Graphic Design Degrees

Overview

Since Internet marketing has gained a lot of importance in today's world, graphic designing has become quite popular. Its main focus is on Internet web designing and creation. Other than web designing, it is also used in other fields such as fashion, product blue print creation, social communities like MySpace, multimedia gaming, advertisement hoarding designing, and so on. If you are creative and innovative, you can opt for graphic designing degrees. These degrees focus on implementing principles and practices of art in the field of technology. In order to make your design appealing and informative at the same time, you will also have to research on cultural, social, historical, and methodological practice of the society.

You can pursue graphic designing degree courses from the associate to the master level. The duration of the degree may range from two years to four years, depending on the program and the school or university at which you wish to study. The curriculum of the graphic designing includes graphic design, history of graphic design, typography, desktop publishing, digital imaging, idea and image, package design, computer graphics, issues in information design, intermediate computer publishing/production, flash animation, portfolio preparation, website design, studio art, graphic arts and printing techniques, marketing, and advertising design.

Benefits

Graphic design degrees open up many career opportunities for the students pursuing it. You can expect to have a vast clientele as every business requires the services a graphic artist for expertise marketing. It allows you to work in a creative work culture and prove your skill sets in many distinct ways. You also have the options of working from home, freelancing, or taking up a full-time job. The average annual cash compensation for entry-level graphic designers was $35,000 in 2007. Within a few years of experience, you can expect a salary of about $70,000 per annum. You can even start you own studio or business with a low capital. According to the same survey, the graphic designers with ownership or partnership interests earned $113,000 on an average and the freelancers earned nearly $62,000 per annum.

Costs

The fee for a graphic designing degree course varies based on the length of the program and the college offering it. For a bachelor's degree in graphic designing, you may have to shell out $30,000 towards the tuition fee alone; for the master's degree, you can expect an average tuition fee of about $513 per semester credit hour. Food, lodging, and transportation contribute towards additional expenditure. Financial aid or scholarships either from the college or outside may help you reduce your financial burden.

Schools

Boston University , Otis College, and Columbia College, Chicago are three of the colleges in the United States that offer associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree courses in graphic designing.

Testing & Preparation

For pursuing a bachelor's degree in graphic designing, you are expected to have a good academic score in your high school or equivalent General Educational Development (GED). You can prepare a portfolio of all the artwork done by you, which will give you an edge during the selection process. Attending crash courses and workshops related to graphic designing might further give you a better idea about the full-time degree course as well as the field in general.

For a master's degree, the applicant should possess a four year baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited college or university, with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0.

You may also be required to take up the American College Test (ACT) or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) with reasonable scores. If you happen to be an international student, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score is also required.

Financial Aid

Students who pursue the graphic designing degrees from accredited technical schools, colleges, or universities are eligible for financial aid. The financial aid is usually available in the form of a scholarship, grant, or loan. Federal Student Aid and USA Funds provide financial aid and scholarships for deserving students. You can also apply for the International Student Loan that offers financial assistance both for international students willing to pursue their education in the US or US citizens opting to study abroad. You can also apply for loans in the banks like the U.S. Bank.