Field Trips

Field trip opportunities are an integral part of developing a design student’s vision of the diversity in the profession of interior architecture as well as design's importance to our culture. These field trips are typically taken in the third year and fourth year of your education. The cities we visit vary from year to year. Some the cities we have most recently traveled to are Chicago, Dallas, Austin, Grand Rapids and Denver.

Internships

An internship is an important component of your education. You will work directly at a firm with one or more of the areas included within your degree, for IARC: interior architecture or furniture design. Multi-disciplinary firms provide valuable opportunities for both degrees as do firms with specialties (i.e. exhibit or lighting design). During your internship, you maintain full-time academic standing by being enrolled in 14-credit hours of online courses. You will participate online with periodic postings and monthly reports. Upon returning to campus, you will participate in a college-wide internship exhibit and will speak to other students regarding your experience. Internships must be compensated experiences, and this can include various models such as hourly pay, tuition reimbursement, or paid room and board. For semester long internships, IARC will go during their 4th-year spring semester.

Education Abroad

Participants in IARC education abroad programs have the opportunity to select a program that has a focus in interior architecture or furniture design allowing students to pursue their field of interest. The following locations have programs that follow K-State’s semester schedule:

• Orvieto, Italy (Spring and Summer)
• Copenhagen, Denmark (Spring and Summer)
• Prague, Czech Republic (Spring)
• Other Approved Programs

The following locations have programs that do not follow K-State’s semester schedule and require additional planning:

• Coburg, Germany
• Trier, Germany
• Other Approved Programs

KCDC

Another enriching off-campus opportunity for students in the College of Architecture, Planning & Design is the Kansas City Design Center (KCDC). Located in the heart of downtown Kansas City, KCDC serves as both an educational hub and a civic resource, advancing public understanding of the social, cultural, and environmental factors that shape the urban realm. The center’s mission is to elevate design excellence and strengthen community engagement by connecting academia with real-world practice.

At KCDC, students participate in an immersive urban design studio experience that bridges classroom learning with professional collaboration. Under faculty guidance, interdisciplinary teams work directly with local clients—ranging from neighborhood associations and non-profit organizations to city agencies and private developers—to develop design strategies and implement creative, context-sensitive solutions. Projects often address pressing architectural, planning, and urban design challenges, including public space enhancement, infrastructure adaptation, and sustainable community development.

Through this engagement, students gain valuable professional experience, deepen their understanding of the complex dynamics shaping Kansas City’s built environment, and contribute meaningfully to the region’s ongoing urban evolution.