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The one thing design courses such as Graphic Design, Creative Multimedia, Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Fashion Design and so forth have in common is that they are very hands-on skills and require a lot of practice and exposure to hone.
We talked to 3 reputable and highly established universities and colleges, Raffles University, First City University College (FCUC) and IACT College. What you should pay attention to when you look for design-related courses.
1. Up-To-Date Facilities And Equipment
The quality of graphics and videos is constantly increasing with higher resolution and nuanced texture to capture the attention of target audiences.
This requires better computing power to render and up-to-date software such as the latest version of Adobe Illustrator to manipulate desired designs.
Raffles, FCUC and IACT offer courses such as Graphic Design, Digital Game Art and Multimedia Design that have specialised rooms fitted with high-spec Mac Pro desktops that can render 3D graphics in short amounts of time.
Other design courses such as Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Fashion Design and Photography require workshop spaces with equipment for students to produce physical models and prototype garments you can touch and feel.
Raffles University is ready with 6 dedicated Interior Architecture/Design rooms which feature advanced tools like 3D printers and laser cutting machines and Fashion Studios comprising of sewing rooms, textile labs, and pattern-making studios.
FCUC has studios and workshop spaces to cater to modelling and woodwork activities for its Interior Architecture, Interior Design and Furniture & Industrial Design courses.
Institutions that offer Photography or Videography should have studios with green screens and state-of-the-art equipment for professional lighting, high-end cameras and advanced editing software.
IACT for example uses LUMIX which is the one of the best camera brands for high-end photography. As an industry partner, they are fully sponsored by LUMIX.
Visit the campuses and tour the facilities to see them with your own eyes.
2. Curriculum Relevance
Design studies are inextricably associated with the quality of its output whether in the form of digital designs or physical creations that form your portfolio of work.
As such, you have to ensure that the curriculum you undergo heavily emphasises on practical application.
Raffles, FCUC and IACT infuse their students’ learning journey with real-world projects where students either work with, present to or are assessed by external industry partners.
For example, Raffles’ Fashion Design course requires students to produce 8 types of garments for their final year project and not just designing but also marketing and commercialising them.
IACT’s BA(Hons) Advertising and Design programme takes it one step further by emulating the advertising agency setting where the students work in pairs (usually as one campaign strategist and one designer) to research, develop, pitch and execute their chosen campaigns to the lecturer who plays the role of the Creative Director.
Raffles’ Diploma in Digital Game Art is not just focused on design but incorporates technical skills in basic game programming, game level logics, audio visual compositing and game project management – which make you a more versatile graduate.
It is common for top institutions to have in-class activities including hands-on workshops, studio work, and interactive lectures. Outside the classroom, students engage in field trips, gallery visits, and community projects, providing valuable context and real-world application to their learning.
3. Teaching Faculty Experience
Educators play a critical role in the development of students and their ability to apply the skills learnt into the real world.
In this ever interconnected online world, the effectiveness of design is becoming increasingly co-related to the conversion of an audience into enquiries or sales, whether it’s a graphic or video that resonates or a beautifully designed product like Apple that evokes strong emotions.
To achieve this, lecturers have to be experienced practitioners themselves and have built a successful track record at the craft they teach. For example, the Arts & Design faculty of Raffles University are represented by lecturers who even hold PhDs on top of their industry experience!
So do ask about the lecturers and educators who will be guiding you in the courses you sign up for.
4. Industry Exposure And Network
One of the advantages universities and colleges bring to graduates is their close ties with industry professionals and corporate partners that can help you springboard your career if you are ambitious enough to take action.
Raffles, FCUC and IACT open up their industry networks to students in many ways through final year project collaborations, industry-organised competitions, field trips, guest lectures, internships, special workshops and even mentorships.
Get hold of the contacts of these industry professionals and keep in touch with them. On top of this, there is a huge alumni network you can also tap into for advice to navigate the industries that is ahead of you. Alumni networking events are commonly organised by the institutions.
Access to mentors is literally a life hack you can leverage to avoid pitfalls and get a good start in your career.
5. Nurturing Of Entrepreneurial Skills
Acquiring the practical skills in your design course is what is expected and an essential reason why employers will hire you.
However, skills requirement changes constantly and the most important thing to take away from higher education is not just hard skills but also cultivating your ability to be entrepreneurial and resourceful i.e. learning how to learn.
The 3 institutions we talked to incorporate this crucial ingredient into their curriculum where you will develop skills that are needed to integrate well into any organisation, to lead teams and even build your own business, for example:
- How to research and present proposals effectively
- How to project manage teams
- Understanding consumer behaviour
- Learning creative entrepreneurship
- Learning effective communication skills
- Learning about legalities of the creative industry
- Take part in community service initiatives
Competitions are also part of the developmental catalysts and IACT students are no stranger to winning Gold consistently in the Kancils awards year after year and other local and international competitions as well.
6. Learn More About Raffles, First City And IACT
Uni Enrol is the official agents for these respectable institution. Get more information from our website about Raffles University, Raffles College FCUC and IACT.
Also check out our comprehensive guides on Raffles and First City
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