Art and Design Degrees
For some individuals, a degree in an art or design field might conjure up images of eccentric individuals waiting for the muse to strike them so that they can sell their latest masterpiece for thousands of dollars to the highest bidder. However, the reality of art and design degrees in the 21st century is really quite different. Careers in these fields can be fast-paced, team-oriented, high-tech, incredibly rewarding, and immensely varied.
Art and Design Degrees
Art and design schools offer programs that can lead to diplomas and career opportunities in a variety of different fields, including: advertising, communications, computer animation, culinary arts, digital design, fashion design, fashion merchandising, game software development, graphic design, interior design, journalism, mass communications, multimedia and animation, photography, photojournalism, visual communications, video game design, website design, and web development. That means that art and design degrees can help prepare people to become the next great chef, take pictures for major magazines, or even create the next hit animated motion picture, video game, or Internet sensation.
Many people have been turning to online or traditional art and design schools looking to become part of this growing occupation. According to the 2010-2011 Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, competition for jobs in art-related fields is expected to be intense. However, aspiring artists shouldn’t let that keep them from chasing their dreams and enrolling in art or design degree programs because employers are always on the lookout for talented, creative artists. Additionally, many individuals (as many as 60%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) entering these fields are self-employed, able to set their own hours and have greater control over the projects upon which they work.
Art and Design Degree Descriptions
Different art and design schools offer a wide array of degree options for people looking to enter one of the aforementioned career fields, ranging from certificates to associates, bachelors, or a masters degree in art. Associates and bachelors degrees are the most common, with two-year programs sufficing for certain types of careers, while others require a full four-years of study. Some specialty schools also offer art and design degrees in various artistic fields, for example graphic design and culinary studies, and are certainly a viable option for aspiring professionals.
Fine arts programs offered by online and traditional art and design schools typically cover the technical aspects of drawing, painting, and sculpting, as well as creating different works. These talents can help individuals land a position as a professional illustrator in the media, or launch their careers creating works for sale and display in museums and galleries. As an extension of this, leadership positions overseeing periodical layout, or working as a museum curator or art history instructor are possible career options for those who have earned an advanced degree in art.
On the other hand, culinary, photography, video game design, and web development programs offer noticeably different coursework than other degrees in art. These programs will focus on teaching the unique skills needed to succeed in each specific career, but the one thing all of these programs have in common is that they instruct pupils on how to combine their own creativity with the tools and techniques available to them to ply their respective crafts. Also, modern technology is becoming an increasingly important aspect of art and design degrees, as computers and software are now being utilized to complete tasks in a more efficient and effective manner.