Program Description

This unique pro­gram, the first in West­ern Cana­da, offers you a uni­ver­si­ty-lev­el cer­tifi­cate in the art of inte­ri­or decorating.

Using prin­ci­ples of the relat­ed fields of visu­al arts, archi­tec­ture, and busi­ness, our instruc­tors effec­tive­ly com­bine design the­o­ry and prac­tice to ensure that stu­dents gain the expe­ri­ence and skills need­ed in the ever-chang­ing field of res­i­den­tial decorating.

 

Your Program

9 Courses | Online & Flexible | Certificate in as Little as 2 Years

 

Through these courses, you will:

  • Develop an awareness of the art, pragmatics, and aesthetics of housing and furnishings.
  • Practice interview strategies to quickly identify and interpret clients’ needs; understand basic business principles and issues.
  • Improve your drawing, drafting, and presentation skills; learn the fundamentals of wood frame construction.
  • Many of our graduates have established their own businesses; others have been employed in roles such as interior decorating consultant, manufacturer’s representative, and retail consultant.
  • Qualify to join the Decorators & Designers Association of Canada (DDA) and the Decorating and Interior Design Association of Alberta (DIDAA)

 

Who it's good for

  • Our stu­dent body is diverse, from recent high-school grad­u­ates to indi­vid­u­als seek­ing a career change. Some char­ac­ter­is­tics com­mon to our stu­dents are a keen inter­est in fash­ion and home décor, good spa­tial per­cep­tion, and the abil­i­ty to work well with all types of people.
 

Testimonials

  • “The office was flex­i­ble and help­ful when I need­ed an accom­mo­da­tion to fast-track the pro­gram. I also liked that we always had plen­ty of time to com­plete assign­ments. The teach­ers were very nice.”
  • Rec­og­nized as an excel­lent career-entry pro­gram by the Dec­o­ra­tors & Design­ers Asso­ci­a­tion of Cana­da (DDA) and indus­try pro­fes­sion­als, the Res­i­den­tial Inte­ri­ors Cer­tifi­cate pro­gram is a com­pre­hen­sive study of res­i­den­tial inte­ri­or fun­da­men­tals and applications.
 

What you'll get out of it

Upon completion of all program requirements, you will receive the Residential Interiors Certificate.

Cost 

  • The approximate cost of this Certificate is $6,355 CAD
  • Course Fees are typically $695.00 CAD
  • Pay as you go - students pay on a course-by-course basis as they register. You do not need to pay the entire program fee at once
  • An application fee of $100 CAD is required for admis­sion into the program
  • Cours­es are GST-exempt
  • Consider applying for the Cana­da-Alber­ta Job Grant
  • Some courses may require additional resources such as textbooks. This information can be found in the course section details
     

Program Details

  • This program consists of six core courses and three electives. Each course is 39 hours in length, for a total of 351 instructional hours.
  • This program is designed for part-time study and can generally be completed within two years.
  • Students have the flexibility to schedule courses around their availability. 
  • It is recommended to complete EXRI 4676 Introduction to Residential Interior Design first. Please note that some courses have prerequisites and the order in which you complete the courses will impact program length. 
  • Courses are graded with assessments. This might include quizzes, exams, discussion forums, papers, and presentations.
  • Courses are typically offered online synchronously. Please check the course section for details. Further details on delivery formats can be found here.
  • Course materials are shared in Eclass. Some courses may require additional resources, such as textbooks. This information can be found in the course section details.
 

Your Instructors

  • Our instructors are not just educators; they are industry experts, adult learning specialists, and professionals deeply connected to the pulse of their respective fields. 


How to Apply

  • We are open to stu­dents with a variety of educational and professional back­grounds. Our expec­ta­tion is that you have a com­mit­ment to learn and achieve your con­tin­u­ing edu­ca­tion goals. It is recommended students have prior knowledge and/or work experience in the related field.
  • To apply, download the Application for Program Admission
  • The admission fee is $100
  • Individual courses are open for general studies and may be completed without being admitted into a program
  • Programs change occasionally, so we recommend applying for admission early. Once admitted, your requirements to complete the program are locked in. You can be confident that completed and eligible courses will continue to apply to your program.

 

Explore Funding and Scholarship Opportunities

 

Receiving your certificate

  • Students can verify their program requirements and progress by logging into the University of Alberta’s student portal, Bear Tracks, to view your Academic Advisement
  • A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 is required to graduate
  • To qualify for program completion, you must submit a request to obtain your credential
  • For a breakdown of details and how to qualify, visit the program completion page
  • Upon completing this credential, you are eligible to become a UAlberta Associate Alumni
 

Transferability and Professional Designations

  

International Students 

  • International Students are welcome to enroll in our courses, with the only requirement being a stable internet connection. There are no differential course fees for international students completing courses in this program
  • Students are responsible for ensuring that they are proficient in English so that they can fully participate in classes
  • Please note that non-credit programming does not qualify for a study permit, therefore this program cannot be used for immigration to Canada. Foreign nationals authorized to work in Canada who are prohibited from engaging in studies as a condition of their work permit are allowed to engage in distance learning courses. For more information please contact University of Alberta International Student Services
  

Support Services

Contact us

If you have any questions, email us at ridesign@ualberta.ca

Additional Details

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