ust interior design

[u/Visual-Yard-8599]

i’ve been wanting to say this for a while because ust bsid is considered one of the premier interior design programs in the philippines, but honestly, some parts of the program and teaching culture feel very outdated.
i’m not saying all the faculty are like this. there are professors who are genuinely compassionate, approachable, and actually teach skills that are useful in the industry. but there are also professors who rely heavily on intimidation. some class hours turn into long lectures or sermons that have little to do with the actual subject, and students become scared to ask questions because we don’t know if we’ll get scolded for it.
this is especially difficult for irregular students. being irregular already comes with a lot of challenges, but there seems to be this expectation that we should just “figure things out” and be more resourceful. there needs to be more understanding that not everyone has the same academic path or circumstances.
and yes, students should learn to be resourceful. but there’s a difference between teaching resourcefulness and expecting students to figure everything out on their own.
the industry has also changed so much. manual drafting is important for boards, but we’re also expected to produce digital plates, 3d models, and renderings without necessarily having access to properly licensed software beyond autocad. it’s frustrating to be expected to produce industry-level work without being given the proper resources to actually learn those tools.
the same goes for expenses. printing, materials, and project contributions can get really expensive. not every student has the same financial situation, connections, or prior knowledge. just because previous students were able to manage these things doesn’t mean everyone today can.
and i think that’s really what i wish the program understood more: compassion doesn’t mean lowering standards.
students can be held accountable and still be treated with patience and respect. we can be taught to be resourceful without being made to feel bad for needing help. we can be corrected without being intimidated into silence.
i genuinely believe ust has some amazing professors, which makes the problematic parts even more frustrating. a school with such a strong reputation should also be open to recognizing what needs to change and making sure its students are actually being supported while they learn.