| It's an age old question when one considers how | | | | loosely be described as the indoors and outdoors |
| best to get ahead in their career: should I just | | | | of design: landscape design being about creating |
| concentrate on getting more relevant experience? | | | | functional and aesthetically pleasing outdoor |
| should I beef up my academic qualifications? do I | | | | spaces and interior design being about designing |
| need a bit of both? The answer is it depends, | | | | those spaces in which people live and work. |
| though it is also fair to say that having an | | | | All of these fields will have an associated |
| associated masters degree in whatever field | | | | bachelor's or associate degree attached to them. |
| you're working would never do you any harm. | | | | Students who are looking for professional |
| The field of design (and all its associated | | | | advancement and certainly people who are looking |
| sub-sections is no different) and one can add the | | | | to teach within their given field - may want to |
| crucial qualifier that a master's degree in design is | | | | check out the design masters degrees that are |
| essential if you're ever looking to teach your | | | | on offer. A design master's degree will be available |
| particular discipline at a University or College. This | | | | at a number of different schools. A student |
| article will look at the various sub-categories of | | | | should already have a bachelor's degree in the |
| design in which one can pursue a design masters | | | | field in which they wish to pursue post graduate |
| degree. | | | | studies (or at least in a substantially related field) |
| Those who pursue a career in design usually do | | | | although there are some schools that will offer |
| so because they have a certain amount of visual | | | | foundation courses with the aim of bringing a |
| flair and an interest in combining the aesthetic with | | | | student up to speed before he/she enrolls in the |
| the functional. Because our society is in a state of | | | | masters program. |
| flux and always subject to new influences, there | | | | Design masters programs will take 1-2 years to |
| is a constant need for designers to create new | | | | complete if being pursued full time and obviously |
| designs (regardless of the field) which are | | | | longer if being studied part time. Most post |
| reflective of the environment and the times in | | | | graduate courses have been developed in such a |
| which we live - and at the same time deliver | | | | way that professionals can pursue their studies at |
| functionality that hopefully makes our lives a little | | | | night and on weekends. |
| easier. | | | | There are an increasing number of schools that |
| There are various design fields in which one can | | | | are now offering an online design degree via the |
| specialize. The field of graphic design is aimed at | | | | Distance Education Network. The curricula on |
| adding visual impact to corporate communications; | | | | offer via online postgraduate programs are not |
| web design is about producing appealing and useful | | | | substantially different than those on offer to |
| websites; industrial design is concerned with | | | | those attending a campus. An online degree |
| producing new products which are both functional | | | | obviously gives a graduate greater flexibility in |
| and have aesthetic appeal; fashion design is an | | | | how they go about pursuing their studies and |
| applied art relating to clothing and accessories | | | | indeed a greater choice of schools. |
| whilst interior design and landscape design can | | | | |