Curriculum and Majors: The Department of Interior Building & Environment
The Department og Interior Building & Environment Design at Shenkar aims to define the knowledge aspect of interior design from cultural and theoretical, as well as professional points of view.
The basic principal of the department can be imagined as a group of rings, the center of each is the studio work. Each ring provides a specific field of knowledge, enhanced by two workshops: the methodological design workshop and the digital design workshop. Based on the concept of the studio work as the center, the entire curriculum could be envisioned as a series of concentric circles.
The design workshops represent the second tier around the studio work. The topics taught in these workshops include: methodological design (theory, design representation, research methods) and digital design workshops (digital design paradigms, theories, methods and tools).
Disciplinary Knowledge: In addition to visual-descriptive knowledge (theories and representations) and procedural knowledge (design methods and tools), the workshops directly support the design process. This tier is currently comprised of two aspects: building and environment design workshops (environmental design science) and technological design workshops (construction technology and materials, construction and manufacture).
Theoretical and General Knowledge: This tier currently includes courses on the origins of design and design theories, arts, social science, natural science and additional professional subjects. This tier includes a number of mandatory courses for students who lack the required basic scientific background.
The studies are comprised of 161 credit points, of which 109 are mandatory and 52 are elective.
During the fourth year, each student can elect between two majors: interior design and virtual design.
VIRTUAL DESIGN IS DEFINED AS A FIELD OF BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS SPECIALIZED AS BEING DESIGNED USING COMPUTERS, INCLUDING COMPUTERIZED DRAWING, MULTIMEDIA, COMPUTERIZED IMAGING OF THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF THE STRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT THEREOF, AS WELL AS ANIMATION FOR ILLUSTRATION OF THE DESIGN.
Designing using computers, in addition to being a significant advantage of the whole creative process, is a basic and vital piece of information required of students aspiring to a prosperous career in the competitive field of construction engineering and/or aspiring to continue their education to advanced degree in architecture.
Interior design, as a discipline, remains the main subject of both majors. Students can begin reviewing options for advanced research as of the third year of their studies by electing courses from a variety of courses.