Online Graphic Design Degrees

Graphic design is a growing field that some believe started out as a novelty and is now a necessity for business, the arts, media, and everyday life. The competitive, cutting edge industry depends on innovative, creative professionals who constantly question the set standards of the industry while thinking up new ways of designing and communicating with audiences. Students who wish
to earn an online graphics design degree should be ready to work hard and learn how to collaborate with teams of classmates and superiors, without giving up their competitive edge. Graphics design students often specialize in a specific area or combine their degree with a minor or professional certificate to broaden their experience and training foundation and make them more desirable job candidates. Possible certificates or specializations include web design, business, advertising, animation or new media. And since many graphic design courses use computers for practice anyway, an online graphics design degree can be a practical way for students to pursue their career goals.

Different levels of graphic design degrees are available, but most students who want to compete for the best jobs should expect to finish a bachelor’s degree program, or at the least, an associate’s degree. Associate’s degrees usually last 18 months to two years, depending on full- or part-time status and the school, while bachelor’s degree programs usually last for four years. In addition to core curriculum courses in the liberal arts and sciences, bachelor’s degree-seeking students will take a wide range of fine arts and computer technology courses, including studio art, animation, web design, principles of design, color theory, commercial graphics production, digital imaging, and a lot more. Students who want to stand out from the competition may want to consider specializing in a certain area or adding a major or minor to their degree. Some practical degree choices to add include business, advertising, communications studies, new media, journalism, photography or game design, and others.

Graphic design is an extremely competitive business, and the industry isn’t slowing down. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics points out that employment should increase at the national average — about 10 percent — through 2016. Students with online graphics design bachelor’s degrees will have the best job prospects, especially if they are able to market themselves along with another skills, like business management, writing or animation. It is important to note that many graphic designers work as freelancers and manage their own project loads. This can be an option for graphic designers who cannot find work in-house or with design firms, or, if the graphic designer is experienced enough, it can turn into a much more profitable and lucrative situation than working with a company. Entry-level graphic designers should expect to be trained for 1 to 3 years before receiving a promotion.