Certificate Programs
Kitchen & Bath Design
Kitchens and baths are essential to everyday living and have become the most popular renovation projects in American homes today. A range of courses at the Boston Architectural College provide the opportunity to explore this dynamic field. Courses may be taken individually, or applied to the Kitchen & Bath Design Certificate Program.
Kitchen & Bath Design Certificate
Clients are seeking designers to plan personalized spaces that are functional and increase the marketability of their homes. This market demand has created a need for qualified professionals in the field. Based on guidelines provided by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), the Kitchen & Bath Certificate program prepares students for careers as specialized design professionals. With this educational credential, you are eligible to pursue NKBA certification.
The BAC Kitchen & Bath Certificate is recognized by the National Kitchen and Bath Association as an NKBA supported program.
Twelve Required Classes
- Drawing for Interior Decorators
- Kitchen & Bath: Construction Applications
- Kitchen and Bath: Business Strategies for Competitive Advantage
- Kitchen & Bath: Mechanical and Lighting
- Kitchen & Bath Design Studio I
- Kitchen & Bath: Materials and Estimating
- Kitchen & Bath Design Studio II
- Advanced Kitchen Studio
- Advanced Bath Studio
- General Elective
- CAD elective
- Kitchen & Bath Internship
Drawing for Interior Decorators
Course Number: VSC154
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: None
This drawing course introduces students to the basic skills of graphic representation for interior decorators. Students will learn how to use basic drafting tools, take field dimensions, and draw to scale. They will develop the ability to understand and draw plans and elevations, and will be introduced to rendering, model building, perspective and orthogonal drawing. This class will include a field trip to sketch furniture and interiors.
Kitchen & Bath: Construction Applications
Course Number: TM211
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: None
This course gives a nuts and bolts look at the construction end of kitchen and bath design. Students will learn the basics of home construction, framing, plumbing, electrical, window types, materials and building codes. Students will learn how to communicate effectively with the trades and how to trouble shoot problems on a construction site. The differences and idiosyncrasies between new construction and remodel projects will be discussed. There will be a class trip to an actual job site where all the construction basics discussed will be viewed first hand.
Kitchen and Bath: Business Strategies for Competitive Advantage
Course Number: TMC130
1.5 Credits
Prerequisites: None
Students will develop an individual competitive strategy based on self assessment of their personal strengths and opportunities within the Kitchen & Bath Industry. This class is a call for action to develop your own marketing strategy, whether is to open a new business, change your job, form a partnership with an allied professional, or develop a new marketing niche for yourself within the industry. Learn to qualify prospective clients and gain key presenting and selling techniques to be a successful kitchen and bath salesperson. Students will also become familiar with business management practices, including profit margins, contracts, human resource practices, marketing and advertising; and learn ethical business practices and standard of conduct within the kitchen and bath industry.
Kitchen & Bath: Mechanical Systems and Lighting
Course Number: TM256
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Kitchen & Bath Design Studio I
Through this course, students will gain an understanding of the mechanical systems of a kitchen including the following: electrical, ventilation, plumbing, heating and cooling. Through a series of class projects, students will learn how to assess electrical requirements related to the selection of lighting and ventilation equipment for the kitchen and bath according to NKBA Planning Guidelines. Students will develop an awareness of plumbing systems as well as codes to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Mechanical systems will be discussed as well as the implications of altering the system as related to the cost, structure, and design.
Kitchen & Bath Design Studio I
Course Number: SAC222
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Decorative Arts students need to have completed Interior Decoration Introductory Studio (formerly Basics of Interior Decoration).
Kitchen & Bath Design Certificate students need to have completed Drawing for Interior Decorators, and Kitchen & Bath: Construction Applications. This studio focuses on the fundamental concepts of residential kitchen and bath design, and cover projects from programming through completion. Through a series of class projects, students will learn how to design kitchens and bathrooms according to NKBA Guidelines that function as well as they look. Industry standards for safety and function will be stressed. Presentation standards for project drawings will be introduced. Field trips will complement classroom projects and lectures.
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Kitchen & Bath: Materials and Estimating
Course Number: TM260
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Kitchen and Bath Design Studio I.
Students will study the visual qualities, technical characteristics, estimation and applications of common materials used in kitchen and bath installations. These materials include cabinetry, appliances, ventilation, decorative plumbing and hardware, surfacing materials, and decorative materials. Students will learn to analyze, select and order materials and finishes using product specification sheets for the appropriate applications. Estimating procedures and construction will also be explored.
Kitchen & Bath Design Studio II
Course Number: SAC322
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Kitchen and Bath Design Studio I.
This studio builds upon the foundation of knowledge learned in Kitchen and Bath Studio I, developing intermediate level program planning skills in residential kitchen and bath design. Through a series of challenging class projects, students will further develop their design capabilities in space planning, creative solutions and project management, while incorporating industry standards for safety and function. Students will explore how a kitchen project can rework the flow of a home, and how a bathroom project can transform into a master suite. Further emphasis will be put on refining presentation standards as defined by the NKBA. Class time is a combination of lectures, studio work, and field trips.
Advanced Kitchen Studio
Course Number: SAC422
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Kitchen & Bath Design Studio II.
Through this studio, Kitchen and Bath Design students gain advanced approaches to their design solutions including knowledge of NKBA Planning Guidelines for the kitchen, and NKBA Access Planning Guidelines used in universal design projects. Building upon skills learned in K&B Design Studio II, students improve their ability to develop and present a design concept and theme. In addition, a focus will be learning to produce professional working documents of advanced kitchen projects as they progress from inception to completion.
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Advanced Bath Studio
Course Number: SAC433
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Kitchen and Bath Design Studio II
This course is the final in the series of Bath design courses. This course will require the student to use all the knowledge they have learned to this point to design a bath project from start to finish. The student will be required to take a project, from the initial meeting stage with the client, through preliminary design, final conceptual plans, finished detail plans and documentation. The student will learn to use appropriate NKBA forms and documents to specify all details in the bath, including but not limited to: electrical and lighting, cabinet style and materials, window and doors specifications, flooring, tile and fixtures, etc. The students will also be required to draw using the NKBA graphic standards and will use the NKBA “Professional Resources Library Volumes” as a reference guide throughout the project. Upon completion the final projects must be presented to NKBA’s student design competition.
Examples of General elective:
Color Theory in Practice for the Residential Interior Decorator
Course Number: HT227
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: Drawing for Interior Decorators.
Everyone loves color! It is a key ingredient to any successful residential interior, thus the practicing interior decorator must have a thorough understanding of it and its relationship to form, space and light. They must understand the emotional implications of color. This course will teach fundamental color theory so that the decorator can apply those principles in their design process to not only satisfy the client’s wishes but to also create a pleasing, functional and safe environment. Beyond the theory, the student will learn about color trends – where do they come from and what makes some a classic and others a passing fad. They will learn how to step out of their personal color comfort zone and enlarge their range of color palettes and preferences. The student will learn how to be more observant of colors that surround them and why they work. Students will learn about specifying interior paints – why different applications require different products. Practical application will be taught through numerous projects, lectures and field trips. Please note: Estimated cost of supplies and textbook for this course is $100-$150.
Classical Architecture: An Introduction
Course Number: HT102
3.0 Credits
Prerequisites: None
“Classicism is not a style” according to Demetri Poorphyrios, but rather a time-tested design methodology used to create beautiful and timeless architecture, interiors, and cities for the ages. This “Basics” course introduces participants to the world of the 2,500 year old western classical tradition: its sources in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, its development through the Medieval, Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, and its most recent revival, the current and vibrant New Classicism movement.
Examples of CAD elective:
AutoCAD I: Residential Interior Documentation
Course Number: VS652
1.5 Credits
Prerequisites: Drawing for Interior Decorators and basic computer skills.
This course is an introduction to the basic concepts and operation of two-dimensional computer-aided drafting. Designed specifically for students in the Residential Interiors and Kitchen and Bath Certificate Programs, as well as working professionals who want to learn CAD drafting for residential interiors applications, students will learn the process required to draft interior rooms: elevations, floor plans, sections and details. In addition, they will learn how to dimension drawings and how to plot and print documents.
**Kitchen and Bath Design Internship
Please consult the BAC Continuing Education Catalog for current semester offerings and tuition information.
For further information, contact us at ce@the-bac.edu or use the Request Information link.
