Question

Topic: Career/Training

Thinking About Changing Majors - Need Some Input.

Posted by Anonymous on 10/25/2012 at 11:08 PM ET 125 Points
I am currently enrolled in courses for Web Design and Interactive Media, but I'm thinking of changing to Graphic Design. The program courses are media-heavy and I'm finding that I have zero interest in the media aspect of the courses. I have just finished Intro to Audio, which I hated, and soon will be Desktop Video, which I am dreading. I will also have Interactive Authoring I and II soon. (I would like to note that although I'm not crazy about some of these classes, it's not affecting my grades - I'm a solid 3.9. but I stink at math which is why it's not 4.0!)

I have several years of hobbyist-designing under my belt, creating various elements such as web banners, business cards, etc. so I am fairly adept with graphic programs (Photoshop, Elements, Corel). Designing is where my talent lies.

If I change it will mean losing credits and of course paying more at the end of it all, but I also don't want to have regrets. I am 47, work full-time at a Funeral Home as an Admin Assistant, have children in school, and at this time in my life I don't want or need regrets.

Should I tough it out and continue on, gain new skills and flesh out my design skills independently? How will this decision impact my career options? Any advice?

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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Moriarty on 10/26/2012 at 1:08 PM Accepted
    My reckoning is that you should change - you say that you will lose credits, only I don't know how many this would be. In any case, as long as you don't have to repeat any whole years (only a semester?). Here in N Europe, you don't have to pay the course fees at uni which makes things much easier should you make a mistake. That you say you are dreading the video course speaks volumes.

    You could do the design separately as you say - I used to work as an industrial designer in the 80s without any qualifications at all (one of Germany's top studios, too) - so you don't always need them.

    Whatever you do it is the client skills that will make or break any independent business you might have. Just listening to them will put you in the top rank for starters. If you are going into the corporate world it is different.

    Hope this helps and I wish you well Gemma x

  • Posted on 10/26/2012 at 2:06 PM Accepted
    So the hard question is, "What do you want to be doing 5 years from today?" Then, "How important is it that I get a formal education to pursue my long-term goal?"

    There is life beyond taking classes (in anything). Figure out where you want to be at the end, and then make your immediate decisions to set you on the right path to the goal.

    If you really want to be a web designer, then stick with what you're doing. If you want to be a graphic designer, start doing more of that. The courses you take are vehicles, not goals.
  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 10/26/2012 at 9:27 PM Member
    Is this a degree or certificate program? How far into it are you, and how much do you have left to go?
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 10/27/2012 at 8:45 AM Member
    Do some informational interviews with people who are doing jobs that deeply interest you. Then ask them the same question - what should you do, what would they suggest, etc.
  • Posted on 10/27/2012 at 2:10 PM Author
    Thank you all for your input to this point.

    Peter: it is a degree program, not a diploma, and if I switch now, I will be losing 18 credits and will be adding about $8,000.00 to my account in tuition alone (not counting lab fees, software, book, etc.). I have approximately 14 more classes at my current program. Now, it is not a given that I won't run into out-of-pocket expenses should I stay on my current course, however, it is an additional $8,000 on top of whatever may not be included in my financial packet at the end.

    One school of thought is that if I'm most likely going to go over anyway, go ahead and make the change. Another is to stay the course, learn outside my comfort zone, and continue to develop my graphic skills independent of school.

    MGoodman: I would much rather design - I did enjoy Screen Design in which I took an existing web site and gave it a make-over. Those aspects of Web Design that entail the visual experience are what I enjoy. I'm just not into audio or video, and it seems that the majority of the rest of my classes deal heavily with these two aspects.

    Financially, regardless of whatever I decide to do, I should look into additional scholarships and grants to subsidize my funding. So perhaps I should take the financial aspect out of the decision?
  • Posted on 10/29/2012 at 10:29 AM Author
    Thank you all - I have decided to make the change. I appreciate all of the sound advice and thoughts.

    Dara
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