Yes, You Too Can Earn a Landscape Design Diploma ?EUR??,,????'??+ in Nine Months or Less! By Stephen Kelly, managing editor The Institute of Garden Design, an affiliate of the Learning Institute, with addresses in Somerset, U.K., and Pittsburgh, Penn., offers a diploma in how to ?EUR??,,????'??set up and run a garden design or landscape design business.?EUR??,,????'?? Students who complete the course receive the diploma and the ?EUR??,,????'??right to use the letters Dip. GD (Inst. GD) after their name.?EUR??,,????'?? Who knew it was such a snap to get a diploma in landscape design? Think of all those wasted units you had to acquire to get a degree in landscape architecture when you could have complete this course in nine months (with five easy payments totally $885) and been on your way to designing fame. The website of the Institute of Garden Design (www.inst.org/gd/index.htm) answers all relevant student questions: ?EUR??,,????'??What?EUR??,,????'???s a landscape architect??EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??A landscape architect has done a lengthy university degree, and is competent to design open spaces, especially municipal ones. By law, in some countries you may not call yourself a landscape architect, but you wouldn?EUR??,,????'???t want to anyway. Being a garden designer is much more fun.?EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??Will the diploma enable me to practise [British spelling, mate] professionally??EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??Yes. ... Some courses, even at university, seem to omit this all-important aspect.?EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??I?EUR??,,????'???ve never drawn in my life. Does this matter? [No answer to this question is provided, but I suspect the answer is ?EUR??,,????'??No worries.?EUR??,,????'???] ?EUR??,,????'??Will the qualification get me a job in a landscape or garden design firm??EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??No! And here?EUR??,,????'???s why. There?EUR??,,????'???s a lot of competition for jobs in these firms. Everyone wants to work for them. And the easiest way to earn a living is to work for yourself. ... Later on, through networking, you might find that you?EUR??,,????'???re on the inside track for a job with a big landscape design firm. But by then you won?EUR??,,????'???t want to work for anyone else!?EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??What happens if I fail an assignment??EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??You do the work again! 80% of students complete the course without ever failing an assignment.?EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??Is there a final exam??EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??No, there is no final exam. The course is based on continuous assessment, through the assignments you send to your tutor.?EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??Can I submit hand-written assignments??EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??Yes. That?EUR??,,????'???s no problem.?EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??So, how can I find out about other courses??EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??See, ...careers advisors know nothing about garden design, as they would be the first to admit. And the careers books they consult will probably suggest getting a three-year degree in landscape design. Which may (or may not) be a good thing, but it isn?EUR??,,????'???t an option for most of our students (many of whom already have a degree!).?EUR??,,????'?? The Institute of Garden Design has some final advice. ?EUR??,,????'??Beware: Lots of dot com entrepreneurs think they can teach garden design.?EUR??,,????'?? Hmmm ... am I sensing some irony here?