[tracym]

Hi,
I am having trouble choosing a part time interior design course with the best qualification. I have a diploma in fine art and photography and certs in craft design and have had my own business for the last 10 years making and designing in ceramics and mosaic. I also have been teaching mosaic, pottery, stained glass plus every craft possible to adult and kids for the last 16 years. So.. I dont want to do a course that is a starter for school leavers etc or that is too basic. In the last few months I have completed an introduction course to autocad 2d and am due to start a project management course in a couple of weeks. I would like to do a course that could lead to a new career for me in the next couple of years.
I have two young children aged 3 and 10 months so its not possible for me to do anything full time but I can do evenings. On that regard I was looking at the fetac cert in interior design in dublin institute of design and the diploma in residential design in portabello. Is there any difference in the qualification? The content appears to be the same although one is a cert. Then there is the griffith college diploma which is more than double the cost! I am living in Cabinteely, D 18. Any advice you could offer would be a huge help as I will have to sign up for one of them in the next couple of weeks!
Many thanks,
Tracy

[Minitonka]

Tracy, do you know that the Senior College in Dun Laoghaire runs an evening FETAC Certificate in Interior Design which runs for 25 weeks starting usually in September? The fees for 2009/10 were €480. They also run the RHODEC Associate Diploma in Interior Design in the mornings (5 mornings per week Sept-May). See www.scd.ie/Rhodec_Associate_Diploma_in_Interior_Design/Default.313.html for details and even better news... (Quote) There are no tuition fees for EU students. At course commencement, students are required to pay for books, exams, a College registration fee and where applicable professional body registration fees.
Students will be required to purchase certain items, such as drawing equipment (unquote).