If I Have a Web Design Degree, What Are Some Other Opportunities Besides Building Websites?

With an advanced degree in web design, a student will have spent many credit hours taking courses in design principles, cascading style sheets and scripting. These are not the only classes required for graduation, and these alternative classes can be applied towards jobs in design, graphics and art depending on the student’s interest and talents.

Digital Imaging

One of the classes required to graduate with a web design degree is Digital Imaging Fundamentals. Students will learn how to edit and optimize digital images for web sites. Students will learn how to use Photoshop, InDesign or Adobe Creative Suite, which will give them a basic foundation in photo retouching, masks, color correction and adjustments. Students can go on to become image artists creating book covers for authors, creating portfolios for models or working for an online or print magazine. Photographers who want to enhance and sell their images to others can benefit from this class.

Web Animation

Graphic design graduates complete web animation courses for their degree. These classes teach animation software such as JavaScript, Adobe Flex and Microsoft Silverlight. The animation programs allow students to learn how to make flash videos. Students with this experience can get jobs as animation artists or multimedia engineers. They can work for an animation studio creating flash videos or animated movies.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, multimedia artists and animators can make $58,000 per year.

Advertising Concepts

This is a basic advertising course taken by most graphic and web design students. It will help students understand strategies used in marketing and advertising. A student may decide to become an Advertising or Marketing Concept Consultant. The student can consult with various companies to create a brand or logo, market the company and research best advertising practices for the specific company’s needs. Those students who don’t want to freelance can work for an advertising or consulting firm. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that advertising, promotions and marketing managers make $108,000 a year.

Typography and Electronic Media

Typography courses and electronic media courses involve using software to develop print advertisements, brochures, sales displays and promotional items. They could include outdoor signs, designing packages or show exhibits. These courses prepare a student for many jobs including desktop publishers. Using software programs such as Adobe Dreamweaver or Microsoft Front Page, desktop publishers learn how to properly format artwork and text to be graphically appealing. They can work with a commercial printer to create mass print publications. These jobs might be combined with other careers in the digital media area such as graphic designers or advertising consultants. Desktop publishers can make approximately $36,000 a year.

Students who want to take web design courses are not limited to creating web pages. They can work for television studios, media companies and advertising agencies creating marketing campaigns, developing flash video animations or creating enhanced visual graphics.