What do you need to study?
Equipment & Resources
Computer & Software
All interactive course content within the Virtual Learning Studio (VLS) can be viewed on any device with an active internet connection.
To complete any assignments or projects, we recommend all students have access to a laptop or personal computer. This can be either a Windows or Mac OS X based machine.
Note: In-Studio Diploma students will require access to a portable laptop computer for In-Studio sessions.
Computer & Software
Operating System
Windows 7 (minimum); Windows 10 and above (recommended), Mac OS X 10.10 (minimum); macOS 10.13 (recommended)
Processor
64-bit Intel CPU (Intel Core Duo CPU, 2 GHz or faster recommended)
RAM
4 GB (minimum); 8 GB (recommended)
Hard Drive
12 GB free space (not including software installation)
Screen Resolution
1024 x 768 or greater
Browser
Latest versions of: Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome (recommended for VLS use), Firefox, Safari (macOS).
Software Suggestions
Diploma Students
An office package, such as MS Office or OpenOffice; which includes a word processor, a spreadsheet application and a presentation application (e.g., Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
Diploma courses teach manual drafting techniques, therefore CAD software such as AutoCAD is not required to complete your course. AutoCAD is however, still free to access for all NDA students*
Degree Students
A graphical editing application, such as Adobe Photoshop. A computer aided design application, such as SketchUp (free web version available), AutoCAD (Free to all NDA students*), Enscape or VectorWorks.
Important:Please visit the official software websites by clicking the logos below for full minimum system requirements;
Note: NDA also offer an Interior Design Software Course, delivered online via Zoom over just 4 weeks – Find out More Here.
*AutoCAD Licences:As an active NDA student you will have access to an education version of AutoCAD provided by Autodesk with a maximum licence period of 1 year (Renewable for every year of study). When you complete your enrolment you will be provided with a confirmation of study letter that includes the date you started studying with NDA. Please be aware that AutoCAD is supplied by Autodesk, therefore licensing and download specifications are out of our control. However, if you are having problems accessing the software, please see the downloading guide available to all students in the VLS resources..
Interior Design Software Course
Learn skills in AutoCAD 2D, SketchUp and 3D Rendering – a great package to prepare you for your first interior design project. You will build on skills you’ve already learned in manual drafting during your professional diploma course studies, and create computer-drawn floor plans and elevations with great ease, speed and accuracy, using AutoCAD 2D.
You will then transform your 2D drawings into 3D models and scenes using SketchUp, and also learn how to enhance and visualise your project in real-time with Diffusion and Enscape, to create impactful presentations.
Design Equipment & Materials
In addition to your online study and use of computer software, students may/will also be required to complete work by hand. Please see below a list of recommended design equipment, materials and resources for each NDA course subject.
The majority of recommended items are available to purchase online as a ‘kit’ from the NDA Art Shop, at student prices.
Interior Design
Garden Design
Soft Furnishings
Other Resources
Interior Design
Recommended (to complete work by hand)
- A3 Paper
- A3 Tracing Paper
- A3 Card or Mountboard
- HB Pencil
- Fine-line Drawing Pens 0.5, 0.3 and 0.1
- Scale Ruler
- Set square (this does not have to be adjustable)
- Circle Template
- Scalpel and spare blades
- Hard Edged Rubber
Optional (For a professional finish)
- A3 or A2 drawing board with parallel motion
- 0.5 Propelled Pencil & Refills
- Masking Tape
- 30cm Flexicurve
- 30cm Ruler (plastic)
- 30cm Ruler (steel)
- Putty Rubber (Soft)
- Cutting Mat
- Artist Pastels and/or Pastel Pencils
- Colour Wheel
Note:All Recommended and Optional items are included in NDA's Interior Design Kits available to purchase from the NDA Art Shop.
Garden Design
Recommended (to complete work by hand)
- A3 Paper
- A3 Tracing Paper (60gsm) or Layout Paper for Pencil Drawings
- A3 Tracing Paper (90 or 120gsm) for Inked Plans
- Fine-line Drawing Pens 0.5, 0.3 and 0.1
- HB Pencil
- Scale Ruler
- 30cm Ruler (steel)
- Set Square
- Circle Template
- Compass with Extension Arm
- Scalpel & Spare Blades
Optional (For a professional finish)
- A3 or A2 drawing board with parallel motion
- 0.5 Propelled Pencil & Refills
- Adjustable Set Square
- Masking Tape
- Putty Rubber (Soft)
- Hard Edged Rubber
- Artist Pastels and/or Pastel Pencils
- Colour Wheel
- A3 Graph Paper
Note:All Recommended and Optional items are included in the Complete Professional Garden Design Kit available to purchase online in the NDA Art Shop.
Soft Furnishings & Curtain Making
Recommended (to complete work by hand)
- Access to a Basic Domestic Sewing Machine
- Curtain Pelmet & Return
- Button Maker
- Pencil Pleat Heading Tape (7.5cm) – 2 Metres
- Interlining – 1.5 Metres
- A3 Size Heavy Duty Buckram/Vilene (Approx 30cm Width)
- Continuous Zipping – 3/4 Metre & Zip Slider
- Self Adhesive Soft Loop Velcro – 1/2 Metre
- Sew On Velcro (Loop 3m & Hook 10cm)
- Fusible Buckram (Stiff) – 3 Metres
- Piping Cord – 4 Metres
- 4 × Lead Penny Weights
- 6 × Plastic Rings & 2 x Brass Rings
- 8 × Plastic Buttons (front and back)
- 3 × Safety Toggles
Optional (For a professional finish)
- Access to a Professional Sewing Machine
- A1 Cutting Mat
- Cutting Grid
- Cushion Template
- Rotary Head Rail
- Rotary Cutter & Spare Blade
- 60cm Ruler (steel)
- Fabric Scissors
Fabric Requirements
Please view/download the Online & In-Studio Course Fabric Requirement List. This outlines the fabric and equipment needed for each Unit of your Professional Diploma in Soft Furnishings & Curtain Making.
Note:Essential and Optional items (excluding sewing machines) are included in either the Essential Soft Furnishings Course Kit or Complete Professional Soft Furnishings Kit available to purchase online in the NDA Art Shop.
Other Resources
Recommended
- Access to an A3 Scanner or Photocopier
Optional
- Access to a Digital Camera
Degree Students
- Access to books or recommended reading online
Note:Thanks to our partnership with De Montfort University, all NDA degree students have full use of the DMU library services and any other UK library under the SCONUL access scheme, either by post or online.
NDA Art Shop
Please visit NDA’s online Art Shop which provides bespoke Interior Design, Garden Design and also Soft Furnishing & Curtain Making Kits. These include the essential equipment you will need to study each specific NDA course plus optional items that will allow you to complete your work to a professional finish.
