Web
Graphic Design Degree Program
Master key software applications,
fundamental design principles, web content management, and animation while you
earn your associate degree in Web Graphic Design (WGD). You'll also learn how
to apply these skills to produce high-quality, web-enabled graphics and develop
all types of graphic media including web pages, marketing collateral, advertising,
instructional material, and multimedia projects. Upon completion of your web
graphic design degree program, you will have created a wide array of web
graphic design samples to build a full professional portfolio.
Web Graphic Design Courses
Focusing on applying design and technology concepts and skills to real-world situations courses:
- Digital Imaging Fundamentals – Students in this course learn concepts of digital imaging, including editing, optimizing, and preparing images for web-based delivery. Topics such as color, special effects, and compression formats are examined.
- Web Design – Introducing web design principles and web content management, this course covers topics such as user interface, web page conceptualization, page structure, extensible hypertext markup language (XHTML), cascading style sheets (CSSs), WYSIWYG editors, scripting, and web accessibility standards.
- Information Design – This course addresses principles of analyzing, explaining, and communicating instructions, ideas, and information used in integrated text and graphics. Using a collaborative approach, students study real-world examples to explore user-centered design.
- Web Animation – Focusing on design and production of animation within the constraints of web applications, this course explores file-size optimization, timing, formatting requirements, and scripting, as well as automated animation techniques and user-mediated animation.
- Instructional Design for Multimedia – In addition to developing online learning materials, students in this course examine theory and practice of designing instructional materials and systems used for interactive training and education.
Graphic Design Certificate (GDC): Go straight to the
core classes with these certificate programs. They can be achieved in as little
as nine hours and focus mainly on software and design.
Associate of Arts in Graphic Design and Multimedia
(AA/GDM):
Students learn to create effective designs that visually communicate a message
in a variety of multimedia environments. They also develop skills in critical
thinking, logic, communications, and problem solving.
Associate of Science in Graphic Design (AS/GD): The goal of this
degree is to provide a focus on conceptual thinking while developing graphic
design technical and creative skills. This includes an introduction to the
theory and practice of design production, electronic publishing, graphic
imagery, and sales promotion.
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design (BFA/GD): This degree is
designed to provide graduates with advanced skills and training in graphic
design that enable them to keep up with the changing technology and trends in
the industry.
Master of Arts in Graphic Design (MA/GD): A graduate degree in
graphic design enables students with more career choices on graduation. Course
load may include mastery of different softwares, advanced projects, and even
the role of design in social awareness.
As
demand for graphic design continues to increase from advertisers, publishers,
and computer firms, job expectation is expected to increase at about the same
average as other positions. Those who can design for interactive media such as
websites, video games, cellphones, and other technology will be in higher
demand.
Graphic
designers can be employed by large advertising, publishing, or design firms
generally working regular hours. Designers in smaller design consulting firms
and those who freelance may work on a contract basis. Consultants and
self-employed graphic designers tend to work longer hours and in smaller environments.
This
degree provides the greatest amount of diversity within the graphic design
field. You get a taste of all the technologies used for graphic creation. Of
course, the emphasis of this degree is on design. You will receive a
fundamental understanding of design principles, practice, philosophy, and
trends. While learning software and tools can be learned outside the classroom,
the full design process and design fundamentals are much harder to learn
independently.
A
graphic design degree will teach you to see the world in a different light. The
very site you are reading now has had hours upon hours of design efforts put
into it. Classes in graphic design open your eyes to these design elements
often unrealized yet subconsciously enjoyed by consumers.
Typography may be one
of the most important classes you will take. Believe it or not (well, if you
take the class you will believe it), good typography speaks when the most
flashy designs fail to. You will learn through typography the importance of
simplicity and the true meaning of, “less is more”. Another class of importance
is branding, which will teach you how to bring decided values and messages of a
client to the design and logos.
