What is DSD, and where are you located?
Deseret School of Design (DSD) is a design and technology training school. We are at No. 22 Dromo Crescent, North Legon, Accra. You can find us online at dsd.edu.gh.
Is DSD an official Autodesk training centre?
Yes. DSD is an Autodesk Authorized Training Centre. The software in Interior Design 101 is Coohom, which is not an Autodesk product.
What makes DSD different from other training centres in Accra?
You learn by doing. In this course you work on real spaces and a real client that DSD provides, and you finish with a portfolio and a business identity of your own. We do not score students. You graduate when your instructor approves your Final Project.
Who has DSD trained?
DSD has trained staff from organisations such as Sir David Adjaye & Associates, SMEC Ghana and the Ghana Revenue Authority.
What will I be able to do after the course?
You will be able to plan, design, light and present a room for a real client. You will be able to interview a client, measure a site, build the room in Coohom, price the project honestly and plan how to deliver it. You will also have the start of your own design business.
Do I need any prior experience?
No. The course is for complete beginners. You do not need to have studied design or used design software before.
What software do you teach?
Coohom, which runs in your web browser, so there is nothing to install. Use the Chrome or Edge browser and a Google account. You also use Excel, and Word, PowerPoint or Canva for your assignment templates.
Do I have to pay for Coohom?
The free tier allows 3 projects and is enough until Module 14. From Module 14 you need the paid tier, which costs USD 3 per month or USD 25 per year. The paid tier gives the render quality that the course needs.
How long is the course, and when are the classes?
The course has 18 modules and at least 60 lessons. The length of each session and the number of sessions are set for each group of students. Message us on WhatsApp for the next intake and its schedule.
Is the course available online?
The course is taught in class at DSD in North Legon. Ask us on WhatsApp if you want to know about other ways to attend.
What will I work on?
Each module has a class exercise and a take-home assignment. You will sketch and measure a real room, build it in Coohom, and price it. You will work on a real client's property in a small group, and present your own design and budget on the last day of the course.
Do I have to share my work online?
Yes, five pieces: a short introduction, your moodboard, your renders and 360° tour, your business identity, and your Final Project. You share each one on LinkedIn and on one more platform of your choice: Instagram, TikTok or Facebook. Sharing the other assignments is optional.
How much does the course cost?
The course fee is GHS 3,500. Ask us on WhatsApp to confirm the current fee for your intake.
Is a payment plan available?
Yes. Payment plans are available, and the terms are set when you enrol. Ask the DSD team to explain the options for your intake.
What is included in the fee?
The fee covers your teaching, the slides and the assignment templates and handouts. It does not cover the paid tier of Coohom, which you need from Module 14, or your own materials such as a sketchbook and a scale ruler. Confirm exactly what is included with the DSD team when you enrol.
What is your refund policy?
The refund terms are set out in DSD's Financial and Refund Policy on dsd.edu.gh. Please read it before you pay. If you have questions about it, ask the DSD team on WhatsApp.
How do I graduate?
You submit your Final Project to the student portal, and your instructor approves it. There are no scores, marks or pass percentages. Your instructor checks your project against a list of deliverables. You also present your own design and budget on the last day of the course.
What is the Final Project?
A real design and a real budget for a real client. You work in a group of 2 to 3 with one client that DSD provides, and each of you prepares and presents your own design and budget. The project includes a client interview, a measured site, a full Coohom build with at least four renders and a 360° tour, and a priced budget.
Where does the client come from?
DSD provides each group with a client, usually the owner of a property that is plastered but not yet painted. You may also use DSD's WhatsApp, LinkedIn and social media message templates to look for a client of your own. Each group has its client by the end of Module 11.
What if my project is sent back for revisions?
Your instructor tells you exactly which items are not met and what to change. You make the changes and submit again. The time allowed for revisions is set for your group.
What if my client decides not to go ahead with my design?
Tell your instructor at once. The instructor and the DSD team will decide with your group how to continue, so that you can still complete your project.
How do I enrol?
Apply on dsd.edu.gh, or message us on WhatsApp. The DSD team reviews your application, and tells you how to pay and when your intake starts.
When does the next intake start?
Intakes are set for each group of students. Check the class schedule on dsd.edu.gh, or message us on WhatsApp.
What do I need to bring to class?
Bring a phone with a camera, a sketchbook, pencils and a scale ruler. From Module 12, bring a laptop with the Chrome or Edge browser. Bring your last assignment to every session.
What if I miss a class?
Tell your instructor and the DSD team as soon as you can. They will tell you how to catch up on what you missed. If you cannot continue, ask us about deferring.
Can I pause the course if I have to?
You can ask for a deferral if you have attended three class sessions or fewer. A deferral can be used once for a course, and you must resume within three months, or it expires. Ask the DSD team for the details.
