San Diego Community College offers numerous design courses. Three upholstery courses are available through the interior design department. The course are available to degree and non-degree-seeking students, and they teach the fundamentals of upholstery. The Basic Upholstery course is ideal for beginners; the Advanced Upholstery course is hands-on and works with various types of furniture. The school also offers an Automotive Upholstery course for car-specific techniques. Each course requires one full semester of attendance, and students are graded on their progress.
Palomar Community College in San Marcos, California, offers an upholstery program with seven classes. The classes focus on basic skills and specialty topics including automotive, antique furniture, window treatments and advanced techniques. The courses use a hands-on environment to teach upholstery skills. Students work with commercial sewing machines and tools. Credits received from the upholstery program can be applied to an associate in arts degree, and completion of all the upholstery classes qualifies the student for a certificate of completion.
Custom Home Furnishings School is in Swannanoa, North Carolina. The school offers numerous classes that can be completed individually. Intensive courses range from two to six days; students learn upholstery basics, window treatments, bed treatment and advanced techniques. The school also teaches about selling custom upholstery products and business management. The courses are taught by professionals in the design and upholstery industry.
WyoTech is a technical college with campus locations in Pennsylvania, California, Wyoming and Florida. Its Automotive Technology program offers a course in trim and upholstery technology. The course teaches basic and advanced techniques with a focus on vehicle seats, armrests and interior components. Students learn how to sew, use seam tape and use a variety of upholstery tools. Although the instruction is focused on automotive technology, the skills can be applied to furniture and other upholstery projects.