What Design Course is Best for You?

So you’ve decided you want to become a Designer, but you don’t know whether starting a design course is for you. Do you go to University, College or do you want to teach yourself? In this article I’ll go through the different pathways you can go through to become a designer. this to help you decide which way is right for you.

There are going to be a variety of personal factors that will influence your decision. Factors like location, cost, the quality of education, and your responsibilities. I’ll do my best to focus on the pathways so you can understand how each will line up with you, and decide which is best for you.

My (Long) Experiences with Design Courses

A Trigger Warning about Scotland’s Free Education

Let me start by saying I am from Scotland, which has free education up to the university level. I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy this system, and I know that for many people reading this will not be the case. For many, education is expensive. Deciding to go to college or university requires serious consideration.

I have enjoyed several types of design education as a result. If these opportunities are unavailable to you, you can use my experiences to inform you which might be the best for you. I Studied at college and university levels. I’ve have an apprenticeship. I’ve self-taught myself design specialties, like web design, the results of which you’re enjoying now.

My Education

First of all, I started as a student of Graphic Design at the college level for 2 years. In the UK, college is like a level above high school but below University. I don’t know for sure, but my understanding is that in the US the equal would be Tech or Community College. (Let me know in the comments if that’s right!)

From there I got an Apprenticeship which lead to my first job, which is when I got involved in Makerspaces. As I was working with 3D CAD in the workshop I decided to return to education to boost my skills. I joined another College for another 2 years course in 3D CAD for Product Design.

As a mature student by this point, I realised how much more I valued my education compared to the first time around. I decided to continue with my education and go to university.

When I took my university application seriously, I interviewed all across Scotland. At one point, I went as far as going to Holland to interview for the Design Academy in Eindhoven. But that’s another story…

I ended up picking a university course that centered on the overlap of design and business. I picked this as business skills was something I felt I lacked compared to my design skills.

While studying, I would self-learn other fields. I’d aim to gain real-world experience where possible. I would take temporary work as a Graphic Designer or start Internships in Product Design.

Anyway, enough about me. Now you know the context. Let me break down these different types of design courses that are available to you.

Who offers Design Courses?

University

A university degree will take around 4 years to achieve. Universities have a lot of resources at their disposal. They have societies, unions, and lecturers to get advice. Something you should take advantage of when you are there. Your time is split between practical tutorials, lectures, and writing essays.

For many people, this is believed to be the ultimate form of education. Society has created extreme pressure on getting a university education. Many people, especially young people, believe you won’t get anywhere in life without a University degree.

If you also follow this notion, don’t worry. It’s Bullshit. Especially in the Design Industry. I did a talk many years ago about why University isn’t essential to be a designer.

I’m not denying that University isn’t useful. A University will run you through a Design Process. What I’m saying is that in the Design Industry you are only as good as your Portfolio, NOT your education. You could have gone to the most elite school in the world. But if your portfolio looks like garbage, you still won’t get hired.

In my experience, university was learning the theory of design with practical elements. Especially when compared to my college education, which focused more on building practical skills. University requires a lot of essay writing. Another big difference is that the subject matter at the university level focuses on Big picture innovation over College

College

There is a reason I returned to college when I wanted to go back into education. College courses are shorter and focus on building practical skills that will be useful in the workforce.

College is like a smaller university, a lot of them have similar resources but at a much smaller scale. In the UK, many colleges link with universities. So if you attend a college course you may be eligible to start university at a later stage.

Most college courses take around two years to complete. If you leave in your first year you still get a qualification.

A college education will give you industry skills. When you finish, you should be able and qualified to find a job. Colleges will work with local employers to get their students into the industry. They will invite local companies if you do an end-of-year exhibition, who may even go on to offer you work. That’s how I got my first ever job as a designer.

Their focus on practical skills gives you a big advantage. Especially when compared to university students being more aware of theory.

Apprenticeships

I owe a lot to my apprenticeship. I would argue I owe my whole career.

In 2013 I started working with Peacock Visual Arts in Aberdeen. A local artist facility that worked with several renowned artists. This allowed me to work with one of my Illustration inspirations, Ralph Steadman.

An apprenticeship means working with one company while they train you over some time. My apprenticeship paid me, although I made minimum wage. While I went through my apprenticeship I got a diploma in Digital Media, thanks to my employer.

Many people starting their career in Design should do an apprenticeship first. Get real-world experience. Experience is far more valued by employers than where you got your education. At this stage, I had not been to university and only studied Graphic Design at the college level.

If you’re lucky, you may get a job offer with that company by the end of your apprenticeship.

Internships

Internships are different in the UK and the EU than compared to the US. We get paid.

Again, I don’t know if that’s how it works across the board over there. (Let me know in the comments again!) The reason I mention this is because you should have all the facts. An internship, especially unpaid, may not be workable for your situation.

Internships work well if you are studying and need real-world experience. If you decide to go into formal education, remember to gain as much experience as you can. The best way to do this is with an Internship. You’ll work with a company for a temporary amount of time and learn from them.

I remember someone telling me that you should aim for two internships. One for practical design skills and another to boost your network.

Online Courses

Online courses have helped even the playing field for many of those who can’t afford formal education. They can teach you the skills that you need to create an amazing portfolio and get you employed in the design industry.

The time taken to complete a course will vary depending on who you are getting it from and the effort you put towards it. They could take a certain amount of time or you do them at your own pace. Some online courses will be pre-recorded and let you follow at a pace that suits you. Other courses may spread out over a certain amount of days or weeks.

They are shorter than going through formal education, which may work better for you.

But where to start? There are thousands of design courses online so it might be hard to find one that suits you best. If you’re unsure, I would recommend starting with a course platform like Skillshare. They have many skilled educators on there.

One day we’d like to offer you a course that would cover the Polymathic Process. We will show the skills needed to go from Smartphone photography to building your own Smart Cabin.

The Internet

There are other ways to learn and get design skills from the internet. It will be harder as you’ll need to find the sources yourself. The sources will vary in quality. It may take you longer to build up a skillset that could be attractive to employers. But that’s not to say it can’t be done.

If you are opting for another type of design course you should always keep learning on your terms. This will be what separates you from the pack. What many don’t realise, especially at the very early stages of becoming a designer, is how competitive it is. Anything that gives you an edge over others will pay off .

So what next?

If you want a formal education, then you’ll need to decide between college and university. Visit both in your area and see where you want to apply to. You’ll get an understanding of what’s available. Then weigh up how well their curriculum will fit with your goals as a designer.

Do you want to quickly become a designer and begin working? I would suggest going to college and get the skills over a 2-year course or getting an apprenticeship.

Finding places that offer apprenticeships may be difficult in your area. You will need some level of skills to show at your interview. This is why it may be better to get some skills you know they’re looking for first. You could do this by going into education or self-teaching yourself these skills.

Portfolio Trumps Education

Your focus should ALWAYS be on developing skills. Then reflecting on these skills in your portfolio. As this will always be what employers evaluate your skills against. Think of using design courses as means to build your portfolio.

Whatever Design Course you choose, remember to focus on developing your skills and Process. Reflect what you’ve learned in Portfolio.

Hopefully this article will give you a better understanding of the pathways available you you as a designer.

Let us know in the comments, what was your pathway into the Design Industry?