Graphic Design & Questions

As i'm going to Uni next year, i'm starting to research courses and Unis so that i can attend open days this June etc.. But i'm having a hard time deciding what to take and where and just generally thinking about the future..
I'm considering taking Graphic Design / Communication Design.
So here are a few questions that hopefully you guys will be able to answer =]

I posted recently in another thread regarding 'what to look for' when applying to a creative course, which is applicable here:





The principle advantage with being a graphic designer is how versatile the market can be for you. The main industries you can consider are advertising, publishing and media. The primary (and almost intended) route for a graphic designer is to work in the advertising agency. There are many situated in London, varying incredibly in size. By extension, there are also many smaller independent studios (that are generally more creative) that employ recruits. For publishing, you can apply to work for any magazine or newspaper. For media, I have encountered many graphic designers who work for broadcast companies, such as the BBC or Channel 4, producing and maintaining the overall 'look' of the channel. Any promotional material will be also produced by the graphic design team.

It's even possible to work in-house at larger unrelated industries, such as finance, at corporate firms. Many employ in-house graphic designers (with a reasonable startup salary too) to produce conventional artwork, such as presentation boards. In fact, this is the main aspect that has changed the most in recent years, in-housing. In the past, many companies opted to outsource exclusively to agencies and studios (still do, but to a lesser extent), preferring to recruit in-house graphic designers to produce their work instead. I have a friend who is currently working for the Ministry of Sound as an in-house graphic designer, along with a team, that handle everything from designing the cover art for their compilation albums to the packaging for their perfume (something I didn't know they had).



Yes, my quote above is applicable to this question. There are many art and design courses offered by universities in this country that are, quite frankly, absolute rubbish. They do not cater for what the creative industries require and end up producing graduates that are ill-equipped, both intellectually and technically, about how to succeed in the industry. I've addressed this in another thread:



Lastly, it's important to oversee recognised award schemes, such as the Design and Art Direction (D&AD) Student Awards to see what institutions are being won. The D&AD is, more or less, the Oscar equivalent for graphic design:

http://www.dandad.org/education/student-awards/pdf/SA08_winners.pdf

Hopefully, this will give you an insight into what universities and colleges are making a difference.



This is solely dependent on the college or university you attend. There are certain graphic design courses that may require a new project, including an essay, each week. Conversely, there are certain courses (that are not worth considering), that may give you four weeks to finish one project, with no essay writing at all. I believe it's crucial to have a theoretical aspect to a course. In addition to broadening your technical skills, acquiring the necessary knowledge of what graphic design is, such as its history, is important in establishing your awareness. A graphic designer is a creative, not a technician.



Graphic design does encompass many disciplines, such as illustration and photography, that many choose to specialise in when they enter the creative industries. The old saying "jack of all trades, master of none" comes to mind. Still, many creative employers do encourage graduates to be versatile, particularly in regard to having knowledge of print, web and motion design. I wouldn't worry about this now, you still have plenty of time to develop your technical understanding during your degree.



I hope I have been of some assistance. Good luck.