While professionals in graphic design can secure profitable positions without a certification or certificate, these documents verify a person’s expertise. In doing so, these documents make it easier for their holders to qualify for promotions or vertical transfers.
Does that mean it’s worth it to pursue a graphic design certificate or certification? More often than not, yes. What’s more, there are a range of certification and certificate courses available throughout New Jersey. That diversity of courses makes it easier than ever for professionals to find the courses that suit them best.
That said, there are New Jersey-based graphic design certificates and certifications that tend to stand out from the rest. Today’s professionals can browse the courses available through some of New Jersey’s outstanding institutions before determining how best to advance their graphic design careers.
Penn Foster: Graphic DesignÂ
Penn Foster’s Graphic Design Undergraduate Certificate does not require incoming students to register for a full-time degree to receive a comprehensive education. Instead, students can pursue the certificate independent of any longer-form academic plan. Penn Foster offers this certificate through online classes and strives to reach students operating on complicated schedules.
Learn Graphic Design
- Live & Hands-on
- In NYC or Online
- Learn From Experts
- Free Retake
- Small Class Sizes
- Certificate of Completion
This certificate aims to:
- Improve students’ understanding of graphic arts, corporate design, and graphic design fundamentals
- Introduce students to Adobe Creative Cloud
- Prepare students for careers as Graphic Designers or in graphic design-related fields
The course is self-paced and virtual, allowing students to travel or maintain their current work schedule while advancing their education. The course is also accredited, ensuring that the certificate students receive upon their graduation is verifiable. That said, students must have a GED or high school degree to complete this program. On average, the course takes nine months to complete, but students can take up to a year to complete the course’s materials.
Students can expect to pay $2,399 to participate in this certificate program. Students can receive discounts for the program by paying in full. Students may also register for a monthly auto-pay plan to pay as little as $89 per month for their education.
Coursera: Graphic Design SpecializationÂ
Coursera works in tandem with Calarts to bring students in New Jersey its Graphic Design Specialization program. This program is self-driven and takes an average of two months to complete, provided that students work at their lessons for at least 10 hours per week.
Through this course, students can gain the fundamental graphic design skills they need to excel in the field of their choosing. The course’s instructors highlight the importance of image-making, color theory, motion graphics, and typography. Graduates can leave this program with a capstone project that they can later share with possible employers.
Incoming students can audit this course free of charge. That said, students who want to graduate from this program with a professional certificate need to apply for a Coursera account and pay tuition accordingly. Fortunately, Coursera offers financial aid to in-need students. Students must apply for this support to be approved for it. Students who receive financial aid for a course then have 180 days to complete the course of their choosing.
Noble Desktop—Graphic Design CertificateÂ
Professionals who want to build up their graphic design portfolios while also covering the basics of the craft can register for Noble Desktop’s Graphic Design Certificate. Graduates leave this program with the aforementioned certificate proving that they’ve dedicated between a month and three months’ worth of time to their professional development.
Noble Desktop makes its Graphic Design Certificate available on both a part-time and full-time basis. Students can participate in this course virtually or commute to Noble Desktop’s NYC campus. The course’s instructors initially cover the basics of graphic design theory, touching on composition and color theory, before encouraging students to begin crafting deliverables for hypothetical brands. Upon their graduation, students can refer to these deliverables as proof of their graphic design expertise.
The Graphic Design Certificate’s tuition comes in at $2,995. Noble Desktop’s tuition fees cover a free retake of the course as well as 1-on-1 mentorship with industry experts. The course’s tuition cost remains the same whether students take the course on a full-time or part-time basis. Students in need of financial support can work with Noble Desktop to outline a payment plan or apply for applicable scholarships.Â
Noble Desktop: UX & UI Design Certificate
Professionals who want to understand the ins and outs of professional graphic design can turn to Noble Desktop for guidance. Noble Desktop offers several user experience (UX) and user interface (UI)-oriented certificates, including a long-form program that addresses both in one fell swoop. Students can participate in the 132-hour UX & UI Design Certificate program on a part-time or full-time basis, depending on what their professional schedules look like.
The UX & UI Design Certificate breaks down the basics of audience assessment before moving into the practical application of graphic design skills. Students have the opportunity to collaborate on apps and websites using tools from Adobe Creative Cloud as well as other kinds of graphic design software. Upon their graduation, students will have clickable website prototypes that they can share as proof of their expertise.
Instructors only take on a few students at a time, ensuring that each professional has the opportunity to get the UX & UI Design education that they need to excel in the field of their choosing.
One of the perks of the UX & UI Design Certificate track includes its career focus. Students can work with instructors throughout their final few lessons to update their resumes and establish professional portfolios. Upon their graduation, students can list a UX & UI certificate among their qualifications when applying for new jobs.Â
Students should expect to pay $3,495 to attend this class. Noble Desktop makes it easy for students to pay for their tuition by offering long-term payment programs, scholarships, and the occasional platform-based discount. Students can contact Noble Desktop’s representatives today to learn more about the program’s different financing options.
Noble Desktop: UI Design CertificateÂ
Students in New Jersey can also turn to Noble Desktop for UI-specific certificate programs. Noble Desktop’s UI Design Certificate breaks down the basics of Adobe Creative Cloud and its suite of tools over the course of 120 virtual or in-person hours.
Students don’t start the UI Design Certificate program by jumping head first into Adobe Creative Cloud. Instead, instructors can guide students through the basics of graphic design theory. The course’s initial modules focus on concepts like the following:
- Typography
- Color theory
- Graphic interactivity
In the modules that follow, students get to learn more about the professional use of tools like Illustrator, Photoshop, and Figma. They undertake each of these lessons with the opportunity to work 1-on-1 with an attending instructor. By the time the course comes to an end, students should have a working UI portfolio that they can use to vie for promotions or new positions in their field of choice.
Noble Desktop’s UI Design Certificate costs $3,995 and is New York State Department of Education certified. Graduates leave the program with a certificate indicating their UI expertise. Parties concerned about the cost of course tuition can reach out to Noble Desktop today to discuss financing options and program scholarships.
NextGen Bootcamp: UX & UI Design Summer Program
NextGen Bootcamp deliberately markets its courses, including its UX & UI Design Summer Program, to high schoolers and recent high school graduates. Why? Because most other graphic design courses available in New Jersey are available strictly to working professionals. NextGen Bootcamp operates under the assumption that high schoolers looking to enter the workforce or supplement their educational goals deserve the opportunity to earn graphic design certificates, too.
Enter the UX & UI Design Summer Program. This program helps students learn how to create engaging websites and apps with an interface design that highlights a business’s specific visual language. Students who participate in this program primarily work in Figma to create functional digital platforms.
The program’s graduates can expect to come away from the course with clickable prototypes that they can refer back to if they’re called upon to demonstrate their expertise. These portfolio projects can help course graduates break into their fields of choice. Graduates additionally receive a certificate of completion verifying that they finished the course’s projects and demonstrated a degree of professional UX & UI expertise.
The UX & UI Design Summer Program costs $2,795 but is discounted for early registrants. The course operates online and in-person, should a student be willing to commute to NextGen Bootcamp’s NYC campus. Students benefit from small classes and consistently receive 1-on-1 support from instructors as they pursue their graphic design education.
FAQ for Graphic Design Certificates
What is the Difference Between a Certificate and a Certification?
Graphic design certificates and certifications both indicate that the holder has pursued a field-specific education. That said, graphic design certifications require students to pass an exam before students can receive verification of their expertise. Sometimes that exam is practical, and sometimes it isn’t.Â
Certificates, on the other hand, indicate that a professional attended and completed a workshop about a graphic design theory, tool, or technique. Students are not required to pass exams to come away from these workshops with certificates of expertise or completion.
Does this mean that a certification has more value than a certificate in the world of graphic design? Not necessarily. Both of these documents indicate that a person chose to pursue additional education in their field of choice. While it can take longer to complete a graphic design certification, a certificate can indicate expertise with highly specific graphic design tools.
In other words, both a graphic design certificate and certification can help today’s professionals better advance their careers.
Should I Pursue a Certificate or a Certification?
Pursuing a graphic design certificate or certification can benefit a person’s long-term career. Employers may consider an applicant with a graphic design certification or certificate more competitive than their peers. Some supervisors may even offer bonuses or promotions to employees who take the time to pursue a more comprehensive graphic design education.
That said, there’s no need to pursue one of these documents over the other. Again, a graphic design certification does not have more value than a certificate, nor vice versa. Rather, professionals debating whether they should pursue a certificate or certification should consider independent factors like their budgets, availability, and professional goals.
In general, graphic design certifications take longer to complete than certificates. These programs also tend to be more expensive. As such, professionals with the budget and time might consider pursuing the certification process, whereas professionals looking for a tool refresher might pursue a certificate.
Interested parties can always learn more about the graphic design certificate or certification process of their choosing to determine which path might suit their long-term goals the best.
Do I Need to Become Certified to Find a Job?
No one needs a graphic design certification or certificate to pursue a career in a creative field. Almost every industry is looking to hire professionals who understand how to navigate a digital marketplace. Professionals who have experience doing just that under their belt can readily find a place with any of today’s active marketing agencies or industry-specific employers.
That said, professionals with graphic design certifications and certificates do tend to prove more competitive when the time comes to consider promotions. With that in mind, professionals can consider pursuing a graphic design certification if they want to stand out when the next round of bonuses goes out or if they’re considering applying for a position in a different field.
What Certificate Program is Right for Me?
Professionals trying to determine which graphic design certificate program suits them best may find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer availability of in-person and virtual programs. Fortunately, there are ways to filter out graphic design certification programs that might not suit a specific person’s needs.
Soon-to-be participants can break down their budgets, availability, and professional goals to better determine which of New Jersey’s available graphic design courses might suit them the best.
Which is Better: In-Person or Online Classes?
First and foremost, soon-to-be attendees should ask themselves whether they want to attend a graphic design workshop in-person or virtually. Both types of courses have their benefits. Virtual courses, for example, allow graphic design professionals to work from the comfort of their homes. Professionals save time by avoiding a New Jersey commute and can learn on the go. That said, virtual programs often lack the collaborative opportunities that some professionals enjoy.
In-person graphic design certificates, on the other hand, boast face-to-face, 1-on-1 consultations with industry professionals, not to mention ample opportunities for graphic design collaboration. These courses are best suited for students who learn well in social settings. That said, in-person graphic design certificates do require students to commute to a campus at a consistent time for weeks or months at a time. Professionals who need to travel for work or can’t operate on such a strict schedule may struggle to keep up with these programs.
Which is Better: Live or Asynchronous Classes?
Professionals who decide to participate in a virtual graphic design workshop have other questions they need to ask themselves before committing to a course. Specifically, virtual courses can take place one of two ways: live and in real-time or asynchronously. Again, both forms have their pros and cons.
For example, live virtual courses allow students to ask questions about graphic design in real-time. Students can also go into break-out rooms, courtesy of programs like Zoom or Microsoft Groups, to collaborate with their peers on projects. While the virtual nature of these courses makes it easy for professionals to learn on the road, the real-time nature of these programs also demands that students continue to meet at a specific time over the course of a program. Those demands can make it more difficult for busier professionals to make it to each course session.
Asynchronous classes, on the other hand, function as self-driven courses. These graphic design certificates require a lot of diligence on the part of a student. A student who can’t commit themselves to a certain amount of work every day may not come away from these programs with the education they want. That said, asynchronous graphic design certificates are ideal for self-starters who want to learn on the go. Students who can’t commit to a rigid schedule but who still want to learn tend to come away from these courses with the credentials they need to pursue their professional goals.