Design Colleges: How to Choose the Best One

Due to the Internet, job growth in the design industry continues to increase. There are so many "new" areas of design that design colleges have had a tough time keeping up with the demand. Multi-media design colleges (both on-campus and online) continue to spring up seemingly overnight to meet the demand and increasingly more traditional schools have created entire "new media" departments. Most of these programs are available online.

If you are interested in design college, you won't have any problems finding a program. The only issue you might have is trying to find the best design college. Fortunately, a number of reliable online sources are available that can help make your decision a little easier.

The best design colleges and art schools feature art-related programs from A-Z. Quality design schools will offer many, if not all of the following majors or focus areas:

Animation
Art Therapy
Computer Art/Design
Fashion Design
Film/Video
Game Design
Graphic Design
Interior Design
Media Arts
Photography
Visual Communications
Web Design

If you're interested in working in the field while earning your degree, you should focus on locating an online design program. If you prefer a traditional program, many offer flexible schedules that may allow you to work juggle other obligations. To locate online design colleges browse through websites and college ranking sites such as Princeton Review College Rankings, U.S. News & World Report College Rankings, or Design-schools.us.

Choose any traditional design college and you will likely find an online option that will allow you to complete some or the entire design program virtually. Although many online design colleges may operate 100% online, many still have campuses. Depending on where you live, you may have access to the campus and amenities such as a library, computer center, career center, and counseling centers.

In addition to a campus, high quality design schools will carry accreditation through The National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) or an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Visit the Department of Education website at www.ed.gov for an official list.

When assessing any online design college or traditional school of design, check the curriculum and admission requirements. An accredited design college will require samples of your work, test scores, transcripts, a statement of purpose, and recommendation letters. Compare the curriculum of your choices to some of the top ranked design colleges as listed by Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Comparing curriculums is easy. All design colleges list curriculum requirements on the official website for each school. Just click the "admission" tab and follow the prompts.

Resources:

More information about Design Colleges - from design-schools.us

Why Should You Attend Design School? - main reasons to enroll in a design program

U.S. News and World Report College Rankings - to help you compare schools