Visual communications is the art and science of conveying a message through images, graphics, text and symbols that allows viewers to see and understand information based solely on the visible design.
The best online visual communications schools should possess either regional or national accreditation from an accrediting body that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
In addition, you can often recognize top online visual communications schools based on:
The following levels of visual communications degree online programs are available:
The amount of time it takes a student to earn an accredited online visual communications degree depends on the level of visual communications degree being pursued and the pace of the student.
Typically, the breakdown is as follows:
The best visual communications online degree programs incorporate courses that focus on how to design visual communications as well as what makes visual media effective as a communication tool. Accredited online visual communications schools offer courses including:
A good visual communications online degree allows students to focus their training in one of several visual media areas like the following specializations:
Since visual communications is a broad category of communication media, visual communications jobs come in a variety of shapes and sizes. visual communications specialists career choices include two and three-dimensional media work as:
A visual communications specialist is a type of artist-communicator who utilizes visual media as the primary mode of presenting information to viewers. visual communications specialists work with entertainment, news, businesses, fashion, theater, advertising and web design to find or create the most relevant and compelling visual image to convey the message at hand.
A visual communications specialist is responsible for problem-solving a communication issue by creating effective visual designs that convey a message. In an advertising firm for example, a visual communications Specialist may draw a mock-up product logo and advertisement page, present the image to a client or design team and then adapt the logo or image so it may be clearly recognized when produced on several kinds of products that company makes.
The average annual salaries career visual communications specialists vary based on what type of specialization the visual communicator uses. Typical visual communications jobs in advertising visual communications jobs in advertising earn $80,220 on average; animators and illustrators earn $79,000, video game designers earn $77,000 and web designers earn $72,410 per year. In the variety of industries, the average job growth rate is expected to be between 7% and 13% over the next eight to ten years, particularly as companies develop more digital media communications and website design needs increase.
To become a visual communications specialist, one needs to enroll in an accredited online visual communications degree program and choose a specialization. Upon completing the degree, individuals should organize a visual communications resume and portfolio of their work or sample designs, highlighting software, digital media and tools that they are skilled in using. Individuals should also include any certifications they have for design or illustration software.
| School | Certificate | Associates | Bachelors | Masters | PhD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Arizona State University
1151 S Forest Ave
Tempe, AZ, 85287 http://www.asu.edu/
|
X | ||||
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Ohio State University-Main Campus
190 N. Oval Mall
Columbus, OH, 43210 http://www.osu.edu
|
X | ||||
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University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
100 Church Street SE
Minneapolis, MN, 55455 http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/index.php
|
X | ||||
|
The University of Texas at Austin
2608 Whitis Ave
Austin, TX, 78712 http://www.utexas.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Ashford University
400 N Bluff Blvd
Clinton, IA, 52733 http://www.ashford.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Northern Virginia Community College
4001 Wakefield Chapel Rd
Annandale, VA, 22003 http://www.nvcc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Liberty University
1971 University Blvd
Lynchburg, VA, 24502 http://www.liberty.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
1400 NE Campus Parkway
Seattle, WA, 98195 http://www.washington.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
201 Old Main
State College, PA, 16802 http://www.psu.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
New York University
70 Washington Sq South
New York, NY, 10012 http://www.nyu.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Purdue University-Main Campus
Hovde Hall of Administration
West Lafayette, IN, 47907 http://www.purdue.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of Arizona
1401 E University
Tucson, AZ, 85721 http://www.arizona.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of California-Los Angeles
405 Hilgard Ave
Los Angeles, CA, 90095 http://www.ucla.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
Pima Community College
401 North Bonita Avenue
Tucson, AZ, 85709 http://www.pima.edu
|
X | ||||
|
American River College
4700 College Oak Dr
Sacramento, CA, 95841 http://www.arc.losrios.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
University of North Texas
Chestnut Ave.
Denton, TX, 76203 http://www.unt.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Salt Lake Community College
4600 S Redwood Rd
Salt Lake City, UT, 84123 http://www.slcc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Brigham Young University
Main Campus
Provo, UT, 84602 http://www.byu.edu
|
X | ||||
|
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
2101 Hillsborough Street
Raleigh, NC, 27695 http://www.ncsu.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Virginia Commonwealth University
910 W Franklin St
Richmond, VA, 23284 http://www.vcu.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
George Mason University
4400 University Dr
Fairfax, VA, 22030 http://www.gmu.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Boston University
One Silber Way
Boston, MA, 2215 http://www.bu.edu
|
X | ||||
|
San Jose State University
1 Washington Sq
San Jose, CA, 95192 http://www.sjsu.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of California-Davis
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA, 95616 http://www.ucdavis.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Santa Ana College
1530 W. 17th Street
Santa Ana, CA, 92706 http://www.sac.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Texas State University-San Marcos
601 University Dr
San Marcos, TX, 78666 http://www.txstate.edu
|
X | ||||
|
San Francisco State University
1600 Holloway Ave
San Francisco, CA, 94132 http://www.sfsu.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Tidewater Community College
121 College Place
Norfolk, VA, 23510 http://www.tcc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
2200 E Kenwood Blvd
Milwaukee, WI, 53201 http://www.uwm.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis
425 University Blvd
Indianapolis, IN, 46202 http://www.iupui.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Portland Community College
12000 SW 49th Avenue
Portland, OR, 97219 http://www.pcc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Texas Tech University
Broadway and University Avenue
Lubbock, TX, 79409 http://www.ttu.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Mt San Antonio College
1100 N Grand Ave
Walnut, CA, 91789 http://www.mtsac.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Cuyahoga Community College District
700 Carnegie Ave
Cleveland, OH, 44115 http://www.tri-c.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of Utah
201 Presidents Circle
Salt Lake City, UT, 84112 http://www.utah.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of Kansas
Jayhawk Dr
Lawrence, KS, 66045 http://www.ku.edu
|
X | ||||
|
West Virginia University
Stewart Hall University Avenue
Morgantown, WV, 26506 http://www.wvu.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
Utah Valley University
800 W University Parkway
Orem, UT, 84058 http://www.uvu.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
University of California-San Diego
9500 Gilman Dr
San Diego, CA, 92093 http://www.ucsd.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Iowa State University
137 Lynn Ave
Ames, IA, 50011 http://www.iastate.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Long Beach City College
4901 E. Carson St.
Long Beach, CA, 90808 http://www.lbcc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Harvard University
Massachusetts Hall
Cambridge, MA, 2138 http://www.harvard.edu/
|
X | X | |||
|
Northeastern University
360 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA, 2115 http://www.northeastern.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Palomar College
1140 W. Mission
San Marcos, CA, 92069 http://WWW.PALOMAR.EDU
|
X | ||||
|
Sacramento City College
3835 Freeport Blvd
Sacramento, CA, 95822 http://www.scc.losrios.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
College of DuPage
425 Fawell Blvd.
Glen Ellyn, IL, 60137 http://www.cod.edu
|
X | ||||
|
American InterContinental University-Online
5550 Prairie Stone Pky-Ste 400
Hoffman Estates, IL, 60192 http://www.aiuonline.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Pasadena City College
1570 E Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA, 91106 http://www.pasadena.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Montgomery College
40 W. Gude Drive Suite 220
Rockville, MD, 20850 http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Mesa Community College
1833 W Southern Ave
Mesa, AZ, 85202 http://www.mc.maricopa.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
660 Parrington Oval
Norman, OK, 73019 http://www.ou.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Santa Rosa Junior College
1501 Mendocino Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA, 95401 http://www.santarosa.edu
|
X | ||||
|
De Anza College
21250 Stevens Creek Blvd.
Cupertino, CA, 95014 http://www.deanza.edu/
|
X | X | |||
|
Kent State University Kent Campus
Campus Center Dr
Kent, OH, 44242 http://www.kent.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Gallaudet University
800 Florida Ave NE
Washington, DC, 20002 http://www.gwu.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Auburn University Main Campus
Auburn Alabama
Auburn, AL, 36849 http://www.auburn.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of Pennsylvania
1 College Hall 34th and Spruce Sts
Philadelphia, PA, 19104 http://www.upenn.edu
|
X | ||||
|
San Antonio College
1300 San Pedro Ave
San Antonio, TX, 78212 http://www.alamo.edu/sac/sacmain/sac.htm
|
X | ||||
|
Northern Arizona University
Knoles Drive Babbitt Administrative Center
Flagstaff, AZ, 86011 http://home.nau.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
The Community College of Baltimore County
7201 Rossville Blvd.
Baltimore, MD, 21237 http://www.ccbcmd.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Saddleback College
28000 Marguerite Pky
Mission Viejo, CA, 92692 http://www.saddleback.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Weber State University
3848 Harrison Blvd
Ogden, UT, 84408 http://www.weber.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Ohio University-Main Campus
E Mulberry
Athens, OH, 45701 http://www.ohio.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Harrisburg Area Community College-Harrisburg
One HACC Dr
Harrisburg, PA, 17110 http://www.hacc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Oregon State University
1500 SW Jefferson Way
Corvallis, OR, 97331 http://oregonstate.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Cerritos College
11110 Alondra Blvd
Norwalk, CA, 90650 http://WWW.CERRITOS.EDU
|
X | ||||
|
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College
199 Chambers St
New York, NY, 10007 http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
Chaffey College
5885 Haven Ave
Rancho Cucamonga, CA, 91737 http://www.chaffey.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Lansing Community College
419 N Capitol Ave
Lansing, MI, 48901 http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us
|
X | ||||
|
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd
Bowling Green, KY, 42101 http://www.wku.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Sierra College
5000 Rocklin Road
Rocklin, CA, 95677 http://www.sierracollege.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Missouri State University
901 S National
Springfield, MO, 65897 http://www.missouristate.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
900 S Illinois Ave
Carbondale, IL, 62901 http://www.siuc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Glendale Community College
6000 W Olive Ave
Glendale, AZ, 85302 http://www.gc.maricopa.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Northwestern University
633 Clark St
Evanston, IL, 60208 http://www.northwestern.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Ivy Tech Community College-Central Indiana
50 W. Fall Creek Parkway N. Drive
Indianapolis, IN, 46208 http://www.ivytech.edu/indianapolis/
|
X | ||||
|
University of California-Riverside
900 University Ave
Riverside, CA, 92521 http://WWW.UCR.EDU
|
X | ||||
|
Webster University
470 E Lockwood Ave.
St. Louis, MO, 63119 http://www.webster.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Boise State University
1910 University Dr
Boise City, ID, 83725 http://www.boisestate.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Oakland University
2200 N. Squirrel Road
Rochester Hills, MI, 48309 http://www.oakland.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Mississippi State University
100 President Cir
Starkville, MS, 39762 http://www.msstate.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
2850 Weddell Street
Las Cruces, NM, 88003 http://www.nmsu.edu/
|
X | X | |||
|
Modesto Junior College
435 College Ave
Modesto, CA, 95350 http://mjc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
CUNY Kingsborough Community College
2001 Oriental Blvd
New York, NY, 11235 http://www.kbcc.cuny.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Moraine Valley Community College
9000 W. College Parkway
Palos Hills, IL, 60465 http://www.morainevalley.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Mt. San Jacinto Community College District
1499 N State St
San Jacinto, CA, 92583 http://www.msjc.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus
220 McFall Ctr
Bowling Green, OH, 43403 http://www.bgsu.edu
|
X | ||||
|
CUNY Brooklyn College
2900 Bedford Ave
New York, NY, 11210 http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu
|
X | ||||
|
California State University-Chico
First and Normal Sts
Chico, CA, 95929 http://www.csuchico.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Madison Area Technical College
3550 Anderson St
Madison, WI, 53704 http://matcmadison.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
104 University Circle
Lafayette, LA, 70503 http://www.louisiana.edu
|
X | ||||
|
University of Central Oklahoma
100 N University Dr
Edmond, OK, 73034 http://www.uco.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
University of Mississippi Main Campus
Oxford Mississippi
Oxford, MS, 38677 http://www.olemiss.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
Loyola University Chicago
1032 W. Sheridan Rd
Chicago, IL, 60660 http://www.luc.edu
|
X | ||||
|
The University of Texas at Dallas
800 West Campbell Road
Richardson, TX, 75080 http://www.utdallas.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Triton College
2000 5th Ave
River Grove, IL, 60171 http://www.triton.edu
|
X | X | |||
|
University of Miami
University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL, 33124 http://www.miami.edu/
|
X | ||||
|
CUNY Queensborough Community College
222-05 56th Ave
New York, NY, 11364 http://www.qcc.cuny.edu
|
X | ||||
|
Rochester Institute of Technology
1 Lomb Memorial Dr
Rochester, NY, 14623 http://www.rit.edu/
|
X | X | X | ||
|
Cypress College
9200 Valley View
Cypress, CA, 90630 http://www.cypresscollege.edu
|
X |
I have learned that if you want to make time for your personal life without falling behind in a graduate program, you need to become efficient at work and in the classroom.Read Full Interview
