Create a Career for Yourself with an Online Graphic Design Degree

An online graphic design degree can launch an inspiring, stable, and lasting career. If you are creative, and have a knack for using that creativity on the computer, you can turn your talent into a job and a profession. But even if you have never created a single image on a computer screen, you can learn how by pursuing an online degree.

Be a Communicator

The main objective of a graphic designer is to communicate a message via images. Through your online graphic design degree program you will learn to use color, font design, illustrations and/or photographs to create the message. You might use animation to enhance the image. And while your concept might originate with a pen and paper, you will most likely use a computer and several software packages to create your end product.

But, believe it or not, not all graphic designers create artful images. Your online degree in graphic design can also lead you to a job where you use computer technology to design pages to be printed within a newspaper or magazine, or projected on a computer screen. In this role, you will use your training to perform page layout designs such as using software to place columns, photographs, headings, page numbers and more.  Additionally, you might layout the artistic and readable elements on billboards, create packaging, or design brochures, flyers and other types of printed collateral. In fact, you could be employed in the television or film industry to create credits or animated images or to digitally enhance the actions recorded in movies or TV programs.

Make Yourself Marketable
Your online graphic design degree will get you a foot in the door of the design world and help you get one of the highest paying jobs with an online degree. A two-year degree can qualify you for some positions while a bachelor's degree will make you much more marketable. And according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, gaining experience in web site design and animation will make you the most marketable of your peers. But don't expect that to be the end of your training. As the technology swiftly changes, you will need to adapt to the environment by training on new or upgraded software.

Choose Your Work Environment

Your online graphic design degree qualifies you to work in a variety of settings. You can choose to apply to the numerous successful large advertising agencies, publishing houses, or graphic design firms where you may be one of many graphic designers. In fact, in such a setting, you can become a manager or director and move up the corporate ladder.

As an employee of a small agency, you may be the only designer on staff.  You might even be given the task of coordinating the work of one or more freelance designers that are used on an as needed basis. In this role, project management experience is handy.

As a self-employed graphic designer, you may have clients that range from large agencies or corporations to small agencies or small businesses. If you are self-employed, count on spending time building clientele through marketing and customer service, as well as performing the daily operations of a typical business such as billing clients and paying bills. You will need to diversify your skills especially in the area of business tasks. Getting an online degree can be key to your success as a graphics designer.