Master of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design
Program Description:
The Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design offers M.F.A. degree program with the possibility of specialization in building science, history theory and criticism, design theories and methods, and environmental psychology and design. Students are guided through an intensive program that emphasizes scholarly inquiry, research skills, analysis and constructive criticism. The curriculum provides an interdisciplinary outlook, incorporating knowledge from related disciplines. The graduate studio combines theory and application. The elective courses are chosen through consultation with an academic advisor.
Research Topics:
This topic deals with environmental quality in buildings. Interactions between occupants and environmental attributes like lighting, acoustics and thermal comfort are examined to understand how well a building is performing. Lighting topics include day lighting, artificial lighting and color. Acoustics topics cover room acoustics, building acoustics and noise control. Thermal comfort topics comprise of heat, bioclimatic comfort, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), energy efficiency and condensation. Building materials, components and sub-systems are also covered with their impact on building performance.
This topic tries to answer questions such as: What is design? What is a design process? What type of knowledge do the designers use in design process? What methods do the designers use in proposing alternative solutions? What methods and theories that are developed in other disciplines (education, social science, computer science, etc.) can be used in design? How the quality of design education can be improved? How design ideas are communicated and presented?
Design Theories and Methods as an interdisciplinary area of study searches for the theoretical background of design as well as the methods that the designers use to explore, generate and develop alternative design solutions. The tools and techniques that are applied in the practice of design are also investigated. Computer is a widely used tool in design process and in data and knowledge representation. Therefore, current digital opportunities in design are also explored, such as collaborative design, virtual design environments, data modeling and visualization.
This topic examines human interactions with(in) the built environment, and their implications for design. The concepts such as personal space, privacy, territoriality and control are utilized in the analysis of human-space interaction. Spatial factors, which influence perception, cognition and the resulting understandings and behavior are studied at both individual and societal levels. Transformations in the society and spaces are also covered at the extent of their impact on human behavior, particularly in public spaces.Design Theories and Methods as an interdisciplinary area of study searches for the theoretical background of design as well as the methods that the designers use to explore, generate and develop alternative design solutions. The tools and techniques that are applied in the practice of design are also investigated. Computer is a widely used tool in design process and in data and knowledge representation. Therefore, current digital opportunities in design are also explored, such as collaborative design, virtual design environments, data modeling and visualization.
Aims and Objectives:
The M.F.A. program is structured to provide specialization in various areas that require expertise in the Interior Architecture and Environmental Design discipline in addition to scholarly inquiry and research skills. Students are guided through an intensive, concentrated program that is based primarily on established educational objectives that the students have selected for themselves. The courses are chosen according to the areas of interest related to issues of interior and architectural design. Graduate students are expected to be highly motivated, technically competent and prepared to deal with ideas at a professional level.
Admission:
Applicants are required to have a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of design. Applicants should take the ALES (Akademik Personel ve Lisanüstü Eğitimi Giriş Sınavı, Academic Personnel and Postgraduate Education Entrance Examination) and must satisfy the announced minimum requirements. Applicants who are not Turkish citizens and Turkish citizen applicants who are residents of a foreign country may take the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) instead of the ALES. All non-native speakers of English are required to submit proof of English-language proficiency. Admittance to the program is also determined through an interview as well as a portfolio evaluation. The portfolio should represent work done during undergraduate years and contain those pieces of work the applicants consider their best efforts. All students are expected to be fluent in written and oral English in order to be admitted to the program.
Degree Requirements:
After the completion of at least 21 units of course work in two successive terms, the candidates must take two seminar courses in their area of interest and prepare and submit a thesis. The duration of the program is four semesters.
Contact Person:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yasemin Eren Afacan
E-mail: yasemine@bilkent.edu.tr