The Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) is an independent, non-profit accrediting organization for interior design education programs at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. For more than 35 years, CIDA has pursued the enrichment of the interior design profession through identifying, developing and promoting quality standards for the education of entry-level interior designers, and then accrediting and supporting educational programs to aspire to those standards.
Through a process of program self-evaluation and peer review, accreditation promotes achievement of high academic standards, while making education more responsive to student and societal needs. The Council engages nearly 200 volunteers, all drawn from interior design practice and education, to carry out its work. Nearly 150 interior design programs are currently accredited by the CIDA, serving an estimated 20,000 students.
The Council for Interior Design Accreditation is recognized as a reliable authority on interior design education by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The CHEA-recognized scope of accreditation is professional level programs in interior design.