Department of Consumer and Design Sciences

Undergraduate Professional Fee

The amount that students pay in tuition and required fees represents a sizeable and important investment in their future. However, student payments alone do not cover the full cost of providing any of Auburn’s educational programs. Even after state appropriations are included, some programs require funding through additional fees in order to provide the high-quality learning environment that students expect. Like the basic tuition and fees, these additional amounts help to cover not only the direct costs of providing instruction and advising in these programs, but also indirect costs associated with Auburn’s role as a comprehensive center of higher education for the state.

The Interior Design (INDS/INDX) program at Auburn University, top-ranked nationally, was granted approval for a professional fee due to the serious need to expand student support services and provide additional resources to stay competitive with the other top ranked programs in the nation. INDS/INDX is a professional program that was first accredited by the Council of Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) in 1998. Professional programs like INDS/INDX require more space per student, a lower student/teacher ratio, more advanced technology and technical support, and the additional cost of achieving and maintaining the accreditation which mandates the aforementioned requirements as compared to traditional undergraduate degrees.

Program fees are a tuition supplement that go directly to the professional programs in which the student is enrolled. Prior to the approval of professional fees for INDS/INDX by the Board of Trustees in June 2016, INDS/INDX received no program fees, but fees were assessed in several other units on campus, including the College of Architecture, Design and Construction; College of Business; College of Engineering; College of Veterinary Medicine; Honors College; School of Nursing; and School of Pharmacy. Because of the highly technical nature of INDS/INDX, Auburn implemented a per semester professional fee for the program in Fall 2017. Fees are NOT covered by any university level scholarship that a student might receive. However, use of program fees in providing resources for students to use or consume can reduce out-of-pocket expenses; in some classes students may only have to purchase textbooks and supplies that they choose to use or may need to replenish.

For this professional program fee, students will benefit in several ways, for example, through:
• Facilities and instructional resources (four dedicated studios, Mac computer lab, resource room, in-studio printers, & plotters)
• Educational enhancement (field trips, professional workshops, support for certification)
• Provision of resources (student supplies, studio equipment, and specialized software and technology)
• Human resources (IT, faculty, and graduate assistant support)
• Accreditation support (administrative expenses, annual fees, site visit expenses)

For questions about the fees, please contact Dr. Young A Lee, Consumer and Design Sciences Department Head, via email to yalee@auburn.edu or phone at 334-844-6458.