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GRAPHIC DESIGN
Nature of work
Graphic designers create designs with computer software to
communicate and captivate people. They design anything from
advertisements such as posters, billboards, signs and logos, to CD covers,
movie posters etc. These designs also include, brochures and ads to promote
products for different companies. Some graphic designers work on layouts of
magazines or websites.
Working Conditions
Graphic Designers work indoors in a studio. These are studios that
have access to drafting and computers. After speaking to the client and
understanding what they want they sketch out the design for their client or
make a layout in the computer. They then present sketches or layout to their
art director and or client for approval. Many graphic designers work
independently, however, those who work for specialized graphic design firms
usually work as part of a design team. Graphic designers also work for in
television and film. They may design the credits that appear at the beginning
or end of a television show or movie. They may create storyboards for film
production.

Employment
Mayor employers include Manufacturing Graphic Design companies,
newspaper, magazine, book publishers, advertising agencies, and printing
companies. About 24% of graphic designers are self-employed. Graphic
designers held 259,500jobs in 2012. Employment in southwest Missouri is
high for graphic designers right now. The growth of all occupations in
southwest Missouri is eight percent while the growth for graphic designers in
Southwest Missouri is 9.8 percent. Annual job openings for this profession in
southwest is 70.
Skills
Some basic skills that a graphic designer needs to have include artistic
capacity, creativity, an understanding of current trends and styles,
knowledge of printing techniques and photography, knowledge of the
industry software, and problem solving. In todays day and age it will only
increase your chances of landing a job if you add Web Design to your
portfolio.
Training
Graphic designers typically need to have a high school diploma or GED
and a bachelors degree in art or design. Usually 1 to 3 years of work
experience is required before they can advance to higher positions such as
chief designer, art or creative director or other supervisory positions.
Qualifications and Advancement

A portfolio is something almost all graphic designers have. In this

portfolio they store past works and designs from college or previous work.
This is what your employer will use to decide whether you get the job or not.
Job Outlook
Competition for jobs is strong. Graphic Designers with a bachelors
degree that know a lot about print media and internet have a higher chance
of being hired. There is a 7% job growth for graphic designers calculated
from 2012 to 2022. This is slower than the average occupations. The
employment of graphic designers in newspaper, periodical, or any directory
publishers is predicted to decline by 16 percent. Employment of graphic
designers in computer systems design and related services is projected to
grow by 35 percent.
Earnings
The median annual wage for graphic designers was $44,150 in May
2012. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $26,250 and the top 10
percent earned more than $77,490. The median annual pay in Southwest
Missouri is $27,230. Wages vary by type of project and skill of the designer.
Wages also tend to be higher in industries such as advertising.
Related Occupations
Some related occupations include Advertising, promotions, and
Marketing managers, Art directors, Craft and Fine Artists, Desktop Publishers,
Drafters, Web developers, and Multimedia Artists.

Justification
The more I researched about this profession the more it fit my
personality. Graphic designers need to be able to visualize things and the
way they go together. Visualizing things such as what I want one of my
drawings to look like is something I consider myself to be very good at and
love to do. Drawing and painting is something I am good at and I like to do.
Every interest inventory I have taken results in Art & Communications. Right
now I am taking a graphic design class in OTC and time seems to go by really
fast in that class because I love putting things that I visualize into a piece of
art in the computer or on paper. Important qualities that this career requires
include creativity, artistic ability, communication skills, computer skills, and
time-management skills. These are all qualities that I have. Art and design is
something that comes easy to me and I consider it one of my attributes.
Potential Training Sites
1) Mizzou:
Address: 104 Jesse Hall Columbia, MO 65221 Mizzou 573.882.2121
Annual Tuition: $10,586
Admission Standards: ACT composite score of 24 or higher/ SAT critical
reading and math sub score total is 1090 or higher
Undergraduate Graphic Design Classes
o ART_GRDN 1400 | 1 Credit Hours Beginning Digital Imaging
o ART_GRDN 2400 | 1 Credit Hours Advanced Digital Imaging
o ART_GRDN 2410 | 3 Credit Hours Graphic Design I
o ART_GRDN 2420 | 3 Credit Hours Graphic Design II
o ART_GRDN 2430 | 3 Credit Hours Introduction to Calligraphy
o ART_GRDN 3410 | 3 Credit Hours- Graphic Design III
o ART_GRDN 3420 | 3 Credit Hours- Graphic Design IV
o ART_GRDN 3430 | 3 Credit Hours- Advanced Calligraphy
o ART_GRDN 3440 | 3 Credit Hours- Packaging Design

o ART_GRDN 3441
o ART_GRDN 3442
and Branding
o ART_GRDN 3443
o ART_GRDN 4410
o ART_GRDN 4485
o ART_GRDN 4996

| 3 Credit Hours- The History of Graphic Design

| 3 Credit Hours- Design for Corporate Identity
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Credit Hours- Letterpress

Credit Hours- Graphic Design V
- 3 Credit Hours- Problems in Graphic Design
Credit Hours- Imprint-Design Practicum

Graduate Graphic Design Classes

o ART_GRDN 7400 | 3 Credit Hours- Graduate Graphic Design
o ART_GRDN 7485 | 1 - 3 Credit Hours- Problems in Graphic Design
o ART_GRDN 8400 | 3 Credit Hours-Graduate Graphic Design
2) Missouri State University:
Address: 901 S National Ave, Springfield, MO 65897
Annual Tuition: $7,060
Admission Standards for MSU: ACT composite test score minimum of
18/ SAT minimum of 860
Admission Standards for program: In addition to completing
Foundations courses (ART 100, 101, 110, 115) students must have a
GPA of 2.50 or higher in the major and a Missouri State cumulative GPA
of at least 2.50 to pass the Advisory Review administered by the
Design Program Coordinator in the spring of the freshman year for
provisional admission to the program.
In the spring of the sophomore year students must apply for
Candidacy Review. A committee of Design faculty will administer this
review. A student must submit a portfolio consisting of 12-20 pieces
selected from Foundations and Design Core courses including: ART 115
or 215, ART 202, DES 202, 210, 301, 303 and may include additional
work chosen with faculty advisement. Students must choose an option
at this time: Graphic Design, Illustration, or Graphic Design and

Illustration. This is a competitive programif students are not

accepted into the program they may consider repeating courses and/or
doing additional work and reapplying for admission the following
spring, but acceptance is not guaranteed. Students must have a GPA of
3.00 or higher in the major and a Missouri State cumulative GPA of at
least 2.50 to be admitted to candidacy.

Program Requirements (78-93 hours):

o Foundations (12 hours): ART 100(3), 101(3), 110(3), 115(3)
o Design Core (18 hours): ART 202(3), 215(3); DES
202(3), 210(3), 301(3),303(3)
o Art History (15 hours): ART 271(3), 272(3); ART 273(3) or 274(3)
or382(3); ART 377(3); and ART 480(3) or 484(3)
o Studio Art (12 hours): ART 225(3), 255(3), 315(3), ART 235(3)
or 242(3)
o Professional Design Practicum (3 hours): DES 490(3)
o Public Affairs Capstone Experience will be fulfilled by completion
of DES 490(3).
o Complete one of the options below
o Graphic Design (18 hours):

DES 330(3), 331(3), 332(3), 340(3), 430(3)

3 hours of Design electives from DES

345(3), 440(3), 497(3),499(3)

o Illustration (18 hours):

DES 250(3), 350(3), 452(3)

6 hours of DES 497(3) Special Topics in Illustration. May not

repeat the same topic.

3 hours of electives chosen from: Photography-ART

354(3),355(3), 356(3), 357(3), 358(3); Printmaking-ART
242(3)*, 243(3),342(3), 343(3); Drawing and Painting-ART
315(3)*, 316(3),325(3), Digital Imaging-ART 310(3), 410(3);
Computer Animation-ART 230(3); Design-DES
345(3), 497(3)-may not be same topic;DES 499(3)
* ART 315 and ART 242 cannot be counted both here and
toward the Studio Art requirement, however, ART 315 may
be repeated.

o Graphic Design and Illustration (33 hours):

15 hours in Graphic Design: DES
330(3), 331(3), 332(3), 340(3),430(3)
9 hours in illustration: DES 250(3), 350(3), 452(3)
6 hours of DES 497(3) Special Topics in Illustration. May not
repeat the same topic.
3 hours of design electives: DES 345(3), 440(3), 497(3)
Special Topics in Illustration. May not repeat the same
topic, DES 499(3)
o General Baccalaureate Degree Requirements - see General
Baccalaureate Degree Requirements section of catalog
o Design Internships

3) University of Central Missouri:

Address: 108 W South St, Warrensburg, MO 64093
Tuition/ Credit Hour: Undergraduate-$214.85 Graduate: $278.45
Admission Standards: completed the 24-unit Missouri collegepreparatory curriculum. In addition, you need either:
o a score of 21 or higher on the ACT and 2.0 GPA or 990 CR+M on the
SAT and 2.0 GPA or
o a score of 20 on the ACT and 2.9 GPA or
o a score of 19 on the ACT and 3.0 GPA or
o a Combined Percentile Index equal to or exceeding 100
Program of Study: Graphic Design
Courses Include: Logo and Trademark Design
Watercolor
Design for Advertising
Contemporary Art and Design
Artists in Contemporary Society

Reference Page
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook
Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Graphic Designers, (visited August 11,
2015).
"Missouri State University." Graphic Design. Department of Art and Design,
2010. Web. 25 Aug. 2015.
"Occupations-Graphic Designers." MissouriConnections.org. N.p., 1971. Web.
26 Aug. 2015.
"University of Central Missouri." Undergraduate Majors, Graphic Design. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2015.
"University of Missouri." Art Department. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Aug. 2015.