I live in Texas and am looking around at design schools. I”ve done a little research, but it”s all so confusing. I know there”s something called “Fider” that has to do with a school”s accreditation, but does it really matter where I go when it comes to my career”

(submitted by Justin V.)

Justin, have you been watching a lot of Medium and Psych this summer” Either you”re very much in tune with the harmonic design waves flowing through the universe or you”ve eavesdropped on the buzz flowing through the design community. This is one hot topic down in the sizzling state of Texas these days, and as more and more states are regulating the profession of interior design, the issue is spreading like wildfire.

Basically, it all boils down to what you want to do with your design career and where you want to practice. Take a look at the first part of December 2005″s GO AHEAD” ASK ME, which covers that very topic. However, there is something that I need to add to that bit of information:

Just this past Monday, the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners [TBAE] ” the “multi-profession regulatory agency that oversees the examination, registration, and professional regulation of architects, interior designers, and landscape architects” in the state of Texas ” sent out an email related to this very topic. The subject line was “Change to Education Requirements for Future Interior Designers in Texas,” and the message was this:

An applicant for interior design registration by examination who begins his or her education after September 1, 2006, must graduate from a program accredited by the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research (FIDER, which is changing its name to the Council for Interior Design Accreditation). The Texas Board of Architectural Examiners encourages you to make sure that every student is aware of this limitation and is not expecting to be qualified to sit for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination, or be able to become a registered interior designer in the state of Texas if they enter a program after September 1, 2006, that is not accredited by FIDER.

Pretty strong stuff, eh” Therefore, if you want to even be a registered interior designer in the state of Texas, then you better take care to seek out a FIDER accredited school. (I advise anyone who is not yet registered to read up on everything that”s required to be eligible to take the NCIDQ and become registered in Texas just so that they know what the heck”s going on and won”t be surprised. You can do that by going here.)

I think that in states across the U.S. with strong interior design regulation you will see more and more non-accredited schools phase out their design programs. In states with pending legislation, programs will have to start beefing up their programs and seeking accreditation or risk extinction and financial loss.

All that to say” after the next decade I predict that it will be easier to pick a program because the playing field will be smaller and much more level. (Now I”m the one sounding like psychic.)