Tag: design major

What is a Design Major and is it Right for Me?

Are all of your Instagram posts works of art? Do you love going above and beyond when drawing on Snapchat photos? Is Photoshop your second home?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might want to consider becoming a design major, where you’ll be able to learn about the principles of design, the mediums people use to create those designs and the history of art as a whole.

What is a design major?

Contrary to popular belief, being a design major is about more than just creating pretty things. It’s both an art and science, and many of your classes will deal with both of these over the course of your college career.

Design majors take courses in several different areas of study including art history, modeling, drafting, computer programming, studio art, typography and more.

Is it right for me?

If you’re still trying to decide if a design major is the right path for you, here are several key questions to ask yourself.

  • Am I able to receive and incorporate constructive criticism from my professors as well as my peers? Am I excited to share my work with others, or do I dread it? Do I have a thick skin?
  • Am I a team player when I have to work with peers on projects?
  • Do I like spending a lot of time alone working on my designs?
  • Am I ready and willing to still spend time on academic parts of the major and put as much time and effort into them as my art?
  • Do I have a keen eye for design and know when art looks “good” and when it doesn’t?
  • What can I do with a design degree?

For art-minded students, graduating with a design degree can open up a huge number of potential career options, including positions like illustrator, animator, art director, graphic designer, fashion designer, photographer, marketing professional, textile maker, programmer, web designer, video game designer and theater/set designer.

What do designers earn?

Because they’re in a creative field, design careers vary greatly, and therefore so do their salaries. A typical entry-level graphic designer earns around $40,000 but this could vary based on where you live (for instance, in New York City versus St. Louis) and if you’re working for a larger firm or independently as a freelancer.

Moreover, many people who major in design (especially recent grads) often take on lots of freelance projects at the beginning of their careers, which means income may be inconsistent from month to month. That doesn’t mean your total earnings will be low; it just means they could vary over time.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for a Design Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 6 Things to Do in Your First Week at a New Job.

What Types of Skills Are Best for a Design Major?

Looking to major in design? Stellar art skills aren’t the only talents you’ll need to succeed in college. Here are five areas that are important for doing well as a design major and in your design career after college.

Creative skills

Obviously, having a keen eye and a feel for beautiful art is extremely important if you want to major in design. But going above your own creative skills, you’ll also have to learn about how others created their art and the thought processes that went into their pieces.

Part of creativity is knowing how and when to gain inspiration from others, and you’ll spend lots of time focusing on that as a design major.

Computer programming skills

Surprisingly enough, design majors need to be relatively tech-savvy nowadays, especially if they hope to pursue careers in design after college.

Knowing how to use programs like Adobe Creative Suite, HTML and CSS will propel you light-years ahead of everyone in the job market, and that begins with paying attention to honing these skills in college.

Organizational skills

Design majors are often juggling any number of projects at various stages of completion, so being able to keep yourself organized both in terms of logistics (for instance, knowing where all of your art supplies are) and creativity (like understanding what’s inspiring each particular piece) is extremely important.

Organization skills become more important if you begin getting paid for your work, even as a college student. Many design majors juggle freelance work on top of schoolwork, and it’s crucial for you to keep these different assignments straight and to also handle the business aspects of running your own side gig.

Ability to take criticism

Whether you’re working with peers, professors or clients, you’ll have to have a thick skin as a design major and know how to incorporate criticism and feedback from all sorts of people. Creative majors are definitely not for the weak-minded and often require a certain amount of resilience.

Interpersonal and communication skills

Being able to communicate effectively with people you’re working with as well as people who are critiquing your art is crucial if you want to succeed as a design major. Even more importantly, if you begin taking on clients as a design major, you’re going to have to flex your interpersonal skills to deal with client requests and handle them efficiently and effectively.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Design Major and is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Internship?

Types of Internships for Design Majors

One of the best things about being a design major is the ability to develop a broad range of technical and creative skills. And although design is considered primarily a creative field, these skills can have practical applications in multiple professions. The best way to find out which profession is right for you is by doing an internship. This will offer you some insights into different career paths while also giving you the type of hands-on experience that will make you a competitive candidate after graduation.

Here are some of the most common internships for design majors:

Graphic design intern

A graphic design internship will give you the chance to learn about graphic design, a field dedicated to communicating ideas visually. As a graphic design intern, you’ll assist with technical tasks such as creating hard and soft copy files, writing reports and mailing, printing and stuffing materials. You’ll also shadow a graphic designer, attend meetings, compile databases and assist the design team with creative work related to existing projects. During your internship, you’ll learn how to turn creative processes into practical ones and you’ll also develop the ability to think on your feet and get organized in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

UX design intern

The UX in UX design stands for user experience, and this is what a UX design internship focuses on. During your internship, you’ll learn what goes into ensuring that the user experience of a particular website is as smooth, easy, comfortable and all-around amazing as possible. As an intern, you’ll learn how to create responsive app or digital product designs and you’ll understand exactly how much knowledge and effort goes into every step of the UX design process.

Interior design intern

An interior design internship will acquaint you with the various skills and technicalities involved in an interior design career. From note-taking during client meetings, to organizing and coordinating materials, visiting vendors and answering emails, you’ll be involved in every aspect of the role. You’ll also assist with the actual design process, learning to tailor designs according to client interests, budgets and overall feasibility. It’s an experience that will help you decide if you have the inclination and skills required to make it as a full-time interior designer.

Fashion design intern

A fashion design internship offers you a behind-the-scenes look into the world of fashion. From cutting fabric to planning model fittings and managing the logistics of fashion events, this internship will give you an in-depth look at everything involved in designing and manufacturing clothes. Whether you’re working for a store brand or a large fashion house, this experience will help you build the skills you need to work in fashion.

Design internships can be both informative and fulfilling, making the most of your creativity, drive and ambition. By taking on one or more of these internships during your time in college, you’ll be able to learn the ins and outs of a design-related profession and to find a career path that’s just right for you.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Design Major and is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Become a Confident Public Speaker.

Types of Entry-Level Jobs for Design Majors

Design majors are known for their creativity and diverse skills, qualities that make them employable in many professional industries. If you’re a design major and you’ve already taken on a design internship, then you have some idea of where you degree can take you and how you can turn your major into a rewarding career. From designing websites and graphics to assisting in the planning of Fashion Week, you have a range of opportunities ahead of you.

Here are some of the most common entry-level jobs for design majors:

Graphic designer

As a graphic designer, you could be employed by a nonprofit organization, a huge advertising firm or a media company. As part of your role, you’ll be involved in the process of preparing, coordinating and creating materials for everything from a logo to a branding campaign. This involves coming up with an initial idea, presenting it to the client and then delivering the finished product. In addition to being able to design and present your ideas, you’ll also need to regularly update your knowledge by keeping up to date on design and media trends and taking additional classes and workshops. This is a great position for someone who wants to maximize their creative skills while helping companies bring their brands to life.

UX designer

A UX designer is responsible for helping customers navigate an app or product easily by ensuring the navigation process is as hassle-free and exciting as possible. From designing the look and feel of a company’s website to developing a design that thoroughly reflects a product’s goals, a UX designer is in charge of all of the elements that go into creating a great user experience. In this position, you’ll use your expertise to optimize a potential customer’s experience by dialing up its functionality, ease of use and aesthetics to the highest possible degree. This is a perfect role for someone interested in the more technical and digital side of design.

Fashion designer

As a fashion designer, your creativity and sense of style will be put to use as you work with a clothing brand to design clothes for their customers. Your day-to-day tasks will consist of sketching designs, coordinating with manufacturers and working through the technical aspects of clothing design. You’ll also need to stay on top of current fashion trends both in the U.S. and abroad to ensure that your designs are both marketable and on-brand. This is a wonderful role for someone who is interested in fashion and knowledgeable about how to turn great designs into a stunning collection.

Personal stylist

If you’re a shopaholic with a design major under your (wonderfully chic) belt, an entry-level job as a personal stylist could be a dream come true. As a stylist, you’ll assist clients in finding exactly what they’re looking for and what fits with their personal style. This position is usually found in-house at a clothing boutique or department store and will connect with you clients from every walk of life, including business professionals for Fortune 500 companies and celebrities. This is a great position for someone interested in working directly with clients and who enjoys helping people look their best.

Teacher

Majoring in design can also prepare you for an entry-level teaching position such as a high school design or art teacher. You can even run design courses and workshops at a community college or at a private institution. This is a great opportunity for someone who is interested in sharing their knowledge with others and passionate about helping students learn all about the various elements of design.

A design major offers you a great chance to develop a broad range of skills that will make you marketable in design-related fields and beyond. In order to determine what position is best for you, take some time to assess your interests and then consider taking on an internship to find a career path that’s just right for you.

Next, learn more about this college major such as Types of Internships for Design Majors and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 6 Things to Do in Your First Week at a New Job.