Career Paths

Our students secure diverse job opportunities through robust internships in both residential and commercial design sectors. The majority of our graduates launch successful careers in high-end residential design firms across the country.

Careers

• Interior Designer

  A broad design profession focused on creating functional, aesthetic interior spaces across many settings.

• Visual Merchandiser

  Design retail environments, displays, and layouts that enhance brand storytelling and customer experience.

• Healthcare & Hospitality Designer

  Specialize in hospitals, clinics, hotels, and restaurants with a focus on comfort, safety, and user flow.

• Residential Designer

  Create personalized living spaces, including homes, show houses, and high-end residential projects.

• Wayfinding & Accessibility Specialist

  Design navigable, inclusive spaces that meet accessibility standards and improve spatial clarity.

• Project Manager

  Oversee timelines, budgets, and coordination between designers, clients, and contractors.

• Technical Drafter / Specifier

  Produce technical drawings, construction documents, and detailed specifications for interior projects.

• Certified Kitchen & Bath Designer

  A credentialed specialist focused on highly technical, code-driven kitchen and bath environments.

Certification

It is encouraged that all graduates take the NCIDQ exam starting six months out to become certified in interior design. Then depending upon which state they settle in they can research the practice and title acts to become Registered Interior Designers (RID) or a Certified Interior Designer (CID). Through certification and licensure, interior designers can produce construction documents, manage their own projects, and even have their own business.

By the Numbers

• In 2023, 88% of graduates found employment in field-related jobs, while 11.1% (1 of 9 graduates) pursued continued education with a Master of Architecture (M. Arch) degree.

• In 2024, 85% of graduates entered field-related employment, and 7.1% (2 of 28 graduates) continued their education with an M. Arch degree.

• In 2025, 85% of graduates secured field-related jobs, with 7.4% (2 of 27 graduates) choosing to pursue an M. Arch degree.

Photos

Anna Watkins, employee and alum with Ivy Norton, junior designer at Studio Entourage for a summer Internship.

Maggie Skidmore, junior designer at Debbie Mathews Antiques & Designs, Nashville, TN. Assembly of finishes for a client meeting.

Maggie Skidmore, working with Schumacher for additional experience about becoming a Representative.

Zoie Franklin, visual merchandising internship/employee at Fabrik, Athens, GA.

Alex Bumgarner, junior designer at Character Built, Athens, construction documents for a commercial project.

Being a Furnishing and Interiors major means being part of a tight-knit, collaborative community within the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. The program challenges us to think critically about how interior environments impact human well-being, allowing us to design spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful. Through hands-on projects and mentorship within FACS, I’ve gained the confidence and industry-standard skills needed to transition from the classroom to a professional design career.

I greatly appreciate how much the Furnishings and Interiors program trained me to be a professional. High industry standards were expected in the classroom, and I felt coached by our professors to get the most out of our design. I greatly enjoyed our creative freedom and feeling empowered to intentionally incorporate our personal design interests into our projects with a focus on technical accuracy. Every student brought their own wonderful flare and flavor to their design. I love how this was celebrated and how our expertise developed from our unique interests.

The Furnishings and Interiors program has played such an important role in my life, both personally and academically. As a first-generation college student, it has given me confidence, purpose, and a strong sense of community. Throughout the program, I’ve grown in my design abilities and learned to trust myself and my creative vision. The encouragement from my professors and the hands-on experiences have helped shape me into a more confident and determined designer. Being a part of this program has allowed me to turn my dream into something real and achievable!

As a TMI graduate student, I am currently in the midst of a qualitative study that is rooted in ecological feminism and explores connections between women designers' personal commitments to environmental sustainability and their professional implementation of sustainable design solutions. I am passionate about design pedagogy and hope to teach interior design to undergraduate students upon my graduation. The FI Master's program at UGA provides a graduate experience that is well-rounded and adaptable in terms of coursework and prepares students for success whether they wish to pursue a career in the design industry or one in academia. I have felt mentored and cared for every step of the journey and will leave this program feeling stronger as a researcher, designer, and emerging teacher.

5-Year Graduation Rate (Freshman)

Every cohort from 2017–2025 has 100% 5-year completion, except:

• 2025 cohort: 17/18 completed within 5 years → 94.4%

Average 5-Year Grad Rate: ≈ 99%

Overall Major Performance Summary

Freshmen

• 4-Year Graduation: ~75.44%
• 5-Year Graduation: ~99%
• 6-Year Graduation: 100%

Transfers

• 4-Year Graduation: ~97%
• 5-Year Graduation: 100%

What this indicates about retention

• Retention to degree is extremely high (near 100%).
• Four-year graduation is solid and improving over time.
• F&I majors persist and complete degrees consistently.