FAQs: Classes and Student Schedule

How are the classes organized?
Each year’s classes are organized sequentially: part one of a sequence (Fall quarter) must be taken successfully to be able to take part two of the sequence (Winter) and then take part three (Spring). Example: INTDS 170 Elements of Interior Design (Fall) will lead to INTDS 175 Materials of Interior Design (Winter) and finally INTDS 280 Textiles for Interior Design (Spring). Each class is only offered once a year and must be taken in sequence in order for a student to move onto the next year’s classes.

Can I begin the program Winter or Spring?
Unfortunately, no. Our courses are designed to start in the fall due to the sequential organization of our classes. Students who need to start in the winter or spring should take any classes not followed by the INTDS department prefix. So, look ahead in your class program to find classes to register for. Examples may be either HS 136 Interpersonal Communications or PSYCH 101 Introduction to Psychology, depending on which degree you choose to pursue. The only exception to not starting the program in the fall would be if a student were transferring in from another school’s Interior Design program. If this is the case, you’ll need to meet with a program advisor prior to the quarter starting to evaluate which class would be appropriate for you.

Which classes should I register for in the beginning?
As a freshman entering fall quarter as a full-time student, you should enroll in all three of the core Interior Design classes: INTDS 170 Elements of Interior Design, INTDS 173 Architectural Graphics I and INTDS 105 Design Drawing. These are the beginning classes in each of the three sequences to complete your first year coursework. Once you are well into our program, as each new quarter’s registration time approaches, your instructors will inform you as to which classes to sign up for.

What would a typical full time student’s class schedule look like?
All of the Interior Design classes are broken down into either Monday-Wednesday-Friday sessions or Tuesday-Thursday. Classes range from 1½ to 3 hours long. Students generally have 2 sections of each class to choose from; the first is early morning (7:30 or 8:30 start times), the second is either late morning or early afternoon (10:30 or 12:30 start times). Therefore, students could conceivably* maintain a M-F schedule of 7:30/8:30 to 11:30/12:30 classes.
*It is important to understand that we cannot guarantee specific schedules to students during any of our quarters. Class times can change every quarter as we schedule our classes based on instructor and classroom availability. Therefore students need to maintain fairly flexible time schedules. If students need to fit classes around a rigid job schedule, they should perhaps consider attending as a part-time student to deter interference with work schedules.

I work full-time. What are my options?
Unfortunately, if your full-time work demands your presence during the morning and afternoon hours, you will not be able to join our program at this time. As all of our classes are offered during the day, earning an Interior Design degree through a night class program is not an option at Spokane Falls.
If your full-time work offers you your mornings free, then you should try to register for the earlier of the two sections for each class. Be aware, though, the demands are many on full-time students. Our classes are intense and daily homework loads can be extensive. It might be better to consider attending as a part-time student.

Should I be prepared for a lot of homework?
You should count on homework almost every night, sometimes several hours. Also be ready for homework over many weekends. Of course, some courses are heavier on homework than others; some have very little at all. Lecture classes tend to have more reading homework; studio/lab classes tend to be more project-oriented. Although it is not possible to predict an exact hourly count of homework time, according to the collegiate standard: for every hour you spend in class you should have between one and three hours of homework. So a class that meets 6 hours a week should have 12–18 hours of homework. Some of our courses do come close to that statistic.

What does it mean to be a part-time student?
Students with job or family commitments should consider joining our program as a part-time student. A part-time student only takes one or two of the required sequences per year. A typical Fall-Winter-Spring first year sequence might be: Fall: 170 Elements - Winter: 175 Materials - Spring: 280 Textiles*
*See a program advisor for recommended part-time sequences.
By going part-time, a student is adding at least an extra year to their scheduled time here, but by not trying to cram in a very heavy class load, students can maintain their GPAs with greater success and often learn the material in greater depth.

What if I’m transferring from another college?
If you have taken general courses from another college (psychology, history, business, etc.) you need to arrange for your transcripts to be sent to SFCC. You’ll need to meet with a transcript evaluator in the college advising department to get any credits transferred here. If you have taken interior design courses from another college and are hoping to substitute them for our classes, you’ll need to meet with our program director, Leslie Ann Schifferns (509) 533-3729. She will discuss curriculum and projects with you and either make the substitution or direct you to other instructors in our department to do so.
*Important to note: our advisors, both for the college and our own program advisors, can only allow substitutions for SFCC. If you are planning on going on to WSU and have transfer classes, you’ll need to meet with their advisors to do the same substitutions for their degree.

What if I already have an A.A.? Can I shorten my time at SFCC?
If you have an A.A. degree coming into the program, you will definitely eliminate many of the non-INTDS classes required for the 2, 3, or WSU 4-Year transfer degree. Because of the way our classes are sequentially organized, though, you will not be able to save a year or two because you have an A.A. Depending on which degree you pursue, you will still have to take the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-year design sequences.