12 steps to design that aren’t graphic design

When you think of design degrees, graphic design may come to mind first, followed by interior design and architecture, followed by a few “umms” and “hmms.”

Don’t worry – you are not alone. Graphic design is one of the most popular, but other design techniques are just as important.

Imagine walking into a room designed to feel like it’s just for you – every color, furniture and lighting perfectly suited to your taste and needs. Or navigate through an app that wants to read your comments.

These are not happy coincidences; they result from a deep understanding of human behavior combined with a combination of art and technology.

Pursuing a design degree isn’t just about drawing logos or learning how to make things look “pretty”. It’s about solving problems, telling stories, and building experiences that affect how people interact with the world.

From product and graphic design to fashion, architecture and digital media, design degrees today give students the opportunity to become observers in industries that adapt to modern life.

This is where left brain logic meets right brain thinking. You will learn not only to design, build and design but also to understand the impact of your designs on society and the environment.

12 degrees to check out if you’re planning:

1. Cartoons

Think about making pictures come alive – they’re animations. In this degree, you will learn the art of creating motion pictures using hand-drawn techniques, 2D and 3D techniques, cameras, CGI, and other software and tools.

You will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in several key aspects of animation, such as storyboarding, character development, sound design, writing, and cinematography.

With this, you will prepare for a career in film, television, video games and digital media – in fact, industries where stories are told through movement and visuals.

The average annual salary for artists is US$79,000.

Universities that offer animation as one of their design degrees:

2. Buildings

Consider combining art and science to create landscapes and design places where people live, work and dream.

An architectural certificate does more than teach you how to design buildings; it’s about making places and creating spaces that are functional yet interesting while considering the social, political and economic implications of design practices.

On this level, visual design, architectural history, environmental systems and sustainability, building ethics and urban planning are just a few of the subjects you will be studying.

Career-wise, you will enter industries such as architecture, urban planning, landscape planning, and more. The average annual salary for architects is US$128,756.

Universities that offer architecture as one of their architecture degrees:

3. Fashion Designer

A certificate in fashion design will allow you to study textiles, fashion concept and color concept. In addition, you will learn how to use it computer-aided design (CAD) software. bringing your designs to wearable art.

Over time, you will learn to analyze and evaluate fashion trends and customer needs for styles.

This degree can lead to careers as a fashion designer, stylist, textile designer or fashion buyer. You will also be able to enter industries outside of fashion, such as sales, marketing, communications, and public relations.

The average annual salary for fashion designers is US$70,000.

Universities that offer fashion design as one of their design degrees:

4. Game Design

Game design is a branch of video game development that focuses on applying creativity and design principles to create games for entertainment or educational purposes. Measurement is about creating stories, characters, goals, rules and challenges that spark interaction with other players, characters and the game.

Here, you’ll learn about user experience design, scripting, game audio, programming, game history, 3D modeling, and technical writing.

A game design degree can lead you to a career as a game writer, story designer, game artist, world designer, user interface designer, creative director, junior developer, or system developer.

The average annual salary for game designers is US$87,647.

Universities that offer sports design as one of their design degrees:

5. Graphic Design

It’s no secret that graphic design is one of the most unique creative degrees. Designing a magazine layout, creating a poster for a movie, and even designing product packaging are all examples of graphic design.

You will gain skills to convey information or messages visually through typography, images or colors. You will also learn about design principles, branding, user experience design, print design, and web design.

This degree leads to a variety of career paths including graphic designer, art director, web designer, web strategist, and UX/UI designer.

The average annual salary for artists is US$55,000.

Universities that offer graphic design as one of their design degrees:

6. Industrial Design

Have you ever looked at cars and computers and wondered who dreamed up their sleek designs? The answer is people with a degree in industrial design. This degree delves deep into the art and experience of creating solutions by designing products and bringing them to life.

You will have the opportunity to learn about technical drawing, ergonomics, business planning and marketing, production planning, and mathematics for design.

Career options can range from industrial designer, model maker, computer-aided designer, 3D printer, and consumer product designer.

The average annual salary for industrial designers is US$123,907.

Universities that offer industrial design as one of their design degrees:

7. Interior Designer

If you want your home to look like Kim Kardashian’s, an interior design degree is an option for you. It is about understanding how people interact with their environment and applying design principles to create environments that improve quality of life, beauty and utility.

This degree is a design and technical program that trains students to create functional, attractive spaces in the home. You will learn this through classes such as lighting design, furniture and exhibition design, and art history.

With an interior design degree, you can pursue careers in residential design, commercial and office design, set design, computer modeling, and even design consulting.

The average annual salary for interior designers is US$72,849.

Universities that offer interior design as one of their design degrees:

8. Jewelry Design

With a focus on art and design, a jewelry design degree will equip you to design wearable pieces of art, from earrings and necklaces to bracelets and brooches. This degree combines creative and technical skills, guiding you in the design, technology and business aspects of the jewelery industry.

You will cover courses such as introduction to jewelry skills, history of jewelry, gemology, and metalsmithing.

This degree opens doors to careers as a jewelry designer, stonemason or product designer. Maybe you’ll be next Paul Flato.

The average annual salary for jewelry designers is US$49,320.

Universities that offer jewelry design as one of their design degrees:

9. Product Design

Many may say that this branch of design is similar to industrial design, but product design is more about product development and often focuses on the production of everyday products.

Classes you will take may include design and screen traditions, design history, visual theory and culture, brand awareness, creative design, research and contemporary studies.

Career options for product design degree graduates include becoming a product designer, graphic designer, interior and landscape designer, apparel technologist, or furniture designer.

The average annual salary for product designers is US$144,360.

Universities that offer product design as one of their design degrees:

10. Set a Plan

The prescribed design certificate focuses on the art and technique of designing physical spaces for theatre, film, television and events.

With this degree, you’ll learn how to create immersive environments that support storytelling, character and emotion. History of set design and theater, lighting design, script analysis, and design and visual communication are just a few of the classes you’ll be taking.

Industries that students with architecture degrees can work in are hospitality, parks, architecture, urban planning, entertainment and more.

The average annual salary for designated designers is US$64,069.

Universities that offer formal design as one of their design degrees:

11. Transportation Planning

If you are interested in designing cars and motorcycles or airplanes, trains, or future transportation concepts, this is the degree for you. A degree in transportation design combines design, engineering and sustainability to prepare you for careers in the automotive and transportation industry.

You will have the opportunity to sit in classes such as automotive design, information on transportation design, human factors and design psychology, automotive engineering, and automotive technology.

You can find jobs as an automotive designer, concept artist, motion designer, or automotive interior designer. The average annual salary for transportation designers is US$56,698.

Universities that offer transportation planning as one of their planning degrees:

12. Textile Design

Textile design is all about turning raw materials into art that you can touch and wear. You will learn how to create unique fabrics, designs and patterns.

In this degree, you will learn about color theory, textile painting, textile technology, and digital textile design.

After graduation, you can explore careers as a textile designer for fashion brands, home decor companies, or run your own textile business. The average annual salary for textile designers is US$70,250.

Universities that offer textile design as one of their design degrees: