources, demonstrating historical awareness and present innovations. Students will draw on weekly seminar discussions to draft the literature review and/or precedent studies for their MRP. 1 Credit
ID8110 Interio Design Studio 1
Interior Design Studio 1 introduces students to fundamental properties that inform studio-based problems such as program, scale, site, construction and representation. Specific elements introduced include enclosure, material awareness, design precedent, structures, human behaviour, ornament and details. These elements are coalesced and conveyed using analogue and digital drawings, along with workshop experience to produce three-dimensional models.
ID8111 Interio Design Studio 2
Students undertake a design project in order to synthesize knowledge gained from the previous semester and concurrent courses addressing representation techniques, technology, construction and presentation. The design problem frames relevant themes in urban environments such as adaptive reuse, sustainability and mixed-use typologies. Together, these require students to address non-structural and construction techniques, place-making strategies, integrative technology, materiality and details. The unity of these attributes are represented using techniques that express a comprehensive project, from diagrams to construction documents.
ID8112 Interior Design Studio 3
Students undertake a design project for a public program at the scale of a workplace environment or similar, in order to develop design strategies that address ergonomics, human factors, building systems, construction standards and codes, and atmospheric conditions of lighting, acoustics and thermal comfort. Students will synthesize these elements into a cohesive design solution with the integration of health, safety and welfare demonstrated through drawings, models and materials.
ID8113 History of Interior Design
This course explores the history of domestic, commercial, and public interiors from the beginning of the Industrial Revolution to the present day. Students will explore interiors from the Victorian period, through early and mid-century modernist movements, to contemporary interiors around the world. This course emphasizes the many social, political, material, and technological influences that shape the interior.
ID8114 Psychology and Design
Psychology and Design studies environmental psychology in the context of design practice. The course examines interaction between environments (built and natural) and human behaviours. Through discussions of research and illustrations from design considerations, the course incorporates fundamental environmental psychology theories into design practice. Particular emphasis will be placed on the impact of design principles on individuals' physical and mental health.
ID8115 Professional Study
This course prepares students for the Practicum (Internship). Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of interior design firm practices. Topics such as small business management, marketing, promotion, presentations, fee methods, the scope of services, job descriptions, contracts, ethics, and accounting are reviewed. Project management contract documentation, budgeting, and scheduling will be further examined.
ID8116 Professional Study Practicum
Field placements in design offices, and/or other valid experiences approved by the Interior Design program, will introduce students to hands-on work experience. In addition to applying academic skills and theoretical perspectives acquired in the program, students will learn to work effectively within the interior design profession. A total of 400 hours of field placement work experience is required for full credit. This course is normally completed during the summer term.
The Creative School Graduate Electives
The Creative School offers graduate elective courses open to all students in the faculty. If you are interested in taking an elective outside of your program, please contact your program administrator for information on how to enroll and make sure the course can be used for credit in your program. Please note that spots for non-program students in graduate electives are limited.
Admissions Deadline
Domestic Applications
Applications for Fall 2025 - OPEN
We recommend submitting your application, including all supporting documents, via the online portal before the First Consideration Deadline:
January 20, 2025.
Applications will close once the program has accepted all qualified candidates, including those on the waitlist.
International Applications
Applications for Fall 2025 - OPEN
You should submit your application, including all supporting documents, via the online portal by the Preferred Deadline:
December 1, 2024.
Applications will close soon after the First Consideration Deadline for international students to ensure timely consideration and processing of applications.
Admissions Timeline
The program will begin reviewing applications in December for International applicants and in January for Domestic applicants.
Offers of admission will begin mid-to-late December and continue throughout winter and spring depending on the individual program's schedule of admissions for cohort deadlines. Applications received after February 1 may not be reviewed and are subject to reduced opportunities for funding.
Academic Requirements
- Completion of a four-year undergraduate (or equivalent) degree
- Minimum GPA or equivalent of 3.00/4.33 (B) in the last two years of study
- Transcripts
- English language proficiency requirement
Non-Academic Requirements
Statement of interest
A statement of 500-1000 words that addressed the following:
- Applicant’s reason for pursuing a graduate degree in Interior Design
- How the applicant's previous studies and experiences have prepared them for this program
- Areas of emphasis or interests that the applicant wishes to pursue during the program
- Objectives upon completion of the degree
Resumé/CV
Include professional work experience, creative practices, and related activities.
Two letters of recommendation
Letters of recommendation must come directly from the referee. At least one recommendation letter must be from a professor familiar with the applicant’s work. Applicant submitted copies will not be accepted.
Portfolio
A portfolio consisting of 10-15 pages of design and/or art-related work that highlights the applicant’s creativity, imagination, innovation and skillset in thinking and making. This work should be analogue as well as digital, and a mix of two and three dimensions. Each project should be graphically organized and contain a concise written description.
Applicants with prior experience can include professional projects in the portfolio but will be asked to identify the role and scope of work completed on any team project, as well as any team projects from previous academic work.
Please complete the (PDF file) Statement of Authorship form (opens in new window) and include it with your portfolio submission.
Prerequisite Courses
Summer Intensive - Foundation Courses
During the admissions process applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine if admitted applicants will be required to take the foundation courses during the summer intensive, or if the requirement is waived based on their previous experience.
Applicants will receive confirmation if they must take they foundation courses, or if they are exempt, during the offer of admission process.
Example of Foundation courses that may be required to clear admission conditions:
- Foundational 2D Representation Design
- Foundational 3D Representation Design
NOTE: Courses are expected to be offered by The Creative School in the summer time (dates to be confirmed), prior to students starting the First-Professional Master of Interior Design program.
Fees & Funding
Tuition for the Master of Interior Design program is a yearly charge, which is broken into three equivalent payments due at the start of each term.
Tuition is assessed based on the yearly fee, it is not dependent on the number of courses you take per term. For more information, see Graduate Studies fees.
Admissions Awards
No application required, awarded based on your admissions application.
- Toronto Metropolitan Graduate Fellowship (TMGF)
Value ranges from $2,000 to $6,000. - Toronto Metropolitan Graduate Development Award (TMGDA)
Value ranges from $2,000 to $6,000.
- Ontario Graduate Fellowship (OGF)
Value is $12,000 for one year.
Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) / Toronto Met Graduate Scholarship (TMGS)
- $15,000 award for one year.
- Eligible applicants will be notified by the program to submit an application around February/March.
- For students with an A- in each of the last two years of completed study.
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Canada Graduate Scholarship (SSHRC CGS-M)
- $17,500 award for one year.
- For Domestic applicants with an A- avg. in each of the last two years of completed study.
- Application deadline is Dec 1; award is granted for the following Fall term.
Bridging Divides (BD) Entrance Scholarship
- Bridging Divides (BD) offers a limited number of stipends to full-time Master's and PhD students studying or applying to study at Toronto Metropolitan University on a topic related to one of Bridging Divide’s four research themes.
- Master students: Up to $20,000 per year for domestic and $30,000 for international.
- Renewable for up to a total of two years, subject to annual review of the student’s progress and the availability of funds.
- Available to prospective first-year students and existing students entering their second year of a Master's program at Toronto Metropolitan University in Fall 2024.
- Application Deadline: April 1, 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
Graduates of this program can pursue professional licensure through the Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) and provincial associations. This includes the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO) where graduates can apply to the Intern Competencies Review System for eligibility.
The program is designed to meet CIDA accreditation. As a new program, it will be evaluated after two years to meet CIDAs requirements for new programs.
Yes. The First-Professional MID program includes a practicum component.
Field placements in design offices, and/or other valid experiences approved by the Interior Design program, will introduce students to hands-on work experience. In addition to applying academic skills and theoretical perspectives acquired in the program, students will learn to work effectively within the interior design profession.
In addition to teaching opportunities, graduates of the MID program will be prepared as designers with areas of research expertise to bring into professional practice, pursue research opportunities, interdisciplinary collaborations, and to launch their own creative practices.
Minimum GPA or equivalent of 3.00/4.33 (B) in the last two years of study
In Graduate Studies at TMU, the minimum passing GPA is B- (2.67 or 70%). Anything below is considered an F.
This is an in-person program.
The program is two years (6 terms) in length.
The minimum time to complete the program is 2 years (6 terms).
You may be able to extend the time you take to complete the program, but that would require special permission and incur additional tuition fees.
The MID program is full time, there is no part time option at this time.
You may be able to extend the time you take to complete the program, but that would require special permission and incur additional tuition fees.
No. Undergrad courses can not be applied towards a Graduate degree.
You belong at
The Creative School
As an Interior Design student, you'll be part of The Creative School, a dynamic faculty offering 27 degree programs in media, design and creative industries. Through global experiences and transdisciplinary opportunities, our students emerge as some of the most in demand and employable graduates anywhere.