Soleil Barros
Journal Staff
The New England School of Art Design at Suffolk University (NESAD) has recently received recognition by being ranked as one of the “Top 10” best interior design programs in the United States by DesignIntelligence Magazine.
NESAD was selected among a few of the nations leading design schools and noticeably displayed on the “2011 America’s Best Architecture and Design Schools” list, featured in the November/December 2011 issue of DesignIntelligence Magazine.
“The support and direction that our administrative staff has provided has been a contributing factor, as has been the support of CAS Dean Ken Greenberg and the University as a whole,” said NESAD chairman Bill Davis, part of NESAD for almost 40 years. “I am especially proud of the role that NESAD has played over the years in helping prepare students for professional employment in the art and design fields.”
DesignIntelligence Magazine conducted its twelfth-annual survey to select the best interior design programs across the nation. The Design Intelligence rankings were based on a survey of 220 leading architecture and design firms, who were asked which college and university programs are best preparing students for professional employment. Design graduates as well as selected professional practice leaders with direct experience in hiring and evaluating the performance of recent architecture were invited to participate in conducting the research used for these rankings.
The quality of New England School of Art and Design programs have improved dramatically since the school merged with Suffolk. Originally named New England School of Art, the school was recharged and renamed New England School of Art and Design or NESAD, after merging with Suffolk University in 1996. As a small, struggling independent art school, the original school was not provided with the adequate resources – financially, administratively and academically – to attain national recognition. “In short, Suffolk has been a wonderful host that has provided the kind of environment and support that NESAD needed to thrive and succeed,” praises Davis.
The final rankings of the “Top 10 Interior Design Programs” in DesignIntelligence’s listed NESAD’s undergraduate program fifth nationwide, while the graduate program secured a sixth place standing. In the Interior Design Skills Assessment category, the overall NESAD program was ranked number one in the area of Communication. New England School of Art and Design also finished second in the Design category and third in the area of Sustainable Design Practices and Principles.
“The success of our graduates was the determining factor in our ranking with DesignIntelligence Magazine. We feel that we are successful when our graduates succeed.” said Davis. “After many years of hard work, it is very gratifying to have our interior design programs recognized as among the best in the nation. In my opinion, such recognition is long overdue.”
In the fall of 2011, New England School of Art and Design will launch its first post-professional degree, a Master of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture. This degree brings interior design education to the highest level with in-depth research in Sustainability, Environmental Graphic Design, Advanced Lighting and/or Design Studies.
