Should you aim for a two or four year degree in graphic design?
Graphic design was born with man itself. Good examples of graphic design are the manuscripts from the medieval times, and also the cavern walls of the Paleolithic period. Graphic design is using visual items to convey a message.
The drawing table was left behind when graphic design became a computer dependent career in the latter portion of the 20th century. When graphic design was moving from paper to computers, computer skills were more of a necessity than design abilities. Computer graphics design programs were complex and hard to use for the majority of people. However, if you were very familiar with the use of computers, you could gain sufficient knowledge on the design to get a job as a graphic designer, without having to go through a post-secondary education.
That's no longer true. These days, computer skills are common ground, and graphic design software is much more user friendly and easy to use. There is a renewed focus on the artistic side of graphic design, and it isn't so simple anymore to find employment as a graphic artist without some form of college education at a reputable graphic design school.
There's a vast array of educational graphic design programs out there - certificate-, associate degree-, bachelor's degree- and graduate programs. There are benefits and drawbacks to all of these programs. The right one for you will be the one that helps you achieve your career objectives. This article enables you to compare many features of bachelor's and associate degree programs, which assists you to select the best program required by you.
Professional Standing: For no good reason there is a negative connotation associated with an associate degree. By having only an associate degree there is always a negative stigma associated with it, which is unfair and unfortunate in a professional status. It may not be an accurate assessment, but it's the way the world works. It is highly probable that a job or project will be given to a person with bachelor's degree instead of one having an associate degree in close competition. Education will always come out the winner when everything else is the same.
Instead of developing an education base that spans many subjects, an associate degree will typically focus its concentration on developing one certain skill. You can become an excellent, highly skilled, expertise and a talented graphic artist by graduating in an associate degree, but you cannot get the scope of education that anyone can get with a bachelors degree. These fundamental educational courses that form the bachelor's program are set up to broaden your mind and assist you in your personal and professional development.
And, of utmost importance, obtaining a bachelor's degree in graphic design enables you to communicate on a higher level with other professionals. Communication is at the core of graphic design, and you will have a specific advantage if you are able to communicate with other professionals on their level.
Career: Your career is off to a fast start when you acquire an associate degree, and it largely allows you to do the same kind of jobs that you would qualify for if you would have a bachelor's degree.
A time can come for the associate degree graduate when he hits a career dead end, at which point where it is not possible to advance any further without furthering his education. Usually you need more than an associate degree to obtain an advanced professional or management career in this field.
Graphic designers with bachelor's degrees have a great deal of career advancement available to them because of their education, and it is because of this career advancement availability that they also have a much greater lifetime earning potential than a graphic designer that has an associate's degree. It is certain that the higher your lever of education, the higher your chances of making a better living become.
Cost: An associate degree education is less expensive than a bachelor's degree education. Simply, you are not spending near as much time in the educational process. The per-credit-cost of an associate degree is higher at a four-year institution than it is at a community college.
Associate degree programs in Graphic Design have distinct price advantages, without the need for an expensive four-year school it can cost much less to get an education. There is normally a place close to where you live and hence, you don't have to incur additional expense on relocation or housing. Shortening education by two years implies that you have to pay books and other fees for two year less, and it also results in two years less loss in work time.
It is not a bad idea to start out a career with an associate degree and get a bachelor's degree when you are more ready. There are multiple reasons to take this approach. It can save costs in the long term depending on you’re your chosen approach.
Starting with an associate degree will allow you to establish yourself in your chosen career rather quickly and still allow you to attain your bachelor's degree before you are ready for the advanced projects that require a bachelor's degree.
If you see a bachelor’s degree in your future it is important to be certain that your previous courses will transfer to a four-year school. Some programs may either be non-transferable or partially transferable. It would be frustrating to find out later that the credits you earned in your associate degree don't transfer to a bachelor's degree if you choose to pursue one later.
No matter what type of program you choose to participate in, you are entering into an inspiring, thought provoking profession that is constantly evolving to keep up with the latest technological advances. As our world becomes more focused on the visual, graphic design becomes an integral part of it, and more and more graphic artists are needed. A graphic designer is free to work in a wide variety of industries, and can start his or her own company. Evaluate your career goals and personal situation. Then choose a program that will get you where you want to go; one that will make your career goals a reality.
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