Yestermorrow’s Certificate in Residential Design & Construction combines the core aspects of the school’s design/build curriculum into one cohesive and comprehensive package. For people interested in embarking on a career in the design or building trades or those seeking deep involvement in creating their own dream home, the Certificate provides the appropriate skills and knowledge through a mix of design challenges, site visits, studio sessions, and hands-on, experiential project work.

In the design studio, you will delve into site planning, climatic design, energy efficiency, solar strategies, materials, structural principles, and more. Additionally, you'll gain drafting and modeling skills and learn to explore and communicate designs by creating floor plans, sections, elevations, and scale models as each student designs an attractive, functional, and efficient home for yourself or a client. Design work will be woven throughout the curriculum, with an opportunity to present your designs to your peers and a panel of design/build professionals on the final day.

The build portion will cover rough carpentry and framing in the context of new construction. Students will learn the basics of a structure’s anatomy, blueprint reading, floor, wall, roof layout, framing methodology, and more as they help build a small structure. Along the way, you'll gain comfort with various hand and power tools, visit hardware stores and lumber yards, and learn the trade terminology. We'll continue on the build as we learn about exterior finishing, roofing, and window and door installation.

The program then moves into electrical and plumbing design and installation. Students will explore how to construct, repair, and alter a plumbing system and understand how that system relates to and affects the other elements of a residential structure. We’ll then gain comfort with the concepts and components of a residential electrical system and familiarity with wiring lights, receptacles, and switches.

Yestermorrow's sliding scale tuition model is not available for certificate programs. Information on financial aid can be found here.