Learning how to become a software developer means learning computer code, learning to work with computers and of course, learning the requirements of the job. Software development is a skill that can work well with graphic design, computer specialization and management and many other skills.

Software development is an IT career and currently IT careers are the fastest growing (and one of the highest paid) jobs on the market. Learning software development can get you a job in software development or can help to increase the job possibilities in your current career.

Personality – If you want to learn how to become a software developer then you should be familiar with and like math. Software development often requires the use of Algebra and calculations with codes in order to determine the outreach and capabilities of a system. You will also be responsible for reviewing and testing software so you shouldn’t mind doing repetitious tasks. You should also be quite patient as software development can often include combing through code for errors and etc.

Software Developer Degree – As with any good career, you should have a degree.  You can earn an associate degree in software development, get a starter job and then go on to earn your bachelor or master degree. You can probably rely on your first two years of a bachelor degree to focus almost entirely on math. Your level of degree will of course, impact your salary. You should also remember that in order to become a software developer you must become certified by a professional. This is to ensure you have the capabilities to work with systems safely and effectively. You can also become a licensed software developer should you choose. While this is not necessary, it can help you to find a good job and a good salary.

Software Developer Job Description – As a software developer you will find yourself sitting for endless hours (okay just kidding, 35-40 per week) at a computer. You are responsible for reviewing and testing systems, working with analysts, graphic designers and staff, producing specifications and writing code, working with software, preparing training manuals and working with employers to learn what they want and how they want it to work. Your job will be about 40% marketing based, 40% fixing things and about 20% writing up code and creating software.

Software Developer Salary – As an entry level software developer you can expect to earn $30,000 per year. With an associate degree you can also expect to earn $30,000 per year. With a bachelor degree and some experience you can expect to earn $45-92,000 per year. With a Master degree in Software Developing you can earn a software developer salary of up to $95,000.

Software Developer careers are on the rise. Job estimates suggest that the career will rise by 32% within the next 10 years. Getting a job in software development is a great way to ensure the future of your career.

If you are considering studying for an art and design career then chances are you will need graphic design software at some point during your study. While many people want to know what the best graphic design software is, there is no one answer. Most graphic design software is designed for a specific task and should be chosen depending upon what you would like to do with it. Another consideration when choosing graphic design software is that some design programs are geared towards beginners while others require advanced study in order to use. However, some graphic design software publishers are the best in their field which makes them a great deal easier to recommend then specific software.

Quark

Quark is one of the top producers of software for graphic designers. Quark produces graphic design software that can be used to create logos, illustrate, design, build HTLM and XML, build applications for use on iOS and Windows, publish eBooks, create editorial collaborations, and advertising. However; the program is designed for professionals which means that it does take training and know how in order to utilize it for the best results. Quark graphic design software is priced very high, when added to the complexity of the software, it is definitely not recommended for students or beginners. Expect to receive a 30 day trial and then a $200-$1,500 charge for the actual software.

Corel

Corel is another popular graphic design software company. They offer graphic design software such as high power paint and illustration, drawing, video editing, word editing, DVD software, PDF editing and design tools. Corel is great for both the professional and the student because it is more affordable than Quark while also being easier to use. The software starts at under $100 but can get more expensive, however; is generally quite affordable. Corel offers more than 40 individual programs in a wide variety of graphic design categories.

Adobe

Adobe is simply the most popular creator of graphic design software on the market. They are famous for creating easy to use and relatively affordable software with quality tools. Adobe has created some of the most famous graphic design software on the planet including Photoshop, Lightroom, Adobe Air, Acrobat and many, many more. Their prices are ranged between affordable for students and somewhat expensive for any but a professional. However; often you can get student discounts for the software through your college or even get your grant to pay for the software.

While having a degree in graphic design is important, it’s almost as important that you have a good portfolio. After briefly glancing at your degree to ensure themselves you are qualified, employers will then go to study your portfolio in detail.

There are many ways that you can set up a portfolio but the easiest and most efficient way is to use a website that allows you to display your content for the world to see. This procedure allows you to copyright your work and even to attract customers.  If you are worried that people will steal your work, most blogs and websites allow you to change settings and prohibit people from saving or copying your images.

Blog Portfolio

A blog is the best portfolio option for students. Blogs are easy to use, easy to set up and usually don’t cost a dime. Most students don’t have any money so this is actually the most important feature of a blog. While there are a lot of blogging platforms to choose from; some like Tumblr, WordPress and Flickr have been set up for use by professionals and with images. You can also find easy and free tutorials to help you get set up and making the most out of your blog.

What Your Blog Portfolio Should Include

Most blog platforms include an about you, profile or biography section. You should fill this out with a very short and professional biography. You could also include contact information however; you should note that some websites do not allow you to post your email address on their site. You can include information such as work and study experience as well. Another idea is to include a list of current employers, however; you should always ask permission to use a company name before posting it on the internet.

Your blog should include photos of designs you have created. Each post should be listed with the copyright holders name, (for example the company you designed it for). Another consideration is that if you have signed an NDA, it is a bad idea to post your images until after the company has used them for the intended purpose.

Because you are posting  a blog, you can make things more interesting by writing 300-500 words of text with your photos. Try explaining why you used certain colors or designs and why it works for the company you designed it for. This lets any interested parties know that you are considerate of the individual components of your design.

Website Portfolio

Your website portfolio is relatively similar to your blogging portfolio except that it is listed on a website and can be adjusted to display a variety of unique and personalized formats.  If you work as a graphic designer for websites, a website is even more useful. You can design your website so that it actually works as part of your portfolio because it shows what you can do with a site.

What Your Website Portfolio Should Include

Your portfolio should always include a biography. However; when you are posting it on a website you will usually have a lot more room to include extra information. Try adding a biography about yourself, a few personal interests and how long you have been interested in graphic design. Then, below your biography you can put a short list of your favorite work and academic experience.

Because your website is working as your portfolio you should also include a contact sheet or form, photo gallery or slideshow and images that you have designed. Another helpful idea is to include links to your work so that it can be seen live on the web. (For example, links to websites you designed or to a book that you designed the cover for).

What is graphic design? This is an important question for anyone considering taking a major in graphic design. A common misconception is that graphic design is nothing more than drawing or designing photographs for advertisement when really, it’s much more than that.

Graphic design is the process of using visual images to solve problems. The problems include attracting attention, looking cool and most importantly; communicating a message. The last factor is the most important part of graphic design.

The art has also been called communication through words and images. A graphic designer must use colors, symbols, idea’s and even words to catch the readers’ attention, persuade them to study the advertisement and then to make a sale.

Understanding of Color             

One thing you will learn is that as a graphic designer you must understand colors. People inherently associate certain colors with certain feelings, ideas and companies. As a graphic designer you must work within the boundaries of your companies color scheme, create an eye pleasing color scheme for an advertisement or logo and communicate something with those colors.

Understanding of Imagery

Imagery can also communicate beyond what is inherently visual. For example a ballet dancer posing will first bring to mind dancers; however; she can be used in an advertisement or image that has nothing to do with dancers. She also brings to mind grace, strength, feminine beauty and even entrepreneurship. Learning what feelings and emotions images and even icons are associated with is an absolute must.

Making It Work

Finally, a graphic designer must make it all work. The designer must bring together color, images and fonts to literally say what they want to say. However; the designer must also bring together the same media to stir deeper feelings such as trust, loyalty, pride, etc. in the reader.

Graphic Design Job

As a graphic designer you will earn anywhere from $30,000-$90,000 per year. You can find yourself working for a large company, working for a studio or even freelancing on your own. You can also find yourself creating web images such as those for websites, creating book, CD or movie cases or working in advertisement for brochures, flyers, billboards, etc. What you do is up to you.

If you have ever asked how do I be a graphic designer then you should know the answer lies in a degree. If you want a degree in graphic design then you should consider studying for it online. Online study is quickly becoming the most popular method of going back to school because it lets anyone study, even if you are working a full time job or taking care of your family.

An online graphic design course might sound interesting. After all, you can study online, not have to worry about showing up to class or traveling to college. However; if you aren’t sure how it works: you might worry about whether or not you will be learning the same as you would in a traditional classroom.

Computer Practice

The best thing about studying for your graphic degree through online study is that you will get plenty of computer practice. Because you will be mostly working on computers during your career, this can be a huge plus. You will learn to design, draw and color in graphics as well as do layouts and patterns all through your computer.  Studying online gives you the same computer coursework that you would have in a traditional classroom except you will also have more privacy, freedom and probably a better computer to do it with.

Offline Experience

Believe it or not, you also get offline experience while studying your online graphic degree course. Usually you will be asked to draw designs, make physical presentations (and transfer them online) and sometimes even hand in physical material. However; in most cases everything  you do will be done online and if you would like more offline experience; you should consider enrolling in an internship.

Drawing

Most online graphic design courses will teach you to draw, even if you don’t already know how. This should include the basics of illustration as well as teaching you to create art using popular computer technology.  In general, you will learn to create graphic images through any media source. Usually this will involve drawing a general draft and then using a computer program to enhance and perfect it. You should do most of your coursework on drawing through online tutorials and teacher reviews as well as assignments. You can also probably expect to have to work together with a team of other students to create a logo or design for a fictional company.

Marketing

You will also learn to do marketing research, analyses and to create your graphic designs accordingly. A big part of what you will do as a graphic designer revolves around marketing which is why this is important. You should learn to study charts, statistics, etc. as well as learn to use colors in accordance with what people relate the color to. For example, many people relate blue to calm, peaceful, regality.  Using this color can promote respect while not being either too loud or too boring to attract interest. Your class should include this information in text books and through lectures, online content and etc. that has been prepared for you to study.

If you still aren’t sure about attending an online graphic degree program than you might want to consider a hybrid course. Hybrid courses allow you to do most of your work online while still allowing you to go in and study in a real classroom.

Game art can include a variety of things including the art and graphics inside of a game, the art and graphics on a game cover and most likely both. Designing game art generally requires a high level of creative ability, illustration and the ability to adapt your drawing style to the needs and wants of the game developer. If this sounds like you and if you love games (This last is absolutely necessary) than game art design could be the perfect job for you.

A Degree

The first thing you need is a degree. The bright side is you can get several degrees for this job and some of them can be used to get a variety of jobs. One, you can get a graphic design job. This will teach you how to design graphics (of course) which is mostly what you will be doing. However; graphic design will focus on using your art to make sales and to work for companies. You can also take game art which is very specifically based towards becoming a game designer. As for degree level; you can usually get an entry level job with only an associate degree. However; the higher your degree, the higher your paycheck is likely to be.

An Internship

The next step to becoming a game art designer is to take an internship. While an internship is essentially providing free work to someone, you will also be learning valuable work experience, making connections and hopefully impressing potential employers. The best thing about an internship is that it gives you work experience you can put on your resume in order to get a job.

A Job

After earning your degree and graduating you can get a job. This will probably be entry level at first which means you will probably be working assistant to a more senior game art designer. Usually you will work in teams with 2 -20 people (depending upon the budget for the job). You will also usually receive a set fee for each project (usually based on several factors including your level of seniority, game budget and how fast you complete the project.

Move Up and Keep Learning

The only place to go is up and you can go far. It’s important to keep learning so that you can keep up with new techniques, new technology and most of all, qualify for new job opportunities. If you earned your associate degree, try studying for your Bachelor while you continue your job. From there move on to your Master and then keep taking new courses as possibilities open up. The only thing holding you back is lack of knowledge so learn and reach for the stars! Or well, the games…

Studying as a graphic designer can be hard and even impossible if you don’t have the money to go to school. Loans can be expensive and leave you in debt for years and in many cases, a Federal Pell grant won’t even begin to cover the cost of your tuition.

However; there is a solution for Graphic Design students. Did you know that there are actually a great deal of scholarships and grants that are devoted solely to students who are studying graphic design? Well, you do now! Here are a few of them that you might want to consider.

Bob Coonts Graphic Design Scholarship

Unfortunately this great scholarship is only for students who are studying at the Colorado State University. The Bob Coonts Graphic Design Scholarship is need based and the amounts awarded to each student will vary. However; the scholarship is designed to help students to accomplish their study goals and not to completely pay for their tuition.

California College of the Arts Scholarship

This scholarship is great because if you are attending the school, you are eligible for need based aid. This aid can be used to substitute your Federal Pell grant or etc. The grant is available to all students attending the school, however; will rarely exceed the sum of a few thousand dollars.

Graphics Scholarships

The Graphics Scholarships Institution offers scholarships to students in the New York Metro area. Deadline for application is May, 15 of the year you wish to receive a scholarship. The institution also offers student information, tutoring and other graphic and design aid to students wishing to excel in this area. Scholarships are need based and can vary greatly depending upon the student, their major and level of education.

No matter where you decide to study, you can probably find a graphic degree scholarship at your college. You can also look talk with the financial advisor at your school to determine if you eligible for any other scholarships.

Earning your graphic design degree is exciting at any study level. However; most of the time, many of us have no idea what we can do with our degrees after we earn them. Graphic design is no different. There are in fact, hundreds of different career opportunities that you can choose to enter with a degree in graphic design. Choosing just one of them can be difficult. Here are a few of the best graphic design careers for your consideration.

Creative Art Director

You can earn between $50,000 and $80,000 per year as a creative art director. Being an art director means that you will be in charge of a team of artists (probably with graphic design degrees) to direct work in making advertisements, illustrations, ad campaigns and much more. You should have a master degree for this job position because it does require a high level of knowledge and you could easily find yourself in charge of photographers, writers and advertisement managers as well. However; the only real differences between working as a creative art director and as a graphic designer are that 1. You are mostly in charge and 2. You get paid more!

Layout Artist

As a layout artist you are in charge of deciding what goes where on a page before it is printed. This includes choosing appropriate fonts and deciding on little details like spacing and placement. Mostly, this type of work is for printing so if you don’t want your work published on actual paper, you might want to skip this one. Jobs you could be doing include book covers, cd covers, movie covers, brochures, newspapers, magazines and much, much more. Depending upon where you work, you could earn between $25,000 and $50,000 per year.

Brand Identity designer

A brand identity designer is the person who decides what the company should look like and why. Brand identity is the advertising character of the company which is actually pretty important. This means you will spend your time designing, choosing colors and matching products to styles and ideology in order to attract potential customers or clients. Depending upon what company you work for, you can earn anywhere between $50,000 and $100,000 per year.

Logo Designer

The job of logo designer is actually pretty self-explanatory. You design, create and illustrate logos for various companies. This is similar to working as a brand identity designer except in this job you will work for hundreds or even thousands of companies during your career rather than just one or two. The job is a great deal simpler and generally involves matching colors to their scheme (if they have one) or creating something that represents them to their satisfaction. Because there are literally millions of small businesses that are moving on to the web, there are millions of businesses looking for a logo designer which means that you will have plenty of work and plenty of pay. This type of job can obviously vary in the pay range but for the most part, you will earn above $30,000 per year.

Technical Illustrator

As a technical illustrator you will find yourself working with and designing illustrations for commercials, movies, games and television. This means that you should be quite good at drawing as well as have your graphic design degree. You can earn between $45,000 and $60,000 per year with this job!

If you have ever asked ‘How do I become a graphics designer’ than you’ve probably also asked, “how do I become a graphics designer more quickly’. While there are a lot of companies out there that offer ‘fast’ degrees that are in fact just pieces of paper, there is an actual, legitimate way to expedite your graphics degree and earn it in as little as half of the time!

How It Works

An expedited degree is a degree course that you study in more compact sessions (meaning you study harder in a shorter amount of time), to earn your degree more quickly.

While not everyone offers this type of degree and obviously the degree isn’t for everyone, especially if you have to work or take care of family, it can be a great benefit if you just want to earn your degree and get on with your career.

Studying Online

Most schools that offer expedited courses in Graphics design offer them online. This is because online study allows you to study information at your own pace so that you can study as quickly or as slowly as you like. Most expedited options for graphics degrees can be finished between 12 months and 7 years depending upon the type of degree. A good rule of thumb however is that if you wish to earn your degree more quickly, you will most likely not be able to earn it in less than half the time of the normal degree.

Traditional Schools

In many cases, traditional, on campus colleges also offer expedited degrees.  An expedited degree at a traditional school is usually designed for an entire class of expedited students and will usually allow students to earn an Associate Degree in 12 months and a Bachelor in as little as 18 months (for exceptional students).  You can expect to study a great deal harder and longer than for a traditional degree which means you will have almost zero free time; however, considering that you can move on from college and into your career in a much shorter period of time, it is quite often worth it.

Schools That Offer Expedited Degrees

While there are many schools that offer expedited graphics degrees; most of them do not have the options listed on their websites which is why you should always ask your school advisor if the option is possible at the college you have chosen. A few colleges that do list expedited graphic degrees include the International Academy of Design & Technology, Brooks Institute of Photography, most Art Institutes, Full Sail University and Westwood College online as well as several other schools.

If you are considering attending the Art Institute of Pittsburgh then you should be interested in reading about it and learning about the schools policies, prices and accreditation.

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is also known as the Pittsburgh Culinary Arts & Design School and is a private, for profit institution that has been in business since 1921. The school features offline and online courses as well as a hybrid of both in a variety of subjects, however; the school focuses on teaching the culinary arts and design as can be noted in their second name.

Accreditation

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Accreditation Council of Independent Colleges and Schools. The School also has been accredited by the American Culinary Federation and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation on specific subjects. Accreditation is important for any school to have because it means that the degree you earn is up to a minimum quality standard in order to qualify you for a respected degree.

Courses

There are four schools of learning at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. The Culinary School, Media Arts School, Fashion School and School of Design, each of these schools offers accredited associate, bachelor, master and courses, many of which, you can take online. The School of Design offers specific courses such as Kitchen Design, bath Design, Industrial Design and Technology and etc. Culinary options include baking and pastry, culinary arts, restaurant management and etc.

Tuition Cost

The one real disadvantage of study at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh is the cost of tuition. On average, one study year at the institution is worth about $30,000. However; this is average for an Art Institution and you should be fine as long as you have either money saved up for college or a student grant that will help you.  Expect an average of $7,000 per year in boarding (not applicable for online students) and a few hundred dollars charge for website and necessary equipment and study materials. This cost is included in the average cost of tuition.

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh is an extremely good school with a good reputation and a lot of time to prove it. Students are well equipped to handle finding a career after graduation and are given the knowledge and experience to actually do well in that job. Generally, the Art Institute of Pittsburgh only has one disadvantage which is price.

If you are interested in earning your graphic design degree or already have it, than you should be interested in where you can use your graphic degree to get a job! First of all, contrary to popular believe, once you have a job in a field, you can change fields quite easily if you get bored or decide you don’t like the field. So, don’t worry about making something permanent, just relax and pick the field that most interests you at the moment. Here are five career paths you can choose with your graphic design degree!

Advertising

Working as an advertising designer can be quite lucrative if you work for the right company. Did you know that some advertising designers earn as much as $60,000 per year!  Working in advertising requires you to be very creative, usually hold at least a bachelor degree and to be familiar with the techniques for translating communication into simple lines of text and images! Did you know that while you are working with your bachelor degree, you can earn a master degree online while still gaining work experience?

Entertainment

The entertainment business has always circled around Hollywood and with a graphic design degree; you can work in it to! Whether its designing book, magazine, movie covers or designing advertisements for entertainment media, the entertainment business and publishing offer more jobs to graphic designers than any other single market so; chances are; this is where you will be working! In most cases, your median salary will be $30,000 to $40,000 per year!

Design

Working in design usually means creating graphic images, company logos, brochures and packaging images and usually requires that a graphic designer work in a team or studio of several or a few hundred other designers.  Working here you should be prepared to create content for printing, web use and even as demos!

Marketing

Marketing is different from advertisement in that you will create brochures, advertising campaigns, promotional material such as displays, flyers, catalogs, training materials, and etc. While working here does not really allow a lot of excitement into your design life, it will create a very steady and reliable work environment

Freelance

Freelancing is perhaps one of the most exciting paths you can take because it relies on you finding and doing the jobs that you would like to do. While freelancing you can work in any career path, do any type of graphic design and at any pay scale. Freelancing provides freedom, the ability to move around and in many cases, the opportunity to work from home.