If you want to get certified in graphic design, there are some simple steps you can take in order to prepare and get started.
Why become a certified graphic designer
There are several reasons why now is a great time to pursue your graphic design certification. For one, analysts predict that graphic designers will be facing more and more competition for landing jobs throughout the coming years. Clients are on the lookout for skilled designers who can help them meet their needs- which for many, might mean a candidate with a strong resume that includes some type of formal certification or training, not someone self-taught.
Beyond that, if you are currently experiencing some down time in your career and are trying to spend more time at home due to Covid-19, pursuing a certificate or certification is a great use of your time, and something that will help you dive back into your professional life with more skills come next year. You can study Graphic Design in a completely self-paced, online course, working entirely from home on your own schedule. For many people, now is the perfect time to sign up for a program like this.
How to get certified in graphic design
If you want to add a Graphic Design certification to your resume, there are a few simple steps that you can follow in order to do so.
- Prepare for your exam. NYIAD’s online graphic design course prepares students to take the Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) Certification Exam, which is generally considered the industry’s premier certification. After taking this course, students should be proficient in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, meaning they should be prepared to pass that exam using both Photoshop and Illustrator. NYIAD’s online course includes hours of video instruction, including over 100 on-screen tutorials which show students how to create high-quality designs from concept to execution. Students explore design theory, color, typography, and layout as they learn the design techniques, methods, and processes used by today’s professional graphic designers. Throughout the course, students also develop their own beginner’s graphic design portfolio as they complete a series of design projects. These projects are all reviewed by student mentors, all of which are professional graphic designers themselves. The course is entirely online and self-paced, and students are given up to 2 years to complete the program- but most students finish in somewhere between 6-8 months.
- Purchase and schedule your exam. If you are a NYIAD student, you are eligible to receive a discount on the cost of the Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) Certification Exam. Registration is simple- as you are enrolling in your graphic design course at NYIAD, you will be prompted with the option to register for the certification. If this is something you want to do, simply opt into this add-on and you will be registered for Adobe’s certification exam at the cost $125, discounted from the $180 cost for non-NYIAD students.
- Pass your exam. Unless you have received prior training, or have personal experience in graphic design, you will very likely need to study independently or receive some type of training in order to sufficiently prepare to pass an exam like this, the same way a lawyer would need to study or attend school before being prepared to pass the BAR. If you have completed NYIAD’s graphic design course and passed your exam prep tests, you should have no problem passing your ACE certification exam, as NYIAD’s course was specifically designed to prepare you for it. And once you do pass, you will be able to officially call yourself a Certified Graphic Designer.
Sign up for a graphic design course with NYIAD
Now is a great time to sign up for a creative, interesting online design course like Graphic Design that you can complete entirely from home, at your own pace. Robert Mansfield, the Design Director at Forbes Media even said, “NYIAD offers a must-do graphic design course for anyone who wants a career as a designer. I wish this course was available to me when I was starting out.”
Our online graphic design course has no official start dates, class times or project due dates- meaning you make your entire schedule from home based on your personal preferences. Start something new and rewarding today. You can enroll and get started online or call 1-800-583-1742 to get started over the phone with one of our student services representatives.
