Pennsylvania Web Design Schools
Pennsylvania Web Designer Licensing
Many people are misguided about the requirements for being a web designer in the state of Pennsylvania. Some people will tell you web designers need to have a certification or a license in order to practice their profession, but this is absolutely ridiculous and usually stems from the propaganda put out by schools that offer useless diploma and certification programs. There are actually no hard and fast rules for becoming a web designer, in Pennsylvania and anywhere else. Who will be hired for web design positions and who will not is left entirely up to the employer.
The best way to find out whether or not you are eligible for a particular job is to view the requirements and/or qualifications for the job. These can usually be found online with the job listing or obtained by speaking with the employer. Sometimes, qualifications and requirements are absolute; the hiring professional will not consider anyone who doesn’t meet all of the criteria. Other times, these criteria are just preferred, and the employer is open to others with impressive education, experience, or both in the field, even if it does not meet the specified criteria exactly. This doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t prepare yourself for the job you want.
The best way to do this is, first of all, by researching the field and getting yourself very familiar with it. Pay special attention to the many different types of jobs that are available in the web design industry and, when you find a job that interests you, take the time to read up on the qualifications of most of the professionals doing that particular job. This will help to give you a good idea of what kind of educational and other preparations you should be doing to land your dream job.
Most jobs in the field will require at least a bachelor’s degree in web design or a related area. Bachelor’s degrees are, in fact, the most commonly held degrees by professionals in the field. They are earned from accredited colleges and universities, either online or traditional, usually in about four years, and provide an in depth look at web design in general, as well as at the specialization area the student chooses, if applicable. Once a bachelor’s degree is earned, it makes graduates eligible for higher-level course work, including master’s degrees and then doctorate level degrees. Doctoral level degrees are extremely uncommon in the web design field, but master’s level degrees are not.
In fact, master’s level degrees tend to be held by those in the most prestigious, lucrative, and coveted positions in the industry. They require one to three years, on average, of intensive post undergraduate study and are usually in a highly specialized area. As such, you won’t really want to pursue a master’s degree until you know exactly what it is that you wish to do in the field. Another good reason to pursue a master’s degree is if you already have an undergraduate degree in an unrelated area and do not want to start over with your education.
Of course, not everyone will need to strive for such high levels of achievement. In fact, there are many entry-level web design positions that are open to those who hold nothing more than a simple associate’s degree. Associate’s degrees are basic degrees, often referred to as “overview” degrees because they basically provide an overview of the entire field, that are typically earned in around two years. They are generally more affordable than higher-level degrees, since they are most commonly earned from community colleges or trade or technical schools. Plus, they provide lots of room to grow.
You are never “stuck” if you have an associate’s degree, and that’s because these degree programs are designed so that you can easily transfer credits earned to an undergraduate degree program either immediately after finishing your associate’s degree or later on in the future. This makes them very versatile degrees, great for those just starting out who want to go further in the field, and for those who are comfortable with lower level positions in the industry. Only you can decide on the right educational path for yourself.
Schools offering online and campus-based education programs in Pennsylvania:
Campus Schools:
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Lansdale School of Business
Programs: Associate Degree-Web Design , Diploma-Web Design Specialist , Associate Degree-Web Security and Administration , more...
Online Schools:
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Full Sail University