"Mini-Guide" to a Design Degree Online

Design, in general:

"Visual and design skills can be transferred to jobs like interior and fashion design; photography; and graphic design for print, video, and the Internet. Many new college programs, including digital, multimedia, interactive, and Web design and production, apply computer technologies to the visual arts. If you can use digital technologies or think visually, you have prized talents in a media-drive world."

— College Board Book of Majors, 2nd edition

Graphic Design:

"Graphic designers—or graphic artists—plan, analyze, and create visual solutions to communications problems. Graphic designers consider cognitive, cultural, physical, and social factors in planning and executing designs for the target audience. Designers gather relevant information by meeting with clients, creative or art directors, and by performing their own research."

— U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Graphic Designers"

Web Design:

""If you have an eye for design and a knack for computers, you might be a prime candidate for a major in Web design. You'll compound the interest and knowledge you already have by starting from the beginning—designing and building a Web page—and working your way up to incorporating the latest ideas, technology, and features into the sites you create. Your course work will go over everything from identifying an intended audience to selecting graphics that best portray your message. You'll learn about different Web browsers and plug-ins and their varying capabilities. And since the Web has an artistic element too, you'll explore aesthetic design, color relationships, and the application of font styles. You'll learn how to create animated elements for your sites, and how to incorporate a range of motions."

— The Princeton Review Online

Interior Design:

"If you decide to major in Interior Design, you'll study light, color, form, space, furnishings, and pretty much all other aspects of built environments. You'll study the basics of three-dimensional design, space planning, and perspective. You'll also study color theory, different kinds of materials and patterns, and computer-aided design."

— The Princeton Review Online

Game Art:

"Dedicated art schools have recently begun to offer game-specific programs that not only allow you to learn how to make art for games, but also to design them. The Academy of Art University, located in San Francisco, is one such institution. Students are taught by industry professionals, and have access to the latest tools, as a number of the more prominent game tools providers have begun to offer student/educational prices. 'The classes are geared toward giving the students a solid background in the technique and theory of game creation from animation, to modeling, to level design, and so on,' says Todd Robinson, game lead for the animation department."

— Game Career Guide, "Types of Schools: Art School, Game Academy, 4-Year University"

Design, in general:

• You are a creative thinker and proven problem-solver.
• You are interested in color theory or have an innate "eye for color."
• You have a vital appreciation for form and space.
• You have natural artistic ability.

Graphic Design:

• You already have an idea for a company logo for your future graphic design business.
• You are amused by the Museum of Bad Album Covers Web site.
• You have enjoyed working on projects like designing/producing a pamphlet, yearbook, handbook, or eBook.
• You often find yourself critiquing poorly-designed fliers or brochures and have ideas on how to improve existing package design or advertising for a product or service.
• You tend to enjoy different kinds of magazines, comic books, zines, and graphic novels.

Web Design:

• You are seriously annoyed and offended by ugly Web sites or certain typefaces, like Comic Sans.
• You enjoy taking photographs, modifying images, and using the image editing and graphics software.
• You have and enjoy maintaining a personal blog, Web site, video diary, or profile page on MySpace or Facebook.
• You secretly wish that someday you'll have a design posted at CSS Zen Garden.

Interior Design:

• Friends and family would turn to you first for advice about finding a certain piece of furniture or choosing the right window coverings.
• If you had a million-dollar spending spree, you'd immediately head to Restoration Hardware or Room & Board.
• You are constantly rearranging furniture in your home or have mentally redecorated your entire house.
• You are inundated with home decor and accessories catalogs in the mail.
• You love HGTV, especially shows about interior design and decorating.

Game Art:

• If your house was on hire, you'd try to save your game console.
• You have strong programming and/or problem-solving skills.
• You play video games. A lot of games. As in, you've spent hundreds of hours in front of your PC, XBox 360, PS3, or Nintendo Wii.
• You've tried to mod your own game before.
• You've tried to scheme your way into getting a pass to the yearly Game Developers Conference.

If an online design degree isn't quite right for you, consider these fields instead:

• Communications:
  Learn how to utilize the latest technology to convey information with the greatest effectiveness while catering messages to target specific audiences.
  Online Communications Degrees | Online Certificates in Communication Studies
• Graphics and Multimedia:
  Interested in the digital arts, web design, or online multimedia? Sharpen skills in in digital image manipulation; multimedia system design; sound, video, and animation; and more.
  Online Graphics and Multimedia Degrees | Online Graphics and Multimedia Certificates
• Liberal Arts:
  Delve into a broad range of knowledge covering the humanities, languages, mathematics and sciences. Learn how to argue effectively, reason logically, and think critically.
  Online Liberal Arts Degrees
• Marketing:
  Delve into a discipline that analyzes the anticipated the needs of consumers, how new business opportunities are discovered and product development.
  Online Marketing Degrees | Online Certificates in Marketing
• Sociology:
  Examine intricacies of human relationships how people relate to each other and how that pertains society as a whole.
  Online Degrees in Sociology | Online Certificates in Sociology

Many schools allow you to choose a concentration or specialization — a focused area of study — within the design degree.

• Graphics and Animation
  Blend modern technology and artistic creativity using industry-relevant tools; learn the techniques and skills necessary to utilize digital media equipment and software.
• Interior Design
  Examine the importance of designing and planning for a range of clients; study concepts, theories, and create an aesthetically pleasing, functional interior space.
• Visual Communication
  Learn to meet the needs of a business or organization by applying design principles, technical and marketing skills; develop abilities of problem solving and research to be effective in a business environment.
• Web Design
  Utilize e-business marketing strategies in creative web design; learn how to integrate elements such as animation, audio and video using the latest software and applications.
• Graphic Design
  Blend modern technology and artistic creativity using industry-relevant tools; learn the techniques and skills necessary to utilize digital media equipment and software.
• Illustration Design
  Gain professional experience in order to develop a career as an illustrator; learn the fundamentals of business and build out a substantial portfolio.
• Interactive Design and Game Development
  Learn about the industry and develop the skills necessary to work with the latest software and technology in order to meet the needs of a client or company.

While the exact curriculum will vary from school to school, here are some of the courses you might choose to take as a graphic design, interior design, or Web design student:

• 3-D Graphics and Animation
• 3-D Modeling
• Advertising Design
• Animal and Human Figure Drawing
• Color Theory and Design
• Design Theory & Analysis
• Digital Production
• Fundamentals of Interior Design
• Illustration & Drawing
• Interior Textiles
• Principles of Web Design
• Raster Images
• Storyboarding and Character Development
• Technology and Visual Communication
• Text & Image
• Typography
• Vector Graphics
• Video Game Design and Development
• Visual Communication

When you have completed your design degree, you will likely have gained many of the following skills and competencies:

• Ability to combine aesthetic vision with practical skills and knowledge
• Ability to continually develop a strong professional portfolio demonstrating creativity, imagination and professional competence
• Competence in working collaboratively within a team and as an individual artist
• Demonstrated excellence in analysis, research, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent verbal, written and visual communication skills
• Experience in negotiating and mediating with clients and colleagues when necessary to resolve problems
• Proficiency in creating a creative solution to a visual or communication problem or issue
• Strong time management and project management skills
• Superior understanding of design concepts and principles
• Understanding of how different audiences react and respond to various visual media
• Well-developed ability to understand the needs of a client and produce an effective product

   

As a career-oriented major focusing upon the artistic creativity, the design industry, and visual communication, design majors are needed by a variety of employers, such as:

• Advertising agencies
• Architectural firms
• Art galleries
• Art supply and frame stores
• Consulting firms
• Department stores and other retailers
• Design firms
• Dot-coms
• Internet & media companies
• Interior design firms
• Large companies — product design divisions
• Magazines
• Newspapers
• Non-technical and technical books, magazines, and trade publications
• Publishing houses
• Search engines
• Television and motion picture industry
• Web site design services

Here is a sampling of jobs you for which you may be qualified with a visual communications or design degree such as graphic, interior, or web design. Use this for inspiration, remembering that this may represents some, but certainly not all, of the careers you can consider.

Possible Job Titles for Associate's or Bachelor's Design Degree Holders

• 3-D Game Artist
• Illustrator
• Interior Design Specialist
• Junior Graphic Designer
• Junior Web Developer
• Lead Animator
• Post Production Producer
• Production Associate
• Web Designer
• Web Programmer

Possible Job Titles for Advanced Design Degree Holders

Additional experience is typically required for the positions in this list.

• 3-D Architectural/Exhibit Designer
• Content Project Manager
• Creative Director
• Editorial Art Director
• Interactive Art Director
• Interior Design Project Designer
• News Graphics Tech
• Senior Graphic Designer
• Studio Manager
• Web Production Manager