What Can You Do With a Graphic Design Degree?

If you are passionate about art and design, then a career in graphic design might be a good fit for you. Graphic and advertising designers work in a wide variety of industries, making it possible to find an engaging and rewarding career after earning a graphic design degree. While being a designer is certainly a popular and rewarding job title to consider after earning this degree, it is not the only one to keep in mind. This guide can help you learn more about what you will be able to do with a graphic design degree.

Graphic Designer

It’s no surprise that you will be able to apply for jobs as a graphic designer after earning your graphic design degree. This career involves creating visual concepts either by hand or by using computer software. These concepts can be seen in many different industries across many different platforms. People see the work advertising designers do everyday, from the logos on the products they use to the graphics on the websites they visit. If you decide to pursue this career path, then your specific job responsibilities will depend on the company you work for as well as what industry that company is in. You might work on creating visual concepts for video games, websites or products.

Art Director

Do you enjoy taking on leadership roles? If so, then you might want to consider becoming an art director after earning your graphic design degree and gaining some experience. Similar to a film or theater director, an art director is in charge of setting the overall tone for an artistic project and directing the other artists and designers involved in the project. Along with design skills, it is also important to have great communication and delegation skills if you want to become an art director. This is another career that you can find in many different industries, so the exact responsibilities you might encounter as an art director will also depend on the company and industry. Art directors can work on many different types of projects such as newspapers, magazines, video games, film, television, websites, ad campaigns and photo shoots.

Web Designer

People visit websites every day for many different reasons, so a high-quality website is important for every business and organization that wants to maintain a strong online presence. For this reason, you might want to focus your creative talents on becoming a web designer. After completing a graphic design program and learning how to use different types of software, you can look for job opportunities that will let you design and create websites for different types of organizations and businesses. Depending on your specialties and skills, you might focus solely on the creative side of website design or you might also be able to focus on the more technical aspects of building and maintaining a website. With enough experience, you may be able to move up to roles such as a director of web design.

Video or Film Editor

Earning an advertising design degree can provide you with the skills needed to become a video or film editor for various types of promotional products. As an editor, you will start a project by looking over the script or outline and speaking with directors and producers to make sure everyone is one the same page regarding the goals for the project. Throughout filming, you will be responsible for carefully examining the footage for any errors while also making sure the story is being told properly. You will also work with other professionals on the editing team to make sure the sound, lighting and other aspects of the video are working together to produce the best finished product.

Marketing Specialist

If you enjoy the marketing aspect of graphic design, then you can look for a career where you can put these skills to great use. As a marketing specialist, you will be responsible for researching customers and analyzing the data you find. You will then use this data to create marketing strategies to help attract more customers or create customer loyalty. Graphic design certainly plays an important role in marketing, so this can be a great background for anyone who wants to pursue a marketing career. Marketing specialist positions tend to be entry level, and with experience, professionals may advance to work as SEO managers, marketing directors or chief marketing officers.

Now that you know what career opportunities will be possible after earning a graphic design degree, you can learn more about the graphic design program at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. Our Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Graphic Design program from the College of Fine Arts and Production can help you nurture your love of art and creative thought while providing the tools needed to pursue the design career of your dreams. You can learn more by clicking the Request Info button at the top of this page.