Master of Arts in Interior Architecture - Health Care Design

Design effects health directly or indirectly. While health factors cannot be based on environment alone, recent research shows the impact of design on health and wellbeing, including stress reduction, cognitive performance, and emotion, mood and preference (The Drive Toward Healthier Buildings, 2016). The National Prevention Strategy proposed by CDC recognizes that good health comes not just from receiving quality medical care but from stopping disease before it starts. It helps move the nation away from a health care system focused on sickness and disease to one focused on wellness and prevention. In this context, evidence-based design for the access and sustenance of healthy spaces is not only vital, but inevitable. In today’s ever-changing world of healthcare, thinking of health as pervasive, rather than episodic is critical.

The Master of Arts (Health Care Design Track) is a post-professional degree (36 credits) to enhance professional credentials with specialized healthcare design expertise. Although grounded in design, the program provides an opportunity for students to create ‘what-if’ scenarios in healthcare design that might not be currently addressed in the industry, and to challenge conventional models of healthcare while engaging in Miami’s urban community. The program facilitates designers to engage with other stakeholders such as nursing, public health, health management, physical therapy among others.