Graphic design is a field that is perpetually evolving. All around the world, designers look to new creative ways to express and communicate messages across a diversity of changing new media. By earning your graphic design degree abroad you will challenge yourself to break free of the mold and become an independently-minded artist of the trade; something that can take you a long way in maturing professionally and making your work stand out among the crowd.
Why Earn Your Degree Abroad
Graphic design transcends national, cultural, and linguistic barriers to express a message through an array of different animated media. As technology develops before our eyes, so does the field continuously change in new and exciting ways. Whatever format you ultimately strive to apply your studies to – be it in web design, advertising, publication, or any other manifestation of the art – earning your graphic design degree abroad can be an educational and mind-opening commencement to the journey.
Locations
Graphic design degrees abroad are offered both by major universities and by smaller arts or design schools all over the world. These different types of schools may vary in their prerequisites to enrollment; for example major universities may require good test scores and and for you to pass a language proficiency exam, while smaller arts schools may lean more heavily towards admission based on your portfolio.
Within the English speaking world, some of the most popular destinations where to earn a graphic design degree abroad include Canada, England, and Australia. All of these countries offer world-class academic institutions, combined with the convenience of an education taught in your native language. They also tend to be central hubs for international exchange students from all over the world, so the admissions process is generally more fluid than in many other countries where this is not the case.
Beyond the English speaking world, countries ranging all the way from Italy and France in Europe to Malaysia and Thailand in Southeast Asia can provide further enticing opportunities to earn a graphic design degree abroad as well. Some English speaking degree programs are available in these areas, though it is more common for local schools to use their native language as the medium of education.
Academics & Degrees
Graphic design degree programs abroad will generally train you in a variety of basic skillsets which are relevant to the field at large. Among these tend to be web development, drawing, typography, printmaking, and other related electives. As digital media continues to supplant its print forbearer in many fields, web-based design is becoming the primary direction of most graphic design degree programs around the world.
Graphic design degrees are conferred as BA’s at the undergraduate level, and typically require anywhere from two to four years of study for completion. You can also pursue a graphic design degree abroad within various different graduate specializations, which will require a few more years of additional study on top of your undergraduate degree.
Graphic design degree programs abroad are often geared towards a two-fold outcome: both preparing you with the fundamental skills and knowledge required to become a successful graphic artist, and also helping you create a portfolio of work that you can bring on with you to your professional endeavors after graduation. The demand for graphic designers is increasing rapidly across many different professional fields, so this can be a very valuable degree pursuit that can take you many different places!
Benefits & Challenges
Inspiration Abroad. Creativity is an essential key to success in the field of graphic design, and nothing will quite inspire you to reach for new heights like travelling to experience the vast, diverse world around us.
Transcend Boundaries. Learning how to communicate effectively across cultural and linguistic boundaries while you earn your graphic design degree abroad will translate inherently into your art, as you come closer to discovering a more universal language medium.
Overseas Opportunity. Graphic designers are in high demand all over the world, and earning your degree abroad is a valuable opportunity to make future connections in the global marketplace. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up staying abroad and becoming a permanent expat after graduation!
