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I’ve Earned a Graphic Design Degree. What Can I Do With It?

You’ve designed worlds on Adobe XD. Now it’s time to build your own.

A graphic design degree is a map that can lead you through several career paths. Design skills are sought out across industries and design interests. It’s up to you to forge your path.

Why Employers Want Graphic Designers

An advertisement without striking visuals gets drowned in a sea of prints. Websites with bad typography and a confusing layout will have users going straight back to Google. Movies and games rely on immersive graphics to suck viewers into their world.

Photo of Woman Writing on Tablet Computer While Using Laptop

What do all these things have in common? They all rely on graphic designers. Because even the greatest products won’t sell if no one hears of them.

But before you delve into an exciting graphic design career, you’ll need proof of your skills. Earning a graphic design degree lays the groundwork for your portfolio. A bachelor’s program in graphic design teaches these employable skills:

• Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator
• Web development
• Photography
• Branding
• Typography

Popular Career Paths for Graphic Design Majors

1. Graphic Designer

Just because it’s obvious doesn’t mean it’s boring! With multiple projects and design challenges, you’ll be on your toes.

Graphic designers are problem solvers that tackle everything from website design to social media visuals. They use a combination of careful planning and creative genius to make products stand out from the competition.

Information Sign on Shelf

2. Product Developer

There’s no work that you can be prouder of than the projects you’ve nurtured from the start.
Businesses need innovative products that are responsive to user needs. This requires user research, business savvy, and testable prototypes. That’s where the product developer comes in. This career is perfect for the graphic design major ready to take on the world.

3. Production Artist

This one’s for the ruthless editors out there.

In large businesses, nothing creative gets approved until it goes under the production artist’s microscope. They edit visuals to make sure that they’re pleasing to the eye and easy for audiences to understand. They’re not afraid to give or receive feedback.

4. Game Designer

It might be all play, but game designing is still serious work.

Game designers are storytellers that use code instead of pens to tell their stories. You’ll need the dedication to create characters, plot lines, and objectives. These concepts come to life as prototypes transform into fully developed games. Game designers are also leaders capable of leading design teams.

Women Standing beside Corkboard

5. UI Designer

We’ve all had terrible web experiences. Pages that crash, confusing navigation, and using text that seems to be talking back at you.

Save others from the annoyances of bad web design by becoming a User Interface Designer. Use your eye for visuals to create sleek visuals that are easy for users to navigate. UI designers use user research to create and edit wireframes. They smooth out the bumps in the road to make the user’s journey a pleasant one.

6. Animator

Did your childhood love of drawing inspire you to pursue design?

Your inner child will love animation work. Animators are collaborators who work with their teams on storyboards that meet client needs. They use these storyboards to create and refine animations that tell a story. You’ll need to be an innovator that’s willing to adapt as animation technology changes.

Team Having a Meeting

7. Urban Designer

Take your visual eye from the digital world to the outside world.

Urban designers improve every part of a city, from planning public parks to making streets easier to navigate. Their designs aren’t just aesthetically pleasing, they respond to the needs of the people that live inside of them. This is an ideal career for the politically-minded designer.

8. UX Designer

UX designers know how to connect with people. Their empathy allows them to create user interfaces that talk to their users rather than generic desktop interfaces. Internet design doesn’t center on the artists, but on the users who interact with their work.

As a graphic designer, you know what visuals appeal to users. Combine this knowledge with user research to create navigable web experiences that appeal to different audiences.

9. Graphic Design Instructor

Want to train the next generation of graphic designers?

Graphic design instructors teach design methods, grade assignments, and develop curricula. They’re organized, communicative, and have a love for digital design. This career option is ideal for experienced graphic designers looking for a career change.

Woman Wearing Red and Black Checkered Blouse Using Macbook

10. Art Director

Art directors are the visionaries that oversee every step of the design process. They oversee the design process and direct creatives. Their work is cohesive thanks to their collaboration with clients and careful planning.

Major in Graphic Design and Start Your Future

Ready to get the graphic design experience employers are seeking out?

Top your resume with Drury University’s graphic design degree. At Drury, your only limit is your imagination. Discover the skills sought out in advertising, UX, and countless other industries.

Visit our website for more information.