Quick Tip: Evaluating a Graphic Design Curriculum
Choosing the right university program for design school is not an easy decision. And once you’re enrolled, you may have doubts as to the comprehensiveness of the training you’ll receive, and whether those skills will lead to a job in the industry. Eric Greenfield recently sent in a letter to the editor asking some questions about his current courses, which I’ll answer with examples from my own training. I’ll also give a few tips and general guidelines for evaluating a university’s design curriculum. Keep in mind this is a big subject, and we’ll just touch on a few criteria to consider.
Eric’s Letter
Hello,
My name is Eric. I am big fan of Tuts+ and I love your websites. They have helped me learn to design and use Adobe alot.
After deciding to become a graphic designer, I wondered where to start. I am currently in queens college. Unfortunately, I slowly began to realize I wasn’t learning what I applied for. Instead of teaching Graphic Design and the software required (Photoshop, Illustrator…) We spent so much time studying Art history and images and similar things. Photoshop is only an elective which comes around every few semesters. All we use is InDesign and the text tool. After looking at a seniors portfolio, I realized they don’t teach proper graphic design. It is more traditional art made on a computer. We make black and white things on paper. Something one can do in Microsoft Word.
This confuses me? What exactly are they teaching? As a graphics designer, is this what you went through? Or am I in the wrong place? I understand the theory of art and typography are important, but learning how to use the software seems to be most important, yet they don’t stress it here at college.
As an expert I would love your feedback, as I am not sure what to do about next semester, which is right around the bend.
Thanks,
Eric
Some Criteria for Evaluation
The reality is that a university’s graphic design curriculum will vary greatly. It’s worthwhile to research schools, find out what they offer, what kind of facilities do they have, visit them to get a feel for how they teach, and learn what balance they place on different aspects of their curriculum.
What emphasis do they place between teaching traditional design theory, historical grounding, current industry standard software and tools, project based learning and critique, fine art and drawing, as well as internship and job placement. Consider what balance they place between teaching theory and putting that theory into practice with hands-on projects. Ideally, these skills should lead you on the path to a career in the graphic arts.
My Experience
I personally went to a state school in Connecticut (CCSU), which placed a strong emphasis on a project by project based growth path. There was some focus on teaching software like Illustrator and Photoshop, but the majority of class time was spent critiquing our project work. We learned the design process of research to final solution with projects that emulated what we would do for clients, and we gained a solid footing in design theory and application, while learning to write and discuss design. A good grounding in art and design history is really helpful in seeing the larger picture as well, which we learned through supplemental classes.
To Answer Some Specific Questions
I understand how the early stages of studying graphic design can feel confusing, and it can be difficult to see how individual exercises and projects can build long term skills. Let’s take a look at a couple specific questions Eric had here.
We make black and white things on paper. Something one can do in Microsoft Word. This confuses me? What exactly are they teaching? As a graphics designer, is this what you went through? Or am I in the wrong place?
It sounds like I completed design projects that closely mirror yours, the theme sounds similar, though without more information it’s difficult to say for sure. One of my first projects was to create a poster design in black and white for a fictitious packaging conference. We spent one week in class using Illustrator, but the reality is that it was up to us to really learn the software on our own time. The university did have computers available to use in the lab. There was usually a grad student around to ask questions if we were stuck on something.
Before doing this project we went through a classic exercise where we drew triangles within thumbnail squares by hand. We were graded on our craft and ability to express emotion through the use of these basic shapes. So we learned to express feelings like calmness or anger just with the placement of triangles within drawn thumbnails. We then used these concepts and Illustrator to create posters in black and white.
Another level one project that was fun to do was to create a brand identity for a fictitious typography company. We spent quite a bit of time studying typography leading up to that project, including type theory and history, modern font usage, and more. The project did require us to use a limited two color palette and was executed on our own in Illustrator as well.
This first few design projects and lessons should teach you basic graphic design theory, while giving you experience with solving visual problems. There should be a good balance in the teaching approach between understanding theory and putting it into practice.
I understand the theory of art and typography are important, but learning how to use the software seems to be most important, yet they don’t stress it here at college.
Ideally, the right design school offers an integrated curriculum, which should include software training. The most important thing to learn as a graphic designer though is how to solve visual problems. Of course, it’s important to know how to use industry standard tools, like Photoshop and Illustrator as well. Keep in mind, that you will likely need to spend quite a bit of time studying on your own. Take advantage of resources like the hands on tutorials available here on Psdtuts+. I worked through numerous books, and did quite a few tutorials while in school to supplement my design education with software training on my own.
Certainly mastering your tools, which includes software is important, but it’s only part of the process. Let’s look at the case of a logo design. You should be able to draw a complete logo solution, go through multiple thumbnails or small sketches, then finalize the logo by hand. Once you have a good solution, then you go to the computer and finalize it. Software is a powerful tool in your arsenal, but your brain is your most important weapon. Every project you execute will build your design experience and growth your mental ability to solve design problems quickly.
Making the Most of Your Time in School
Getting accepted into a quality design program is important, but ultimately it’s up to you to make the most of it. In general, be sure to really take advantage of your time in school. While improving your craft with software, don’t neglect to take drawing classes and traditional illustration courses. Study marketing and business as well. Read as many books and magazines on design as you can get your hands on, while continually learning from material posted on the web.
While studying and absorbing all this material, learn to think for yourself and solve design problems on your own. If you’re not fortunate enough to study graphic design at the university level, then it is possible to study on your own, here is a guide to get you started.
Your Experiences
We’d love to hear your experience with the graphic design curriculum offered at your university, and how you chose the right graphic design school for you. What are some of the things your school excels at? Where does your school lack? And how have you accommodated and adjusted to make the most of your time in school to grow as a designer? And for those of you going it without higher education, we’d love to hear from you too. How are you self directing your graphic design studies?
Questions for the Editor
If you have a question, feel free to write to our editorial team via our contact form. Be sure to choose Psdtuts+ under the [select department] drop down list so that your letter gets to our team. Keep in mind, we can’t possibly answer everyone’s questions on the site, but we will respond to those that would likely interest a good portion of the Psdtuts+ audience, or potentially spark debate.
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I’m currently taking online classes for a Bachelors degree in Graphic Design at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. I currently have an Associates Degree in Multimedia Graphic Design now, which I received from actually going to a school. So whether you decide on taking online classes or going to a school, I think you’ll still learn close to the same things. Though I’m only on my first year, I’ve taken drawing, perspective and color theory. All of these classes have been helpful so far and they were mostly aimed at learning basic techniques. From my experience, the teachers try to get the students to understand the basic techniques and they give you other resources/lead you in the right direction, to help you improve on your own time. A lot of schools offer tutoring for the programs as well. Plus if there is a feature or something you want to learn, the teachers are there to help you. Like many say, you have to work hard if you want to get the most out of school.
Hey Kevin,
I’m also taking classes at AI Pittsburgh and agree with the fact that you’ll still need to practice on your own to really develop the theory and basics you learn from the classes.
I just got accepted to the MFA program in Graphic Design at Otis College of Art and Design in LA. I am very excited about what I’ve read about the program and from what I learned while I visited, I’ll let you know what I think when courses start up this June!
A good school in my opinion will have plenty of both traditional classes and software training. When I went to school, I wen to one that sounds like the exact opposite of the school in the letter. They focused on training the software. Not only that, but their was no primary focus. We took classes for literally everything in the Adobe Suite. For print, web, animation and video production. They even threw in ActionScript classes, Flash Game Design, and PHP and MySQL. Also we spent 2 months on 3D Studio Max. Talk about a software overload. It seems like they left it up to the student whether they wanted to focus on Print Design, Web Development, Video Production, or Animation.
Our final class, which was our portfolio, was taught by a professor who was an ActionScript programmer. Seeing as pretty much no one in my class really picked up any ActionScripting in our 1 month class, it made no sense.
Honestly, when I got the degree, I knew the software at a very basic level. I still look back on some of the designs I had fresh out of school and think “wow, how did I ever even get my first job.” It wasn’t until I somehow got a job at a low key design firm that I really started learning. I’ve always been one to say you will learn more on the job than you will at school. However everything I learned, from getting better at the software to becoming a better visual problem solver, I did mostly on my own time. I went home, read tutorials, read blogs, I went to book stores and picked up tons of books about design, advertising and marketing etc. That is how I learned really.
There is some fantastic schools and some horrible ones. Ultimately though, I would say you will learn the most on your own time.
I think it would benefit potential students if they were able to get an insider’s perspective, ie. speaking one on one with a current student on the course, degree, subject etc they are thinking of taking. There should be a programme, or service, where as current students elect to give their insight or mentoring to future students. This could also benefit the college or uni in portraying themselves as integrety and leaning towards student care. There could even be a section on the college/uni’s website for someone to register for receiving advice and guidance by a fellow/current student on that course. Just a thought..
I can understand that Photoshop etc. is important and every school or university should teach the beginning. But if you look at some great graphic concepts, they are only made with simple elements like boxes and circles with a good typography.
To learn design is mostly the “why”..Why should i place it there, why should i use this typography for the audience..etc. why is this the eyecatcher…
A very important part of design is the psychology. Just drawing beautiful pictures is art and not design.
In my school was it the same as in the letter above..but after school i learned daily up to additional 8 hours develope my software needs.
Maybe the best way to learn are projects in competition with other. Then you can see how they have done the same project from a different viewing angle.
Just my 2 cents.
The first two years of my education was nothing but traditional arts – drawing, painting, hand lettered typography, etc. I didn’t use Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. until my junior year. Even then, we still did a lot by hand. Graphic Design is not just about the tools, it’s about what you make with the tools you have.
For reference, this was in 2001-2005.
When I was going to school I had more classes on theory than practice, just like Sean says: “the reality is that it was up to us to really learn the software on our own time” All of my teachers expected that we knew how to use the tools, most of them provided excellent resources to learn certain things, but this information was only giving to the ones that asked.
You have to remember that knowing the software doesn’t make a you a great designer, it’s how strong the concept of the work really is. So that’s what they’re teaching you at school, how to come up with great ideas that work and why they work. Build a foundation.
While at school I was just as upset as you were, I thought it was ridiculous that school didn’t teach software properly. It was only after when dealing with clients that I realize that all the theory, all the “boring” history really helps, I was able to come up with strong ideas and reasons why they would work.
School is just a tool, each one of us decides how to use it.
Dont go to school. I’m 16 and have made $15+ an hour. If you have an eye for it, promote yourself and try and find some work.
I would agree with that up until a year or so ago when I got laid off and no one wanted to hire me because I don’t have the minimum schooling degree of a BA. I do also agree with others saying that schooling is for the why, and the basics of design. Going home and learning on your own time will get you where you want to be, eventually. The degree seems to be a sort of safety net for the people hiring. It makes them feel better I think. It shows dedication to something for an extended period of time, which instills confidence in them.
“Don’t go to school” is stupid advice, if you have the resources and opportunity you should definitely take it. You’re passing up 4 years devoted to studying and becoming better. Never again will you have 4 years of your life where your main focus is improving your art. It’s also a wonderful and fun personal experience.
If you don’t have the opportunity to go, of course you can teach yourself and be successful, but it’s going to get harder once you’re an adult and have real responsibilities to balance against learning. if you do have the chance to go to school take advantage of it! Plus a BA is always nice to fall back on.
Haha. He’s 16 and making good beer money… of course he’s gonna say something like “don’t go to school”. I used to say the same thing. But now I’m 27 and just finishing my second year at college hahah.
School is more than just a tool for getting a job…higher education exposes you to new ideas constantly. Being educated, worldly, and cultured has tremendous value in being a designer (or any other profession). Great designers are smart people. Strength in conceptualization comes from wit. Don’t limit yourself by skipping out on a good education. Plus, chicks (and high profile employers) dig intellectuals. Go git it!
I have an Associate degree from a brick-and-mortar school, which I learned the “basics”, and tried going back after 10years to get a Bachelor degree. After a year or so, and hopping from one online school to a second, I decided that an online degree program is a joke. They claim to have curriculum designed by people in the industry with 25 years experience, but the fact is that the classes are taught by someone either fresh out college themselves or with very little experience.
I think getting experience will be more beneficial than say a bachelors or masters degree, but at least get an associates… As one employer put it to me, “All I really see, when I see a degree, is that you are trainable.”
I’m enrolled in DeVry University Online and I think it’s great. My teachers are professionals within their field and many of them have been working for several years. We get a bio from all of our teachers along with the syllabus. One of my teachers last semester owns his own company. It has a good combination of core classes along with Graphic Design classes. I’m still in the beginning stages of my design classes, but what we do is every week we cover design theory and then we use what we’ve learned to make a project.
Because our classes are online there’s a little more emphasis on the software aspect, but many of our professors assume that we have a basic understanding of the software that we are using. They provide resources to help us if we are stuck.
I do spend a lot of time outside of my required work reading books, doing tutorials and the like. Between a full time job and going to school full time I don’t sleep much and drink a lot of caffeine, but I think it was the right choice for me.
When I began, there was only 1 school teaching graphic design, right now there are 3. If I had to choose again, probably I’ll choose a different one.
My school has good library and labs and that’s all. I think that the reason why these tutorials site are so popular is because in design, you have to learn a lot by yourself. Reading all the bibliography of courses is helpful, but regarding software or web development, on Internet there are better and more up to date resources.
I did have software courses, but the excercises were a showcase of the software capabilities, very bad from the design point of view, so at the beginning, it was a little confusing.
I think its really important to look at “graphic design programs” on a school to school basis. I’m about to graduate from the York University/Sheridan College joint program in design (in Toronto) and it has been an excellent experience for me.
Typically, in Canada, the difference between a university and a college is that one is more theory-based and the other is more hands on (respectively). In the case of my program, because we are a joint program between two schools, we get the luxury of having a curriculum that is balanced between theory and practicality. In other words, we learn about the history, the theory, and still get the “photoshop stuff”.
Having both is definitely a big plus, and for those interested … here is the website for my graduating class: http://www.ysdn10.com
This is a great article, very unique. I wish that more articles / tutorials were written on real life tasks, getting in to school, good programs, etc. Much more interesting and useful than “follow these steps exactly to make this”.
I couldn’t agree more, design is no longer in rapture through kids with photoshop, that’s not design. I say that seeing as I am one, and above all else its good design and intellect through all that you become a program operator. There are a million kids outsourcing themselves blowing us away on a price point but they are operators not design minds. These tutorials are a help but not an end all be all.
I think it is better that schools teach art history, color theory, typography etc… and only touching on the basics of photo shop and illustrator. Programs can be quite easy to learn through sites like this and others but important techniques within the practice such as composition, design aspects and the business and marketing side of things can take years to understand and become familiar with.
If you are really passionate about becoming a graphic designer you will spend countless hours researching and reading at home.
This article just exactly what i need, im a self taught web designer, i learned using most of graphical software by myself, i agree some of you say this is not about the school but our will to learn it by our self but based on my experience that is not enough, i’m so lack in concept and the basic theory of art besides the truth most of the company or design firm prefer to hire someone who grad from related field for a serious position, that is why i decide to go to university/college this year after graduate from my current university ( i’m student of IT, and this really what i dont want
i made a huge mistake for my whole future ).
That is why i really need an article who helping someone like me to choose the right campus, there are a lot of campuses and advertising but surely i need a perspective from someone who able to differ a good campus or the horrible one, is there any suggestion which campus should i take? or which country? i’m currently stay in Indonesia and sure this is a huge step i will take that is why i have to really be careful, and also i’m 23 years old know surely i dont have a lot of time anymore for always studying like this.
i went to school and earned my associates degree. I had a well rounded education. My class learned the basics of the main programs like quark xpress, illustrator and photoshop. We took projects from concepts to digital creation, and eventually bringing it to life in print. i learned how to operate a printing press and all the things related to it. The ripping process, developing, burning, and running jobs. I learned the basics of each program to familiarize myself with the tools in each system but the one thing i think i missed out on was learning how to illustrate. One thing i can say for those that feel you don’t need a degree, i would disagree, because it puts you at a disadvantage and thats the only thing a potential employer is looking for. I still am planning on getting my bachelors degree. Without the right connections freelance can become difficult. I Agree that having a bachelors degree is a great safety net, its something to fall back on if you desire working in a corporate structure. It shows you were dedicated to learning new skills over a period of time.
i found psdtuts is very very useful for those who has interest in graphic design.
thanks to psdtuts team and it’s users…..
I’m getting my Associates in digital media at Sandhills Community College. They have the resources that I need, but the problem is that the professors are learning to use the programs while at the same time trying to teach them. All they really make us do is work through whatever book they made us buy for the class. It would really be helpful if they could show us on the projector how to do things within the program and interact with us more.
Everyone starts at the beginning with the basics. Staying passionate and motivated while building a foundation is the key. Great topic and discussion here.
I currently attend Austin Community College in Austin, Texas and let me say that the graphic design curriculum is amazing. They do have a couple of classes that go into design theory but I believe it’s expected and crucial to be acquainted with some history of the subject. They mainly stress how the current industry environment operates and a lot of conceptual thinking. The beginner classes are very hands on with the software and tools needed to produce projects in your more advanced classes. As you progress in the curriculum I noticed that classes focus more on critique of current design projects whether it be a logo to a magazine spread. They even have a print publishing class that teaches you how to set-up your work before you take it to your printer!!! Oh and ACC does offer internship and job placement assistance. Did I mention that Austin is the base to Latinworks and GSD&M plus a bunch of other smaller design firms.
I’ve actually just recently started going to DeVry for their BS in multimedia design with a focus in web development. I think they have three different MMD tracks you can choose from when you sign up, which is good.
At first, I thought the classes were hokey (well, the math certainly was!) but I realized that what they were doing – even if they don’t ‘teach’ us more than guiding us through sections of a book and spurring the weekly discussions – was really making me think. One of the first classes I took was on critical thinking. Three weeks in, I noticed that my whole thought process had shifted thanks to the things I’d been thinking were boring fluff.
I DO have an issue with the fact that they aren’t (or at least haven’t yet) taught more in-depth with the programs we’re using. I got thrown into designing a logo in Flash even though it’d been about 7 years since I touched it and that was really unsettling but, in the end, I at least learned a bit. The fact that they provide links to tutorials, articles, etc and examples of the projects almost makes up for that fact. Almost!
Over all, I’d say the program has been good so far. I’m a few semesters in, now. Their courses aren’t laid out in a traditional sense so they don’t leave much room to jump around (I’d have liked to have finished the design before the academics but academic and design classes are all stacked SO!) but there hasn’t been anything (aside from the math) that they’ve exposed me to that I haven’t been able to use as a tool to improve myself as a designer.
great article, I had similar experiences in a college graphic design class I took where the professor really wasn’t up to par with the newest technology. So instead he just taught what he knew in photography instead of what was needed to be taught.
The flat out best, and perhaps only way, to evaluate a graphic design school is by looking at the work they are producing.
It all comes down to research.
If you watch the student design annuals, watch who is hot, who is up and coming, who is winning awards, getting into magazines, etc, you will find patterns.
You will find that some schools are consistent players and produce high quality work annually.
You will find some schools mentioned once and then never again.
I think this is really the only way to evaluate a school — are they, in their graduates, producing the *quality* (note: not style, not aesthetic, but level of competence, design communication and compositional sensitivity) of work that YOU want to be doing?
That is the school that you should be at.
My bit of advice is to do some internships in areas of design you like. I did one for a year at a theatrical ad agency in LA and I have to tell you I learned more about Photoshop and the technical process in that year than I have ever learned in my 3 years of college. There are things in school that are beneficial though like learning good work ethic and participating in critiques with your fellow classmates. I’ve had a good experience so far at a community college for 3 years. Community colleges seem to emphasis more on the software/technical knowledge than theory. I recently got accepted to Cal Poly SLO and the Art Center College of Design to transfer to. Both have pros and cons. Research and find out which colleges are known for their graphic design departments. That’s what I did.
School teaches me the way of learning design, not the design itself.
If you’re ready to dwell in design theory research, the academe will be your first choice.
It’s very refreshing to see an article such as this one that actually talks about design.
I’m currently a graphic design student at California State University Northridge. To briefly recap on my experiences here the first 2 years here were mostly a study of traditional art and art history. I was lucky enough to already have proficient abilities at programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator from the beginning as the university only gives you an overall view of the program. We are expected to learn the software on our own time outside the classroom and whatever bits you don’t understand the teachers were always glad to help and enlighten you.
The school isn’t meant to hold your hand through the process of learning the programs, they merely build the foundation for you to start learning on your own so you can explore not only the program’s capabilities and limitations, but also your own. Some people may have special talents which will allow them to excel in certain aspects and certain programs. For example a good amount of students who study graphic design tend to have a background in fine arts (which wasn’t my case) therefore them having developed skills such as drawing may give them an edge in executing design ideas and concepts better in programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator. This doesn’t always hold true but you may find that each person tends to find their niche in a certain program based on their prior knowledge or talents. There will be students that may excel in artistic abilities and find themselves using Illustrator and Photoshop most often, other students who may excel at layouts and composition may find themselves on Quark or InDesign most of the time.
Though everyone may have their specialty, it is still very important that you know how to utilize all of your available tools to make the most out of your designs and figure out creative solutions. In the end design schools tend to briefly go over the programs you need to learn but its up to you to follow up on them on your own time because ultimately no teacher will ever be able to teach you 100% there is to learn about a program, it will be up to you to learn how to utilize them and push the envelope with innovation. As a design school their main goal should be to teach you how to come up with creative solutions as that is the most difficult and important, they don’t want to spend all their time teaching you every nook and cranny around a program you could study yourself by reading software books.
If I had to complain about something then I’d say one thing my school never emphasized is to go out and buy your own books on Graphic Design. Sure the school may have the classes to teach you certain aspects but that shouldn’t stop you from going to your local bookstore like Barnes & Noble and looking up tremendously useful books on subjects like color theory, working with grid systems, package design, logo/stationery designs, developing good business practices, and so much more. These books not only serve as great learning and reference material but they’re also a fantastic way to get and stay inspired and generate new ideas. Investing in books such as these were probably my biggest asset and the quality of my work has increased tremendously ever since I began studying these subjects independently.
One thing I will say though, the teachers I’ve come across overall really haven’t given me a lot of ‘portfolio-worthy’ projects to work on, rather a lot of exercises on a specific subject. This has left me to come up with my own projects and present them to my past instructors and other faculty members for critiquing. I suppose there isn’t much wrong with this but I find the experience to be vastly different when its someone else giving you a project to work on with specific parameters as opposed to you coming up with your own project which may be biased towards your specific strengths in design, after all you are aiming to have an impressive portfolio.
I can on go on and on about this but at this point I feel like I’m rambling. Overall the satisfaction you will receive will depend on how much work you put in yourself in studying. Its like that saying, “1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.”
If there is one key thing I have to emphasize about coming up with a design its this:
Design should be done on paper with pencil. You won’t believe how many people there are that jump straight on the computer and start creating things from nothing. Beginning a project by drafting out thumbnail sketches will save you tons more time in the long run, once you draw out your ideas on paper your DESIGN is done, THEN you get on the computer to execute these ideas. Skipping this essential step will cause more headaches in the long run and will result in you wasting your time fiddling around with the computer and not being able to keep up with ideas coming to you. Drafting out your design on paper gives you a solid foundation to work from, its quicker, its easier, and your ideas are solidified on paper. To not have a plan before jumping into the project would be like having a contractor build you a house without creating blueprints first.
Anyway I hope I didn’t bore anyone with my endless ranting but I really do hope this will give a bit of extra insight to people looking into a design career. I’m glad to see subjects such as these being covered on these websites as I know some people may have misconstrued ideas on what graphic design really is. I look forward to seeing more topics like this.
Thats my 2 cents for now.
I believe that choosing a school comes down to a personal choice. If you young enough, and time and finances allow for it, shoot for a four-year degree. You may not appreciate it at the time, but you need a reasonable period to learn basic fundamentals of design. Obviously, this won’t fit for everyone, but it’s something to shoot for. And always see the work that is being produced be current and former students.
As for the focus on software over theory… A good school will have focus on both, but software is merely a tool in your hands. It is not, and never will be, the basis for good design. A lot of the stuff you might start out doing may look and feel stupid and beneath you, but know that it will inform your decisions on WHY something works and why it doesn’t. Software will help you express your communication skills, but you can’t ever rely solely on that. Besides, software is a continually changing medium. I wish I had studied more art history. It tells you where we’ve been and gives insight on how the brain works. It may seem boring, but it will help you in the long run. There’s always some exceptions, but why disarm yourself when learning it will only benefit you.
Above all, any learning program is only worth what YOU put into it. Be proactive and work harder than everyone else.
I’m going to Texas Christian University right now. They have a small design program but very well respected in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I really like it because i’ve noticed that i’ve improved the way I think design quite a bit since I started. I was doing a lot of learning the software and doing “design” before I started but I really didn’t have a direction nor did I know if it was right, I just thought it felt right.
My teachers have taught me to recognize bad design and be able to say exactly why it’s bad and be able to make something that is a whole lot more appropriate for the particular client/project. It’s amazing how poor a lot of design is out there once you go through the proper teachings to realize it.
Our school starts with several art classes, drawing, color theory and things like that to work on our artistic skills. They say that the design is all part of your brain and the programs are merely a tool to translate what your brain thinks. In other words you shouldn’t rely on the tools to do the work for you.
We then take a Typography class learning all about the in’s and out’s of type. After that class is over we have a portfolio review and they kick out a good 50% of the people in the class because they see they don’t have the potential to do well in the field. We ended up with 22 in the program after starting with about 50.
Once we’re actual in then we do an introductory course to the programs but it’s very fast paced, a few weeks are spent with each program then we have a major project to show what we’ve learned. So basically if you can’t teach yourself some of how to work the programs then you’re going to have a hard time.
So it’s nice because it’s less emphasis on simply using the programs and more on how to design the way you should design. Knowing what a client wants, how to keep it within a budget and how to deliver it on time. It’s good stuff!
Choosing a design school is a very personal decision. It’s not only the curriculum that you have to think about. There’s also making sure that that program is an accredited one – if it’s not then your credits won’t transfer properly if you choose to change schools. And it’s a pretty decent bet that an uncredited program isn’t hitting the standards it should be with it’s curriculum or the services it offers to students.
Another big thing to consider is the personal styles and preferences of the professors or professionals teaching the courses. Different schools can promote different core principles and if they don’t mesh well with the direction you want to head in, then you may want to consider looking for a school that you feel more comfortable with.
That being said – I believe the best way to judge a program is to attend Senior Shows or Senior Showcases held by the school. If the work there is consistently good and well rounded over two or three semesters, then chances are the design program is currently strong. College viewbooks aren’t as accurate because they’re a smaller sampling of the best examples produced over several years in many cases and may not reflect the most current curriculum.
As far as the black and white comment…you could compare it to an introductory drawing class only working in black and white- it’s much easier to learn the basics of light, shadow, form and composition if you can focus on that without having to worry immediately about color. Learn how to make type look amazing in black and white just with basic InDesign and you’ll have a solid backbone for dealing with type in any other situation.
And InDesign? One of the most valuable programs you can learn. I use it more everyday as a print designer than Illustrator and Photoshop combined.
i received my BS from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. now i’m working on my masters at Full Sail University. I dont really think that either of the schools were just great. they both involved me working extra hard and from my studies, i was able to see that the student makes the school. even if we go to a small school, we can still make a lot out of it based on what we want to learn. my best learnings came from me reading and practicing. because art schools are more hands on, thats all we really can do. read and test.
Just wanted to offer up some thoughts. I used to work for a large international branding agency, and there is a night and day difference between students who go through a 2 year program at a community college and a respected program like RISD, DAAP, and SCAD. These more “elite” programs have better built in co-op opportunities, where a graduating student has close to over a year of experience working at the largest and the best firms in the country. It makes a huge difference. My role included being the co-op manager, in which I interviewed close to 60 students for positions (and that is narrowed down from 500+ resumes) and every timed I tried to give a Community College student a chance to come in and interview, I regretted that decision. The 3 years less of talking about their work, their logic, presenting, and developing “polish” became immediately evident. As an employer, I don’t have time to hold your hand and get you caught up to your peers who went to a 4-5 year program and already know this stuff.
Graphic Design is more than software, it is a way of thinking, analyzing, and problem solving. But since you are asking about software, here is your answer: To be honest, tutorial sites like this are great for learning basics, but most of your learning will be from peers IF you are able to get a job. I can’t tell you how many students come in to the work place completely CLUELESS when it comes to the software (AI & PS). Graphic Design is one of the fastest growing fields, with fewer and fewer jobs (at least the good ones).
All that being said, if you are good… a good designer, good at presenting, problem solving, and know your software… you will find a good job
**for the record, I received a BFA in Graphic Design from Northern Kentucky University
Thats the CS and EE building at UW, I went there!
I started out with Photoshop 4.0.
I went to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles from during the late 90s, straight out of high school, with big dreams and even bigger expectations of the school’s curriculum.
I dropped out before the end of the first year, feeling conned by the school. The tuition was very expensive and I felt that I learned very little from the young and inexperienced teachers. Some of the teachers were were so old, on the other hand, that their teaching methods and what they could offer a fresh new class were obsolete and in need of retirement as well.
A 7 year downward spiral in the hospitality industry later, and I decided to try my hand at graphic design again. I started out by going out and applying at every sign shop or design firm in the city. I got lucky when I applied to a local FastSigns sign making company for any position that they would give me. I got hired on as a production assistant and “part time” designer. My portfolio was almost laughable, now that I look back.
2 weeks later, the designer was let go and I became the only designer for the company. I was scared to death of making mistakes during the printing process, which only lead to more mistakes. Then one day, something clicked. I was suddenly confident of my skills and dramatically reduced the number of mistakes I was making from a few a week in the beginning, to a few a year. I helped that FastSigns shop become the fastest growing FastSigns franchise in the world during the 2nd half of the 2007 fiscal year.
I was making a very meager hourly wage at the sign shop, and as I was newly married, I needed to move up or move out of the sign industry.
I was lucky one day, as i was basically handed a graphic design job with the Indiana State Bar Association. My portfolio was the main reason that I got the job. Sure, i’m a charming fellow, but my work spoke louder than I did at the interview.
What I am trying to illustrate is that sometimes, school isn’t for everyone. Some people start out strong, but become disillusioned once they realize a mistake was made in choosing that particular school.
My wife has been trying to push me to go back to school and finish my degree, but I don’t want to. Especially not when the economy is unstable and individual states are cutting funding to city and state colleges. I have a huge portfolio that is added to daily, and I’m fine with that. I haven’t had any trouble finding freelance work, i know how to present my portfolio and I like making 4 times my hourly rate at the Bar Association.
Im studying graphic design and i just finished my 1st trimester… In these 3 months we mostly studied basic of drawing.. lots of still life drawing…. and tones and a lil wid colors yet..!! yh mostly black and white thingys..!!
I’ve studied at both private vocational colleges as well as larger university setting. I began my studies at Guru Digital Arts College where I learned CS3 and basic design theory. I left this college with a thorough understanding on Adobes programs and the tools I needed to become a ‘good’ graphic designer. From there I enrolled at Pixel Blue Effects where it seems to be I learned how to actually design well as I already had an understanding on how to use the programs.
With these smaller schools I found I was able to get more one on one attention and although it was very intense (each program was roughly 6 months long) the knowledge I gained was worth every cent.
After studying at vocational school I moved to university and quickly found out that they definitely take the slow and steady route. Spending 3 months drawing peanuts was not my idea of learning whatsoever, however I stuck it out and worked through the rest of the semester.
I am now an intern at my first college although I do plan to eventually make my way back to the U of A to complete my degree, no matter how many peanuts I have to draw
The best design programs will teach the elements and principles of design, typography, color theory etc, and use the technology (applications) as the tool for teaching and learning those invaluable design concepts.
If you’ve never heard the phrases “hierarchy of information”, “connotations of color” or even “balance”, “movement” or “harmony”, yours is not a credible design program.
Hey, thanks for posting my topic! And thanks for all the replies.
I am in queens College and I hate it here. When I think of graphic design I think of multimedia, 3d art and digital effects.
So when I came to College I found it interesting and weird that the GD program here was under the art and art history department.
My first day my teacher asked us to write our names in illustrator and print them out. Wanting to impress her I applied some cool filters and made it look…cool…
She looked at me and said “dont ever do this in my class again.”
So began my year of torture where i discovered a whole different world of graphic design. Where we make contemporary art and use very little colors. The things we make look like they belong in some art history museum and I hate it.
I originally was going for computer science, so for me I, a technologically inclined person, I’m more into cool effects, web design and making use of 3d. Something unheard of in this classroom. Apparently we must take 4 classes of art history as it somehow has to do with graphic design. In our GD class we make very bland old school things and my teacher looks at them and might say things like “this one looks like expressionism.” after looking at a seniors portfolio I know this isn’t the place for me. So what is this?
I think there is a big split between graphic design and …graphic design? I have come up with my own thesis:
Long before computers, yes, graphic design was made of the art you see in museums because it was painted by an artist who was very into interesting emotional and religious paintings.
When computers came out and softwares for designing appeared it made it easier on these artists to make graphic design.
But it also introduced a new field. Graphic design for the regular person at home. He didnt have to be an artist, if he knew how to use the software really well and was a little creative he could make anything!
Suddenly the term for a graphic designer changes and most people think of a graphic designer as someone who makes cool stuff on a computer, and it has nothing to do with art history or painting. It is what you see when you look at an AD in a magazine. You don’t see van gough or old art. you see a cool AD made of digital art.
Perhaps thats what it should be called -digital art.
because it is confusing and has caused me to enter the wrong program.
So I and a few others sit annoyed in class making black words on a paper, never being allowed to play with filters or learn to render glass or shadows that make up the world we know of as graphic design.
Hi Eric,
I teach all of our graphic design classes at the University of Minnesota Duluth (typography, interactive design, graphic design, portfolio and professional practice). It makes me really sad when I read posts like yours—sad because somebody failed you.
Graphic/Interactive/Web Design has complex software that can do cool things. Most people can figure out how to make some stuff using the software–anybody can. BUT they may not know how or why or when to use the software. The important thing that seperates you as a designer, from them as a software user, it that you will learn how to create a cool design from your imagination first–THEN make the design with the software. The reason? If you just rely on the software, your work won’t be original and imaginative
There’s lots of stuff to learn about design–cool stuff, business, stuff, research and marketing stuff. That’s the stuff that makes you a designer–not the software. So if the semester doesn’t get any better for you, I invite you and your friends to come to our school, where I will teach you how to make EVEN COOLER DESIGN with the software–and all the other stuff too!
Good Luck,
Beth E. Koch, Assistant Professor of Design
I went to San Jose State University in California and received a BA in Graphic Design. There was basically one single class that taught us very basic software instruction (Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign). I must say that if I had not known an inkling of the topic then it may have been difficult for me. However, the class basically just taught us how to use the pen tool in Illustrator. I found that a lot of the teachers were seniors in the field that had a limited knowledge of software use. Being driven in the field really helps because it allows you to devise your own questions and pushes you to find answers for yourself. Remember, the greatest teaching tool that you can have is the Internet itself. In the end, I learned so much on my own that people ended up asking me for tutorials and asked for help, which I found to be painstaking because it halted a lot of my design process. Learning history and type may sounds really dull and pointless, but out of that learning you can learn a lot as well but perhaps only some small sections may be of interest. If I were to do it all over again, I would focus really hard on design principles instead of software knowledge. You can always learn how to make things look the way you want them, but it’s much harder to learn design principles on your own. Hope this helps!