Graphic Design Degrees

An associate’s degree is one level below a bachelor’s degree in the hierarchy of higher education. While a bachelor’s usually takes four years of full-time study, an associate’s degree can often be attained in two years as a full-time student. It’s a solid educational choice that can lead to a good job but also prepares you for possibly adding to your schooling in the future.

The goal of an associate program is to give you a solid background in graphic design that will allow you to compete for more jobs than a designer with just a certificate. As such, though not as in-depth as a bachelor of science degree, an associate’s degree in graphic design is still a considerable undertaking, and it will require three or more years to attain if you’re enrolled part-time.

As with any degree program in the design field, the courses you take as you work toward an associate’s degree will deal with a variety of theoretical and practical explorations of graphic design, as well as the history of the field and where it will go in the 21st century. For instance, course work will focus on areas like color theory and concept development, which provide an introduction to the use of hues and textures to capture a viewer’s attention and the methods used to take a visual idea from origin to completion. You’ll also learn about the ways design is applied to advertising, since many graphic designers wind up working in specialized services and advertising-related jobs. An associate’s degree in graphic design will teach you about the history of corporate logos and how to design images that capture a company’s identity and engage consumers; the principles of designing ads, and how they differ from other types of graphic designs; the best way to use images and text to sell a product and not just communicate information; and business ethics.

Associate’s degree programs are more common than certificate programs, and there are a wide array of online graphic design programs to choose from. As always, make sure the school has been regionally or nationally accredited by a recognized accrediting agency (the U.S. government and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation can help you find out if the school is legitimate). It’s also a good idea to investigate the school’s technical requirements, since an online degree in graphic design won’t just require a strong machine and Internet capabilities but also likely several programs used by design students, like PhotoShop.

With an associate’s degree in graphic design under your belt, you’ll be that much closer to a rewarding and creative career.