Fashion design is one of the many design-related degrees offered by California colleges.
A degree in Design can be applied to a variety of professions. You can be a web designer, interior designer, product designer, or technical designer (to name a few). These careers average more than $45,000 per year. California has several of the best colleges offering two and four-year degree programs in many design disciplines.
State Universities
California State University at Sacramento is a highly ranked and affordable school with bachelor's degree programs in fashion design, graphic design and interior design. This college was rated highly in a 2010 survey of High School Counselors performed by U.S.News. Tuition is under $6000 for California residents and campus housing is also available. The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) offers a major in Design & Media Arts for around $10,000 per year; while more popular than Cal State, it's ranked lower by U.S.News and accepts 50 percent fewer students.
Best Colleges
The Academy of Art University in San Francisco offers majors in fashion, game, graphic, interior and industrial design. It is considered a top art college by U.S.News for quality and value and offers campus housing and financial aid. Art Center College of Design, in Pasadena, offers Environmental and Entertainment design programs in addition to traditional graphic and product design programs. They also offer Transportation and Design Sciences, which are programs unique to this school. Otis College, also highly ranked, offers traditional design programs in addition to Toy Design. Its graduates have gone on to work on Avatar and Alice in Wonderland, and have designed some of your favorite toys. Tuition at these colleges averages $25,000 per year.
Online Programs
Applying to a California Design College has its benefits if you are a California resident, but there may be several reasons you can't attend all or any of the courses locally. Schools such as the Academy of Arts and DeVry University offer some or all of their courses online. Other colleges such as the Arts Institute of San Francisco and UC Berkeley also offer full design programs online. Tuition averages $20,000 and financial aid is available. Studying online may limit your access to campus resources and educators, though, as well as community benefits such as peer support, competitions and internships.
Vocational and Career Advancement
You don't necessarily need a bachelor's degree in design to be successful in all industries. Careers such as web design, fashion design and game design are constantly evolving and as a result they depend more on your creativity than education. Nevertheless, attending career advancement or vocational courses in these areas will grant you vital connections and skills you may not otherwise be able to learn on your own. The Arts Institute (San Francisco), UC Berkeley and DeVry University offer design-related extension programs or associate degrees for less than $10,000 per year.
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