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Thread: Degree for web design?

  1. #1
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    Degree for web design?

    Right now I am taking classes to get a MIS - management information systems degree. I want to be a web designer. Is this a good thing to go for to make the big bucks? Is this degree the right one I need to be getting? I know you can learn a lot and get certifications without going to college for 4 years, but if I did want to go to college that long, is this the degree to get? Or is there a different one? Help!

    Katie
    KatieJ

  2. #2
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    Since you havent got any feedback in th Loung, i have moved your post here Good luck

  3. #3
    Senior Member Sunnyat's Avatar
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    Re: Degree for web design?

    I have been having the same problem...

    is IT also a field to this line?

  4. #4
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    I have a degree in Interactive Multimedia with a concentration in web design. I worked as a web designer/graphic artist for about 2 and a half years and just got laid-off. Because of the bad job market, I am finding that I am very underqualified. Employers are looking for people who know design, programming, databases, networking, etc. and are offering a very low salary for all of this knowledge. Most do require a BA degree. I have seen very few ads that do not require a degree, so I think getting a degree is very important for you. Some require certification on top of the degree. Something like MIS will probably me much more valuable to you than a design degree. You can always take design classes, which you should, it will only enhance your skills.

  5. #5
    kjohn : it's hard to tell, you might want to talk to someone in a school/college/university in your area... depending on where you are located MIS might not mean exactly the same thing... for example, here in Quebec (Canada), no way you're going to be a web-designer with that kind of diploma... but you might find a job in networking easily though... =)

    as for the big bucks things, dont think about it, just do what you like, work your ass out to become one of the best and then the big bucks will find you =)

    Sunnyat : don't think so, here in the french part of Canada, IT refers to "Internet Technology".. so it's general, not a specific field : and if you've been surfing for a while, you know theres a lot of possibilities in IT, designing, networking, programming, and so on...

    from my personnal experience, the advice i can give you is this : follow courses in a -specific area-, graphic design, animation, programming in specific languages, etc... these are usually courses that dont take as long as the - general - ones... and each diploma by itself can help you find work... and if you follow all the needed courses to be a web designer, you will not only know how it works "in general" but specifically...

    being able to adapt to every situation will make you a valuable asset to the firm you will work for...

  6. #6
    the rusty post is a pretty good example of "adaptability", big firms ask a lots of skills because : a very few of the design firms, even big ones, will have enough work to hire -full time- Graphic guru (for example) so, what do they want ? someone who will be able to do something else for them while they dont have design projects on the table... or someone who will be able to take charge of whole project =)

    i always tell my self "i want to be the X guy"

    - hey Bob, you know the site i'm working on, i have ... problem"
    Bob : ask X, he knows about theses things

    - hey Bob, you know, the database, well...
    Bob : ask X, he got some programming skills

    - hey Bob, the Logo for that project... ok ok, i know, i'll ask X...

  7. #7
    Bad Monkey qetret's Avatar
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    Forget degrees in web design, that is so yesterday. It doesnt really matter what you have on paper, its what you can do that seems to count the past couple of years. Personally I think that university graduates work tends to be that of the lecturer, whereas the work we see from non graduates, or self taught designers has a much more personal feel to it. A good example of of success without qualifications isn Brendan Dawes. Obviously youve heard of him, who hasnt. He had NO formal training whatsoever yet has become well, Brendan Dawes Forget college, university, instead devote your time to improving your skills.

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    Sunnyat, did you get the mail ?

  9. #9
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    Originally posted by GMF
    Sunnyat, did you get the mail ?
    Grandmaster Flash !!!

    geezes ... you are one of the reasons i got into flash !! It must have been 3 years since i saw your work... whoa..didnt know you hanged out here .. hehe.. i feel like bowing down or something haha !!

    And you are from norway.. whoa .. me too !!

  10. #10
    10$ that if i look at all the post you've made... this one won't be the smartest...

    Originally posted by qetret
    Forget degrees in web design, that is so yesterday. It doesnt really matter what you have on paper, its what you can do that seems to count the past couple of years. Personally I think that university graduates work tends to be that of the lecturer, whereas the work we see from non graduates, or self taught designers has a much more personal feel to it. A good example of success without qualifications is Brendan Dawes. Obviously youve heard of him, who hasnt. He had NO formal training whatsoever yet has become well, Brendan Dawes Forget college, university, instead devote your time to improving your skills.
    so yesterday ? to whom ?

    doesnt matter, but still, employers ask for degree, and since THEY the one hiring...

    oh, and I dont know who Brendan Dawes is, so MILLIONS of other surfers, funny, we have ONE guy in the industry who succeed without a diploma and baam ! diplomas are not needed anymore... wow...

    studying at college/univ./etc IS a way to improve...
    ____________________________
    just curious, you have a degree in design ? oh ! i see... had a lot of work yet ? oh ! i see...

  11. #11
    Webmaster Johnny Shiro's Avatar
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    Originally posted by DontLikeFlash

    we have ONE guy in the industry who succeed without a diploma and baam ! [/B]
    hehe... that must be the funniest line i have ever read ... nicely putted there man !

    But.. why do companies need employees to have a diploma ? hmm.. let's think logical ? hmmm why oh why ? oh yes ! To prove to they're clients that they're employees can guarantee quality work.

    Sure some can still do amazing work, but there is many who basicly sucks. So companies need something to grab hold on.

    But if you have a very strong portfolio and experience behind you.. you may succeed without a diploma. I have experienced that myself ...

  12. #12
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    Johnny Shiro, thank you Yes I hang out here, but I dont really post that much anymore. I used to hang out in the Sound and Music section + the Flash section (help) These days im just watching over you guys Retired in other words, hehe.

    Haveing another Norbagge here is just cool. Trondheim rocks.

    Take care

  13. #13
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    Multimedia Arts and Science BA

    I have a Multimedia Arts and Science Degree specializing in 3D Animation. Took classes specifically on HTML, JAVA, FLASH, DIRECTOR, PHOTOSHOP, MAYA, MEDIA 100, basically all the good adobe and macromedia products... New program to my school, and it rocks!

    There are many colleges now offering similar degrees, and if yours doesn't then approach your advisor and create your own major and even do independent study for classes that you feel you need to know for "the real world". They are usually very open to letting you persue the education that you desire especially considering the price we all had to pay! hehe

    Best of luck!

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