What to Expect: Getting Your Graphic Arts Degree Online

Are you new to online education? As you consider graphic design schools, it’s natural to feel cautious about getting your graphic design degree online. However, chances are you’ll enjoy online college even more than face-to-face college. At Independence University (IU), your graphic design online courses will provide flexibility to fit your busy schedule. IU’s Graphic Arts degree program includes plenty of personal support so you can develop the artistic and technical know how needed in graphic design jobs.

Start with the right tools

As a graphic arts student at IU, you’ll be given a new tablet and keyboard to use in your online classes. After about three months, you’ll also receive a new laptop loaded with the graphic design software you’ll need during your program. These devices are included in your tuition at no additional cost to you. Upon graduating, you can keep both the tablet and the laptop.

How and what you’ll learn

At IU, your courses are set up sequentially in four-week modules, so you’ll only need to focus on one Graphic Arts course at a time. Each week, you’ll participate online in assignments, assessments, and discussion boards. In addition, daily online checkpoints will help you stay on track. For example, one day you might read an article on graphic design and then answer a question.

You supply the creativity and enthusiasm, and IU will help you channel your energy into skills that employers value. You’ll receive career-focused training in many areas of graphic design, including how to:

• Plan, analyze, and create visual solutions to communication challenges
• Use in-studio visual communication methods
• Get messages across in print, electronic, and film media
• Employ color theory, typography, illustration, photography, animation, and various print and layout techniques

Here’s just a sampling of the graphic design courses you’ll complete in your four-week modules:

• Page Layout Tools
• Logo and Identity Design
• Package Design
• Branding and Identity
• Animation Scripting
• Digital Photography
• Marketing Strategies

Whenever you need extra help during your online degree program at IU, you can personally interact with instructors and receive free tutoring. We are dedicated to providing you with all the resources you need to succeed as a graphic artist, including building an impressive graphic design portfolio of your own work.

What to expect in your graphic design career

Upon graduating from IU’s Graphic Arts degree program, you’ll be prepared to seek graphic design jobs in advertising agencies, design studios, publishing houses, or corporate-communication departments. You could pursue an entry-level position as a graphic designer, a production artist for a design staff, or a freelance designer, with an eye toward more advanced positions such as junior art director.

As a nonprofit institution, Independence University always puts your needs as a student first. Your courses, resources, and online interface are designed to maximize your success. With the convenience and flexibility of online learning, you can feel confident that getting your Graphic Arts degree online will be a rewarding experience.