What image does the word “archaeologist” bring to mind? An aged professor proving over dusty volumes of technical notes? Or Indiana Jones, sweeping through an ancient temple to uncover a lost relic? The truth is, real-life archaeologists are a little of both: intrepid adventurers and technical researchers. They work with shovels and picks, as well as drones and 3D modeling software. They engage in scholarly debate and in public outreach. In short, archaeologists have highly varied and highly interesting work.

People have always been interested in the past. But for 99% of human history, no writing systems existed to record events and ideas. And even after the invention of writing, only certain types of events (such as the lives of rulers) were recorded, and, of these, only some texts have survived. In order to understand what events took place and how people lived in the past, scholars have turned to physical materials. From household rubbish heaps, to temples, from stone age tools to civil war cannons, artifacts tell the story of humankind, and archaeologists know how to understand what these items were, how they were used, and what they tell us about the people who made them.

Archaeologists have patience, dedication, focus, logic, analytical skills, and lots of natural curiosity. If you have the right disposition and an intense interest in the past, you may be curious about degrees and careers in archaeology. An estimated 91,776 people hold degrees in archaeology, from a bachelor’s to a PhD. But a degree in archaeology isn’t the right fit for every person, or every career path. Wondering if a career studying the past is in your future? Explore our guide to What Can I Do with an Archaeology Degree?

Jump To:

• What is Archaeology?
• What Types of Archaeology Are There?
• What Classes Will I take for a Degree in Archaeology?
• What Can I do with a Bachelor’s in Archaeology?
• What Can I do with a Master’s in Archaeology?
• What Can I do with a PhD in Archaeology?
• Can I Earn a Degree in Archaeology Online?
• What Jobs Can I Get with a Degree in Archaeology?
• What are the Pros and Cons of a Degree in Archaeology?

What is Archaeology?

Archaeology literally means “the study of that which is ancient,” and is defined as the scientific study of historic and prehistoric peoples, societies, and cultures. It is accomplished by excavating and analyzing artifacts and studying related locations, monuments, inscriptions, and biological remains. Archaeologists study the earliest humans, such as the stone tools of cave-dwelling hunter-gatherers from one million years ago. But they also study artifacts from modern times, such as the discarded household objects recovered from an early 20th century tenement building.

Archeology covers the study of people around the world and throughout the course of human history, with the common thread being a focus on the study of physical materials. Archaeology aims to determine what a given object was, when it came into being, how it was used, and what purpose or effects it had. The goal of archaeology is to develop a comprehensive and inclusive understanding of human culture.

People have always been curious about the past, and especially intrigued by exotic and mysterious monuments and relics. Antiquarianism, the study of history as it related to objects from the distant past, dates back to what we would now consider ancient times. Ancient Romans like the Augustan historian Livy studied and cataloged monuments and artworks from the past. Ancient Chinese scholars such as the Song Dynasty scholar Ouyang Xiu collected and analyzed early Chinese relics. With the excavation of sites like Stonehenge and Pompeii in the 1600s and 1700s, archeology began to evolve as a distinct field. By the 1800s, people had developed clear archeological practices and methods, such as dating objects based on their placement within layers of sediment. Rather than simply collecting beautiful and exotic antiquities, archeologists began to systematically gather and catalog artifacts for the purpose of building knowledge. Today, archaeology is concerned with the same quest for historical knowledge, but informed by a broader cultural understanding, and aided by high-tech tools like 3D modeling, drones, and photogrammetry.

Although it has been around for quite some time, there’s still no clear consensus on how to classify this heavily interdisciplinary field. As an academic discipline, archaeology can be difficult to pigeonhole. Depending on which expert you ask, this subject is either a highly scientific branch or the humanities, or else a highly humanistic branch of the social sciences. In fact, archaeology can be considered as both a part of the social sciences or the humanities. In the United States, Archaeology is conceived as a branch of anthropology in the United States, but in Europe, it is considered to be a branch of History or treated as a discipline in its own right.

Under the broader heading of humanities/social sciences, archaeology is usually seen as a branch of anthropology. Anthropologists study human culture and society, often those of the ancient past or far-flung locations. The field has several branches, such as Biological Anthropology, the study of human remains as they relate to people’s lifestyles and lives. And while many anthropologists study fossils, relics, dwellings, and inscriptions, archaeologists are unique in their particular focus on humans’ physical materials.

What Types of Archaeology Are There?

There are many specializations within archaeology, and no universal consensus on what makes up the main fields. Some archaeologists classify themselves based on the historical period or geographical location of their interest, such as Mesoamerica, Egyptology, or Classical Antiquity. Others may specialize in a particular type of relic, such as human remains (bioarchaeology), animals or plants (zooarchaeology or paleoethnobotany), or stone tools (lithics). Archaeologists may also specialize in particular practices, such as underwater archaeology (the study of submerged human remains and relics). Broadly speaking, archaeology can be divided into the sub-disciplines of Cultural resources management, Archaeometry, Historical archeology, Ethnoarchaeology, and Experimental archaeology. These fields are not entirely distinct, of course- for instance, many archaeologists conduct Cultural resources management as well as Historical archaeology.

Cultural resources management

Just as human activity takes a toll on natural resources, activities like development, travel, mining, warfare, climate change and looting take a toll on the sites that archaeologists want preserved. That includes established monuments, dig sites, and locations for potential future exploration. Cultural resources management (CRM) involves protecting archaeological sites from damage. And while preserving archeological sites may not be the first type of activity that comes to mind, CRM actually makes up most of the archaeological research conducted in the US and western Europe. There are plenty of federal and international laws governing how excavations need to be conducted, as well as tourism of historical sites and construction in or around areas that may have historical materials present. Cultural resources management requires a thorough knowledge of these laws and their application.

Archaeometry

From a fossil tooth to a stone temple, artifacts are physical objects with physical qualities that give information about the past. In order to understand this information, their physical properties mulct be accurately measured, described, and recorded. Archaeometry is the systematic measurement of objects, environments, and features that are important to archeology. It includes analytical techniques that include chemistry, physics, and engineering. These include methods like space syntax techniques, carbon dating, geodesy, and computer modeling and tools like geographic information systems.

Historical archaeology

The advent of writing marks the division between pre-history and history. Historical archaeology is focused on the study of cultures that had some form of writing. This can mean periods as recent as the 20th century or as early as 3,000 BC. This is perhaps the best-known type of archeology, and includes examples such as studying Victorian-era shipwrecks, Mayan temples, medieval villages, and American Civil War forts.

Ethnoarchaeology

Ethnography is the systematic study of societies and cultures, as observed from the point of view of a member of that society. Ethnoarchaeology is the application of Ethnography to the study of ancient peoples and cultures. While it’s possible to observe, measure, and catalog artifacts, it can be difficult to understand how these objects were constructed and used without entering into speculation. Ethnoarchaeology is the practice of systematic methods to determine how an ancient relic was created and used within the context of its society. Often, that can mean looking at contemporary modern societies that use similar items under similar environmental circumstances, making inferences about ancient societies that probably followed similar patterns. For example, an Ethnoarchaeologist might look at how modern peoples that fish for food using hand-woven nets in order to better understand how an ancient society might have done so.

Experimental Archaeology

Scientists formulate hypotheses, test them, and draw conclusions that can be repeatedly tested. Experimental archaeology is simply the application of this established experimental method to questions related to archeology. One of the most common forms of experimental archaeology is reconstruction archaeology. In reconstruction archaeology, an archaeologist attempts to create a structure or object identical to one that would have existed in an ancient society using only the materials and technology of that time period. For instance, an experimental archaeologist might crack open nuts using handmade stone tools in order to see if this caused scrapes on the tools similar to those found on real artifacts.

What Classes Will I take for a Degree in Archaeology?

For an Archaeology degree, you can expect to dabble in quite a few very different subjects, including the humanities, math, science. anthropology, art history, classics, world history, and foreign language. This broad, interdisciplinary curriculum will give you a context for understanding archeology before you ever get into archeology-specific classes. Required classes outside of the discipline archeology itself typically include:

• Calculus
• Probability and Statistics
• Applied Economics
• Biology
• Geology

In addition to math and science, you’ll likely need to take courses in history, politics, psychology and language, in order to have a broader context for understanding topics in Archaeology. Your classes in Archaeology itself may include titles like:

• Archaeology and World Prehistory
• Archaeological Theory and Interpretation
• Advanced Studies in Archaeology
• Biological Anthropology
• Foundations of Earth Sciences
• Ancient Art and Art History
• Museum Studies
• Environmental Archaeology
• Classical Civilization
• Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
• Human Osteology
• Cross Cultural Perspectives
• Measurement and Quantification in Social Sciences
• World Archaeology
• Human Evolution
• Field Methods in Archaeology

What Can I do with a Bachelor’s in Archaeology?

A bachelor’s degree is the first step on the road to a future in archaeology.
This undergraduate degree can be found as either a BS (bachelor of science) or a BA (bachelor of arts), and some colleges offer both types of degrees. Essentially, a BS has a stronger emphasis on the technical aspects of archaeology, while a BA incorporates more humanities and focuses on applied skills. Many schools offer a bachelor’s in anthropology with a concentration in archaeology, while others award bachelor’s in archeology with the potential to further specialize in a specific areas, such as MesoAmerican studies.

Students must traditionally work for four years on a full-time basis to earn a bachelor’s degree. If you take courses part-time, of course, your degree will take longer to earn, while an accelerated bachelor’s degree can be earned in about three years. Every degree program is different, but most consist of around 120 credits, or 40 courses. Your coursework will include classes in archaeology as well as hands-on learning, and a large number of required general education classes. The purpose of general education courses is to develop a well-rounded knowledge about the world and a context for understanding topics in your major.

A typical bachelor’s degree curriculum may include:

• Archaeology classes
• General education classes
• A foreign language
• Study abroad
• Labs and fieldwork
• Senior project

In completing a bachelor’s in archaeology, you’ll develop skills in analysis, computation, technology, methodology, and archeology theory. These are transferrable skills that can help you succeed in a variety of settings, such as education, administration, and activism. Transitioning to a non-archaeology field will require you to demonstrate to employers that you can apply your skills in a new role, however, and you may need additional experience or training to take on work outside the field. If you wish to work in the field of archaeology, however, your options with a bachelor’s degree will be limited to roles like assisting in laboratory work or excavation. In order to work as an archaeologist, you’ll need to earn at least a master’s in archaeology.

What Can I do with a Master’s in Archaeology?

To get a master’s in archaeology, you’ll need to have a bachelors in archaeology, or in a related field like anthropology, classical studies, or art history. A master’s usually takes two years to earn on a full-time basis, though an Accelerated Master’s Degree Program can be completed in just 18 months, while a part-time program takes longer.

A master’s in archaeology will focus on the archaeology major, and will not have not general education classes, though you will be required to demonstrate reading proficiency in a foreign language for most. In addition to archaeology classes, you’ll complete extensive hands-on learning through lab work and fieldwork. Many schools offer (or require) international studies as part of their archaeology program. You’ll also be required to complete a research-based thesis or project in your second year. In addition, many schools require students to complete a comprehensive examination before graduating.

If you’d like to specialize in a particular area, many schools offer archaeology concentrations, such as:

• Applied Anthropology
• Ecological Anthropology
• Medical Anthropology
• History and Social Memory
• Prehistoric Archaeology
• Land, Culture and Society

You may also want to consider a minor in a related field, such as a foreign language, gender studies, sociology, history, or geology. A minor can enhance your specialization within the field of archaeology. Alternatively, a minor can broaden your expertise and make it easier to find work outside the field of archaeology instruction and research.

With a master’s in archaeology, you’ll be able to find work in the archaeology field, such as cultural resource management, education, fieldwork, outreach, historic preservation, or museum curation. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that many positions require a PhD in archaeology, especially those involving research and international studies.

What Can I do with a PhD in Archaeology?

A PhD is a “terminal degree”- the highest degree offered in the field of Archaeology. With this degree, you’ll be an expert in your field, and qualified for research and teaching positions. But earning a PhD is a long and difficult process; it takes 4-9 years to earn a PhD, and many students drop out before completing this rigorous process. In order to earn a PhD in anthropology, you’ll need to complete new research in a specific niche area of anthropology. Under the direction of a thesis advisor, you’ll formulate an original research question, conduct painstaking research, and literally “write the book” on your area of focus by drafting, publishing, and defending your doctoral thesis.

With a PhD in Archaeology, you’ll be qualified to work as an academic archaeologist, project archaeologist, principal investigator, CRM manager, or State Historical Preservation Officer. These are leadership positions, and will allow you to lead and train junior colleagues and students, and to research your own areas of interest. And with a PhD in archaeology, you’ll meet the legal requirements which, in many cases, stipulate that archaeologists working abroad much hold a PhD in archaeology.

Can I Earn a Degree in Archaeology Online?

Archaeology is a latecomer to the field of online education, but there are now a few schools offering online degrees in archaeology. Most students who opt to earn an online degree do so in order to maintain employment or continue to meet family obligations while working towards a degree on a part-time basis. Online education saves busy students from spending time on a commute, and also allows them to access much of their course content on demand. In the case of an online archaeology degree, geographic availability is another important factor. Many areas don’t have a school with a strong archaeology department available locally, and students in this situation may opt to enroll in a well-established archaeology program offered through a school’s online campus. Leading schools such as Harvard offer prestigious online archaeology degrees, while smaller schools may have less “brand recognition” but offer more affordable tuition.

In general, most nine archaeology degree programs do require some degree of on-site participation. This is because archaeology is such a hands-on field, and students can best learn how to conduct a real-life excavation, examination, and measurement procedure by actually observing and participating in real life. This live, interactive learning experience can take the form of an on-campus immersion, on-site field work in a lab or dig site, or a study abroad experience.

What Jobs Can I Get with a Degree in Archaeology?

Your work with an archaeology degree will depend greatly on the degree level you achieve and your preference for applied or academic archaeology. Academic archaeology jobs are those most people associate with the term “archaeology”: professors and researchers. These individuals typically work in a university or museum and conduct field or lab-based research, and hold a PhD in archaeology.

Most archeology work is conducted with cultural resource management (CRM) firms, which execute archaeological investigations associated with federal and private construction projects. Federal law requires that surveys and (where indicated) excavations take place where land is to be disturbed for construction projects, and CRM firms make sure that development does not come at the cost of archeological finds. Applied archaeology positions include roles at museums, national parks, tourism bureaus, federal and state governments, and historical societies.

Archaeologists tend to work in a variety of settings, reading and writing research papers, cataloging and measuring materials in the lab, excavating artifacts at dig sites, viewing materials in museums and libraries, and visiting historic locations around the country or globe. While this is an exceptionally interesting and varied role, archaeology isn’t known to be a lucrative field. Fortunately, it’s not far behind the national average, either. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary with a degree in archaeology is $62,410. Most archaeologists hold a master’s degree, and the average income associated with a master’s is $68,000 according to the BLS.

The BLS also reports that jobs in archaeology will grow 4% between 2016 and 2026. This is slower than the national average, as there are more people with degrees in archaeology than available positions. But as with salary, the news isn’t too bad. Job growth of between 5-9% is considered “average” by the BLS, meaning that a rate of 4% for the filed of archaeology isn’t lagging too far behind the national average.

What are the Pros and Cons of a Degree in Archaeology?

Why get a degree in archaeology? For most students, the answer is simple: they want to. That is, they’ve been interested in the field from a young age, and simply enjoy being involved in anything related to exploring the past. Archaeologists tend to be passionate about their work, and their dedication and excitement about their area of specialty allows them to persist in spite of the field’s challenges.

The main drawbacks of an archaeology degree are a modest salary and competition for jobs. There are fewer archaeology positions than qualified candidates, and many people with archaeology degrees have to spend a great deal of time working in a related field, such as foreign language instruction, or working in a role for which they are overqualified while waiting for the right position to open up. This is especially true for those who want a job in academia. Tenure-track professorships in archaeology simply don’t open up frequently, and those seeking these roles should be willing to relocate for work. Salaries in the field are also modest, which can pose a problem for those who have taken out loans or used their savings to pursue an advanced degree.

On the plus side, archaeology is, simply put, a fascinating field. Few jobs offer the potential to make new discoveries, explore real-life mysteries, and travel to exotic locations. Archaeology offers all these things, as well as the potential to contribute to mankind’s body of knowledge and deepen our understanding of our past, ourselves, and one another.

Further Reading:

• What degree do I need to become an Archaeologist?
• Top 10 Highest Paying Social Science Careers
• What Can I do with a Liberal Arts Degree?
• Top 15 Liberal Arts Schools in America
• Top 10 Highest Paying Social Science Careers
• 50 Best Online Degrees for 2019
• 20 Best Degree Programs for Undergraduates
• 23 Fastest Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs
• Top 25 Fastest Online Doctorate Degrees

The post What Can I Do With an Archaeology Degree? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

A complaint lodged against liberal arts programs is that they are lofty, artsy operations that enforce a disconnected way of thinking about reality. The truth is that a liberal arts school is just simply not for everyone. Some students will thrive in an environment that encourages the philosophical integration of one’s studies while others might prefer to stick to purely quantitative considerations of a technical school.

The counterargument is that thinking is a skill, as much as math skills or any trade skill. A liberal arts program enforces a format of thinking that trains students to solve problems with creativity and originality–and well, problem solving is a central concern of any effort in life, professional or otherwise. And today, the stigma surrounding online education is nearly non-existent and totally negligible when it comes to online degrees from reputable schools.

The Allure of a Liberal Arts Master’s 

The allure of a liberal arts master’s degree is that at the level of depth that one reaches in graduate school, programs incorporate comprehensive examinations of topics in both qualitative and quantitative formats. This can be an excellent approach to research-heavy or calculations-dense subjects, because it allows students to incorporate highly logical knowledge in a student’s unique personal perspective. In a sense, it allows room for a student to make knowledge their own. 

And in subjects that are innately philosophical–such as anthropology, psychology, or legal studies–a liberal arts education in second to none. Oftentimes the reasoning behind a concept is more important than memorizing the concept itself. And this is exactly what an advanced liberal arts degree will teach you–not just what the core concepts of a subject are, but how these concepts were arrived at in the first place. 

Moreover a liberal arts degree from one of the schools on this list will confer tremendous academic and professional clout. As mentioned above a liberal arts degree is a program that teaches you how to solve problems, and this is doubly true of a liberal arts Master’s which is able to develop actionable expertise in students so that they are prepared to tackle real world problems. 

Top Online Liberal Arts Master’s 

1. Rutgers University

Rutgers University’s liberal arts programs provide the tremendously valuable balance of a liberal arts program with a career-centric scope of focus. Students of Rutgers programs are taught how to think, but more importantly are taught how to think in a way that generates actionable results on one’s career. One needs to only look at the extensive catalogue of alumni–who are not only leaders but innovators in their respective fields–to see the Rutgers’ liberal arts philosophy validated. 

The Rutgers Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program can be completed entirely online or on-campus, and is meant to inspire intellectual engagement. The purpose of the program is highly flexible, and can be tailored to reflect a professional’s unique interests–whether that be to increase one’s qualifications, to broaden one’s understanding of a particular subject, or to improve one’s competitiveness in the job market. 

Students of the program will participate in a comprehensive philosophical and quantitative examination of the following subjects: 

• Literature
• History
• Philosophy
• Religion
• Social sciences
• Arts

Learn More 

2. University of North Carolina – Greensboro 

UNC Greensboro is one of the original three schools of the UNC system, which was originally established to offer doctoral degrees. UNC Greensboro’s established history in providing advanced studies of the arts and sciences contributes to a strong reputation and academic clout. 

Specifically students can earn a Master of Arts in Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS) that can be completed entirely through online coursework. The program challenges traditional conceptions of what an arts and sciences education format means. The ‘applied arts and sciences’ designation refers to the programs focus on actionable, project-based learning where students will build the skills that are most valued in the real world workforce. 

The program looks to balance theoretical and intellectual explorations of subjects with data-based learning and the quantitative evaluations of key-areas of interest, specifically of interest to future employers. In other words, UNC Greensboro looks to provide the quintessential arts and sciences graduate education, while positioning students for professional success. 

Learn More

3. Harvard University

There is a reason that Harvard University is a household name synonymous with academic excellence and paramount professional achievement. Harvard’s alumni have gone on to become presidents, governors, generals, and CEOs of the most influential companies in our economy. Its faculty are leading experts in their field, often setting the paradigms which are followed for years, or even decades, to come. 

With the advent of online education, Harvard has expanded its degree program options to be accessible by students all over the world. The Harvard Extension School is designed specifically to accommodate working students and adult learners who are self-directed and responsible students. 

Specifically, students can earn a Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies in one of twenty areas of study. Most relevant to this list is the Arts Literature & Media program where students can pursue the building of speciality in any of the following areas:

• Creative Writing & Literature
• Dramatic Arts
• English
• Journalism
• Museum Studies

Learn More

4. Arizona State University

Arizona State University (ASU) is an innovative force in higher education, and has spurred tremendous growth in the sector of professional advancement for adult learners. ASU designs degree programs to reflect industry trends and employer expectations, so that program graduates are perfectly positioned to capitalize on market opportunities. 

ASU offers an Online Master of Liberal Studies through the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts. Students of the program will explore a comprehensive integration of the humanities with key scientific queries across various cultural contexts. 

The College of Integrative Sciences and Arts empowers students to pursue personal and professional areas of interest through independent research projects. In fact, the College expended $140 million toward research projects and initiatives. For students looking to delve deeply into a specific area of interest, ASU is a top-notch program. 

Learn More

5. University of Michigan – Flint

The University of Michigan Flint is dedicated to providing students with affordable options for professional and academic advancement. Particularly, a formative pillar of UM Flint’s online programs is providing “affordable excellence” so that students can pursue professional dreams without sacrificing financial stability. Online program tuitions can be brutal for out-of-state tuitions, but UM Flint offers an out-of-state tuition that is just 10% more than in-state, a tremendously affordable rate. 

UM Flint offers a fully online Master of Arts in Liberal Studies in American Culture. The program is offered through the nationally renowned Rackham School of Graduate Studies, which is acclaimed for its student-centric curriculums and free-form independent research. 

Students of the Liberal Studies in American Culture program will cover interdisciplinary explorations of various subjects, most of which will be chosen by individuals to reflect unique professional goals and interests. 

Learn More

6. Fort Hays State University

Fort Hays State University (FHSU) demonstrates consumer-friendly, student-focused policies and strategies that nurture students in their striving for success. University assets are commonly reinvested into student research projects or expansions into new degree programs. This student-focused educational philosophy is particularly present in the Master of Liberal Studies (MLS) Degree program. 

The 31 credit MLS degree program is designed to be flexible, so that busy students and working adults can complete coursework amidst even the busiest of schedules. Coursework is designed to represent industry trends and market opportunities, where students can choose specific degree concentrations that will enhance one’s professional position. 

Available concentration options depend on the current industry trends, but currently students can delve into any of the following concentration tracks: 

• Global Studies
• Corporate Communications
• Literary Arts
• Political Leadership
• Public Administration
• Health Sciences

Learn More

7. Stony Brook University

Stony Brook University School of Professional Studies (SPL) is an institution of advanced higher education that specializes in providing top-end preparation at the graduate and postgraduate level. These programs emphasize the transition from ‘theory to practice’ that is so crucial to facilitating professional success in students with a liberal arts background, while catering to the busy schedules of working students and adult learners. Students can take advantage of this tremendous flexibility to progress through programs in a format that best matches one’s schedule–choosing from asynchronous, synchronous and hybrid formats. 

The Stony Brook University School of Professional Studies offers a fully online Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. The program functions on a core tenet, that is that students excel professionally when their studies promote personal growth as well. 

Emphasizing this student-centric philosophy is the program’s commitment to empowering students to design their own curriculums. Specifically, students will choose from a robust catalogue of interdisciplinary topics and string them together in such a way as to most effectively lay the foundation to one’s chosen career focus 

Learn More

8. University of Memphis

The University of Memphis global degrees program (UofM Global) is an internationally recognized and attended institution that prioritizes flexible and affordable education. UofM Global leads the charge in ‘best practices’ for online education, providing students with 24/7 student support services. These services ensure that students are able to make the most of their time in the program, while enjoying the same care and personalized counseling that on-campus students receive. 

The UofM Global College of Professional & Liberal Studies Human Resources offers programs in the following areas: Leadership, Liberal Studies (Master level), Liberal Studies (Doctor level), Strategic Leadership, and Training and Development. The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) is completed entirely through online coursework at a pace and schedule that best accommodates students. 

Students will also tailor coursework to reflect their desired area of expertise or career focus through submitting an academic proposal. Academic advisors will then structure particular students’ curriculum to facilitate building the necessary expertise.  

Learn More

9. SUNY College at Brockport

Founded in 1835 in the College at Brockport boasts a storied history of academic excellence. The College now offers a host of more than 50 graduate degrees and advanced professional certification program options. Brockport is dedicated to providing students advanced degree options with exceptional value and academic merit. 

The College at Brockport offers students a fully online Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. Students of the program will engage in a comprehensive exploration of perspectives through the lens of the humanities, social and natural sciences, and the fine arts. 

A distinguishing element of this program is its flexible curriculum that is meant to empower students to pursue key topics of professional interest. To put this flexibility in perspective, the core curriculum of the 30 credit program takes up only 12 credits, while students will choose 18 credits worth of electives coursework to complete the program with a desired concentration. 

Learn More

10. University of Massachusetts

UMass Online is an industry leader in online education with an established history in distance learning programs dating back more than 25 years. Today, more than 180 UMass degrees are available online delivered through 1500 courses annually. UMass Online is managed by some of the most prestigious faculty in higher ed who hold distinction such as the following:

• Pulitzer Prize
• Nobel Prize
• National Book Award for Poetry
• Draper Award in Engineering

UMass Online offers a liberal arts type degree that doubles down on analytical foundations. Specifically, students can earn a Master of Arts in Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT) that can be completed entirely online. The program is designed to groom the next generation of thinkers who are able generate positive change in their environments. 

The interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to prepare students to excel in any industry or discipline. This flexible curriculum builds student expertise through the following research projects: Processes of Research and Engagement; Action Research for Educational, Professional & Personal Change; and Synthesis of Theory and Practice.

Learn More

11. SUNY Empire State College

SUNY Empire was established in 1971 to break the mold of higher education by designing an education program around mentorship-based learning. By providing counsel and advisement services, students are able to make the most of their time in each degree program. Faculty mentorship is meant to not only help students integrate knowledge more readily, but also to help students frame what they learn in terms of professional actionability. 

SUNY Empire offers a fully online Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. Students of the program will design coursework to reflect particular career goals and interests. The program culminates in a comprehensive final project that is meant to fulfill a dual-purpose of demonstrating students’ expertise and functioning as the start of a professional portfolio that works to showcase this expertise to future employers and collaborators. 

Before delving deeply into one’s individual area of expertise, students will build foundational knowledge in the following subjects:

• Seminar in Liberal Studies
• Perspectives on Interdisciplinary Study
• Literature Review: Explore the research relevant to chosen concentration

Learn More

12. American Public University

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, American Public University (APU) offers more than 200 degrees and certifications. The average APU student is 32 years old and 88% of students are working adults–APU’s key demographic. The University looks to assist working adults in advancing careers and actualizing professional goals. 

The APU School of Arts and Humanities offers a fully online Master of Arts in Humanities. Students of the program will tread the path of comprehensive study of arts, sciences, and philosophies from antiquity to modern day. 

Unlike many of the programs on this list, the Master of Arts in Humanities employs a more structured curriculum. Students will progress through topics and projects in an order and cadence that is meant to enhance each subsequent topic respectively. 

Learn More

13. Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University (JHU) is an internationally renowned institution of research-based education. Few degrees will confer the clout that a degree from JHU will, and this is for good reason. JHU faculty are responsible for industry-defining research and paradigm shifting practices in various fields and disciplines. At JHU students can enjoy confidence that they are learning from the best of the best. 

The John Hopkins Krieger School of Arts and Sciences prepares students to excel in careers and thrive as professionals. The Krieger School offers a fully online Master of Liberal Arts that is the first of its kind. The program is designed to inspire intellectual expansion, build analytical expertise, and facilitate professional competence in interdisciplinary projects and problem solving. 

Specifically, students will progress through unique and inspiring topics in the following courses:

• Deep Ecology: Environmental Ethic
• Philosophy of Beauty
• Existentialism: Philosophy and Social Critique
• Critical Theory
• Race and Jazz
• Social History of Medicine
• What is History?
• Ways of Knowing: Historical and Epistemological Foundations of the Liberal Arts

Learn More

14. Western New Mexico University

Founded in 1893, Western New Mexico University (WNMU) has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to servicing adult learners and underprivileged students through consumer-friendly and student-centric policies. WNMU’s student body is more than 50% hispanic and is designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution. 

WNMU students can earn a fully online Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies. The program is designed to enhance one’s professional or academic endeavors by building targeted academic concentrations in key areas. Specifically students will choose between two program format options. 

Students can choose between either a 2-concentration track or a 3-concentration track. WNMU allows students to build concentrations around any other existing degree track programs. This level of academic freedom is virtually unparalleled and allows students to truly build unique degree programs. 

Learn More

15. Texas Christian University

Texas Christian University (TCU) is unique in that it looks to preserve traditional chrisitan values in modern educational philosophies. Particularly in the TCU AddRan College of Liberal Arts was founded way back in 1869 on the idea of providing students simultaneous cultivation and advancement–both as students and as men and women. 

The TCU AddRan College of Liberal Arts offers a fully online Master of Liberal Arts program designed to accommodate both lifelong learners and ambitious professionals looking to broaden their intellectual horizons. Students will choose from a catalogue of research opportunities and electives to build expertise in targeted areas. 

Some examples of course topics include: world cultures, the American cinema, parapsychology, music history, or the American West. Research projects provide the additional depth and flexibility for students to establish expertise outside of available electives. 

Learn More

16. Union Institute and University

Union Institute and University offers students avenues for professional advancement and intellectual empowerment. Few universities boast a vision that is so innately aligned with the core tenets of liberal arts philosophy. At Union students learn from faculty who challenge students to see issues from new cross-cultural perspectives to engage in creative problem solving. 

Union’s Online Master’s program is designed to jumpstart students’ careers through meaningful coursework. Union graduate students will learn from expert faculty who have real-world professional experience, who dip into cutting-edge research to inform students’ direction of study. For students looking to stay on top of industry trends and needs, Union is a great option. 

Learn More

17. University of Oklahoma

The University of Oklahoma (UO) Extended Campus leverages the extensive academic resources of the University of Oklahoma to offer world class online education to students from countries around the globe. UO Extended Campus is built around six central values: quality, integrity, innovation, inclusivity, student-focus, and service-focus. 

UO Extended Campus offers a Master of Arts in Integrated Studies that is designed to employ graduate level analysis to explore various disciplines and topics of research. Students of the program will become particularly skillful in academic and analytical writing. Students will write about various theoretical, historical, and cultural issues to glean valuable conclusions. 

Students will progress through coursework in the following topics:

• Research methods in interdisciplinary studies
• Addressing diversity in the United States
• Volunteering in the 21st century
• Interdisciplinary studies foundations
• Cultural communication in leadership
• Volunteer management

Learn More

18. Kent State University

Kent State University Online is a pioneer of online education and distance learning programs. Kent State Online offered its first online degree program more than 15 years ago, and today offers more than 60 program options. Kent State Online services students from around the globe with flexible programs that can be engaged anytime or anywhere. 

Kent State Online students can earn a Master of Liberal Studies through the College of Arts and Sciences’ Center for Comparative and Integrative Programs. This program is arguably the most flexible program on this list. Students are only required to take one preformatted course–just one! 

The remainder of coursework is chosen from an extensive catalogue of electives and research projects. This flexibility allows students to pursue virtually any line of study in order to build a targeted professional expertise. The program consists of 30 credit hours with class start-dates in January, May, and August. 

Learn More

19. Adams State University

Adams State University is built around the concept of the “Adams Experience,” which refers to the idea that a true education isn’t bound by classroom walls–it occurs when students engage with the world around them and integrate into their lives what’s being learned in the classroom. The “Adams Experience” will be of particular interest to students who wish to enroll in a program authentically rooted in liberal arts philosophy. 

While not a traditional liberal arts degree path, Adams State University offers a Master of Arts in Public Administration. Coursework is largely organized around core liberal arts concepts and theories, but with the foundational commitment to grooming students for positions of leadership in the public-services sector. 

Learn More

20. University of Toledo

UToledo Online has been servicing distance learners for more than 20 years and today offers more than 50 fully online degrees and certifications. These programs are designed to accommodate working students and adult learners who will benefit most from being able to complete coursework anytime or anywhere. Programs are designed to be innately flexible with fewer coursework requirements than other schools so that students can focus on topics that are most valuable in the context of individual career goals. 

This is particularly true of UToledo’s Online Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. Students will engage in broad course topics that provide opportunities for research and exploration in student-centric projects. Students can build toward specialization by organizing projects to reflect professional aspirations and career goals. Course topics include the social sciences, visual and performing arts, natural sciences, the humanities, and interdisciplinary research methods. 

Learn More

The post The 20 Best Online Masters in Liberal Arts Degree Programs appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

What to Look for in the Best Interior Design Schools

Top professionals in the interior designer occupation tend to come from the best interior design schools. Having a natural eye for design is valuable, but it takes more than this to become an excellent interior designer. Students need a formal interior design education to develop skills in formulating a design strategy, researching clients’ goals and project requirements, keeping work costs within the project budgets and managing the entire design project from start to finish.

What makes an institution a top interior design school?

It’s not the type of institution or degree awarded that matters most. Our list of the 10 best interior design schools includes everything from art and design schools to research universities and liberal arts schools. The degrees offered by the best interior design schools include Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degrees, as well as certificate programs. Among schools that offer graduate programs, students can choose from Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programs, as well as doctorate degree programs.

Whether you choose a flexible or focused program, you should look for an option that includes experiential learning opportunities and training in the latest technology for design professionals. The right interior design program for you will nurture your artistic and design interests and equip you with the tools practicing interior designers use to prepare construction documents and use changing technologies in both the creative and less creative aspects of the field.

Among schools that offer online classes or an online degree program for design students, online bachelor’s programs are popular. Students may also look for distance learning options at the graduate levels, including an MA online degree program, an MS online degree program and an MFA online degree program.

The curriculum of an outstanding interior design program should include foundation art coursework that covers the concepts and methods of visual arts, classes in the theory and principles of design and coursework in the use of technical software like computer-aided design programs. Students should have the opportunity to explore the principles and practices of residential design and pursue commercial design work in a variety of areas, including retail design and health and wellness design. Collaborative work, such as group projects, may be part of your design or arts program. You should also expect to put in plenty of hard work advancing your artistic talent and building your portfolio.

RELATED: What Computer Programs Should I Learn Before Starting a Degree in Design Studies?

The best interior design programs also offer opportunities to build practical skills in the field. Through integrated design studio coursework, undergrad students practice their creative and technical design skills. Practicum experiences, internships and co-ops enable students to get real-world experience under the supervision of professionals in the field.

Ideally, prospective students should look for interior designer programs that are accredited by outside organizations. In the interior design field, two of the major accrediting bodies are the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

RELATED: What Is the Difference Between a Degree in Interior Design and Interior Architecture?

Top 10 Interior Design School Rankings

After careful consideration and research, we have identified the following institutions as some of the 10 best interior design schools in the United States. All the schools listed below provide interior design education options that produce interior design industry experts.

1. Rhode Island School of Design

With a name like Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), it should be no surprise that this institution has one of the top interior design programs in the United States. As one of the most widely admired interior design schools in the nation, RISD has earned recognition from publications such as Architectural Digest and Azure Magazine, among many others.

The interior design programs offered at RISD include options at the certificate, bachelor’s and master’s degree levels. RISD allows students to take courses in-person and online, offering plenty of flexibility for students who are juggling a lot of responsibilities or who can’t uproot their lives to move to a reasonable commuting distance.

RISD’s Interior Design Certificate Program

The interior design certificate program at RISD begins with core courses in drawing, design and digital design techniques that prepare students for a variety of careers in the interior design field. After completing their core courses, students pursuing an interior design certificate learn about lighting, building materials and even the differences between designing for private and public spaces in their concentration courses. At the end of this program, students will design a portfolio that will help them with potential job opportunities.

While this program does not satisfy either the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) or American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) eligibility requirements, it quickly provides students with formal design skills without the academic demands or price tag of a full degree.

For the entire program, the school reports a tuition price of only $9,140.

RISD’s Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design Program

Most interior design majors are more interested in bachelor’s degree programs than certificate programs. RISD’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Studies: Adaptive Reuse program is a baccalaureate-level program that emphasizes the skills for repurposing existing spaces for new uses.

In this traditionally four-year interior design BFA program, students complete courses in drawing, design and digital design techniques, much as students in the certificate program do. However, through the more in-depth coursework involved in this program, students explore topics like building structures, the history of interior architecture and scheme detailing in more detail. Students’ coursework in building structures and systems for adaptive reuse, in particular, will cover how the concepts of structural design and the mechanical systems used in building structures can be applied to preserving, adapting and rehabilitating existing buildings.

Students finish this program with a completed portfolio of their design work. Tuition for the bachelor’s interior design program at RISD for the 2022 through 2023 school year amounts to $28,218 per semester or $56,435 for the whole academic year.

RISD’s Master’s Degree Options in Interior Design

In addition to the BFA, graduate degrees offered at RISD include two types of master’s programs. The Master of Arts (MA) in Adaptive Reuse is a 1-year, 45-credit program that serves as a student’s first architecture degree. The school’s Master of Design in Interior Studies (MDes) programs are 2-year, 75-credit degree programs.

Students in the Master of Arts in Adaptive Reuse program take courses in the theory of adaptive reuse, the principles of adaptive reuse and applied building systems for adaptive reuse. Master of Design in Interior Studies degrees are offered in both adaptive reuse and exhibition and narrative environments.

In the Master of Design in Interior Studies: Adaptive Reuse program, which qualifies students to sit for the NCIDQ exam, coursework includes energy systems, human factors of ergonomics and acoustics, and studio coursework on codes and details. Coursework in the Master of Design Interior Studies: Exhibition and Narrative Environments program covers special topics in the use of interior design for storytelling purposes, particularly in museum settings.

The graduate interior design programs at RISD are the same cost as the undergraduate programs, coming in with a tuition of $28,218 per semester, or $56,435 for the whole year.

View program details.

2. New York School of Interior Design

NYSID isn’t just a liberal arts or design school that happens to offer an interior design major. The entire New York, NY, institution (and all of its academic programs) specializes solely in interior design. As one of the best interior design schools in the country, NYSID has received accolades from publications like Architectural Digest.

Undergraduate and graduate programs of study at the New York School of Interior Design range from a certificate program that introduces students to the field to five separate graduate programs to help interior designers advance their professional careers.

NYSID’s Basic Interior Design Certificate

The basic interior design certificate covers just what you would expect: the basics. Students take classes on topics like:

• basic drafting
• visual concepts
• the design process
• historical styles
• construction documents
• colors and textile design for interiors

Upon graduating from this certificate program, a student who is interested in taking their education further may transfer these credits into NYSID’s associate’s or bachelor’s degree program.

The tuition rate for all courses offered in the certificate, associate and bachelor’s programs for the 2022 through 2023 school year was $1,150 per credit.

The Associate of Applied Science Degree at NYSID

Through the institution’s Associate in Applied Science in Interior Design program, students can start their path in the field of interior design while covering prerequisite courses. Associate degree credits can then be transferred to the bachelor’s program, which will prepare students to enter the profession of interior design.

NYSID’s Bachelor’s Degree Program

In the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design program, students can look forward to receiving a more well-rounded education in interior design. Coursework in this program may include:

• furniture design
• kitchen and bath design
• sustainable design for the built environment
• light source design and selection
• material sourcing

Graduate Program Options at NYSID

At the graduate level, NYSID offers two non-specialized master’s degree programs and three more focused programs.

Students from different degree programs and academic backgrounds might pursue the Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design as their first foray into interior design education. An interior designer interested in expanding their overall knowledge in the field should consider the Post-Professional Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design.

The specialized master’s degree programs available include the Master of Professional Studies in Healthcare Interior Design, the Master of Professional Studies in Lighting Design and the Master of Professional Studies in Sustainable Interior Environments.

For all five programs, graduate students’ tuition is billed on an annual basis and amounts to $19,500 for the fall and spring semesters.

View program details.

RELATED: What Are the Pros and Cons of Pursuing a Degree in Interior Design?

3. Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a research institution, not a liberal arts college per se, yet interior design students here can expect to receive a broad liberal arts education as part of the curriculum. Interior design majors at Syracuse are part of the College of Visual & Performing Arts.

Despite the research focus of the university as a whole, the interior design program at Syracuse is one of the best interior design programs in the nation, endorsed by Architectural Digest.

Syracuse University’s Bachelor’s in Environmental and Interior Design

There is only one interior design program of study at Syracuse, but its unique area of specialization makes it stand out from the crowd. The undergraduate program is called Environmental and Interior Design, and it awards a BFA degree.

Syracuse University’s program is a bit broader, as it aims to teach students how to incorporate the principles and practices of interior design to work with a wide scope of environments, but as the degree title suggests, the curriculum has a strong focus on environmental design. Major requirements include completing three levels of environmental design courses, three levels of environmental factors courses and an environmental design capstone project.

Studying Interior Design at a Visual College

Being offered out of a visual arts college, the interior design program at Syracuse includes plenty of fine arts studio courses. These lengthy classes allow students to engage in hands-on projects in interior design practice, develop their artistic and technical design skills and begin creating the designs that will make up their portfolio.

Students also complete 15 credits of art history classes, as well as required coursework in the liberal arts and sciences.

A study abroad experience taken during students’ junior year of study is highly recommended. Students may choose to travel to London, UK, or to Florence, Italy.

View program details.

4. Pratt Institute

Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York City, is a private university known for its programs in art, architecture, design and the liberal arts and sciences. Interior design course offerings at this institution are offered out of the School of Design.

This institution was one of the first in the nation to offer a formal education in interior design, according to Architectural Digest, and it remains among the best interior design schools today. Graduates from the school have a history of finding employment relatively quickly. Most students find jobs within just seven months of graduating.

Pratt’s Bachelor of Fine Arts Program

Undergraduates who are preparing to become interior designers should consider Pratt’s Interior Design Bachelor of Fine Arts program. Major areas of focus in this undergraduate program are interior architecture, spatial design, surface embellishment, design practices that blend interior and exterior settings and design for the urban environment – with particular emphasis on how humans interact with their environments in urban settings.

This program gives students plenty of opportunities for practical instruction and the development of practical skills in design. Studio coursework is integrated into the curriculum as early as students’ sophomore year. Throughout their studies, students will gain hands-on experience through internships and professional practice coursework.

Undergraduate tuition for the 2020 through 2021 academic year amounted to $51,754 annually for students taking between 12 and 18 credits per semester.

A Minor in Interior Design

Some students are interested in interior design but aren’t ready to fully commit to the program. Ideal for these students is Pratt Institute’s 15-credit interior design minor that allows undergraduate students from any field of study to get a taste of the world of interior design.

The Master of Fine Arts Degree

Pratt Institute also offers a Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design for interior designers interested in research and academics as well as in advancing their careers in professional practice. Some students use this degree to become postsecondary teachers of interior design courses.

Within the MFA program, students may choose to focus on an area of concentration such as:

• interior design theory and criticism
• emerging technologies for interior design
• exhibition design
• environmental quality
• design of ecological and sustainable environments

For both full-time and part-time graduate students, the tuition rate for the 2020 through 2021 school year was $1,847 per credit.

View program details.

5. Parsons School of Design at the New School

The New School, a university in New York, NY, is made up of seven schools. One of these schools is Parsons School of Design, which is one of the best interior design schools in the country. Here, interior design students will find programs ranging at levels ranging from undergraduate certificates to graduate degrees.

Certificate in Interior Design

The undergraduate certificate program at Parsons offers students a quick but thorough introduction to the field, providing them with a solid foundation in interior design.

Offered in an online format in which students complete eight online classes over the span of just six to nine weeks, this program includes coursework in areas like:

• basic drafting and interior space planning
• color theory
• residential and commercial design

Through the special focus on collaborative work at Parsons, you can expect to complete group projects and share studio workspaces with students from other art and design programs.

The cost for the complete certificate program is $6,760 as of 2022.

Associate Degree in Interior Design

The Interior Design Associate of Applied Science offers a more in-depth introduction to the field. The curriculum of this two-year, on-campus program includes courses in 2D and 3D drawing of interiors, environmental design and construction documents, as well as a sequence of design studio courses.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design

The interior design BFA degree program at Parsons that will best prepare students to begin their careers in the field of interior design is the Bachelor of Fine Arts. Like the associate’s degree program, this four-year baccalaureate program is offered on-campus.

The curriculum goes well beyond that of the associate’s degree program, encompassing coursework in:

• the history of architecture
• human ecological theory and design for interiors
• sustainable systems
• the interaction between light and surfaces

Integrative studio and seminar courses begin as early as the first semester of students’ first year of study.

Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design

The Interior Design Master’s of Fine Arts program at Parsons is a two-year, on-campus program that will help graduate students prepare to further their careers in interior design or enter the field as educators.

The MFA curriculum includes classes in environmental design, ethnography and design, the theory of the interior and fabrication and processes, as well as advanced design studios and a thesis.

View program details.

RELATED: Where Are the Best Paying Jobs with a Degree in Interior Design?

6. Savannah College of Art & Design

At Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) in Savannah, GA, students interested in interior design can pursue a bachelor’s degree, an undergraduate minor or a graduate degree. The institution is one of the best interior design schools in the nation, with features like SCADpro, the SCAD collaborative learning center design studio, setting it apart from other programs.

SCAD’s BFA in Interior Design

The BFA in Interior Design covers everything undergraduate students need to begin pursuing a career in interior design. You might not expect a traditional liberal arts degree experience from an art and design college like SCAD, but in this program – as in the institution’s other bachelor’s degree programs – students complete core courses designed to help them develop strong critical thinking skills and communication abilities.

In addition to these core courses, students will develop their abilities in interior design with courses in different aspects of interior design, such as the history of the field, drawing techniques and design studio work. As of 2022, program locations for the interior design BFA include SCAD’s Savannah main campus and its Atlanta campus.

Undergraduate tuition rates for one year of study at SCAD amounted to $39,105 during the 2022 through 2023 academic year.

Interior Design Minor Requirements

Undergraduate students pursuing a different undergraduate degree at SCAD may study interior design as a minor. In this 25-credit minor, students get an overview of the field of interior design.

At the Savannah and Atlanta campuses, students start their minor coursework with an Introduction to Interior Design class and continue with classes on topics like:

• interior materials
• graphics for the building arts
• form, space and order

One design studio course, which focuses on exploring people and space, is included in the requirements for the minor.

Master’s Degrees in Interior Design

SCAD’s interior design programs at the graduate level include both MA and MFA programs. The MA is a 45-hour program that includes classes in theory and criticism of interior design, environmental psychology for interior design, emerging materials for interiors and research methods in the field. Students complete a final project in preparation for graduation from the MA program.

The Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design program is significantly longer, consisting of 90 hours of coursework that includes multiple internships and a master’s thesis. Coursework includes the same classes found in the MA program, along with a series of studio design courses that focus on topics like inclusive design, design for live-work settings and the design of environments for public interaction.

The cost of this program is not much more than the undergraduate program, coming in at $40,050 for the 2022 through 2023 school year.

View program details.

7. University of Cincinnati

Another one of the top interior design schools is the University of Cincinnati (UC) in Ohio. The public research university has received accolades from Architectural Digest – even though the publication once singled out the campus’s Crosley Tower as one of the Ugliest University Buildings in America.

Through the University of Cincinnati’s School of Architecture and Interior Design, part of the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP), students can pursue both bachelor’s and master’s programs in interior design.

Bachelor of Science Degree

The Bachelor of Science in Interior Design at UC allows students to grow their skills in a studio environment and take advantage of the option to study abroad. This program isn’t quick, but it’s thorough, and students complete their studies with considerable paid work experience under their belts.

Finishing this Bachelor of Science program takes five years instead of the typical four years required to earn a bachelor’s degree, including taking classes over the summer semesters. The reason this program takes so long to complete is that it incorporates valuable co-op experiences into the curriculum.

Other courses in the major curriculum include:

• architectural history
• interior lighting
• construction materials and fibers
• design science in building construction
• furniture design and millwork

In-state tuition for this program for the 2022 through 2023 academic year was only $6,588 per semester, though non-resident students would pay $14,255 per semester. 

Master’s Degree in Interior Design

For students who already possess a bachelor’s degree in the field from an accredited interior design school, the University of Cincinnati’s post-professional Master of Interior Design (MINTD) can expand not only your knowledge of the field but also your career opportunities.

With this degree, which includes coursework in research methods in the field and the completion of a master’s thesis, experienced practitioners can develop the skills and qualifications for teaching students at the college level. The degree can also help you expand your skills as a practitioner.

As part of this two-year program, students can study abroad in Switzerland, Germany, Turkey or India. The program’s curriculum also includes a graduate-level internship and design studio work.

View program details.

8. Fashion Institute of Technology (part of the State University of New York – SUNY)

Don’t let the name fool you; aside from its fashion design programs, the State University of New York (SUNY)’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) is one of the top interior design schools, and it has the praise from Architectural Digest to prove it.

Located in New York, NY, FIT offers two programs in interior design, an associate’s program and a bachelor’s program. At either level of study, the robust interior design program is designed for teaching students the skills needed to enter the world of interior designer careers.

Associate’s Degree

It’s true that most interior designers have a bachelor’s degree, but the interior design associate’s degree program at FIT is still worth pursuing. Without further study, you could leverage this degree to become an interior designer assistant or an interior decorator at most interior design firms.

You can also use this program to prepare to earn a bachelor’s degree in interior design, which would qualify you for a wider range of career roles in the interior design field.

The major coursework in this program includes classes in visual representation, interior design theory and criticism, the history of interior design, design technology and a sequence of design studio courses. Other classes in this program include art history courses and classes that fulfill general education requirements, which serve to educate well-rounded artists.

The tuition rate for this program differs for in-state vs. out-of-state students. For the 2022 through 2023 program, students living in New York were charged $2,645 per semester, while non-resident students were charged $7,935.

Bachelor’s Degree

FIT’s CIDA-accredited BFA in Interior Design program is designed to prepare undergraduate students for a number of careers in the interior design industry. The curriculum for this four-year multidisciplinary program combines a couple of art history courses and some general education courses with more of an interior design focus overall than the associate’s degree program has.

For example, students take classes in lighting design and advanced methods and applications of design technology, as well as a more robust catalog of design studio courses.

FIT’s interior design education is a particularly good option for New York residents. The cost of a semester’s worth of study in the bachelor’s degree program for in-state students for the 2022 through 2023 school year was $3,585. Out-of-state students would pay $10,846 per semester for this program.

View program details.

9. Kansas State University

If you’re looking for an interior design degree in the Sunflower State, Kansas State University is the place to go. Not only is K-State among the best interior design schools in the country (a claim backed up by the rankings and praise from publications like Architectural Digest), but it’s also the only college in Kansas to offer a CIDA-accredited four-year interior design program.

Through courses in computer-aided visual communication, students gain technical knowledge of the use of computer modeling and design software programs in interior design.

K-State prides itself on its small class sizes and use of technology in the classroom as a way to help all students learn. The school also possesses a 93% employment rate among graduates of its interior design bachelor’s degree.

Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design

The undergraduate program for interior design can be completed in four years, or 120 credit hours. For students at the bachelor’s level, the majority of the curriculum (aside from general education classes) is focused on professional studies courses that cover a range of topics for interior design.

Major coursework in this program includes interior design history, behavior in the interior environment and interior design practices and procedures. Students pursuing interior design degrees from K-State also study:

• lighting
• textile design
• construction methods and materials
• environmental systems for interior design
• the principles and practices of design for supportive environments

Students also need to take a lot of professional electives that cover a wide range of areas within interior design, professional application, and professional application. Elective courses allow students to customize their creative education and develop expertise in areas of interest.

Some of the electives offered in this program include advanced studies in design and behavioral aspects of residential or commercial design, advanced interior design theory, design for aging in the modern world and an interior design study tour.

Experience is an important part of Kansas State’s interior design program. Students in the program are encouraged to take part in an internship, taking advantage of K-State’s connections to intern in top architectural design firms all over the country. Internships are typically done in the summer between undergraduate students’ third and fourth years but can, along with the practicum, occur after their second year.

For the 2021 through 2022 school year, Kansas residents only needed to pay $316.30 per credit hour for tuition, while nonresidents were charged $852 per credit hour.

Master’s Degree Options in Interior Architecture

Kansas State University’s graduate programs in this field are master’s degrees in interior architecture. The Master of Interior Architecture and Product Design (MIAPD) degree is offered in both a post-baccalaureate track for students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree and a non-baccalaureate track for students without a bachelor’s degree.

The post-baccalaureate track Master of Interior Architecture degree is a comprehensive two- to three-year master’s degree program that typically takes six semesters to complete. The CIDA-accredited and NASAD-approved program is open to students with a bachelor’s degree in any field, so you don’t need prior studies at interior design schools to be accepted.

The curriculum of the master’s degree program includes classes in visual communication, the history of the designed environment, building construction systems and structural systems in architecture and architectural technology. Design studio and workshop coursework is a big part of the graduate-level curriculum. Students also study topics like:

• materials and finishes
• lighting
• furniture design
• environmental and interior design

The non-baccalaureate track Master of Interior Architecture is a five-year program ideal for students entering college with only a high school education. Like the post-baccalaureate program, this degree program is CIDA-accredited and NASAD-approved, and it covers many of the same courses as the post-baccalaureate program, plus the material needed to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Ultimately, students in this program will complete 170 credits of study. They will also shave a year or more off of their education compared to if they had spent four years earning a bachelor’s degree in a traditional program and then another two or more years of graduate school.

At the graduate level, the tuition cost for the 2021 through 2022 academic year was $428.90 per credit hour for in-state students and $959.10 for out-of-state students.

View program details.

10. Auburn University

At Auburn University in Alabama, students can pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in interior design.

Auburn isn’t just one of the best interior design schools, nationally ranked by publications like Architectural Digest and Design Intelligence. The interior designer program at this school is also competitive – so much so that students cannot enter the program directly as freshmen.

Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design

Both first-year students and transfer students must start out in the school’s pre-interior design program. After they complete the first year of coursework, pre-interior design students are evaluated based on their performance to see whether they actually get into the full interior design major. To be admitted, students must prove their design abilities by submitting samples of their best work in accordance with the program’s portfolio requirements.

The interior design program at Auburn is part of the Consumer & Design Sciences department within the school’s College of Human Sciences. The CIDA-accredited 123-credit program awards a Bachelor of Science degree.

During the pre-interior design year of study, Auburn students take classes in design principles, the history of interior design, consumer culture and introduction to interior design, as well as general education courses. Generally, BS programs require fewer general education courses than BA programs do, which means that aspiring interior design students can devote more of their common curriculum to matters of academic study that relate to their intended job directly.

Since the Pre-Interior Design program covers most of the general education courses, students will focus primarily on core courses and elective courses related to their major once they are accepted into the BS in interior design program. Major coursework in the interior design bachelor’s degree program includes:

• spatial design and planning
• lighting
• interior materials and components
• mechanical and environmental systems
• project management for interior design

Through studio courses, students develop their skills in using computer-aided design software and design for different types of spaces, including residential, commercial, hospitality and health and wellness environments.

An internship is important in this curriculum, as is an advanced design project completed in the design studio.

Undergraduates in the Interior Design program enjoy a maximum class size of only 40 students. This is one bachelor’s degree program that, for many students, really does take just four years to complete. According to Auburn University’s statistics, the average time it takes to graduate from the interior design program is 4.1 years, and 49% of students who matriculated to the pre-interior design program during the 2016 through 2017 academic year graduated in four years.

To put that in perspective, just 41% of college students nationwide graduate within four years, CNBC reported in 2019 (and even that statistic shows a big jump from the 1996 cohort, just 33.7% of which graduated within four years, according to the National Center for Education Statistics).

Undergraduate tuition for this program for the 2021 through 2022 school year came in at $5,913 per semester for Alabama residents and $15,993 for non-residents.

View program details.

RELATED: What Career Path Do I Have Ahead of Me With an Associate’s in Design Studies?

Top-Ranked Art and Design Schools Abroad

Our rankings list of the best interior design colleges is nationally focused, but there are plenty of excellent educational options outside the U.S., as well. There are schools for interior design that are ranked highly all around the world, offering certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, in-person and online master’s degree and doctorate degree options.

For example, at the Chelsea College of Art & Design at the University of the Arts in London, England, students can seek a bachelor’s degree or a graduate diploma in interior design.

Florence Design Academy in Italy is another global standout school. An interior designer (or aspiring interior designer) with a bachelor’s degree can pursue one of two graduate programs here: a Master of Interior Design or a dual master’s program that combines interior design with graphic design or industrial design.

Related Resources:

Do I Need a Degree to Be an Interior Decorator?

Can I Become an Interior Designer Without a Degree?

What Degree Do I Need to Become an Interior Designer?

The post Top 10 Interior Design Schools in the U.S. appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Thankfully in 2021 there are more options than ever before to hone the writer’s craft–no matter the level of your skill. Online writer’s bootcamps, fully digital undergraduate, graduate, and even doctorate programs empower writers from all walks of life to pick up the pen professionally. But even as an indulgence of hobby or passion, the quality and variety of creative writing programs available is sure to meet the needs of your desires. 

Particularly for writers interested in graduate-level education, a staggering number of the country’s best programs have moved program offerings online. Whether in response to the unique demands and challenges of the world pandemic, or as a demonstrative embrace of the digital age, more top-tier creative writing programs have online options than ever before. 

Thankfully, our researchers provide the assist when it comes to sorting through all your available options–they have done the legwork and compiled 20 of the most promising options available. The below programs all offer fully-online graduate creative writing degrees that have been ranked according to metrics we believe will be most meaningful to prospective students–that is, overall prestige of the institution, graduating rate, tuition cost, specialization options, as well as aggregate scores from parallel education rankings. 

1 Harvard University

Harvard University is one of those schools whose name carries the weight of tremendous achievement just by the merit of having earned a degree there. Harvard University is one of the most formidable entities in higher education in the world–it’s faculty and students represent the best of the best, and are often positioned at the forefront of their fields, conducting paradigm shifting research and establishing benchmarks for the rest of the higher education industry.

Harvard University’s Extension Program offers a number of creative writing programs at the undergraduate and graduate level. And surprisingly, the cost of Harvard’s online programs are extremely reasonable after factoring in financial aid, which makes this the premier option on this ranking–given the prestige and professional clout conferred by a degree from Harvard.

Any student holding a four year bachelor’s degree is welcome to apply. It should be noted that the curriculum does avoid–to some extent–discussions surrounding poetry and any thesis work concerning it, as it is not a primary focus of the program.

Net Price: $16,000

Learn more about Harvard’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing degrees here

2 National University

National University was founded on the idea of providing career-centric programs to students interested in quality, efficient, affordable professional advancement amidst full-time employment. As such, National University has become a leader in online education, whose specialty is servicing adult and distance learners who wish to progress through top notch degree programs without sacrificing a healthy work-life balance. 

National University’s Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing can be completed entirely online, and at a pace that best accommodates the busy lives of individual students. Moreover, National University was the first program of its kind in the nation–so students can enjoy the confidence that National University is a successful innovator in this area. 

Students of the program will learn from published authors and acclaimed authors who have demonstrated continued professional success. Instructors look to pass on their skills and knowledge to help aspiring writers actualize their goals and professional aspirations–whatever they might be. 

Net Price: $18,319

Learn more about National University’s top online Masters of Creative Writing degrees here.

3 University of Houston – Victoria

The University of Houston at Victoria is a well-respected branch of the University of Houston system. UH Victoria specializes in offering students a selection of degree programs designed to offer both flexibility and affordability. The University’s earned accolades demonstrates the success of this chosen specialization. 

UH Victoria offers a fully online Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing, which is designed around a student-centric ideal. Students of the program will note that the program’s systems have been designed with convenience in mind–so that students can complete the program without the burden of unwanted stress. 

Students of the program will be able to progress through coursework on a schedule that best matches individual circumstances and goals, which is probably ideal for creatives who are notoriously poor micromanagers of schedules and time.

Net Price: $10,000

Learn more about University of Houston’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

4 University of Denver

The University of Denver is a prime example of a school that has devoted its resources to meeting the diverse array of needs of students in vastly different life-circumstances. On the one hand, the University of Denver displays the large network and resources of a state institution, but on the other hand it demonstrates the level of personalized care and attention you might expect from a small liberal arts college. 

This is particularly true for the University of Denver’s professional creative writing program. Students can choose from a variety of program format options in order to choose the one that best matches their intent and goals. For example, students can choose from any of three following program paths: 

• 4 course certificate that can be completed in as little as 6 months ($11,680 before aid)

• 6 course certificate that can be completed in as little as 12 months ($17,520 before aid)

• Master’s degree track that can be completed in as little as 18 months 

Net Price: $10,319

Learn more about University of Denver’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

5 Bay Path University

Bay Path University is an upcoming independent, not-for-profit university that is a formidable member of the feminist community, and is an active member in the Women’s College Coalition. The University prides itself on being able to provide women with the necessary skill set needed to succeed in a challenging world. 

This is particularly true for the Master of Fine Arts in Nonfiction Creative Writing that can be completed entirely online. The program’s focus on nonfiction writing allows instructors to narrow their focus to only the most meaningful information, as the nonfiction and fiction industries play by totally different rules. 

To this end, the program’s instructors are all at the top of their game as memoirists, food and travel writers, journalists, editors, and publishers with years of real world experience. Graduates of the program will be armed with a repertoire of skills and tools to succeed in bringing their written work to the masses. 

Net Price: $20,000

Learn more about Bay Path University’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

6 Mount Saint Mary’s University

Mount Saint Mary’s University has been offering graduate degrees since the 1930’s and have carried forth the rich history into meaningful modern policies and practices. MSMU’s degree programs are designed to propel men and women into the next phase of their careers and goals. As such, programs are designed to cultivate a sense of leadership and service to society in students. 

MSMU offers a fully online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing that is designed to support writers with a variety of interests and professional aspirations. A distinguishing component of this program is that it supports study in a variety of genres and writing-formats under the belief that writers can succeed in multiple genres–something on which not all MFA creative writing programs will agree.

Students will progress through the program’s following coursework in order:

• Fiction 
• Poetry
• Writing for Screen and Television
• Creative Nonfiction Writing
• Advanced Screenwriting
• Playwriting I 
• Fiction Writing II
• Poetry Writing II
• Screenwriting II
• Creative Nonfiction Writing II
• Poetics
• Playwriting
• Thesis
• Publishing Seminar
• Thesis Continuation

Net Price: $28,000

Learn more about Saint Mary’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

7 Oregon State University Cascades

Oregon State University Cascades is a school that invests in each of its students by fostering the unique strengths of the individual while teaching students how to compensate for weaknesses. This is particularly valuable for aspiring writers whose entire craft is based off of cultivating the unique strengths that make up their writing talent.

Oregon State University Cascades offers a fully online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. A distinguishing element of this program is commitment of program faculty to cultivating the unique development of each student. In the program description, it states that students will be developed professionals across all the complex vectors that make up an individual–including the social, aesthetic, spiritual, physical, and political.

Students will be asked to commit to a genre, but will be free to study cross-genre and to engage a cross-genre thesis. Coursework and thesis options can be organized in the following categories: 

• Fiction
• Poetry
• Creative Nonfiction

Net Price: $20,000

Learn more about Oregon State University’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here

8 University of Texas El Paso

The University of Texas El Paso offers a robust catalogue of online degree programs that are designed with convenience and flexibility in mind. Even graduate programs can be completed online from anywhere in the world. The University of Texas El Paso designs its graduate programs to reflect market needs, so that graduates of these programs can capitalize on the needs of the job market. 

The University of Texas El Paso offers a fully online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. The degree’s program format can be broken up into the following components: 

• 48 hours of coursework
• 42 hours of workshops 
• 14 hours of literature classes 
• 6 hours of thesis

Students progress through coursework in a variety of topics that is meant to adequately represent the depth and complexity of literature and its vast array of subjects. As such, coursework covers radically different topics from “Form of the Short Story” to topics in “Asian American Poetry.”

Net Price: $9,000

Learn more about University of Texas El Paso top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

9 Bennington College

Bennington College is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian college that is fully accredited by the appropriate governing bodies, specifically the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Bennington distinguishes itself through a demonstrable commitment to building a strong understanding of theory combined with practical skills and execution. 

Bennington College is a prestigious school known specifically for producing skilled and successful professional writers and novelists, and offers a fully online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in a rigorous two-year exploration of the writing craft. Students can direct their studies in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, and may work in a dual-genre as well. 

It should be noted that this program does have low-residential requirements, so some campus visits will be required to maximize the value of the program. 

Net Price: $29,000

Learn more about Bennington College top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

10 Fairfield University

When evaluating potential degree programs, prospective students often look to recent graduates to demonstrate what the program has to offer. In the case of Fairfield University, alumni go to demonstrate a high level of professional success, particularly in the writing industry. In the past three years alone, graduates of Fairfield’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing have published over 80 books–not to mention hundreds of articles, stories, poems, and essays. 

Fairfield University’s low-residential Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative program offers a number of degree paths that will cater to a variety of unique career aspirations. The program’s studies can be organized into the following areas: fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and screenwriting. 

Within these genres, students can further fine tune specialization by pursuing one of the following concentration tracks–some of which are not found in many, if any, other programs: 

• Publishing/Editing
• Spiritual Writing
• Literary Health
• Healing 

Net Price: $40,000

Learn more about Fairfield University’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

11 Emerson College

Emerson College offers hospitable degree programs for students at every level of skill and professionality with many of its online graduate programs forgoing GRE requirements. Among these is a Master of Fine Arts in Popular Fiction Writing and Publishing. The program is ideal for aspiring novelists who want an education that informs a strong understanding of publishing dynamics. 

One of the biggest roadblocks for new writers is bringing their work to the masses. Self-publishing was a boon in many ways but it has also led to a highly congested market, meaning traditional publishing can be superior in many situations. This program is designed specifically to help students understand how to take advantage of the current market’s environment to maximize one’s chances for success. 

This is one of the few programs that builds in publishing to the program itself. If students are working on a piece of work, they will be paired with an advisor who will assist in lining up a publishing process. In this case, the high tuition could pay for itself if students have a promising piece of work to build off of. 

Net Price: $44,000

Learn more about Emerson College’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

12 University of Nebraska at Omaha

University of Nebraska at Omaha combines a number of flexible degree programs to accommodate students from different backgrounds and circumstances. As such programs are delivered in residential, online, and low-residential formats. Low-residential means that programs are completed online for the most part, but will require some on-campus components. 

The University of Nebraska at Omaha offers a Master of Fine Arts in Writing with low-residential requirements. The majority of courses are completed through 4 semesters of 16 weeks that are completed online at-home, combined with 5 ten-day conference-style residencies. 

Students of the program will be able to build speciality in poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, fiction, creative nonfiction, or young adult genres. 

Net Price: $14,000

Learn more about University of Nebraska’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

13 Lindenwood University

Lindenwood University has earned many accolades over the years, most notably grouped into recognition of its affordability and flexibility. Programs can be completed online, on-campus, or through a combination of formats designed to offer the most flexibility for students who might be working full-time or have equally demanding commitments. 

Lindenwood University offers a Master of Fine Arts in Writing program that can be completed entirely online, on-campus, or in a hybrid format. Classes are led by instructors who are published authors, journalists, and editors with demonstrable real-world success. 

Countless ranking institutions have recognized this program as one of the best of its kind. And given its reasonable tuition costs, this program is an ideal consideration for any aspiring writer looking for graduate education. 

Net Price: $18,000

Learn more about Lindenwood University’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

14 Queens College of Charlotte

The Queens College of Charlotte College of Arts and Sciences offers top-tier programs helmed by award-winning faculty who have demonstrated success in the real world, and bring their unique experiences to the classroom for the benefit of students. The College’s curriculums are designed to offer research opportunities, innovative coursework, and mentorship. 

The Queens College of Charlotte College of Arts and Sciences offers an online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program that has some low-residency requirements. The program offers an amazing selling point of a 4:1 student:faculty ratio, so that students can receive the level of attention and care befitting a true mentorship program.

This level of care is exceedingly rare in higher education unfortunately, so this factor alone makes it a tremendous option for aspiring writers who want a little more investment on the part of program faculty and instructors. 

Net Price: $21,000

Learn more about Queen College’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

15 Eastern Kentucky University

Eastern Kentucky University offers a unique approach to tutelage of aspiring writers. Beyond a host of traditional writing degree programs, the University hosts a graduate level program through the Bluegrass Writers Studio that seeks to develop innovative solutions to historical shortcomings of similar programs. 

Students pursuing a program through the studio will participate in a variety of group web-classroom discussions, community engagement projects, residency workshops, and even international cultural experiences. Faculty at the studio take an active role in facilitating the success of students, and will help aspiring writers make the necessary connections to actualize their dreams and professional desires. 

Net Price: $14,000

Learn more about Eastern Kentucky University’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

16 Drexel University

Drexel University is a premier player in the online education space, and was among the first universities to build a university entirely based on the distance education model. As such, Drexel has one of the most robust catalogues of online degree offerings at every level–associate’s, bachelor’s, and graduate degrees. Among these are several english and writing degree programs to consider. 

Specifically, Drexel offers a fully online Master’s of Creative Writing that is completed through four 10-week quarters per year, which means students take more courses in a shorter time period than similar programs. Students work closely with peers and faculty, many of whom are esteemed authors, established film industry screenwriters,  and successful writers. 

Net Price: $34,000

Learn more about Drexel University’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

17 Lesley University

Lesley University brandishes a unique commitment to developing the humanitarian component in students. The University’s programs are most notably located at the intersection of education, counseling, and the visual arts–with particular attention allocated to those in the fine arts, particularly those in english and creative writing. 

Lesley University offers a mostly online Master of Fine Arts with some low-residential requirements in the form of on-campus workshops and conference-style residencies. Students of the program will learn from top-tier instructors who are award-winning writers themselves. 

Students at the program will work closely with highly invested faculty, who will function as mentors in the cultivation of students. 

Net Price: $32,000

Learn more about Lesley University’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

18 Fairleigh Dickinson University

Fairleigh Dickinson University has demonstrated continued success in producing top-tier writers who go on to achieve the goals that many of us dream of. Despite the relatively small size of the program and resulting alumni groups, over the past five years alone graduates have produced 28 book-lengths of award-winning fiction. Graduates of Fairleigh Dickinson University’s have landed the following awards and accolades for their works: 

• New York Times Bestseller
• African American Book Prize
• Colorado Book Prize for Biography

Fairleigh Dickinson University offers a low-residency Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing which can be completed mostly online. Students will want to evaluate the residential components because they do have some unique values. 

The close proximity of the school to New York City which is the publishing heart of the world means that students will be plugged into the ideal environment for professional networking. 

Net Price: $22,000

Learn more about Fairleigh Dickinson University’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

19 Savannah College of Art and Design

SCAD is a school that is a well-known and respected name in any field relating to arts and design, as chances are there is an influential SCAD graduate in that field. This is likely due to the fact that SCAD has chosen its niche and speciality, and continually invests in delivering the best education programs in this capacity. SCAD is an ideal candidate for consideration for aspiring writers who want a career-centric program with industry-awareness outside the bounds of traditional writing programs. 

SCAD offers an online Master of Fine Arts in Writing that covers an array of subject matter in the arts. This unique approach is positioned in such a way so that students learn to view writing as an artform, and as such will delve into topics surrounding the history and nuance surrounding all the various elements of a career as a professional artist. 

For example, students will delve into coursework organized into the following curriculum:

• Contemporary Art
• Art Criticism
• Writing for Digital Communication
• Nonfiction I: Analysis of Creative Nonfiction
• Nonfiction II: Mastery of Style, Voice, and Subject
• Persuasive Writing
• History of Rhetoric
• Professional Writing for Business Applications
• Freelance Writing for Publication
• The Publishing Process
• Public/Media Relations Writing and Strategy
• Graduate Internship
• Graduate Internship
• Writing M.F.A. Thesis

Net Price: $42,000

Learn more about Savannah College of Art and Design’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

20 Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University is a premier institution in the online education space, and brandishes one of the largest online student bodies in the world. SNHU is a private, non-profit university that holds more than 130,000 online students currently. As such, SNHU was named one of the most innovative universities in the country in 2020. 

Among its other degree program offerings in english and writing are a fully online Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. No application fees or GRE scores are required for admission. The program is 100% online without any residential requirements and is completed through a total 48 course credits.

Throughout the program students will learn how to excel in the following areas of professional writing:

• Business and technical aspects of professional writing 
• Navigation of the publishing ecosystem
• Brand development
• Marketing work to decision makers
• Book promotion
• Identify agents, editors or other industry professionals for publishing
• Teaching writing

Net Price: $40,000

Learn more about New Hampshire University’s top online Master’s in Creative Writing here.

The post The 20 Best Online Master’s in Creative Writing appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Associate degrees are commonly called two-year degrees because that’s how long it traditionally takes to earn them. However, in some cases, you can get an associate degree faster. 

Here are 25 accelerated online associate degrees that you can earn in less than two years.

RELATED: Easiest Online Associate’s Degrees

1. Associate of Science in Construction Project Management

Are you interested in overseeing a construction project from start to finish? Do you want to be involved in the details of planning and design? The rising career path of construction project manager might be for you. With this associate degree, you can quickly prepare for career paths like construction manager, building inspector and trades supervisor. 

Where to Earn a Construction Management Associate Degree Fas

If you want to fast-track your construction project management associate degree program, consider enrolling at Penn Foster College. The private, for-profit higher education institution located in Scottsdale, AZ, offers an accredited online Construction Technology Associate Degree. This self-paced program is one of the fastest options for an associate degree. While the average time to complete the program is as little as 11 months, highly motivated students who choose the fast-track format can get an associate degree in as little as five months. That makes this a rare example of being able to earn an associate degree in 6 months online. 

2. Social Science 

Do you have a love of fields like history, sociology and political science? Consider majoring in social science. An associate’s degree in social science helps students build foundational skills and knowledge upon which they will build when they advance to their bachelor’s degree studies. Among the areas you will study when you major in social science at the associate degree level are: 

• History
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Anthropology
• Geography
• Political science
• Economics

Where to Earn a Social Science Associate Degree Fast

Social science is one of three accelerated online associate degrees students can pursue at Tidewater Community College. Tidewater is a public community college based in South Hampton Roads, VA, and has five campuses in addition to its online offerings. The school is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The accelerated social science degree, as well as the school’s other accelerated online associate’s degrees, can be completed in just one year. 

3. Associate Degree in Business Administration

Business administration is one of the most common associate degree programs. It’s also one of the fastest degrees you can get online. It is possible to get your degree in just 12 to 18 months – or less if you have credit hours to transfer.

Students in an accelerated online business administration program will study a wide range of business topics. Core classes for a business administration associate degree may include: 

• Introduction to business management
• Financial accounting
• Managerial accounting
• Economics
• Principles of management 
• Marketing fundamentals 
• Business law
• Management information systems 
• Business communications 
• International business

When you earn an associate degree in business administration, you’re equipped with the skills for entry-level positions in the business world. 

RELATED: How Long Does It Take to Get a Business Degree?

Where to Earn a Business Administration Associate Degree Fast

One of the fastest associate business degree online programs can be found at Truckee Meadows Community College. The program, which is available in a traditional two-year format and an accelerated one-year format, is proof that you don’t have to go to a four-year university to earn an associate’s degree fast. A community college can have a similar program for less time and money.

Truckee Meadows Community College is based in Reno, Nevada. The school is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Through the school’s Business FastTrack Program, students take two online courses per five-week term and study year-round, with new classes starting nine times per year. It’s a whirlwind for sure – but a productive one, as students can complete their 2-year degrees in half the time without transfer credits. 

Another school where students can earn an online business administration associate degree quickly is Liberty University. Liberty University is a private Christian school based in Lynchburg, Virginia, with extensive online offerings. Online business courses are eight weeks long. By studying over the summer, students can finish their associate degree in one and a half years.

What if you have credit hours to transfer? The right associate degree program will allow you to slash the time it takes to earn your associate degree. Liberty University has a generous transfer policy through which students can apply up to 75% of the credit hour requirement for an associate degree. Prospective transfer students should also consider Purdue University Global’s business administration associate degree. Students transferring the maximum number of credits can complete their associate degree in just four months. 

4. Associate of Arts in General Education or Liberal Arts

Maybe you don’t know yet what you want to study. You just know that having a degree will open doors to opportunities that you might not have with only a high school diploma.

If you haven’t decided on a specific major, it’s not a big deal. You can earn a degree in general education or liberal arts. This program is often considered the easiest associates degree, but it’s also one of the fastest associate degrees to earn. 

These programs provide a broad foundation of college-level education for you to draw from. A general education or liberal arts major can be the perfect stepping stone for a career that doesn’t require a specific path of study or for earning a bachelor’s degree at a later time.

RELATED: The 20 Easiest Bachelor’s Degree Online Options

In an online associate degree in general studies or liberal arts, students take courses in a wide range of subjects. Examples include: 

• Human development
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Science
• Economics
• Finance
• Philosophy
• Mathematics
• Business 
• Humanities

Where to Earn a Liberal Arts Associate Degree Fast

General studies is one of the accelerated online associate degree programs at Tidewater Community College that can be completed in just one year. Students complete a breadth of coursework that draws from all of the major disciplines. The program offers optional specializations in professional communication and teacher preparation. 

Another school that offers AA degrees online in general education is Florida State College at Jacksonville. By taking eight-week courses throughout the year, students at the public higher education institution can complete their associate degree in general education in just 18 months. Florida State College at Jacksonville is part of the Florida College System and is accredited by the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges. 

5. Associate’s in Nursing

Good nurses are consistently in demand. Whether you’re already licensed as a vocational nurse or fresh out of high school, an associate degree can help you get ahead in this critical role in the healthcare industry. 

Associate degrees in nursing, or ADN programs, typically prepare students to provide patient care according to the nursing model and to pass the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLE-RN) test. Even in online programs, students should expect to have to gain hands-on experience through in-person labs and clinical courses. Depending on your online program, you may have to visit campus for these requirements or find a local clinical site where you can fulfill your clinical requirements. Consider these programs to be generally hybrid options rather than fully online associate degree programs. 

Where to Earn a Nursing Associate Degree Fast

Suppose you’re currently a licensed vocational nurse but haven’t yet earned a degree. Howard College in Big Springs, TX, offers a primarily online 12-month Transition Associate Degree Nursing Program. The school is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

If you don’t yet have experience or a license, don’t worry. A number of colleges offer accelerated 2-year online degrees in nursing. Herzing University‘s Associate in Nursing program, for example, can be completed in 20 months. Students should note, however, that this isn’t a fully online program and requires some in-person coursework at one of Herzing’s campuses in Alabama, Florida, Ohio or Tennessee. The Associate Degree in Nursing Program from American Career College is another 20-month program. Although some of the coursework is offered online, some of it must be completed on campus at one of the college’s locations in Los Angeles or Anaheim, California, or in Ontario, Canada.

6. Associate of Science in Health Information Technology

Would you like to start a new career in healthcare service in as little as 15 months? The field of health information technology brings together the disciplines of healthcare and computers and IT. Students in health information technology associate degree programs take coursework in areas such as: 

• Medical billing and coding
• Electronic health record management
• Disease classification
• Healthcare procedural codes in hospitals and other healthcare facilities 

Graduates from a health information technology associate degree program can pursue roles that range from medical coder and medical transcriptionist to health information technician. 

Where to Earn a Health Information Technology Associate Degree Fast

Fremont University in Cerritos, CA, is one school that offers a fast online degree in health information technology. The private for-profit college l caters to working adult students, so it’s no surprise the school offers a program that allows for quick entry into this rapidly growing field. Fremont College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). Students can complete their online health information technology associate degree program in just 15 months. 

7. Associate of Arts in Accounting

If you think an accounting career is out of reach, think again. You don’t need to spend years in school or earn an advanced degree to get started. An associate degree can be the first step to your career. Students in an online associate degree for accounting will learn the theoretical and accounting standards and fundamentals. They also develop skills for the practical application of accounting procedures.

Through their coursework, students in accounting associate degrees become familiar with:

• Equities
• Liabilities
• The process of preparing financial statements and records
• Accounting’s role in business decisions

Graduates from an associate degree in accounting program may be able to qualify for some entry-level staff accountant roles. They can also seek positions in auditing, financial data analysis and payroll administration.

Where to Earn an Accounting Associate Degree Fast

How fast can you finish an accounting associate degree online? At Lorain County Community College, the accelerated pathway for this program can be completed in just 15 months. To speed up their progress toward the degree, students in the accelerated pathway take eight-week and ten-week courses. 

8. Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems or Information Technology

Do you have an interest in technology? An associate’s degree in computer information systems or information technology can help you find a job in a rapidly growing field. Some of the coursework students may take in computer information systems and IT associates degrees online includes: 

• Computer system analysis and design
• Programming in Java, Visual Basic and C/C++
• Software design and development

Where to Earn an Information Technology Associate Degree Fast

Lorain County Community College in Elyria, OH, offers a number of 15-month associate degrees online for computer and IT fields, including: 

• Computer and digital forensics 

• Computer applications integration specialist

• Computer maintenance and networking 

The community college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. 

Another school to consider for online associate degree programs in computers and IT is ECPI University in Manassas, VA. Among the institution’s accelerated online associate degree programs are:

• A 16-month Associate of Science Degree in Computer and Information Science with a concentration in Cyber and Information Security Technology
• An 18-month Associate of Science Degree in Computer and Information Science with a concentration in Software Development

ECPI University – which stands for East Coast Polytechnic Institute – is a private for-profit institution accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

9. Associate of Science in Marketing

Good marketing leads people to buy a product, service or brand. The field is ideal for students who are creative, strategic and analytical. An associate degree could be the first stepping stone into a rewarding marketing career.

An associate program in marketing typically combines core business studies, some focused marketing coursework and a background in liberal arts. Students learn how to plan, create and evaluate advertising and marketing campaigns. By the time they graduate, students know the basic principles of marketing and have the skills to work for an established or start-up organization.

Where to Earn a Marketing Associate Degree Fast

Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI, offers a 17-month fully online marketing associate degree. The school, which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, doesn’t just repurpose an on-campus curriculum for an online audience. Instead, Ferris State University builds its online courses for the virtual learning environment from the ground up. The online associate degree in marketing is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

10. Associate of Arts in Psychology

Do you have an interest in human behavior? Do you wonder why people think, feel and act the way they do? Consider pursuing a fast online associates degree in the field of psychology. Some institutions of higher learning allow students to get an associate degree in psychology in just one and a half years. 

An associate’s degree in psychology will prepare graduates to work in entry-level jobs in psychology. This includes jobs in environments such as:

• Mental health facilities
• Substance abuse and rehabilitation centers
• Childcare facilities
• The criminal justice and legal system

Where to Earn a Psychology Associate Degree Fast

Liberty University offers an online Associate of Arts (AA) in Psychology program that students complete in one and a half years, on average. The program is an excellent choice for students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree eventually. Because there are no required login times or on-site intensives for this program, Liberty’s online associate in psychology degree is ideal for students who need flexibility.  

11. Associate of Applied Science in Criminal Justice

If you are interested in a law enforcement career, having an associate’s degree in criminal justice can give you an edge over candidates starting out with just a high school diploma. By earning your degree quickly online, you won’t have to sacrifice years of your life to prepare for your new career.

In associate programs in criminal justice, students will typically learn about the philosophy and development of the criminal justice system in the United States. They will gain exposure to topics in criminology and criminal law. 

This fastest associate’s degree program in criminal justice gives students the education employers are seeking. With an associate degree in criminal justice, you can pursue entry-level positions in: 

• Law enforcement
• Corrections
• Investigations
• Probation
• Corporate security

Where to Earn a Criminal Justice Associate Degree Fast

Criminal justice is another type of associate’s degree students can pursue at Purdue University Global. Purdue’s program isn’t an accelerated program per se, but it’s an excellent choice for students who have past experience to draw from. These students can make their way through the curriculum faster not only by transferring prior college credits but also by receiving credit for any military service work they have completed. If you transfer in the greatest possible credit hour amounts, military service credits and work experience credit, you can finish this program in just four months. 

12. Associate Degree in Web Programming

Do you enjoy the technical side of web applications? There’s considerable money, as well as career flexibility, in programming. Employers and clients are looking for trained professionals who know how to use the essential tools and techniques for coding websites and software applications. Knowledge of programming languages like the following are in high demand: 

• HTML
• Java 
• JavaScript
• Visual Basic 
• CSS
• SQL databases

Where to Earn a Web Programming Associate Degree Fast

How fast can you build the skills for web programming? The New England Institute of Technology offers an 18-month online Associate of Science degree in Software Engineering and Web Development. The school, which is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, emphasizes not only proficiency in programming languages and visualization tools but also how computer systems and applications can address real-world business problems. 

13. Associate of Applied Science in Health Science: Medical Office Management

Maybe you want to break into the healthcare industry but not in a clinical role. Can you see yourself in an office management role instead?

You don’t need years of education and experience to prepare for the responsibilities of keeping an office organized and running efficiently. An online associate degree in medical office management can help you prepare for this career quickly. Through this course of study, students will learn skills for the following tasks: 

• Managing office operations
• Scheduling appointments
• Managing patient records
• Handling billing, coding and insurance paperwork

Medical office managers need strong communication and organizational skills, as well as knowledge of billing and coding procedures and healthcare record management. Online associate degree programs in medical office management help students cultivate these skills. 

Where to Earn a Medical Office Management Associate Degree Fast

Ultimate Medical Academy in Tampa, FL, offers a Medical Administrative Assistant associate degree program that can be completed in as little as 18 months. The school, which is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), also offers an 11-month diploma program if you want to get into this career even faster. By the time you finish this short online associate degree, you will be prepared to take the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) examination. 

14. Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education

Do you love working with kids? An associate degree in early childhood education could be your first step to a career such as:

• Pre-kindergarten teacher
• Childcare worker
• Learning center administrator 

Whether you intend to make a career out of childcare work or eventually earn a bachelor’s degree to become a licensed teacher, this fastest associate in early childhood education degree can be a stepping stone to achieving your dreams.

In an associate degree in ECE program, students can expect to cover subjects like:  

• Child development
• Childhood education
• Classroom management 
• Teacher preparation

15. Associate of Arts in Graphic Design

Do you have an eye for design? You can be more than a “starving artist.” With an associate degree in graphic design, you can apply your creativity to a career as a designer.

During associate degree programs in graphic design, students learn to communicate ideas and messages through visuals. They apply communication, critical thinking and computer skills to a design setting. Throughout the program, students build a portfolio of their own designs that can showcase their talents to potential employers and clients. 

Coursework in a graphic design program is likely to cover the techniques of traditional art and multimedia design, including:

• Color theory
• Photography
• Typography
• Print design
• Interactive media
• Editing audio and video clips 
• Designing for the optimal user experience

16. Associate’s in Human Resources

In every industry, businesses and organizations need to recruit, train and manage talent. Human resources personnel are professionals who specialize in hiring workers and developing their skills. An associate degree in human resources can give you the skills you need for this versatile career.

Human resources students can expect to take classes in the following: 

• Management and training of employees
• Employment law
• Change management
• Benefits administration

17. Human Services Associate Degree

Do you feel a calling to help other people who are struggling through difficult life problems? An education in human services could put you on the right path.

Studying human services will prepare you for roles like:

• Community health worker
• Social and human service assistant
• Social or community service manager
• Community and social service specialist

18. Associate of Science in Software Application Development

Are you tech-savvy? If your computer skills are matched only by your creativity and resourcefulness, you could find great success as a software application developer.

Software development is a rapidly growing industry. An associate degree can help you get started sooner rather than later.

RELATED: Which Degree Is Best for a Software Engineer?

To cultivate the skills for a career in software development, you should expect to take courses such as: 

• Software design
• Smartphone app development
• Programming in languages like Java and C++
• Networking 
• Cybersecurity 
• Cloud solutions 

Where to Earn a Software Development Associate Degree Fast

ECPI University offers an 18-month software development associate degree that’s 100% online. In addition to teaching students the tools, technologies and processes of the field, this program also builds their communication skills and knowledge of ethical best practices in the industry. 

19. Associate of Science in Engineering Technology

Engineering applies the principles of math and science to the design and development of solutions to all kinds of real-world problems. Although you need a bachelor’s degree to become an engineer who undertakes the design process, an associate degree is enough to land you a role as an engineering technician. Engineering technology associate degree programs exist in various engineering disciplines. Coursework in these programs typically encompasses the most relevant background knowledge and a great deal of practical and technical skills. 

Where to Earn an Engineering Technology Associate Degree Fast

ECPI University offers online associate degrees in both mechanical engineering technology and electronic engineering technology. Both programs can be completed 100% online in 18 months. The curriculum of each program is tailored to the current needs of the respective discipline. By the time they graduate, students have the theoretical knowledge and technical know-how to succeed in technician-level roles in the engineering field. 

20. Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies

Just because you have an interest in the legal system doesn’t mean that you want to spend seven years or more pursuing a bachelor’s and then a law school degree. Fortunately, there are other ways to get a job working in the field of law. A paralegal supports lawyers through work that includes the following:

• Conducting legal research
• Drafting legal documents
• Maintaining files for civil or criminal cases

The bar to entry for paralegals is much lower than for attorneys. An associate degree is sufficient preparation for entry-level jobs for paralegals. 

RELATED: What Degree Do You Need to Be a Paralegal?

Where to Earn a Paralegal Studies Associate Degree Fast

Herzing University, a private institution located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, offers an online paralegal/legal assisting associate degree. The school is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and features a career-focused curriculum that students can complete in 20 months. 

For students with prior college credit, Purdue University is an option for finishing your associate’s degree in this field faster, too. Again, although the program is intended as a two-year program, the online school’s generous transfer policy ensures that credit previously completed at other institutions won’t go to waste. Purdue’s program awards an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Legal Support and Services that allows students to apply transfer credits and gain credit for prior work experience in relevant roles. 

21. Associate of Science in Medical Assisting Services

Are you looking for your place in the healthcare industry? Perhaps medical assisting is the career path for you. Medical assistants work alongside doctors and nurses in clinical patient care. Their work may include measuring vital signs, drawing blood and managing medical records.

Where to Earn a Medical Assisting Associate Degree Fast

Herzing University offers a medical assisting program that takes just 20 months to complete. This associate degree is a hybrid program. While students take all of their courses online, they must meet face-to-face with a proctor at a health facility for some hands-on clinical experiences and complete a 180-hour externship at a medical clinic or doctor’s office. 

22. Associate of Applied Science in Addiction Counseling

Substance abuse and addiction remain a major problem in the United States. If you want to be part of the solution, consider a career in addiction counseling. 

In online associate degree programs in addiction counseling, students take coursework in areas like: 

• Theories of addiction 
• Addiction and the family
• Assessment  and treatment planning 
• Co-occurring disorders 
• Individual and group counseling 
• Motivational counseling and interviewing 
• Case management 
• Crisis intervention 
• Trauma recovery 
• Ethics in addiction counseling

Where to Earn a Design Studies Associate Degree Fast

Beal University in Bangor, ME, offers a 100% online associate degree in addiction counseling. The private for-profit institution is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. The school also offers an accelerated online diploma in addiction counseling that takes 14 months to complete and a 42-month bachelor’s degree. 

23. Associate of Arts in Healthcare Management

Healthcare businesses rely on professionals with excellent management skills to keep them running efficiently and operating at their best. With an associate degree in healthcare management, you can break into the exciting, fast-growing field of managed healthcare. By combining studies in both healthcare and business, online associate degree programs in healthcare management give students the tools to succeed. Coursework typically includes topics like: 

• Organizational structure of healthcare
• Trends in modern managed healthcare
• Ethics in the medical field

Throughout their coursework, students seeking associate degrees develop skills for a wide range of management tasks, like planning and staffing. By the time they graduate, students will be ready to work in roles such as:

• Medical administrators
• Case coordinators
• Office managers
• Risk managers

Where to Earn a Healthcare Management Associate Degree Fast

At Pima Medical Institute in Albuquerque, NM, the healthcare administration associate degree program takes 20 months to complete online. This institution is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. Students who already have some healthcare education can transfer as many as 28 credits into this online associate program. 

24. Associate of Applied Science in Insurance Billing and Coding Specialist

Medical insurance plays a major role in today’s healthcare system, at least in the United States. The need for doctors’ offices and hospitals to handle a massive amount of extensive insurance forms has created positions dedicated solely to insurance billing and coding. That reality makes billing and coding a strong career choice. 

Associate degree holders with a background in insurance billing and coding can work in doctors’ offices, hospitals, outpatient medical facilities, nursing homes and home healthcare services. Students can use this college degree to prepare for jobs such as: 

• Insurance billing and coding specialist
• Medical clerk
• Insurance claims analyst
• Medical office assistant
• Health information specialist

Associate degree programs in this field typically include coursework in:

• Medical terminology
• Coding for procedures and diagnoses
• Computer databases for managing patient information

Where to Earn an Insurance Billing and Coding Associate Degree Fast

Herzing University offers an Insurance Billing and Coding Specialist online associate program. The curriculum takes 20 months to complete and prepares students for professional certifications such as: 

• The National Healthcareer Association’s Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) Certification 
• The American Academy of Professional Coders’ Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Certification
• The American Health Information Management Association’s Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) Certification

25. Associate of Applied Science in Fire Science

Another online associates degree to consider is an associate degree in fire science. Studying fire science at the associate degree level prepares graduates for a variety of firefighting and emergency services roles in their communities. Through a fire science curriculum, students typically take classes in the following areas: 

• Fire prevention
• Firefighter safety
• Defense planning
• Firefighting strategy
• Hazardous materials management
• Building codes and code inspection

RELATED: The 10 Best Online Fire Science Degree Bachelor’s Programs

Where to Earn a Fire Science Associate Degree Fast

The fastest online associate degrees in fire science currently available are programs that welcome transfer credit hours and award credit for work experience and military service. 

Take the associate in fire science program offered through Purdue University Global as an example. Purdue’s fire science associate degree is technically a two-year program, but students can finish faster if they have prior education or work experience to apply. If you already have some firefighting experience gained through serving in the military, you might be interested in Purdue’s PME2Degree, in particular. Your military service experience can help reduce the time it will take you to get an associate degree. Even better, the U.S. Fire Administration also recognizes Purdue University as an official Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education institution (FESHE), so students can trust that they’re getting a great education. 

Another option to consider for a fast associate degree in fire science if you have prior college coursework is the American Military University. American Military University is part of the American Public University System and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Although AMU’s 60-credit online Associate of Science in Fire Science program normally takes two years to complete, the school allows transfer students to bring up to 45 credits of prior college coursework with them. With the maximum amount of transfer credits, you could finish your degree in just one term. This program is accredited by the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress. Courses can be eight to 16 weeks long.

Conclusion

For students who are eager to earn a degree quickly, accelerated associate’s programs are a fast way to achieve this goal.

RELATED: 50 Highest Paying Associate Degree Jobs

Taking advantage of accelerated programs, competency-based curricula and transfer credits can help you earn your associate degree faster than you ever thought possible.

Our Fast Degree Series

– Fastest Overall Programs
– Fastest Online Associates Degrees
– Fastest Online Bachelor’s Degrees
– Fastest Online Master’s Degrees
– Fastest Online Doctorate Degrees

Related Resources: 

Top 10 Paying Jobs With an Associate’s Degree

50 Highest Paying Associate Degree Jobs

How Long Does It Take to Get an Associate Degree?

What Salary Can I Expect With a Human Resources Management Degree?

What Degree Do I Need to Be an Information Technology Specialist?

For Further Reading: 

Top 10 Graduate Degree Programs in Criminal Justice

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

Exciting Jobs: The Top 15 Jobs for Adrenaline Seekers

The post 25 Fastest Online Associates Degree Programs appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Here are 10 careers that will allow you to earn a living while still following your creative passions.

1. Art Director

You’ve got an eye for design. You can communicate ideas through visual art, from photographs to paintings, and you have a knack for presenting that art through stylish and effective layouts. A role as an art director in an industry like movie production, publishing or advertising and public relations would be an excellent way to put those talents to use.

Art directors are the design professionals who choose the art, photographs and other visual elements that go into an advertisement, publication, motion picture or life performance. They come up with a vision for how the design will look and the manage artists, graphic designers, photographers and set builders who work to create the vision. Though a talent for design is crucial to success as an art director, the work isn’t all about the creative side. Art directors also need to handle business responsibilities like interfacing with clients, working with other departments involved in the project and creating and following budgets and timelines

Most art directors get their start as creative professionals in fine art, photography, editing or graphic design. In addition to earning a bachelor’s degree in their chosen subject, aspiring art directors typically spend five years or longer gaining experience in their arts and design roles and building their portfolios before they advance to this high-level, and highly compensated, role.

Salary: $85,610

Education: Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Photography or Graphic Design

Creative Field: Visual arts

2. Technical Writer

If you build up your technical knowledge, you can turn a passion for writing into a career that earns more than double the median annual salary in the United States. Technical writers are the communication professionals who create the text used to convey technical information in instruction manuals, frequently asked questions (FAQ) resources and journal articles. Most technical writers work in scientific and technical services or the manufacturing and information industries.

Being a good technical writer requires many of the skills necessary for success in other forms of writing. You have to think about your audience and figure out what they need to know to use the product safely and effectively. The role also involves doing research into the product’s design, development and use.

Writing out complex technical information in ways that are simple, accessible and easy to understand is the crux of a technical writer’s job. However, these professionals are also responsible for creating or attaining the visual elements – like diagrams, charts and photographs – that help users understand the product. Today’s technical writers may also be responsible for creating interactive presentations of technical information, including video and audio elements.

Technical writers need to draw from both communication skills and technical knowledge. That means these professionals need an education that emphasizes writing and communications but also a background in the technical subject they want to write about. In fact, many technical writers start their careers in these technical industries, often as research specialists or assistants. Aspiring technical writers are in luck – the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts opportunities for this profession to increase by 10 percent over a decade. That’s faster than the seven percent job growth expected for all occupations and much faster than the growth expected for communications professionals and authors (four percent and two percent, respectively).

Salary: $69,030

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Communications or English, Plus Knowledge of Computer Science, Web Design or Engineering

Creative Field: The Written Word

3. Industrial Designer

Every product we use was designed by someone. In industries like manufacturing, specialized design services, architectural and engineering services and wholesale trade, that someone typically goes by the job title of industrial designer. Part designer, part engineer and part businessperson, an industrial designer comes up with the designs for products large and small, from motor vehicles to children’s toys.

An industrial designer does consider the visual aesthetics of product design, but creativity also comes into play when creating a product that fulfills requirements of function, cost and user-friendliness. These professionals need to figure out the “audience” for the product and visually design (with the help of computer-aided design software) a product that meets that audience’s needs and expectations. These designs don’t remain sketches for long – they progress to virtual models and finally physical prototypes.

A bachelor’s degree is sufficient education to land you an entry-level role in industrial design, but employers will look at more than your degree. Most aspiring industrial designers build an electronic portfolio of their product designs, which they can show to prospective employers to illustrate their skills, the BLS reported.

Salary: $64,620

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design, Engineering or Architecture

Creative Field: Design

4. Fashion Designer

Not all art hangs on gallery walls. If you have an eye for aesthetic designs and the art and computer skills to create hand-drawn sketches and computerized graphics, you can put your creativity to work designing clothing, costumes, footwear and accessories.

Fashion designers are involved in the process of creating apparel from beginning to end. They develop themes and ideas to inspire clothing collections, create sketches that express their designs and choose the fabrics, patterns and colors they want for the clothing. They collaborate with other members of a design team to develop a physical prototype of the clothing design. A career in fashion design isn’t all about sketching colorful clothing ideas, though.

Fashion designers must research current style trends to help them figure out what designs will attract buyers. They have to be detail-oriented enough to develop instructions on how to correctly make the design concept a reality. A good fashion designer considers not only aesthetic appeal, but also function, making choices about the garment’s materials and construction. Some fashion designers are responsible for tasks like pitching the design ideas to a creative director, supervising production of the garment and marketing the finished fashion item.

If you want to become a fashion designer, you’ll need more than drawing skills and a creative flair. You’ll want to earn a bachelor’s degree in a subject like fashion design or fashion merchandising, which will teach you about different fabrics and the computer skills necessary to create virtual representations of your designs. Your college career is also the perfect time to begin building your professional portfolio of design concepts and get some work experience by interning with fashion design companies.

Salary: $64,030

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design or Fashion Merchandising

Creative Field: Design

5. Multimedia Artist or Animator

In animation and multimedia art, the graphics created require more than a single method of creating art. Instead of just drawing or painting an image, animators and multimedia artists create moving pictures and visual effects. Video games and animated movies and television shows are examples of the kind of work these professional artists do.

In each medium, an animator or multimedia artist is responsible for creating every aspect of the image, from the background to the foreground and the characters to the scenery. The ability to create visual art by hand is important for an animator, who will usually have experience drawing, painting and sculpting subjects. However, since computer-generated images (CGI) are very common in today’s entertainment and multimedia art, an animator or multimedia artist must have excellent computer skills, too.

Creating an animated piece of art is a process. Multimedia artists must develop the concepts for the designs, create storyboards that plan out the animation process and get projects done within a timeframe and a budget. They may need to do research to develop their designs or base those designs on the visuals of actual landscapes, people and movements.

Multimedia artists typically work in motion picture and video industries, computer systems design, software publishing and advertising. Though they may not always work in traditionally arts industries, they need to build a strong portfolio that shows potential employers their creativity, design and technical skills.

Salary: $63,630

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Animation, Computer Graphics or Fine Art

Creative Field: Visual Arts

6. Professional Writer

Striving to write the great American novel can certainly leave you feeling like a starving artist – but there are plenty of opportunities to make a livable living using your skill with the written word. After all, written content is essential for advertisements, magazines, websites, television and movie scripts, marketing materials, blogs, social media posts and many more types of media.

Copywriters, bloggers, screenwriters, biographers and journalists are all types of professional writers. Sometimes they have different job titles that may incorporate industries like marketing, communications or advertising. They might focus on specific topics or industries, or they may be generalists. Professional writers may work at an agency, in-house within a company or for themselves.

Though opportunities for professional writers are growing at a slower than average rate, about two-thirds of writers are self-employed, the BLS reported. That means it’s often possible to begin writing professionally on a part-time basis or as a side job – including while writing that novel, play or song lyric. Freelance writers don’t necessarily have to compete against numerous other candidates to get chosen for a position, but they do need to attract and build relationships with clients to get consistent work.

Copywriting may not sound as literary as penning the novel, poem, play or song of your dreams, but successful professional writing still requires many of the same skills used to write fiction and other creative content. It’s essential to know the rules of good writing and when to break them, and of course, you need to consider your audience, purpose and tone. Making valuable revisions is part of professional writing, just as it should be part of the creative writing process. The best way to improve your writing skills is through plenty of practice – which means writing professionally, even for advertising companies or marketing departments, can help you get close to achieving your literary dreams.

Salary: $58,850

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Writing, English, Journalism or Communications

Creative Field: The Written Word

7. Art Therapist

What if you could use your skills in art to help people? That’s precisely what an art therapist does. These professionals study psychology to learn about human behaviorand mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. They also study art and how to use it therapeutically to help people cope with these conditions or just with difficult emotions like grief.

An art therapist may have their clients sculpt with clay or create pictures with paint. They might guide clients in creating art that is helpful to their physical, mental or emotional state. For example, some art therapists will ask clients to create images of the metaphorical baggage from their past or of their hopes for the future, the BLS reported. Whether they work in schools, community centers, medical facilities or psychiatric hospitals, art therapists need to have knowledge of and passion for both art and psychology.

If you want to be an art therapist, you will really have to work at it. Aspiring art therapists often start preparing for their careers by earning a bachelor’s degree in both psychology and studio art, so they have a background in both fields and meet all of the prerequisites required for grad school. Then they have to earn a master’s degree in art therapy, which will include courses in counseling. To even get into grad school for art therapy, students will most likely need an impressive portfolio of their own. Throughout their education, they will need to complete internships to gain hands-on experience. In many states, it’s also necessary to attain a license.

Salary: $55,900

Education: Master’s Degree in Art Therapy

Creative Field: Visual Arts

8. Editor

If you enjoy working with the written word from both high-level and detail-oriented perspectives, you might make a great editor. These media and communications professionals work in the advertising, broadcasting and newspaper, magazine and book publishing industries. While their responsibilities differ depending on their industry and specific job title, the role of all editors is to get content ready for publication.

Some responsibilities of an editor are less creative and more detail-oriented. Copy editors, for example, effectively proofread written content to make sure it is free of spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes. They may also check that the copy adheres to the approved style, tone of voice and editorial policies. Editors may also have to check facts presented in the content. Editors commonly suggest revisions to make a story, article, book or other piece of content easier to read and understand.

However, editing can still require a good deal of creativity. In many positions, editors take a big-picture view of the content, planning what stories need writing and working with the writer to create the best copy possible. In literary journals and book publishing companies, for example, publication assistants read a manuscript and decide whether or not to publish it. During the publication process, editors might also work with the writer to strengthen the story through revisions, including cutting, adding and changing the content as needed. Editors of newspapers and magazines develop or assess story ideas and decide if the idea is worth pursuing and what angle to take when approaching the story. Some editors are even responsible for designing the publication’s layout, incorporating visual design skills as well as knowledge of writing and reading.

Editors may also take on a leadership role. For example, the managing editor of a newspaper, magazine or broadcast media station oversees the day-to-day operations of the department. Executive editors choose what stories will run in a publication and what angle the writer will use to cover the topic. They also oversee assistant editors, who are themselves responsible for different categories of content within the publication.

In the modern job market, editing roles are extremely competitive. To land your dream job, you need a degree in a related subject like writing, communications or journalism. Most editors work their way up to the position from writer, reporter or editorial assistant roles. Experience working in publishing in some form, including through internships or experience helping with school and local newspapers, is beneficial.

Salary: $54,890

Education: bachelor’s degree in Writing, Communications, English or Journalism

Creative Field: The Written Word 

9. Interior Designer

Don’t limit your art and design skills to the canvas – put it to work making physical spaces functional, comfortable and attractive. That’s exactly what an interior designer does.

These professionals find employment in specialized design services, architectural and engineering services, furniture stores, wholesale trade and residential building construction, though around 25 percent of them are self-employed.

To start, interior designers have to find new projects to work on and attain clients. To do this, they must have excellent interpersonal and listening skills to determine a client’s needs and goals and persuade clients that they are the right designers for the job. When it comes to the actual design aspect, that’s when creativity, visualization skills and artistic abilities come into play. Interior designers must use their imaginations to develop design concepts that fulfill the required function and desired appearance of the space. They choose how the space will be used and the décor, including color themes, wall paint or coverings, furniture, lighting and plumbing fixtures, flooring and appliance styles. In addition to being functional and beautiful, their designs must be safe, complying with building codes and other government regulations.

To express their design ideas, interior designers must use hand-drawn sketches and computer-aided representations. They often take this task a step further by using computer software to create virtual three-dimensional models of the finished space. They must make sure their designs can be accomplished in the timeframe and budget specified by the client.

Interior designers may focus on a specific type of design or interior space. Some specialize in designing corporate spaces or healthcare facilities, while others focus on home kitchens and bathrooms. Interior designers may work to achieve a specific goal beyond function and appearance, like accessibility or sustainable use of energy.

Interior design occupations are seeing slower than average growth right now, the BLS reported. To break into this career, you’ll need a college degree. While the career path doesn’t necessarily call for a specific degree, candidates do need a background in drawing, interior design and computer-aided design (CAD), according to the BLS. To develop these skills, most candidates will look for a degree program in interior design specifically. Some programs even specialize further, focusing on subjects like kitchens and bathrooms. Aspiring interior designers should keep a portfolio of sketches that illustrate their artistic talents. When it comes time to enter the career, candidates may need to earn a state license. (Learn more about the top 10 interior design schools in the U.S.)

Salary: $48,400

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design

Creative Field: Design

10. Graphic Designer

Using visuals to convey meanings and messages isn’t solely the domain of fine art. Businesses and organizations also need to represent ideas through images – and that’s why they hire graphic designers. These creative professionals earn a living by using their artistic skills to create the graphics used in logos, advertisements, magazine publication layouts, websites, product packaging, brochures and other marketing and promotional materials. Through computer design software and hand drawn sketches, they develop an image from the first concepts to the final version used in publications and product art.

Graphic designers first learn about the project, including the goals and style the client or art director has in mind. They think about how to best express the ideas and marketing messages through the combination of images and text. Then they create those visuals – or at least, the first drafts of them. Graphic designers show the decision-maker, whether a client or an art director, their idea. If changes are needed, they revise the work and get the final graphics ready for publication.

Success in a graphic design career requires a great deal of creativity as well as technical artistic skill in drawing and computer design. In fact, graphic designers also go by the name graphic artists or communication designers. They need to come up with original design ideas that stand out and make readers and consumers take notice, but whose meanings are clear. They also need to bring those designs to life through their artistic skills, particularly those using graphic digital illustration, graphic design, layout and photo editing software. Graphic designers have to have a good aesthetic eye, because they choose the color, font, size, and spacing of text, images and design elements in a project. The wrong choices could leave a project looking busy and cluttered, bare and uninteresting, or otherwise unappealing.

Graphic designers often find work in industries like specialized design services, advertising and public relations, publishing, printing and wholesale trade. About 20 percent of graphic designers work for themselves. To get started in the career, you will most likely need a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. An undergraduate graphics design program will probably incorporate studies in design principles, commercial graphics production, studio art, printing techniques, computerized design and website design, the BLS reported. Throughout their studies, aspiring graphic artists should focus on developing a portfolio of their most inspiring and effective designs that they can show to prospective employers or clients to help them land a job or freelance gig.

Salary: $45,900

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design

Creative Field: Visual Arts and Design

Art is all around us. Whatever your creative passion, you can find an opportunity to put it to use in your career and earn a decent living, if you find the right industry and cultivate the right combination of skills.

Editor’s Note: The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics was the official source for the salaries, job descriptions, education and training requirements, expected growth rates and other factual information presented in this list. To learn more, readers should visit the BLS’s resources Careers for Creative People and Art and Design Occupations.

Related Resources:

What Can I Do With a Degree in Visual Communications?

Do I Need a Degree to Be an Interior Decorator?

Where Are the Best Paying Jobs With a Degree in Interior Design?

What Is an Interior Designing Degree?

What Is the Difference Between a Degree in Interior Design and Interior Architecture?

How Long Does It Take to Become a Psychologist?

For Further Reading: 

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

How Much Can I Make With a Degree in Digital Marketing?

What Degree Do I Need to Become a Lighting Designer?

The post 10 Creative Careers That Won’t Require You to Be a Starving Artist appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Research is the key to making an informed decision, and our list of the top 10 graduate architecture degree programs is the perfect place to start. Every program on our list has received high rankings from industry experts, and each can help you reach your architecture career goals – whatever those goals may be.

1. Harvard University

The school that ranked first in the United States on the Greenway Group’s list of the top 10 best graduate architecture schools happens to be an Ivy League institution known nationwide. However, Harvard University isn’t just home to the best graduate architecture degree program in the nation. It also landed the fifth spot on the QS Top 100 Universities in the World for Architecture list, according to Arch Record. Of course, the research university as a whole has been recognized elsewhere, as well. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Harvard University highly in many areas, most notably:

• National universities (2^nd in the nation)
• Best value schools (2^nd in the nation)
• Best colleges for veterans (2^nd in the nation)
• Most innovative schools (tied for 8^th place)
• Best global universities

The Harvard University Graduate School of Design offers two graduate degree programs in architecture. The Masters in Architecture I (MARCH I) is a professional degree program for students who have earned a bachelor’s degree in any subject but who haven’t yet completed the professional education requirements for a career as an architect. Students need not have any background in architecture to apply to this program, though some enrollees have completed a pre-professional bachelor’s degree program in architecture or design. Students complete rigorous coursework in subjects such as professional practice, architecture history and theory, technology and the social environment. Hands-on work in the studio helps students master architectural design. In addition to completing a design thesis, students often begin their professional internships while earning their MARCH degree.

For students who have already earned a professional Bachelor’s in Architecture (B.Arch.) degree through a five-year program, the Masters in Architecture II (MARCH II) is the next step to furthering their design skills. This post-professional degree program allows students who are already high achievers in design to cultivate advanced theoretical and analytical skills over two years of full-time study. To earn their degree, students must complete advanced design research through either a graduate thesis or a special “superstudio” experience.

Location: Cambridge, MA

Enrollment: 14,500 graduate and professional students

Tuition: $43,700

2. Columbia University

Columbia University in New York isn’t just the second-best (according to Greenway Group) graduate architecture program in the nation. The school as a whole is also among the best national universities (tied for 4^th place), best colleges for veterans (again, tied for 4^th place), best value schools (6^th place) and best global universities (10^th place), as ranked by U.S. News & World Report. Columbia University is ranked 11^th globally on the QS Top 100 Universities in the World for Architecture list.

Most of the 788 students enrolled in Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation are pursuing a master’s degree, program, such as the Master of Architecture (M.Arch.). This three-year program equips students who already have a bachelor’s degree in another field – or a pre-professional degree in architecture – with the professional education they will need to embark on the career. Throughout their studies, M.Arch. students will explore the concepts and practice of creating architecture, technology, design, visual studies and architectural theory and methods. Students will spend much of their time honing their skills in the design studio, but in the classroom, they will also study the social, historical, cultural, economic and technical factors that influence architecture.

Not every architecture graduate student Columbia University is seeking an M.Arch. degree. The school also offers post-professional degrees for architects who have already completed a professional bachelor’s program. Over three semesters, students can earn a Master of Science degree in Advanced Architectural Design. For students with a strong interest in research in the field of architecture theory and history, the school also offers a Ph.D. program in architecture.

Location: New York, NY

Enrollment: 14,578 graduate and professional students

Tuition: $50,880

3. Yale University

Another school to rank on both the Greenway Group’s list of the top 10 best graduate architecture schools and the QS Top 100 Universities in the World for Architecture list is Yale University. The high-achieving Ivy League institution has also earned high rankings from U.S. News & World Report, receiving honors such as:

• 3^rd place among national universities
• 3^rd place among best value schools
• 3^rd place among the best schools for veterans
• 17^th place among the best global universities

The Yale School of Architecture offers numerous degree options at the graduate level. For students who have a bachelor’s degree in any subject but don’t yet hold a professional degree in architecture, the Master of Architecture I (M.Arch.1) program teaches the fundamentals and prepares students for a career as a licensed or registered architect over three years of full-time study. Students who already have their professional Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) degree can increase their theoretical knowledge and design skills through the two-year Master of Architecture II (M.Arch.II) program.

The school also offers programs outside the traditional master’s degree options. The non-professional Master of Environmental Design (M.E.D.) program focuses on advanced architectural studies completed through two years of research. A five-year Ph.D. program prepares students for architectural work in capacities such as university teaching, publishing, museum curatorship and cultural advocacy. M.Arch. students can also expand their skills through a joint degree program that combines architectural studies with coursework in business (M.Arch/M.B.A.), environmental management (M.Arch/M.E.M.) or environmental design (M.Arch/M.E.D.).

Location: New Haven, CT

Enrollment: 6,501 graduate and professional students

Tuition: $46,500

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology doesn’t just rank highly on Greenway Group’s top 10 in the nation list. It’s also the best architecture program in the world, according to the QS Top 100 Universities in the World for Architecture list.

Though you might equate MIT more closely with engineering, science and technology than with design, architecture was among the original four departments that made up the school when it was founded in 1861. Today, the department divides the study (and research) of architecture into five distinct disciplines:

• Architectural design
• Building technology
• Computation;
• History, theory and criticism of architecture and art
• Art, Culture, and Technology

MIT’s Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) degree had earned accreditation from the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) as a professional degree program. Design studios make up the focus of the Master of Architecture program. A design thesis and courses in architectural culture, building technology, computation in architecture, sustainability and urban theory rounding out the three-and-a-half years of study typically required to complete the program. Upon graduating, M.Arch. students will have completed the educational requirements necessary to earn a professional license or registration.

The Department of Architecture at MIT also offers specialized graduate programs like the Master of Science in Architecture Studies, Master of Science in Building Technology and Master of Science in Art Culture and Technology. At the doctoral level, students can earn a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Architecture in Building Technology, Computation or the History, Theory and Criticism of Architecture and Art. Certificates and dual degree programs are also available at the graduate level.

Location: Cambridge, MA

Enrollment: 6,807 graduate and professional students

Tuition: $44,720

5. Cornell University

Cornell University took fifth place among Greenway Group’s top 10 graduate architecture programs, and it also ranked first among the top 10 undergraduate degrees. You’ll also find this school high on the QS Top 100 Universities in the World for Architecture list, taking the 27^th slot.

The Cornell University College of Art, Architecture and Planning offers three degree options at the graduate level. For students who haven’t earned a professional degree in architecture – including those with a pre-professional bachelor’s degree in architecture or those with an undergraduate degree in a different field – there’s the accredited Professional Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) degree. This three-and-a-half year program prepares students to attain licensure or registration as a professional architect in their state through intensive studio work, a design thesis and coursework in subjects like structural concepts, professional practice and architecture history and theory.

Students who have already earned a professional bachelor’s degree, usually through a five-year accredited program, can pursue Cornell’s Post-Professional Master of Architecture (M.Arch.II) degree. This advanced design research program allows students to spend three semesters in intensive interdisciplinary study of a specialized topic such as Architecture and Discourse, Architecture and Ecology or Architecture and Urbanism. The school also offers a Ph.D. program in History of Architecture and Urban Development, for students with an interest in advanced interdisciplinary research.

Location: Ithaca, NY

Enrollment: 7,200 graduate and professional students

Tuition: $48,900

6. University of Michigan

At the University of Michigan, the graduate architecture program is part of the A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. The school offers programs at the master’s and doctoral level. The Master of Architecture degree, accredited by the NAAB, takes two tracks. For students who already have a pre-professional bachelor’s degree in architecture, the program involves two years of intensive studio design work as well as studies in classroom. Students without an architecture background will spend three years in the program, learning the fundamentals of design, construction, structures and the history of architecture. Both tracks require students to complete a thesis project to graduate.

Students whose interests are more closely aligned with research than the practice of creating architecture application can pursue the Master of Science in Architecture Design and Research at the University of Michigan. Over the course of 10 months, the program allows students who already have a professional architecture education to prepare for research and academic positions. Students can choose one of four concentrations:

• Conservation
• Design and Health
• Digital Technologies
• Material Systems

The University of Michigan also boasts one of the oldest Ph.D. in architecture degree programs in the country, dating back to 1968. Students conduct research in long-term projects that can span five to six years or more, focusing on interdisciplinary topics such as structural modeling, urban history and media practices in architecture.

Besides placing 6^th among the top 10 graduate architecture programs in the United States, the University of Michigan also made the top half of the QS Top 100 Universities in the World for Architecture list. The school has also appeared on several U.S. News & World Report lists, including best national universities, top public schools, most innovative schools, best colleges for veterans and best global universities.

Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Enrollment: 1,791 graduate and professional students

Tuition: $53,404 (in-state)

7. Rice University

Like Cornell, Rice University earned the distinction of making both Greenway Group’s top 10 undergraduate and graduate architecture program lists. It has also received recognition from U.S. News & World Report, which ranked it 14^th on the list of best value schools, tied for 14^th place among the best schools for veterans, tied for the 18^th slot among national universities and tied for 89^th place among the best global universities.

At the graduate level, Rice University’s architecture programs provide a breadth of knowledge on architectural history, technology and theory. Students will grow their understanding of the discipline of architecture and develop their own expertise in specific areas through completing a thesis design project.

The school offers NAAB-accredited professional master’s degree programs for both students with a pre-professional undergraduate background in the field and for those with no architecture background. Students who have already studied architecture will complete their professional degree requirements in five semesters, while those who are new to the discipline will spend seven semesters in the classroom and the design studio. At the end of either program, graduates will have an education that qualifies them to take professional licensing examinations.

Students can also pursue the Master of Arts in Architecture, a nonprofessional degree, through a post-graduate program called Present Future. This program includes two semesters of special-topic studies at the graduate level.

Location: Houston, TX

Enrollment: 1,500 graduate and professional students

Tuition: $41,560

8. University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania’s graduate architecture program tied for 7^th place on the Greenway Group’s top 10 list. It also ranked 35^th on the QS 100 Universities in the World for Architecture list. The Philadelphia-based school placed 8^th on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best colleges for veterans, 9^th on its list of national universities, 11^th on its list of best value schools and 19^th on the list of the best global universities.

PennDesign – as the University of Pennsylvania School of Design is affectionately known to students, faculty and the community – offers a few options of study at the graduate level of architecture education. The accredited Master of Architecture degree is a professional program that prepares students to take their state’s licensing exam and succeed in the world of professional architecture. Design studios make up the core of the program, but students also take coursework in a variety of subjects, including:

• Ecology
• History of architecture
• Professional practice
• Society
• Theory of architecture
• Technology
• Visual studies in drawing and new media

To graduate, students must also complete individual research in advanced design studios, leading to a thesis project. While the program typically takes three years, students with a nonprofessional educational background in architecture may be able to complete it in two.

Other graduate-level architecture degree options at the University of Pennsylvania include:

• Master of Science in Design, a three-semester post-professional program
• Master of Science in Architecture, a one-year program for students who already have a professional bachelor’s degree
• Master in Environmental Building Design, a one-year advanced degree for practicing architects
• D. Program in Architecture, which happens to be the oldest in the United States
• More than a dozen dual degree options that pair studies in architecture with degree programs both within and beyond the School of Design

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Enrollment: 11,035 graduate and professional students

Tuition: $45,870

9. University of Virginia

At 9^th place on Greenway Group’s top 10 graduate architecture programs list is the University of Virginia. U.S. News & World Report recently ranked the public college founded by Thomas Jefferson among the best national universities, top public schools, best value schools, best schools for veterans and best global universities.

The University of Virginia’s professional graduate degree, the Master of Architecture, offers numerous paths from which students can choose, each corresponding to the amount of time it will take to earn the degree.

For students with a pre-professional bachelor’s degree in architecture, Path 2 can provide students with the professional education they need to earn a license and a master’s degree to get ahead in just two years. Path 2.5 exists to allow students with a pre-professional degree but limited design studio experience – such as those who have earned a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture or Environmental Design – to earn their M.Arch. degree in two and a half years. Path 3, for students with an undergraduate degree but no architecture background, teaches the basics of architecture and beyond in a total of three years. For students who aren’t looking for a professional program, there’s Path 1, a one-year option of study that culminates in a Master of Architecture, Design Studies degree.

In addition to its M.Arch. degree, the school also offers graduate-level studies in the following specialized programs:

• Master of Urban and Environmental Planning
• Master of Architectural History
• Master of Landscape Architecture program
• D. in the Constructed Environment

The University of Virginia has the one of the most affordable price tags of any school in the top 10 list, proving that you don’t have to break the bank to get a great graduate-level architecture education from a highly-ranked university.

Location: Charlottesville, VA

Enrollment: 7,249 graduate and professional students

Tuition: $14,244 (in-state); $23,568 (out-of-state)

10. University of California, Berkeley

Another affordable school to make Greenway Group’s top 10 graduate architecture programs list is the University of California at Berkeley. One of the largest schools on the list, with upwards of 10,000 graduate students, UCB also happens to take 4^th place on the QS Top 100 Universities in the World for Architecture list. It’s no wonder U.S. News & World Report ranked the institution first in the nation on its top public schools list, also ranking the school highly on its lists of national universities, most innovative schools and best global universities.

The College of Environmental Design at UCB offers both professional and academic master’s degree programs, as well as a Ph.D., in architecture. The Master of Architecture degree is an accredited professional program. Students with no architecture background can earn this degree in three years, while students with a pre-professional architecture degree can earn it in just two. There’s also a one-year post-professional M.Arch. degree option for students who already hold a professional Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.). The final year of study in the M.Arch. program includes either an intensive research studio or an individual thesis project.

UCB’s academic graduate architecture degree program, the Master of Science in Architecture, is a nonprofessional program that allows students to perform advanced research in either Building Science and Sustainability or History, Theory and Society. For students with academic research or university teaching, the Ph.D. program in architecture allows for advanced, interdisciplinary research that coincides with the same concentrations.

Location: Berkley, CA

Enrollment: 10,455 graduate and professional students

Tuition: $13,432 (in-state); $28,534 (out-of-state)

For Further Reading: 

Top 10 Graduate Degree Programs in Criminal Justice

The post Top 10 Graduate Architecture Degree Programs appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

Some careers are friendlier to that entrepreneurial spirit than others. If the opportunity to eventually run your own business is important to you, then you need to start your career with the right education. The following 15 degrees can prepare you for the kind of jobs where workers are most likely to be self-employed.

1. Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture

A college degree in agriculture, agricultural business or agricultural sciences prepares students for success in the world of farm management. Most agriculture and related degree programs combine studies in business and science with a focus on framing. Coursework in farm management, agricultural economics, sustainable farming practices, plant breeding, dairy science and animal science is common, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported. Graduates of agriculture degrees will understand the process of running a farm or a group of farms as a business, from its financial operations to its marketing strategies. They develop familiarity with the laws and policies that govern farming. Some agriculture degree programs include opportunities to gain hands-on experience managing college-run farms and selling the produce. Some programs include a special focus on sustainability in farming. Agriculture degree programs are available at both the associate’s and bachelor’s level and are offered both on campus and online.

An agriculture degree is excellent preparation for a job as an agricultural manager. These professionals oversee the daily operations of farms, ranches and greenhouses. The vast majority of agricultural managers – 70 percent – are their own bosses. In fact, agriculture degree programs often offer required or elective courses in farming entrepreneurship. As bosses, agricultural managers make the decisions about what the farm produces, how it is run and where and for how much to sell the product. While a college degree isn’t an absolute requirement for this job – which often starts with professional experience as a farm worker – an education is becoming increasingly important, the BLS reported. Both efficient farming and effective business management has become more complicated, resulting in the need to know more about both subjects than what can be easily taught on-the-job. Some agricultural managers seek the Accredited Farm Manager certification from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers to demonstrate their knowledge.

Most Likely Job Title: Agricultural Manager

Salary: $64,170

Self-employment by the numbers: 70 percent

Alternative Degree Paths: Sustainable Farming 

2. Bachelor’s Degree in Art

When you earn a college degree in art, you take foundational through advanced courses in studio art of various kinds. Coursework often includes study in creating art through drawing, two-dimensional and three-dimensional design, painting, photography, sculpting, printmaking and digital design. Creating an extensive portfolio of your work is integral to success in an art degree program as well as your professional life after college, the BLS reported. A strong portfolio contains a collection of the artist’s best work, but it must have pieces that are distinct enough to show the breadth and depth of the artist’s skills and styles. In addition to taking a multitude of art and design classes, students take core general education courses required for graduation. Undergraduate studio art degrees can be categorized as either Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees or Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) degrees. Some art students choose to go on to graduate school and pursue a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree.

What can you do with an art degree? You can work for yourself – and still make a decent living doing so. Two of the most entrepreneurial and profitable art jobs are art director and multimedia artist and animator. Half of all art directors and more than half of all animators are self-employed. Some work from home, but many work in the offices of motion picture production companies, advertising agencies, publishing companies and design services companies. Art directors, who earn higher salaries, develop the big-picture design and style of the visual elements used in film, magazines, newspapers and advertising campaigns. They oversee the artists who create those images and visual elements. Multimedia artists and animators, on the other hand, create effects, models and animations used in movies, television shows and video games. Animators work on a project from the storyboard phase to the finished sequences of animation and computer generated images.

Most Likely Job Title: Multimedia Artist, Animator or Art Director

Salary: $63,970 – $89,760

Self-employment by the numbers: 50 percent

Alternative Degree Paths: Computer Graphics, Graphic Design 

3. Associate’s Degree in Mortuary Science

Degree programs in mortuary science cover the technical skills needed to prepare bodies for memorial services and burials, including restorative techniques and embalming. They also include coursework in the laws and ethics of the funeral services business as well as grief counseling strategies to help funeral service workers in their interactions with bereaved family members. Mortuary science degree programs are available on campus at junior colleges as well as online. Many mortuary science degree programs require students to complete a one-year internship or mandatory clinic embalming assignments in order to gain hands-on work experience as well as prepare for common state licensing requirements. More than 50 mortuary science degree programs are accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education, which is important because a degree from an accredited program is required for licensure in most states. Associate’s degrees in mortuary science are more common, but bachelor’s degree programs in the subject are also available, the BLS reported.

A mortuary science degree is a good choice for those who aspire to be their own bosses because half of the 60,400 funeral workers in the United States are self-employed, according to the BLS. They may run the business in its entirety, managing the day-to-day operations of the funeral home and handling business decisions like financial planning and staff recruitment and training. They also do the work of meeting with families to plan the memorial service and the burial or cremation, filing legal documents such as death certificates, embalming or otherwise preparing the body of the deceased and writing obituaries. Since funeral service workers are often on call in the evenings and on weekends and must be able to make preparations quickly following a death, being your own boss is beneficial in this industry because it allows for a flexible work schedule to accommodate the needs of the business and its clients.

Most Likely Job Title: Funeral Service Manager or Funeral Director

Salary: $53,390

Self-employment by the numbers: 50 percent

Alternative Degree Paths: Funeral Service 

4. Exercise Physiology

If you pursue a bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology, you’ll take a variety of classes in science and health subjects, including anatomy, physiology, biology, chemistry, statistics, biomechanics, nutrition and kinesiology. Specific courses in subjects such as introductory exercise physiology, sports injury management, exercise pathophysiology, sports epidemiology and principles of strength and conditioning are common, as well. Programs that have earned accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs often include required clinical hours in a setting such as a cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation facility. A number of schools offer master’s and even Ph.D. programs in exercise physiology and related studies. While most states don’t currently require exercise physiologists to be licensed, a number of states are considering implementing licensing requirements, the BLS reported. However, graduates from exercise physiology degree programs can seek the Exercise Physiologist Certified certification from the American Society of Exercise Physiologists or the Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist or Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist credentials from the American College of Sports Medicine.

Given that around half of all exercise physiologists working in the United States are self-employed, a degree in exercise physiology is a great choice for those with an entrepreneurial spirit, a knack for science and a passion for fitness. The reason exercise physiologists need such a strong background in science and health subjects is that their job responsibilities differ significantly from that of a fitness instructor or athletic trainer. Exercise physiologists are part of the healthcare industry. Doctors often refer patients who have chronic medical conditions to exercise physiologists for the purpose of developing a fitness routine that will help them improve their overall health and work toward recovery. To accomplish this work, an exercise physiologist must understand the patient’s medical history and use medical equipment to conduct tests, check vital signs and develop an exercise plan that works with the patient’s limitations and achieves the necessary health goals, like increasing cardiovascular function.

RELATED: How to Become a Personal Trainer: What Degree Should I Get?

Most Likely Job Title: Exercise Physiologist

Salary: $47,010

Self-employment by the numbers: 50 percent

Alternative Degree Paths: Kinesiology, Exercise Science 

5. Music

Degree programs in music can take a number of forms. There are programs in music theory, music composition, music performance and music conducting. Programs exist at the undergraduate and graduate levels. A degree program in music theory encompasses music analysis and research as well as hands-on training in music skills. Composition degree programs include music training and studies in the elements of music and composition techniques with the goal of preparing students to create original music of their own. Degrees in applied music or music performance focus on cultivating a professional level of performance skills in one or more musical instruments. Orchestral conducting degree programs, which are often master’s degree programs, tend to involve a lot of study of musical scores, private lessons in leadership and rehearsal techniques and hands-on experience conducting actual professional choirs and orchestras. Music programs at the college – and especially the graduate – level can be very selective, particularly since these degree programs often include some form of private music lessons.

A degree in music isn’t necessary for all music careers. You don’t need a piece of paper to write a popular hit song or start a band that does local gigs. However, you do need more than a good ear. Professionals who work in the music field need training – like the hands-on music training offered in music degree programs – to learn to play their instruments well. A solid understanding of music theory and the elements of good music composition, whether gained through formal or informal education, is also essential for success at writing original songs. While two out of every five musicians, singers, composers and music directors work for themselves, having a music degree is often essential to get respected and well-paying work in music. For example, musicians who perform classical pieces, sing opera or direct a choir typically need a bachelor’s degree in music, while orchestral conductors often need a master’s degree, the BLS reported.

Most Likely Job Title: Music Director, Musician

Salary: $49,820

Self-employment by the numbers: 40 percent

Alternative Degree Paths: Dance, Theatre 

6. Doctoral Degree in Psychology

There are different kinds of psychology degrees that can prepare candidates for different roles. Most psychologists need a doctorate, which typically requires five to seven years of study, to officially use the title “psychologist,” the BLS reported. A Ph.D. in psychology, which is the traditional doctoral degree in the field, focuses heavily on research and studies in experimental procedures and statistics. Students must design the procedures for and conduct their own original psychological research and then present those findings in a written doctoral dissertation. On the other hand, students who want to focus on working with patients in clinical settings may prefer to pursue a Psy.D., a professional program that focuses more on experience through practical work and exams and a yearlong internship. Some professionals in the field of psychology instead pursue a master’s degree, which can often be completed in just two years and typically focuses on clinical psychology, counseling psychology or industrial/organizational psychology.

RELATED: Top 10 Highest Paying Social Science Jobs

About one-third of the 173,900 psychologists in the United States are self-employed, the BLS reported. Psychologists who run their own practices manage the business aspects of the practice as well as the clinical or counseling work. They may handle administrative tasks like handling billing procedures, insurance company paperwork and appointment scheduling themselves or delegate those tasks to the employees they hire and train. Besides being the boss, self-employed psychologists are responsible for working with patients. Clinical psychologists do the work of diagnosing and treating the mental and emotional health conditions of their patients. Counseling psychologists use the counseling strategies they have cultivated in school and through work experience to help patients cope with and work through problems in their life and relationships. Since psychology professionals without a doctoral degree typically must work under the guidance of licensed psychologists, those with a Psy.D. and a focus on clinical or counseling psychology are most likely to become their own bosses.

Most Likely Job Title: Psychologist

Salary: $72,580

Self-employment by the numbers: 33 percent

Alternative Degree Paths: Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy 

7. Doctor of Chiropractic

A Doctor of Chiropractic, or D.C., degree is what trains chiropractors in the art of spinal adjustment and manipulation for health benefits. Earning a D.C. usually takes students four years of full-time study. A D.C. is both a professional and postgraduate degree program, the BLS reported. As a professional degree, it prepares students for practical application of chiropractic techniques in a healthcare setting.  You might be surprised to learn that, even though it’s a postgraduate degree program, you don’t necessarily have to have a bachelor’s degree to earn your Doctor of Chiropractic degree. Applicants to D.C. programs need just 90 semester hours, or three years of full-time study, at the undergraduate level to apply. However, many chiropractors do complete their bachelor’s degrees before they begin their chiropractic studies. While there’s no specific major students should pursue to prepare for a D.C. program, studying biology, physics, chemistry and the liberal arts can be helpful. The relatively few Doctor of Chiropractic degree programs that have earned accreditation from the Council on Chiropractic Education include coursework in biology, anatomy and physiology as well as clinical training in diagnosing and assessing spinal problems and using spinal adjustment techniques.

One out of every three chiropractors is self-employed, the BLS reported. There are definitely benefits to running your own private chiropractic practice. Many chiropractors offer flexible appointment schedules, including evening and weekend appointments, for the convenience of their patients. A self-employed chiropractor can set his or her own hours and determine what days and times the practice should be open. Chiropractors who are their own bosses can also decide if they want to offer additional services, like rehabilitative exercise and massage therapy, and if they want to sell health and wellness products, like sports braces, in their practice. They must also be able to hire, train and oversee the staff working in their office. In order to prepare students for the challenges of running a practice as well as providing chiropractic services, some Doctor of Chiropractic degree programs incorporate coursework in business, particularly in management, finance and billing practices, in addition to traditional chiropractic subjects of study.

Most Likely Job Title: Chiropractor

Salary: $64,440

Self-employment by the numbers: 33 percent

8. Hospitality

Hospitality management is a great field to go into if you want to work in tourism and develop your leadership skills. A hospitality degree program will often combine coursework from a number of disciplines, ranging from business management to laws and ethics and even food safety and nutrition. However, you can’t learn everything there is to know about tourism management from a book or a lecture in the classroom. Because many of the skills needed for success in the tourism industry – and in business management – are practical skills, most hospitality degree programs include hands-on training. Some programs require students to complete internships at hotels, restaurants and tourism destinations. Others run their own on-campus or off-campus lodging and dining establishments, where students can gain hands-on experience in every role of hospitality management. Depending on the school you choose to attend, your hospitality degree program could be part of a business college, human services department, agriculture and life sciences school or even its own distinct department or division.

A hospitality degree can prepare you for a variety of different jobs in the tourism industry, but two of the most common hospitality occupations are also among the most likely to be their own boss. Lodging managers are the professionals who oversee the operations of hotels and resorts. Food service managers run the business sides of restaurants, cafes, and other eating establishments. In both of these vocations, one in three professionals is self-employed, the BLS reported. While a college degree isn’t necessary to work in food service or in a hotel, the business and management skills you learn in a hospitality degree program are invaluable. When you run your own hotel or restaurant, in particular, it’s essential that you know how to make sound financial decisions, keep accurate financial records and manage staff, customer expectations and business logistics. You must also understand the importance of all of the roles involved in the day-to-day operations of a restaurant and hotel – a kind of familiarity you won’t develop just by working as a host, wait staff or concierge.

Most Likely Job Title: Lodging Manager or Food Service Manager

Salary: $48,690 – $49,720

Self-employment by the numbers: 33 percent

Alternative Degree Paths: Hotel Management or Food Service Management

9. Film

In a good film and media arts degree program, your coursework will prepare you for a career in the entertainment industry. Coursework often includes studies in subjects such as introduction to film studies, film history, screenwriting, film theory, television, new media, cinematography and video editing software. Some degree programs or concentrations within those programs focus more heavily on cultural topics, like how race and gender are depicted in film, while others emphasize stylistic techniques in film or storytelling through screenwriting. It’s not unusual for a film degree program to incorporate coursework that covers the theoretical foundations and practical applications involved in every part of the filmmaking process, from writing the script to doing makeup and wardrobe and from decorating the set to directing the action on stage or before the camera. Many schools provide students with the opportunity to develop their skills through real experience – as well as their professional portfolios – while working on campus television stations or short film projects and challenges.

A film degree is an excellent starting place if you want to become a director or work as a film and video editor or camera operator. Film editors and camera operators are more likely than directors and producers to become their own bosses. About 30 percent of film and video editors are self-employed, the BLS reported, compared to just 20 percent of directors. Directors and camera operators and video editors work in the film and entertainment industry, but each serves a different role. Directors determine the creative choices that go into producing a motion picture or television show, overseeing the actors and personalities who appear in front of the camera as well as the behind-the-scenes work that goes into bringing the script to life. As the job title implies, camera operators and video editors do the work of actually recording the stories being told in the film and skillfully editing shots and sequences to tell that story in a meaningful way.

Most Likely Job Title: Film and Video Editors and Camera Operator, Director

Salary: $55,740 — $68,440

Self-employment by the numbers: 20 to 30 percent

Alternative Degree Paths: Broadcasting, Acting, Journalism, Communications 

10. Dental School Degree

Completing dental school results in the award of one of three possible degrees: the Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.), the Doctor of Medical Dentistry (D.M.D.) or the Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.D.M.). Whether you choose a D.D.S., D.M.D. or D.D.M. degree program, dental school requires a solid background in the sciences, including undergraduate coursework in chemistry and biology. A competitive score on the Dental Admission Test (DAT) is often necessary to gain acceptance into a program accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation. Once admitted, students learn about anatomy, radiology, use of local anesthesia for dental procedures and periodontics, the study of oral health and diseases, the BLS reported. Learning doesn’t just take place in the classroom. Dental school students attain clinical experience by diagnosing and treating real patients under the guidance of experienced dentists. After earning their dental school degrees, aspiring dentists must attain a license to practice in their state. Those who wish to specialize must also spend two to four years completing a residency in their intended dental specialty.

One in four dentists – more than 37,800 total – run their own private dental practice, the BLS reported. Some self-employed dentists work alone in their solo practices. Others hire reception staff and dental hygienists to assist with administrative duties and patient care. Still others manage group practices, where they work with partner and associate dentists. A dentist who is self-employed makes the big-picture business decisions. He or she may handle overseeing the day-to-day operations of the practice personally, or may delegate administrative, billing, bookkeeping and staff recruitment and training tasks to an office manager. While the dentist’s primary responsibility is caring for patients’ oral health by fixing and removing damaged teeth and using imaging equipment to check for problems, you can’t ignore the administrative duties when you are the one in charge of keeping the business running smoothly. Opportunities for dentists – and for opening your own dental practice – are increasing rapidly. The BLS expects career opportunities for dentists to increase by 18 percent over a decade, compared just 7 percent job growth expected across all occupations.

Most Likely Job Title: Dentist

Salary: $158,310

Self-employment by the numbers: 25 percent

Alternative Degree Paths: M.D. in Oral Surgery 

11. Interior Design

A degree program in interior design will teach you the fundamentals of developing indoor spaces that are both aesthetically appealing and functional. Most college degree programs in interior design include coursework in drawing and computer-aided design as well as the theories and applications of interior design principles. For example, interior design students may take courses in lighting and textiles to learn about the materials and light fixtures they can choose from when designing a space as well as classes in residential and commercial design practices. They learn to create two-dimensional designs on paper and three-dimensional digital models of their design ideas. As with other fields of study, whether a degree program has earned accreditation from a reputable agency can speak to the quality of the program. The National Association of Schools of Art and Design, the Council for Interior Design Accreditation and the National Kitchen & Bath Association are all agencies that accredit interior design degree programs, the BLS reported.

One-quarter of all interior designers in the United States are self-employed, according to the BLS. Perhaps that’s because several aspects of the career lend themselves to the flexibility of being your own boss. For one thing, interior designers often work non-standard hours, like evenings and weekends, for the convenience of clients who may have a more rigid work schedule. They also need to travel to the space they are designing to understand the location and its advantages and limitations. Interior designers’ success has a great deal to do with the quality of their people skills and design work, so skilled interior designers are often able to make a living working for themselves. As in other art and design careers, interior designers need to show their skills to get paying work – and that means compiling a portfolio of their most impressive designs. Of course, self-employed interior designers still need to handle the management and administrative tasks of keeping their business running.

Most Likely Job Title: Interior Designer

Salary: $48,840

Self-employment by the numbers: 25 percent

Alternative Degree Paths: Industrial Design 

12. Master of Business Administration (MBA)

A Master of Business Administration degree program typically includes graduate-level courses in a variety of business subjects, including accounting, business law, economics, finance, international business, management and marketing. Often, an MBA degree program will provide students with the chance to specialize in an academic track or concentration that’s of interest of to them in addition to taking core general business courses. MBA programs may combine studies of business theory with practical problem-solving skills developed both in business scenarios explored in the classroom and through hands-on internship experiences. While two years is the typical length of time to complete a full-time MBA degree program, some schools offer accelerated one-year programs, while others offer part-time study options that allow working students to learn at their own pace without leaving the workforce. In addition to traditional MBA programs where classes take place on campus, online MBA programs have become popular among busy students juggling family and work responsibilities.

RELATED: What Classes Will I Have to Take for a Degree in Business Administration?

Of course, studying business management is an excellent idea if you’re going to run a business of your own. Such a degree program can teach you important skills, like how to manage your company’s finances, use sound accounting processes to keep accurate financial records, publicize your business to draw in new clients and handle the complicated logistics of coordinating work schedules and supply delivery. However, an MBA degree is particularly valuable for students who aspire to be self-employed because it can also prepare you for profitable business careers that lend themselves to entrepreneurship, like management consultant and management analyst. These professionals use their extensive knowledge of effective business practices to help companies improve efficiency, decreasing wasted time and money and increasing profits. One in five management consultants works for themselves, the BLS reported. They set their own hours and spend much of their worktime with clients at the sites of the businesses they are trying to improve.

Most Likely Job Title: Management Consultant, Management Analyst

Salary: $81,320

Self-employment by the numbers: 20 percent

Alternative Degree Paths: Bachelor’s Degree in Business 

13. Bachelor of Architecture

In the United States, top Bachelor of Architecture degree programs are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board. In dozens of states, having earned your degree from an accredited program is a requirement for obtaining an architecture license after graduation. Undergraduate architecture programs blend studies from a variety of subjects. When earning a Bachelor of Architecture, you can expect to study everything from the liberal arts to the physical sciences, from math to design. Of course, aspiring architects also study more specialized subjects, like construction methods, building structures, foundational theories of architecture, building design, architectural history and the use of computer-aided design software. While what you learn in the classroom is important, much of an architecture student’s development occurs in the design studio, as students develop their own building designs through sketches and three-dimensional models. Unlike most bachelor’s degree programs, a Bachelor of Architecture degree is designed to take five years of full-time study.

Of the 112,600 architects who are working across the United States, 20 percent happen to be their own bosses, the BLS reported. A benefit to entrepreneurship is that self-employed architects get to set their own schedules, which is a substantial advantage in an occupation that often includes tight deadlines and long hours. They may also choose to work from a home office, cutting out the daily commute and making it easier to work odd hours when necessary. Architects already need to be able to balance multiple job duties, such as interacting with clients, creating functional and visually appealing designs, collaborating with other professionals involved in the project and traveling to construction sites to assess the work being done. Those who are also running their own company must expand these existing multitasking and time-management skills to make sure that both the big-picture business decisions and the company’s daily operations are going smoothly.

Most Likely Job Title: Architect

Salary: $76,100

Self-employment by the numbers: 20 percent

Alternative Degree Paths: Landscape Architecture, Engineering

14. Graphic Design

In an undergraduate degree program in graphic design, students take a variety of basic art and design courses. Common coursework ranges from design principles to printing techniques and studio art to computerized design, the BLS reported. Due to the importance and prevalence of computer graphics and design layout software systems, many graphic design programs involve courses that make use of these technologies. Coursework in color theory, typography, digital layouts and web design are also popular. Graphic design students often complete courses to develop their business knowledge, marketing skills and writing abilities, as well. For many graphic design students, cultivating a portfolio of professional-quality designs is nearly as important as the principles and practices they learn in the classroom. The portfolio is what will convey the student’s skills and artistic style to potential employers and clients after graduation. Graphic design degrees are offered at associate’s and bachelor’s degree levels, both on campus and in distance learning formats.

One in five graphic designers is self-employed, the BLS reported. Graphic design and entrepreneurship often go well together. Graphic designers develop the visual elements of publications, advertisements and product packaging. They create the art that conveys meanings and the layouts that organize the visual elements on the page. While some graphic designers are part of a team at a publishing company, advertising firm or design agency, it’s not unusual for a graphic designer to work alone. Graphic designers do, however, meet with clients directly to discuss new projects and the progress of ongoing projects. Being self-employed is an asset in these instances, because the graphic designer is free to alter his or her work schedule as necessary to fit in meetings with clients. Graphic designers who run their own firm often devote at least some time to finding new business by searching for and applying for new jobs, presenting their skills and ideas to potential clients and bidding on contracts for paid work.

Most Likely Job Title: Graphic Designer

Salary: $46,900

Self-employment by the numbers: 20 percent

Alternative Degree Paths: Art 

15. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

Earning a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree isn’t an easy task. To even be admitted to one of these competitive doctoral degree programs, you will most likely need an undergraduate education with a background in science courses such as anatomy, animal science, biology, chemistry, microbiology, physiology and zoology. In a degree program that has earned accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education, you will spend four years on your veterinary studies. For the first three years, your learning will take place in the classroom, in the lab and in clinical settings. During the fourth and final year of veterinary school, you will gain hands-on experience as you perform clinical rotations at a veterinary hospital, the BLS reported. Students in a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree program learn about that anatomy and physiology of various kinds of animals. They receive the training needed to prevent diseases and diagnose and treat medical conditions in pets, livestock and other types of animals.

About one in six veterinarians chooses to become their own boss, according to the BLS. Like doctors who work with human patients, self-employed veterinarians often run private solo practices. Some open group practices where they work with partner veterinarians or hire associate dentists. Self-employed veterinarians may set their own hours, often including occasional weeknight or evening appointments for the convenience of the human owners of their animal patients. Some veterinarians, particularly those who work with farm animals rather than exclusively with companion animals, may have to travel to owners’ homes or workplaces to care for animals that can’t be easily transported, like horses, or with groups of animals, like a brood of chickens. Though rewarding, the work of a veterinarian can be demanding and even hazardous. Sick and injured animals might not react tolerantly to being examined, while interacting with distressed pet owners can be emotionally draining. However, candidates who have an entrepreneurial spirit as well as a love for animals can make the most of a career as a self-employed veterinarian.

RELATED: How to Become a Veterinarian: What Major Do You Need to Be a Vet?          

Most Likely Job Title: Veterinarian

Salary: $88,490

Self-employment by the numbers: 17 percent

Editor’s Note: Of course, no degree or occupation guarantees success in entrepreneurship. However, the degrees and careers listed above are associated with high self-employment rates. Being your own boss can be both challenging and rewarding. For more information on any of the occupations listed in this article, visit the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which was the source for salary, career outlook, education and self-employment data. You can also learn more about entrepreneurship from the BLS Career Outlook article Self-Employment: What to know to be your own boss.

Related Resources:

Do I Need a Degree to Be an Interior Decorator?

Where Are the Best Paying Jobs With a Degree in Interior Design?

What Is the Difference Between a Degree in Interior Design and Interior Architecture?

What Degree Do I Need to Become a Lighting Designer?

What Are My Degree Choices to Be a Film/TV Producer?

How Long Does It Take to Become a Psychologist?

Best Major for Dentist: What Major Do You Need to Be a Dentist?

For Further Reading: 

How Much Can I Make With a Degree in Digital Marketing?

What Are the 5 Best Careers in Environmental Science?

Which Degree Is Best for a Software Engineer?

How Many Jobs Are Available in Finance?

What Is an Interior Designing Degree?

Architect vs Engineer: What Is the Benefit of an Engineering Degree Over an Architecture Degree?

The post 15 Degrees That Are Perfect for Becoming Your Own Boss appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

“What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today, when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language.”

—Miuccia Prada

If you care about clothes, you know that style is a form of self-expression. Our clothing and accessories show the world how we see ourselves and how we want to be seen by others. From designers crafting individual garments to stylists creating ensembles from multiple pieces, thousands of creative ideas and design choices are at play in every outfit. Style lovers know that, at its best, fashion really is wearable art.

Fashion isn’t just about creativity- it’s also big business. There are over 7.5 billion people alive today, and every one of them needs clothing. According to the Fashion United, the entire fashion industry is worth a combined 385.7 billion dollars. That means jobs in manufacturing, supply chain management, global sales, and product development. And in the trend-driven world of fashion, there’s room for lots of stimulating work in marketing, where coming up with innovative brand campaigns and channels can be a creative job in and of itself.

Whether you’re interested in fashion business or fashion design, a career in fashion can give you the opportunity to be part of a vibrant, stimulating, ever-changing, creative industry. A fashion degree can give you the tools you’ll need for success in this highly competitive field. If you’re curious about the ins and outs of fashion degrees and fashion careers, the following guide to What Can I Do with a Fashion Degree? can help you get started.

Jump To:

• What is Fashion?
• How is Fashion Design Different from Fashion Marketing?
• What Degrees in Fashion are There?
• What is Fashion?
• What Will I Learn with a Fashion Degree?
• What Can I do with an Associate’s in Fashion?
• What Can I do with a BFA in Fashion?
• What Can I do with a BA in Fashion?
• What Can I do with a BS in Fashion?
• What Can I do with a Master’s in Fashion?
• What Jobs Can I Get with a Degree in Fashion?
• Is a Degree in Fashion Right for Me?

What is Fashion?

From the time early man began wearing animal skins to keep out the cold, mankind has been prioritizing dressing ourselves. And it didn’t take long for clothing to evolve into more than a way to keep warm. The way people dress reveals socioeconomic status, occupation, occasion, persona, and role. Fashion is the business of making, buying, and selling clothes, and it’s a multibillion-dollar industry with global reach that employs millions of workers.

Everyone needs clothing, undergarments, shoes, hats, and bags of some sort, and most of us regularly purchase other items that fall under the apparel industry, like jewelry, neckties, wallets, bathing suits, gloves, and so on. Some people draw a distinction between “apparel” and “fashion.” In this view, fashion refers to runway, couture, and designer garments, and apparel means “mass fashion,” or the more affordable and mass-produced clothing worn by most. But the line between the two has become increasingly blurred since the 1960s-70s, and the term “fashion” is now used broadly to refer apparel in general.

Clothing is one of the biggest ways people spend their personal income, after things like food and healthcare. It’s a major driver in the manufacturing sector, but is rather unique compared to other consumer goods, like toys or electronics.
The fashion industry is distinguished by short product life cycles, variable consumer demand, complex international supply chains, and a broad range of product types and options. Professionals in the fashion industry are tasked with handling global supply chains and distribution networks, adapting quickly to changing trends and levels of demand, and creating innovative products.

How is Fashion Design Different from Fashion Marketing?

In the world of fashion, garments and accessories must be conceived, manufactured, and brought to market. Fashion design is the process of thinking up, drawing out, and prototyping garments and accessories. It requires creativity, awareness of fashion history and current trends, artistic skills, and a deep knowledge of the properties of different materials. Fashion designers must create clothing and accessories that are attractive, functional, and fit the buyer’s budget. They must also be highly aware of their brand’s distinctive look and design products that are in step with the brand’s look.

Fashion marketing is the process of selling clothing and accessories to consumers. It is the fashion industry’s business side, and includes everything from managing the look of a brand, to packaging, advertising, events, product placement, and retailing. Fashion merchandisers must determine what consumers want, and deliver products to fit those desires. Often, fashion marketers must create a demand by convincing consumers that they need a new and better version of a product they may already own, such as more comfortable yoga pants, a watch that shows more prestige, or sneakers that are more on-trend. (Learn more about how much you can make with a degree in digital marketing.)

What Degrees in Fashion are There?

If you’re interested in the industry, you can find degrees in fashion at the associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s level. An associate’s degree is the minimum usually required to get your foot in the door, while a master’s can position you for high-level fashion management and teaching roles. A bachelor’s in fashion is the most popular fashion degree overall, and is preferred by most employers, as it provides graduates with a well-rounded skill set and strong portfolio of demonstrated abilities. Bachelor’s degrees in fashion are often offered as Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, or Bachelor of Science degrees, depending on their area of focus, which may skew more towards design or more towards the business side of the industry.

In addition to the fashion major, many schools offer specializations as concentrations or additional minors. Fashion design majors may want to pursue a concentration such as menswear, textiles, or jewelry design. Fashion business majors may wish to consider a concentration such as e-commerce, social media marketing, or brand management.

What Classes Will I take for a Degree in Fashion?

A fashion degree is a professional degree. You’ll be learning the skills needed for a particular trade- fashion- with the goal of landing a job in the industry. That means, unless you’re enrolled in a BA program that incorporates the humanities, you’ll be heavily focused on acquiring workplace skills.

Some of the classes you can expect in a fashion degree program include:

• Color Theory
• Life Drawing
• Computer Assisted Design
• Visual Culture
• Fashion History
• Fashion Studio
• Textile Science
• Portfolio Development
• Business of Fashion
• Fashion market research
• Brands and Identity
• Trend analysis and forecasting
• Strategic marketing and promotion
• Visual merchandising
• E-commerce

An internship will play an important part in your education and allow you to gain real-world experience and exposure. Your school may offer opportunities to showcase your work, practice your skills, and network, through resources like galleries, studios, labs, clubs, and symposiums. Breaking into and succeeding in the world of fashion involves plenty of hustle, so students should take advantage of opportunities to learn how to present themselves and promote their work professionally.

What Will I Learn with a Fashion Degree?

The majority of fashion design degree programs are taught by accomplished professionals from the fashion industry, who have real-world knowledge and up-to-date information on how the world of fashion works. In a well-balanced program, you’ll have instructors with different areas of real-world expertise, such as marketing, merchandising, and design. The best fashion schools also bring in guest lecturers from fashion design houses and popular brands.

In a fashion degree program, you’ll be developing a practical set of focused skills, along with a broad understanding of the industry as a context for your professional niche. After all, you can’t be a great menswear pattern maker without understanding how different textiles are crafted, or excel in footwear marketing without understanding the history of modern women’s fashion. Above all, hands-on skills count, and your fashion degree program will make sure you’ve demonstrated your expertise in a portfolio or set of real-world projects.

Of course, the particular skills you gain will depend on the type of degree you’re seeking, as well as what specialization, if any, you’ve selected. But, broadly speaking, you can expect to learn the following skills in a fashion degree program:

Design Skills:

• fashion, textile, and business terminology
• computer based design and illustration
• pattern design
• creating a signature look

Business Skills:

• marketing of accessories and garments
• fashion brand development
• runway show production and promotion
• anticipating consumer behavior and trends
• working with supply chains
• international fashion markets

It’s important to note that the best fashion degrees include some of each skill domain in their curriculum. A good fashion design degree will prepare designers to understand things like target markets, and a good fashion marketing program will teach students about the aesthetics and design behind fashion products.

What Can I do with an Associate’s in Fashion?

The most important assets in the fashion world are ability, ambition, and experience, not degree level. That’s not to say that getting an in-depth education won’t help your career prospects or open doors! But it’s also possible to get your foot in the door with an associate’s degree in fashion and work your way up in the fashion world. This two-year undergraduate degree will provide you with a knowledge of the basics of the fashion world, including fashion industry fundamentals, design principles, illustration, and brand awareness. With an associate’s in fashion, you’ll be qualified for jobs like assistant fashion designer, assistant buyer, and sales assistant.

Alternatively, you may want to earn an associate’s in fashion as a stepping stone on the path towards a bachelor’s in fashion. With this two-year degree under your belt, you can earn your bachelor’s by completing the additional coursework, which typically takes two additional years on a full-time basis. Many students earn associate’s degrees and then take classes part-time for 3-5 years in order to complete their bachelor’s degree.

What Can I do with a BFA in Fashion?

A BFA in fashion is a great fit for creative professionals with an eye for style and design. A Bachelor of Fine Arts, of BFA, is a technical degree that focuses on the design of garments, textiles, and accessories. In a fashion BFA program, students learn the fundamentals of designing, including researching, illustrating, designing, developing, and crafting patterns and products.

Like all bachelor’s degrees, a BFA in fashion design typically takes four years to earn on a full-time basis. Your classes will involve many projects, especially projects based on real-world problems. Your best projects will be collected into a final portfolio or collection, which will likely be formally reviewed by a panel of professors, and industry professionals. You can use your portfolio to show potential employers your skills and signature style. With a BFA in fashion, you’ll be qualified for jobs like fashion designer, textile designer, or pattern maker.

What Can I do with a BA Fashion?

Some schools offer a Bachelor of Arts, or BA, in fashion in place of (or in addition to) a BFA in fashion. A BA in fashion incorporates both fashion design classes and liberal arts classes, such as English, history, and science. In a Fashion BA program, you’ll cover many of the same class topics as in a BFA program, such as illustration and textile design. But in place of some of the technical courses, such as human figure drawing and computer-assisted design, you’ll be taking general education classes.

A BA in Fashion is a good choice for those who want a broader skill set. General education requirements will equip you with knowledge about the world and critical thinking skills that can be applied in a variety of settings, including well-paying management positions. A BA can also be more flexible than a technical degree, allowing you to move into another part of the fashion world (or another industry) if you decide to do so. Jobs associated with a fashion BA include textile designer, fashion designer, and retail manager.

What Can I do with a BS in Fashion?

Fashion is a business, and degrees in the business side of fashion can be lucrative and interesting. A Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in fashion tends to focus on marketing or merchandising, and provide a strong training in the business of all things fashion. Students in such a program learn all about retail operations, fashion buying, trend forecasting, product promotion, merchandising for apparel, and brand development.

This type of degree program combines the qualitative realm of style and influence with the quantitative realm of budgets and markets. People with an intuitive appreciation of style as well as a head for the nitty-gritty of business are a great fit for a BS in fashion marketing and management. With a BS in fashion marketing and management, you’ll be qualified for jobs like e-commerce specialist, brand manager, PR officer, and fashion marketing manager.

What Can I do with a Master’s in Fashion?

A master’s in fashion is not required to get a job in the field, and it’s a far less popular degree option. In fact, just 4% of pekoe with a bachelor’s in fashion go on to earn a master’s in fashion design or fashion marketing and management. If you do decide to pursue a master’s in fashion, you’ll be among a select few who have this level of training. Getting a master’s degree can give you the skills needed to launch your own line of clothing, or help open up a path to a leadership position in fashion.

Alexander McQueen had a master’s in fashion, while other famous designers, such as Vivienne Westwood, were able to succeed without one. If you have high ambitions, an advanced degree in fashion is worth considering. The BLS reports that fashion designers in the top 10% of the field earn $155,470 per year, and a master’s can help you develop the skills to move into a top position. It’s also an excellent choice if you’re interested in teaching fashion at a college. This two-year degree program will deepen your understanding of fashion, allow you to specialize more, and provide the opportunity to establish powerful industry connections.

For those interested in fashion management and marketing, an MBA with an emphasis on fashion may be another great choice. An MBA in fashion will have a stronger focus on the business side of the industry, and go more deeply into topics like supply chain management and business strategy. MBAs are associated with lucrative salaries, and this heavily business-focused degree will qualify you for a top position such as chief marketing officer or fashion channel director.

What Jobs Can I Get with a Degree in Fashion?

Your fashion degree level and area of specialty will play a big role in determining what type of jobs with a fashion degree you’ll qualify for. As noted above, a BS or MBA in fashion management will position you for a role on the business side of the industry, while a BFA in fashion design will put you in the running for creative jobs.

Some of the most common jobs associated with a degree in fashion are:

• fashion design
• fashion journalism
• fashion buyer
• product manager
• pattern maker
• stylist
• retail manager
• textile designer
• visual merchandiser
• brand manager
• marketing specialist
• blogger or influencer

As Business of Fashion has noted, the number of people with fashion degrees is greater than the number of job openings, meaning landing a position in fashion can be a challenge. Students considering a fashion degree should be prepared for stiff competition in the job market. Relocating to a major city like Los Angeles or New York City can help with job prospects, as most fashion companies are located in major cities such as these.

Your salary will, of course, depend on your job title and area of expertise. In general, creative jobs pay less than business jobs, and the fashion industry is no exception. $88,037 is the average salary for fashion merchandising, while $72,720 is the average salary for fashion design. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest paid jobs in fashion were those in wholesale or manufacturing businesses or apparel companies. Jobs in bespoke studios, boutiques, and runway fashion, on the other hand, tend to pay out lower salaries but offer attractive career perks like glamorous work, travel, or greater independence.

Is a Degree in Fashion Right for Me?

Just because you love fashion doesn’t mean you should pursue a fashion degree. Even if the class titles get you excited, and you can see yourself doing well in a fashion degree program, you’ll want to consider your entire professional future before deciding that this is the path you want to pursue.

To succeed in the fast-paced and competitive world of fashion, you’ll need to be savvy, creative, flexible, and ambitious. This holds true whether you’re involved in the creative side or the business side of the fashion industry. You’ll also have to have a bit of hustle- the ability to promote yourself, leverage opportunities, and make connections. As a designer, you’ll need raw talent along with fully-developed and up-to-date skills. As a marketing or management professional, you’ll need business acumen and the ability to work with teams of people across different settings.

Some of the drawbacks of a career in fashion are the stiff competition, fast pace, and demanding work. On the other hand, a job in fashion can be incredibly rewarding, with fresh trends to work with, new ideas and challenges, and the opportunity to get creative. If you thrive on change and are willing to work hard, a fashion degree could be the right fit for you.

Further Reading:

• What Degree Do I Need to Become a Fashion Designer?
• What Degree Do Marketing Managers Have?
• 50 Best Online Degrees for 2019
• 25 Fastest Online Associate’s Degrees
• 23 Fastest Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs
• 20 Best Degree Programs for Undergraduates
• Top 50 Affordable Online MBA Degree Programs for 2019

The post What Can I Do With a Fashion Degree? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

If you’re like most people, there was a time when cartoons were pure magic, when the characters and stories in Disney movies, Saturday morning cartoons, and even soda commercials were enthralling. If you’re like many others, your fascination with animated films and games stayed with you, growing more sophisticated but never going away. And if you’re like a select few, you picture a future involved in the magical yet challenging world of animation.

The animation profession brings together pure creativity, artistic craft, and technical know-how in a way that few other jobs do. Animators need to be artists, computer geeks, team players, independent thinkers. They must also have the patience to tirelessly complete the painstaking work of bringing still images to life, one frame at a time. If you have the passion, disposition, and skills required for an animation career, you’ll want to learn all the particulars about the industry and educational path. Our guide will introduce you to the field and explain what to expect from a degree in animation.

Jump To:

• What is Animation?
• How is Animation Different from VFX or Game Design?
• What Types of Animation Are There?
• What Classes Will I take for a Degree in Animation?
• What Software Will I Learn in an Animation Degree Program?
• What Can I do with a Degree in Animation?
• What is the Job Market with a Degree in Animation?
• What Jobs Can I Get with a Degree in Animation?

What is Animation?

Animation, simply put, is the process of turning static images into moving images by displaying them in rapid sequence. From a flipbook to a CGI feature film, all animation works on this principle, though the techniques for achieving it vary wildly. Some of the earliest animations date back to the early 1800, when artistic inventors began tinkering with optical devices that could make a series of images appear to move. The ability to use film for animation revolutionized the art form, and early cartoons like Fleisher Studio’s “Felix the Cat” and Walt Disney’s “Steamboat Willie” created a sensation which has only continued to grow. Today, the term animation is applied to anything from motion graphics in an app ad, to a stop motion arthouse short, to CGI special effects in a blockbuster movie.

How is Animation Different from VFX or Game Design?

Like most contemporary animation, Game Design and VFX all exist in the world of CG, aka computer graphics. Web design and digital graphic design also rely on computer graphics. If you’re an artist working in the digital realm, you’re likely to interact with a little of each of these fields, and may even be considering a future in more than one of these areas. What sets each apart, and how do you know which is right for you?

To start, it’s important to distinguish between Animation, Game Design, and VFX by understanding the definitions of each, and their differences.

Animation

As we’ve seen, animation is all about creating the illusion of movement. In today’s world of animation, that almost always means creating digital drawings or digital models and moving them in an environment. This can be a fully digital setting (as in an all-CGI movie like WALL-E) or a CGI character integrated into a real environment (as with the animated gecko in the Geico commercials).

VFX

VFX stands for Visual Effects, and refers to creating and manipulating digitally-created images in a a live-action shot in the process of film making. VFX can create the illusion of things that would be difficult, dangerous, or costly to film. Common VFX examples include actions like explosions, creatures like aliens, effects like manipulating an actor’s apparent age, or adding props like lightsabers to a scene. Types of VFX processes include modeling, motion capture, matte background paintings, special effects, and compositioning.

Game Design

Game design refers to the creative and production work involved in designing the characters, gameplay, and environment or video games. These can take the form of educational apps, home gaming system games, or Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). Game designers are tasked with creating characters, settings, and movement patterns with user experience in mind- each must be attractive and engaging and must also function within the context of the game, balancing fun with challenge. In larger game production undertakings, game designers can have different roles, such as environment designer, game mechanics designer, or lead designer.

It’s easy to see that there’s quite a bit of overlap in terms of the skills needed to succeed in each of these fields. Creativity and technical expertise are key, and so is the ability to collaborate. That said, expertise in programming will generally be more important in the field of game design, which usually mixes 3D work with programming tasks. The software programs used for each field also have some overlap, but some programs are better suited to different industries. For instance, 3D Studio Max is used extensively in VFX, while Toon Boom Harmony is popular in 2D animation.

Fortunately for those who are uncertain about which area is the best fit for them, there’s a lot of flexibility between these types of computer l graphics work. In fact, many people who earn an animation degree go into game design or VFX, and some with degrees in game design or VFX go into animation. Overall, your interest in, say, games versus films will likely be the determining factor in which of these fields you choose to pursue.

What Types of Animation Are There?

Animation has come a long way since the days of Steamboat Willie, when Walt Disney debuted his iconic mouse in 1928. The first animations were drawn on separate sheets of paper held in place by pegs and individually photographed. As time passed, artists invented new ways to create and capture images, new ways to sequence them, and new ways to streamline the process. Today, computer-generated images dominate the world of feature films, while independent artists keep more handmade forms of animation alive. Many other animated films, shorts, and clips blend traditional and digital techniques. New forms can be expected to continue cropping up as the animation industry and art form keeps evolving. An animation degree program will introduce students to all the main types of animation, and usually allow them to focus their studies on one area of interest.

Traditional animation

Traditional animation is also known as cel animation or hand-drawn animation, and was used throughout the 20th century. In this process, individual images were drawn, traced, and painted onto sheets of acetate (“cels”), which were laid down over static painted backgrounds and photographed with a rostrum camera onto motion picture film. The images were shown one after another, usually at a speed of 12 frames per second, to create the illusion of movement. Today’s hand-drawn animation is created using a similar process, but images are usually drawn directly on a computer tablet (often a Wacom Cintiq) or scanned onto computers and animated using software. Many animators today use the term “tradigital” to describe this blending of traditional and digital animation techniques.

Examples of traditional animation features, including those supported by some computer animation, include:

• Bambi
• The Little Mermaid
• Spirited Away
• Akira
• The Secret of Kells

2D Vector-based animation

The term 2D animation can be used to describe traditional and tradigital animation, but is generally taken to mean vector-based animation. In this fully computer-based technique, designs are drawn using computer-defined vector shapes, which can be easily manipulated, don’t require large files, and can be interpolated (filled in) by computers. In addition to making individual drawings, animators in 2D can create rigs (digital models) for characters, and move the body parts individually. This allows them to show a sequence of poses without redrawing the character.

This labor-saving technique made it possible to thousands of independent artists to create and share Flash-based animated shorts to YouTube beginning in the late 90s. Flash is now owned by Adobe, and has been renamed Adobe Animate. This and other 2D animation programs continue to be used extensively by independent animators and small studios.

Examples of vector-based animation include:

• Homestar Runner
• The Simpsons
• Family Guy
• AdventureTime

3D computer animation

3D commuter animation, aka CGI, came to the world’s attention in 1995 with Toy Story, the first feature-length computer-animated movie, directed by John Lassetter. Since then, it has evolved to become capable of more and more realistic depictions of people, animals, creatures, and effects. It’s capable of depicting incredibly nuanced, detailed, and believable worlds and characters, whether realistic or fanciful, and is now the primary way animated feature-length movies are made. Today’s animation degree programs tend to focus on this in-demand area of animation.

3D animation is fundamentally different from traditional or 2D animation methods. Instead of being based on drawings, CGI animation relies on models that are digitally “sculpted” in a computer program and fitted with a ‘skeleton’ that allows the animators to move and pose the models. Key poses are captured in a frame, and animated sequentially, just as in 2D animation. Animation software can interpolate (fill in the blanks by creating connecting poses) between these key frames to create a seamless movement. In some ways, animating in CGI is closer to creating and manipulating puppets than creating sequential drawings.

Examples of films featuring CGI include:

• Monsters Inc.
• Planet of the Apes
• The Lord of the Rings
• Bolt
• Star Wars Prequels

Motion graphics

Motion graphics is similar to both CGI and 2D vector animation, but takes place in a completely different context. Instead of being driven by characters or story, motion graphics is a non-narrative form of animation that’s applied to logos, text, and images. It can mean the animated swooshing shapes in the transition from field to sports desk during a sports game, the rotating logo in a commercial, animated demonstrative graphics in an explanatory video, or the opening titles in a feature film. Motion graphics doesn’t necessarily draw attention to itself. Instead, it draws the viewer’s attention to the details and information that the creator of a video wants viewers to notice.

Motion graphics grew out of video editing, which had long been a time-consuming (and therefore expensive) process. The development of programs like Apple Motion and Adobe After Effects made it possible for small productions to add animated sequences to what would otherwise be static elements like titles. Today, it’s a simple matter for even individuals and small businesses to add motion graphics to their sites and YouTube videos, while news programs and commercials have motion graphics that are sleeker and more seamless than ever.

As with other forms of animation, motion graphics requires an understanding of composition, camera motion, and design. Unlike traditional, 2D and CGI animation, though, knowledge of modeling and drawing isn’t essential. In this form of animation, a strong sense of graphic design is essential, including the ability to work with text and shapes in computer programs.

Examples of motion graphics can be seen in:

• News programs
• Sports broadcasts
• Movie titles
• TV commercial
• Mobile app ads

Stop motion

Stop motion is unique in the world of animation- it relies on the manipulation of three-dimensional physical objects. Stop motion has existed since 1887 (with the creation of The Humpty Dumpty Circus), but set the standard in Hollywood special effects for live-action films in the mid-century, with innovators like Ray Harryhausen, who created stop motion animation sequences in Jason and the Argonauts and Clash of the Titans.

Stop motion is created by photographing an object, moving it slightly, then taking another photo, and repeating the process to make a sequence of movements when played together. The process is identical to traditional animation, but relies on photographic real-world figures and environments instead of drawn ones. Like traditional animation, the process of creating a stop motion video is very time-consuming, as each object needs to be moved by mere fractions of an inch to capture each individual frame and create the illusion of a fluid movement.

There are several forms of stop motion animation, and well-known animated films featuring each. These include:

• Claymation (e.g. Wallace and Grommet)
• Puppets (e.g. Nightmare Before Christmas)
• Cut-outs (e.g. early South Park)
• Silhouettes (e.g.Tales of the Night)
• Action Figures (e.g. Robot Chicken)

Which area of animation should you pursue? This will depend on your interests and professional goals. Stop motion and hand-drawn animation are usually associated with more artsy, small-studio projects. That can mean high creative fulfillment but less lucrative work. TV and film use a lot of CGI, and specializing in one area of this branch of animation (e.g. modeling) can mean better professional prospects. Motion graphics is more commercial and less creative in terms of work, but is a great role if you’re looking for a well-paying a steady job.

What Classes Will I take for a Degree in Animation?

Animation degrees are offered as fine arts degrees, meaning you’ll be training for a professional future in the commercial or fine art world. That means you’ll be taking all art-related classes (as opposed to, say, humanities), and developing a portfolio throughout your program. An animation degree will typically provide a background in different animation forms, and will also allow students to focus on a particular area of interest through their choice of electives.

In order to be able to animate well, it’s essential to understand how to create an image that’s pleasing to the eye. Whether you spend your career animating logos or sculpting character models, you’ll need to understand how to effectively use color, balance shapes, and make forms visually understandable. An animation degree starts with these basics, with classes like:

• life drawing
• color theory
• principles of design
• drawing and building form
• sculpture
• media studies

After establishing a foundation in the visual medium and a general art sensibility, you’ll learn the ins and outs of animation. Classes will be very hands-on and project based, with many assignments based on real-world problems, such as designing a character to fit a description. Common course titles in an animation major include:

• animation preproduction
• story development
• character design
• Principles of 3-D Animation
• Concept Development
• animation production
• Digital Cel Animation
• motion graphics
• postproduction
• action analysis

In addition to studio-based classes, an animation degree typically includes some professional development courses that give students an introduction to navigating the field and work environment. Many animation degree programs include experiential learning, such as an internship or practicum working with production crews and animation teams. Animation is a competitive field where demonstrated know-how and teamwork are essential to success, and proving yourself at an animation internship even before you graduate can give you a big leg up in the field. Animation degree programs also help students develop a portfolio of mock-professional projects (such as animated commercials, characters, and logos) to demonstrate their skills to potential employers and clients. The biggest part of a student’s portfolio is usually completed as their final project, a single semester-long undertaking completed at the end of their studies that brings all their skills together in one animation project, such as a CGI short.

What Software Will I Learn in an Animation Degree Program?

Gone are the days when making a cartoon meant hand-drawing Mickey Mouse ten thousand times. Animation software has made the work of animation much easier in some ways and much more difficult in others. Software can automate many of the tasks that animators once had to do by hand, and makes it possible to create more lifelike environments, characters, and movements than ever. On the other hand, it’s essential for today’s animators to learn multiple complex animation software programs, and stay abreast of new ones as they are developed.

Animation degree programs provide basic training in some of the essential software programs used by animators in different areas of the industry. If your role requires more advanced expertise in a particular program, you may need to complete further training or simply gain practice to be able to use a particular software program at a professional level.

Some of today’s most popular professional level animation software programs include:

Toon Boom Harmony

Toon Boom is a great program for tradigital, vector, and some traditional animation. Toon Boom Harmony has a user-friendly toolset, including rigging systems, effects and camera tools.

Adobe Animate

The most popular of 2D animation programs, Adobe Animate started as Flash before being acquired by creative software giant, Adobe. This vector-based program has an intuitive interface and meshes well with Adobe’s other programs.

Adobe After Effects

Another Adobe product, this is an editing program which can be used for creating rigs for 2D animation or for motion graphics. Like Adobe Animate, it’s well-integrated with other Adobe products and intuitive to use.

Autodesk Maya

Maya is the go-to industry standard software for 3D animation, and can be found in most animation studios. It is very similar in user interface and function to 3DS Max, also owned by Autodesk.

Autodesk 3DS Max

3DS Max can be used for 3D modeling, rendering, animation, and compositing. Animators working in games, film, and motion graphics frequently make use of this robust tool.

Blender

Blender is a popular CGI software program that offers modeling, lighting, texturing, animation and post-processing functionality, along with interoperability and a small footprint. It’s price tag is as attractive as its features; Blender is free and open-source.

Cinema 4D

Cinema 4D is used heavily in the field of motion graphics, functioning as a 3D program for the After Effects user. Its versatility and intuitive interface make it a popular program, but it has limited applications outside the field of motion graphics.

Dragonframe

There are several low-cost beginner tools for stop motion, such as iStopMotion, but Dragonframe is the essential go-to for professional stop motion. Because of the physicality of stop motion, with its models and sets, mechanical devises for lighting and shooting are important, and Dragonframe can integrate with attachments like a device that controls the lights, camera, lights and focus on a scene.

What Can I do with a Degree in Animation?

A bachelor’s in animation is the preferred degree in the field, and most employers of animators require a bachelor’s in animation, game design, or graphic design. This four-year undergraduate degree provides a thorough training in the history, practice, tools, and profession of animation. A bachelor’s degree program also guides students in developing a portfolio of mock professional work, which can demonstrate technical skills for potential employers.

A bachelor’s in animation can lead you to a number of careers related to motion graphics. With a bachelor’s in animation, you could work in:

• studio animation
• game design
• web design
• VFX

Each of these fields has many areas of sub-specialty. For instance, in animation, some professionals work as storyboard artists, laying out scenes in shot by shot in panels, like a comic strip, to show how each will be framed. In game design, some professionals work as level designers, creating the appearance and layout of the different levels of a video game. In VFX, some professionals specialize in motion effects, capturing images of an actor’s movements through sensors and then mapping these onto animated three-dimensional characters.

Animation studios and other employers tend to look for job candidates with a strong portfolio, demonstrated technical skill, and expertise with relevant software programs. They also tend to hire, and advance, those who have shown excellent communication, teamwork, and time management.

What is the Job Market Can I Get with a Degree in Animation?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that jobs in animation and multimedia arts will grow about 8% from 2016 to 2026, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. Consumers love the realism of CGI, and demand for those who can create digital animation and effects will remain robust. Jobs in animated graphics for mobile app are also expected to grow quickly.

Competition for these jobs will be high, though, as animation and game development are hot jobs that attract lots of driven and talented people. In fact, dice.com reports that video game designer is the nation’s hottest tech job. Companies are also increasingly sending some of the technical work in movies and animation overseas, where the cost of labor is lower. This means that having

How Much Can I Earn with an Animation Degree?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for Multimedia Artists and Animators is $72,520 per year. Those working in creative roles like character design tend to earn lower salaries, while those with leadership roles like animation director make higher salaries. Working in technical direction or on commercial films also leads to higher pay. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that software publishers earn $82,360 annually and animators in the motion picture and video industries earn $77,860.

In looking at income, it’s important to also consider work environment. A full 59% of animators are freelancers, usually working on a contract basis for studios. This means a high degree of professional freedom, but at a considerable price; self-employed professionals usually miss out on benefits like IRA contributions and health insurance, and pay higher rates of income tax.

Further Reading:

• What Does an Animator Do?
• What Jobs are There with a Degree in Animation, Visual Effects, or Graphics?
• 23 Fastest Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs
• What Can I Do with a Bachelor’s Degree?
• 25 Best Online Bachelor’s Degrees for 2019
• What is the Median Salary for an Animator?
• What Can I Do with a Graphic Design Degree?
• What Industries Hire Graduates with a Degree in Graphic Design?
• What is the Benefit of a Degree in Environmental Science vs Environmental Design?
• What is the Benefit of a Master’s Degree vs a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design?
• What Can I Do with an Art Degree?
• What is the Benefit of Having a Degree in Web Design?
• What Classes will I Take in a Visual Communications Degree?
• What Jobs are There with a Degree in Graphic Design?
• 50 Best Online Degrees for 2019
• Where Can I Use my Degree in Web Development?

The post What Can I Do With An Animation Degree? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

]]> https://www.degreequery.com/fastest-online-masters-degrees/ Mon, 17 Mar 2025 21:20:44 +0000 https://www.degreequery.com/?p=2070---95fcf1b6-e6e8-40e8-a0f6-194afa6d8ab4 A typical master’s degree program takes a minimum of two years, and sometimes considerably longer. For students who are looking for a way to […]

The post The 40 Fastest Online Master’s Degrees appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

]]> A typical master’s degree program takes a minimum of two years, and sometimes considerably longer. For students who are looking for a way to speed up the time it takes to complete their degree, accelerated programs could be the answer. Accelerated online master’s degree programs offered through a wide array of national universities can help students gain new skills and credentials fast. Some of the quickest master’s programs out there allow students to finish their degrees online, potentially taking only half the time it would usually take to earn a masters degree.

RELATED: 23 Fastest Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Often, accelerated programs and online learning go hand in hand, especially at the master’s degree level. An online program that allows students to work at their own pace is also ideal for allowing ambitious students to finish more coursework in a shorter timeframe. Our list of the fastest online master’s programs identifies graduate degrees in a variety of disciplines that can be completed online at accredited colleges and universities in less than the traditional two years of study.

What Is the Fastest Master’s Degree?

There are several factors that can affect how long it takes to earn a master’s degree. Accelerated online graduate degrees commonly possess one or more of the following features: a smaller number of credits required for graduation, an accelerated course format or degree structure, a policy of accepting a considerable number of transfer credits and a subject that fits well into an accelerated format.

Smaller Credit Requirements

Progress toward a masters degree is typically measured in credits, or credit hours. Most graduate-level courses are worth three credits or four credits, but some classes – like short modules and seminar courses – may sometimes count for only a single credit hour.

One way to reduce the time it takes to earn your master’s degree online is to choose a program that requires fewer credits. Master’s degree programs typically consist of at least 30 credits of college study at the graduate level. However, some master’s degree programs, particularly those in specialized areas, may require up to 45, 50 or even 60 credit hours of graduate coursework.

Naturally, it takes significantly less time to complete 30 credits than 50 credits. If you want to earn your degree quickly, you should look for a master’s degree program in your field of study that requires only 30 credits to 40 credits. Many of the master’s degree programs on our list require 30, 32 or 36 college credits.

Accelerated Formats and Structures

Even the best student can only handle so heavy a workload at a time, especially if they have obligations outside of graduate school. Courses and programs that are offered in an accelerated format can allow students to complete their curriculum faster. Students in one of the best online accelerated master’s programs may take more than what is typically considered to be a full load of graduate-level coursework per term.

Often, students take advantage of the accelerated formats the quickest master’s programs offer by taking a smaller number of courses at a time spread over many short academic terms. Instead of taking three or four graduate courses per semester over two long semesters, a student might instead take one or two classes during each eight-week term. Under this sort of accelerated structure, a student may complete 10 to 12 classes in a year instead of just six to eight. Students may also prefer this learning format because it allows them to focus on just one or two courses at a time instead of spreading their efforts and attention too thin.

RELATED: Top 25 Fastest Online Doctorate Degrees

Because this program structure depends on short, frequent terms, an accelerated online master’s program is likely to offer multiple start dates throughout the academic year. This type of program enables students to start their online degree program sooner, without having to wait for traditional fall or spring start dates to enroll.

Transfer-Friendly Policies

Another way to speed up your education is by making sure you get full credit for all of your work, even prior coursework. If this isn’t your first attempt at graduate school, you should look for an institution that will allow you to transfer as many of your prior credits as possible, so you’re not stuck doing extra work to get your degree. A school with a generous transfer credit policy may allow students to transfer as many as 12 credits – a third (or more) of the credits required to earn a typical master’s degree.

Some schools also offer competency-based programs that allow you to get credit for what you already know – like the knowledge you gained on the job. Usually, colleges and universities that award credit for competency, rather than strictly for course completion, count scores on proctored exams, portfolio assessments and other methods of evaluation as progress toward graduation. Choosing a nationally ranked school that awards prior learning credits is a great choice to help working professionals who are earning a master’s degree finish their education faster.

The Best Subjects for an Accelerated Online Master of Science

Earning a master’s degree can improve your career prospects and your job security in any number of fields. However, some subjects lend themselves to accelerated online studies more effectively than others.

Naturally, a program that requires a great deal of clinical fieldwork can be more challenging to complete online and in an accelerated format than other programs. This is why many of the health sciences and health-related degrees on our list take closer to 16 months, a year and a half, or just under two years, rather than the degree plan being something students can complete in 1 year.

However, programs that require less highly technical knowledge and/or those that build upon existing knowledge and fieldwork often allow for shorter completion times. Some of the subjects in which accelerated online master’s degrees are commonly offered include:

• Business (business administration
• Education
• Criminal justice
• Computer science

This isn’t an exhaustive list of the types of online accelerated master’s program options graduate students may finish quickly. Whether you want to earn a masters degree in human sciences, policy analysis, public relations, global studies, other languages or the arts – like a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) or Master of Music degree – national universities offer accelerated learning programs that can be completed quickly online. An online accelerated master’s program can help you reach career goals in a wide array of real-world industries and occupations.

Accelerated Master’s Programs in Business Management and Administration

Business programs are some of the most common accelerated online master’s options out there. Business students pursuing a master’s degree online may opt for an online MBA, a master’s in business management, human resource management, project management, organizational performance and organizational leadership, business analytics and other specialization options.

Certain business programs are tailored toward management and administration in specialized areas. For example, pursuing an online college degree in public administration prepares students to work in administrative roles in government agencies and entities, while master’s programs in engineering management and healthcare administration allow students to achieve career aspirations involving leadership roles in the engineering and healthcare industries, respectively.

What can you do with an accelerated master’s degree in business? Many of these degree programs help students develop a range of useful skills, including managerial skills, skills in conflict resolution, critical thinking skills, a working knowledge of employment law and more. An accountancy program can help you become a certified public accountant (CPA), while an accelerated master in finance can help students become senior-level financial analysts.

Some online MBA program, accountancy program and other business master degree program options have earned programmatic accreditation from organizations like the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), the International Association for Business Schools and Programs (IABSP), and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Accelerated Master’s Programs in Education

Many online education degree program options offered with an accelerated track are teacher education degrees intended for working teachers. Master’s in education degrees that fit into this category include master’s in early childhood education and early childhood studies degrees, K-12 education programs, special education online degrees and music education degrees. Aside from these graduate-level teacher education programs, Master of Education program options may include topics like educational leadership, higher education administration, instructional design and learning technology.

Accelerated Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice

Online masters in criminal justice programs often include a variety of specialization options ranging from criminology and law enforcement studies to emergency management and homeland security. Again, these programs are often well-suited to adult learners with considerable work experience in these fields.

Accelerated Master’s Programs in Computer Science and Computer Technology

Another category of accelerated online master’s degrees that naturally works well with computer-based learning methods is computer science and computer technology. Tech-savvy students may pursue online degrees in cyber security, information systems and data analysis.

Accelerated Master’s Programs in Health, STEM Fields and Other Areas

Some master’s degree programs in health science and other science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields are also available on an accelerated online format. Nursing, nutritional health and behavioral sciences are just a few of the health-focused online Master of Science programs students can consider. An online graduate program like one of these can prepare students for job prospects in settings like a nursing home or care facility, hospital, clinic or other type of medical or healthcare facility.

Types of Online Master’s Degree Program Options

Many master’s degrees are Master of Science (MS) programs, but these degrees aren’t the only option for online graduate students. Other programs may award a Master of Arts (MA), Master of Education (MEd) or Master of Engineering (MEng) degree, to name a few examples.

RELATED: 100 Most Affordable Online Graduate Schools

The 40 Fastest Online Programs for Graduate Students

Many of the fastest online master’s degrees are available with just a year and a half of study, one year of study or, at certain institutions, less than a full year of study. The accelerated online master’s degrees offered at each of the 40 schools listed below are among the 40 fastest online masters degrees in the nation, and they’re sure to impress students who are eager to jump right into accelerated online programs.

Whether you’re interested in a master’s in education, an online master of business degree, a master’s in engineering management or something completely different, you’re likely to find an accelerated online master’s program for you on our list below.

1. Southern New Hampshire University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-18 Months



At Southern New Hampshire University, online students can choose from more than 100 distance-learning master’s degree programs. Many of these programs are available in accelerated formats that allow them to be completed in as little as 18 months, 15 months or even just 12 months.

One of the shortest online programs available at Southern New Hampshire University is the one-year MBA program. Students pursuing an MBA at Southern New Hampshire University can choose from 17 distinct concentration areas, including finance, entrepreneurship, the music business and information technology management.

Numerous other degree programs at Southern New Hampshire University can be completed in just 15 months. In the area of education, these programs include the Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction and the Master of Science in Higher Education Administration.

Accelerated programs related to the fields of business and management include the 15-month Master of Science in Management, Master of Science in Sports Management, Master of Science in Applied Economics and Master of Science in Project Management and Operations. There are 15-month master’s degree programs in history, English, criminal justice and data analytics. Southern New Hampshire University even offers accelerated options in healthcare-related fields. The Master of Science in Healthcare Administration can be completed in as little as 15 months, while the Master of Science in Nursing takes 18 months to finish.

To allow students to complete their master’s degree programs faster, Southern New Hampshire State University offers five start dates throughout the school year and offers a generous transfer credit policy. Generally, students with prior graduate study can transfer up to 12 credits – a third of their curriculum – to this program. Additionally, by not requiring graduate admissions tests like the GRE or GMAT, the school removes obstacles that delay or prevent prospective students from applying.

As an institution, Southern New Hampshire University is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. The school’s individual degree programs have earned programmatic accreditation from numerous organizations, including the following:

• The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
• The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
• The Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology)
• The New Hampshire State Department of Education for Teacher Certification

View general online master’s program information.

2. California Baptist University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-16 Months



If you don’t mind earning your online degree at a school with a strong religious mission, consider applying to California Baptist University. The Christian-founded Riverside-based institution is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

To facilitate accelerated online learning, California Baptist University offers accelerated online or hybrid courses with start dates every eight weeks. These programs are geared toward adult students, making them an even better option for full-time professionals and students with family obligations.

The average completion time for many online master’s degree programs at California Baptist University is just 12 months, including the Master of Science in Accounting, Master of Science in Information Technology Management and Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies.

Business- and administration-related accelerated programs include the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership, the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication, Master of Public Administration and Master of Business Administration programs in the specializations of accounting and general management. Education is another popular field of study at this institution, where online students can pursue a Master of Science in Education with specializations in Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood Studies, Educational Leadership, Special Education and Transitional Kindergarten.

Healthcare-related options include the 1-year Master of Healthcare Administration and Master of Science in Kinesiology, as well as the 16-month Master of Public Health. The school’s online Master of Science in Counseling Psychology degree is unique because courses are offered in different formats like an asynchronous online format and a virtual hybrid format that allows for real-time distance-learning interactions.

View general online master’s program information.

3. University of North Texas

Time to Degree Completion: 12-18 Months



With eight-week accelerated course formats and five start dates throughout the year, the University of North Texas offers plenty of fast online master’s degree options.

Students seeking an online accelerated master’s degree from the University of North Texas can earn their MBA in half a dozen concentrations: marketing, marketing analytics, sport entertainment management, strategic management, supply chain analytics and organizational behavior and HR management.

In the field of education, accelerated master’s degree programs at the University of North Terxas include Master of Education in Educational Leadership and the Master of Science in Early Childhood Education.

The Master of Science in Learning Technologies program exists at the intersection between education and technology. More tech-focused programs include the Master of Science in Advanced Data Analytics and the Master of Science in Digital Communication Analytics.

View general online master’s program information.

4. Saint Leo University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-24 Months



Saint Leo University bills itself as “one of the first universities in America to offer online degree programs,” so it’s no surprise that the Florida institution offers dozens of online master’s degree options.

The Catholic liberal arts-based university offers an MBA program with a variety of distinct concentrations, as well seven different Master of Education degree options and seven specializations of Master of Science in Criminal Justice programs. Other areas of online study include creative writing, theology, psychology and social work.

Online graduate students at this institution typically take one to two classes per eight-week term, six of which run – often, with no break in between terms – in an academic year. Students who take the maximum number of courses per term and work toward their degree non-stop may be able to complete many of these degree programs within a year, while those who take just one course per term will be closer to the two-year mark by the time they graduate.

When taken with advanced standing, the full-time Master of Social Work is one of Saint Leo University’s abundant online master’s degree programs that can be completed in as little as one year. However, for students without advanced standing, this program requires two years of full-time study, as does the school’s creative writing program that includes three summer residencies. For prospective students who haven’t yet earned an undergraduate degree, Saint Leo University offers “3+1” accelerated degree programs in three subject areas that allow students to rapidly complete both their bachelor’s and their master’s degrees in a shorter timeframe.

View general online master’s program information.

5. Boston University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-18 Months



Boston University has a 20-year history of offering award-winning online education programs, so this school is a solid choice for students looking for a credible online master’s degree program. Coincidentally, Boston University also happens to offer 20 online degrees at that master’s level.

These degree options range from topics like insurance management and data analytics to gastronomy, a multidisciplinary program concerned with the role of food in society. BU’s Master of Science in Project Management degree program can be completed in 12 to 20 months, while the Master of Science in Enterprise Risk Management degree program consists of one and a half years to two years of study.

Education degrees are popular options and include programs in music education, art education, higher education administration and curriculum and teaching. Business-related subjects of online graduate study at Boston University include financial management, insurance management, global marketing management, project management, supply chain management, business analytics and taxation law.

Other degree options fall under the discipline of computers and technology, including subjects such as software development and computer information systems, or healthcare, including health communication and health informatics.

View general online master’s program information.

6. Indiana Wesleyan University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-20+ Months



Indiana Wesleyan University offers more than 80 online degrees at the master’s level. Religion is important at this Christian institution – associated with the Wesleyan Church – that is headquartered in Marion, IN, and regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. As such, several online degree programs pertain to the subjects of ministry and divinity.

However, you would be mistaken if you assumed that the only online programs the school offers at the graduate degree level are religious in nature. The Master of Business Administration degree programs are available in eight areas of specialization and generally take 18 months to just shy of two years to complete. Master of Science in Accounting programs, which include three distinct concentration areas, take 18 months to complete, as does the Master of Science in Human Resource Management. The completion time for a Master of Science in Management program, however, is listed as 15+ months.

Programs in education that can be completed in as little as 12 months include the Master of Science in Early Childhood Teaching (for licensed teachers), the Master of Science in Elementary Teaching, while education degrees in other subjects, like special education, teaching English as a new language and curriculum and instruction, take longer to complete.

Students at Indiana Wesleyan University typically focus on one five- to eight-week course at a time.

View general online master’s program information.

7. Ball State University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-20 Months



Ball State University in Muncie, IN, offers 25 online master’s degree options. Many of these programs can be completed in less than two years, but certain programs are even faster to finish. The Master of Arts in Business Education takes just one year to complete. Students can earn the Master of Arts in Educational Psychology degree in less than a year if they take a full course load every semester, but most students take closer to 18 months to complete this program.

The Master of Arts in Educational Administration and Supervision degree at Ball State University can be completed in as little as 18 months, as can the Master of Arts in Foundational Mathematics Teaching in the Community College and the Master of Arts in Secondary Education.

Students in a variety of undergraduate majors at Ball State University can also speed up their graduate education through the school’s Accelerated Master’s Program.

View general online master’s program information.

8. Trine University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-15 Months



Trine University in Angola, IN, is a private Midwest university that dates back to 1884 and is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Outside of degrees in the health sciences, which typically require considerable clinical fieldwork, most of Trine University’s online master’s degrees can be completed in 12 months. Some of the degrees you could earn from Trine University in just one year include the Master of Science in Business Analytics, the Master of Science in Criminal Justice, the Master of Science in Engineering Management, the Master of Education in Early Childhood Education and the Master of Business Administration with seven specialized tracks.

View general online master’s program information.

9. Northcentral University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-20 Months



Northcentral University is an online nonprofit institution that is regionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and is affiliated with the National University System based in La Jolla, CA. Accelerated online master’s degrees at Northcentral University that can be completed in just 12 months include the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and the accelerated MBA program. Students can earn a Master of Arts in Teaching in just 13 months.

If you’re willing to spend a little more time on your studies, your options are more varied. In a year and three months, you could earn a Master of Education in Educational Leadership or a Master of Science in Technology Management. A 16-month completion time is possible for the Master of Education and Master of Human Resource Management degrees, as well as for Master of Science degrees in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Technology, Accounting, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Forensic Psychology, Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychology and Health Psychology.

Three psychology master’s degree programs – the Master of Arts in Psychology, the Master of Science in Sport Psychology and the Master of Science in Educational Psychology, take 18 months to complete. In 19 months, you could earn a Master of Public Administration degree. The Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis is a 20-month program.

View general online master’s program information.

10. Concordia University System

Time to Degree Completion: 12-16 Months



The Concordia University System is a system of higher education that was founded in the Lutheran Christain tradition and today has campuses in Michigan, Texas, California, Illinois, Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Each campus offers its own set of online programs. The Accelerated MBA program at Concordia University Chicago is a 1-year program. At Concordia St. Paul, the Master of Science in Athletic Administration and Coaching can be completed in 18 months. Concordia University Texas offers a 16-month Master of Education in Instructional Leadership. This is just a sampling of the numerous online master’s degree programs offered by the Concordia University System.

View general online master’s program information for each campus:

• Concordia University Ann Arbor
• Concordia University Texas
• Concordia University Irvine
• Concordia University Chicago
• Concordia University Nebraska
• Concordia St. Paul
• Concordia University Wisconsin

11. Benedictine University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-18 Months



Benedictine University is a Roman Catholic-affiliated institution located in Lisle, IL, that aims to serve an “inclusive academic community” while still holding true to its Benedictine tradition and its religious mission and values.

Benedictine University offers a one-year accelerated MBA program that includes potential areas of study like entrepreneurship, accounting, marketing management, financial management, international business and healthcare administration. Students in the accelerated MBA program take two courses per eight-week academic term. Another fast master’s degree program is the online Master of Science in Nutrition and Wellness degree, which can be completed in just 18 months.

If you can’t decide on just one master’s degree, why not go for both with a dual degree program? Two of the dual master’s degrees offered by Benedictine University, the online Master of Business Administration/Master of Public Health (MBA/MPH) and the Master of Public Health/Master of Science in Management and Organizational Behavior, can be completed in the shortened timeframe of three and a half years.

Benedictine University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

View general online master’s program information.

12. Mercy College

Time to Degree Completion: 12-15 Months



At Mercy College in New York, students will find more than 30 total fully online degree programs, including both graduate and undergraduate options. Online course formats include both traditional asynchronous classes that have no set meeting times, online synched courses that utilize real-time meetings in a virtual classroom and online hybrid courses.

One-year master’s programs at Mercy College include the Master of Business Administration degree with nine concentration options, the Master of Science in Computer Science and the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership. The school also offers 15-month programs for registered nurses: the Master of Science in Nursing Administration and the Master of Science in Nursing Education. Another option for undergraduate students at Mercy College is a five-year combined bachelor’s degree and master’s degree program, which the school offers in subjects like cybersecurity and psychology.

Mercy College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

View general online master’s program information.

13. Gwynedd Mercy University

Time to Degree Completion: 12*-20 months



Gwynedd Mercy University in Gwynedd Valley, PA, offers an array of accelerated programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, online and on campus, in the fields of education, business, nursing and counseling.

For students interested in earning a master’s degree online in less than two years, a program of particular interest is the 20-month Master of Science in Educational Administration. Students who start their undergraduate coursework at Gwynedd Mercy University can also take advantage of a fast-track 4+1 combined bachelor’s in business and MBA program to earn both degrees in a total of five years.

The school also offers numerous accelerated graduate certificate and certification programs that consist of as few as four courses in narrowly specialized areas of study. If you don’t necessarily need a master’s degree, these certificate options can help you build graduate-level knowledge in a matter of months, without the cost of a full degree.

Gwynedd Mercy University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. In the school’s accredited graduate programs, students take one seven-week class at a time, allowing them to focus on just one subject area.

View general online master’s program information.

14. Western Governors University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-20 Months



Western Governors University is a fully online university established by the Western Governors’ Association – a group of U.S. governors – and accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). The school emphasizes accessibility to higher education, curricula that focus on practical application in the workforce and affordability, charging a flat tuition rate per six-month term instead of per-credit tuition costs.

The shortest time to earn an online master’s degree at this institution is 12 months, and the degrees that you can quickly earn in this timeframe include the Master of Business Administration and the Master of Science in Management & Leadership.

Several master’s degree programs at Western Governors University can be completed in 18 months, including:

• The Master of Arts in Teaching, Elementary Education
• The Master of Arts in Teaching, English Education (Secondary)
• The Master of Arts in English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Language Learning (ELL)
• The Master of Arts in Mathematics Primary Education
• The Master of Arts in Teaching, Mathematics Education (Middle Grades)
• The Master of Arts in Teaching, Mathematics Education (Secondary)
• The Master of Arts in Teaching, Science Education (Secondary)
• The Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction
• The Master of Education in Learning and Technology
• The Master of Science in Nursing Informatics (BSN to MSN)

Additionally, students can complete the Master of Science in Information Technology Management degree in 20 months.

View general online master’s program information.

15. University of Charleston

Time to Degree Completion: 11-16 Months



At the University of Charleston in West Virginia, three of the five online master’s degree programs available can be completed in under two years. In fact, students can finish the school’s Master of Science in Business and Data Analytics in just 11 months, making this degree one of the fastest master’s program options in the country. In less than a year, you could be ready to pursue leadership roles in the areas of applied artificial intelligence and big data.

If your interests aren’t quite so technical in nature, other accelerated online degree options at this university include the Master of Business Administration and the Master of Science in Strategic Leadership, both of which can be completed in as little as 16 months.

View general online master’s program information.

16. Purdue University Global

Time to Degree Completion: 12-18 Months



Purdue University Global is the online learning hub of the well-respected Purdue University System. Online programs at Purdue are geared toward the needs of working adult students. In addition to accelerated course formats, online learning options at Purdue University include Competency-Based ExcelTrack programs and alternative pathways to earning college credits for what the student already knows.

The fastest online master’s degrees you will find at Purdue University are the one-year Master of Professional Studies and Master of Science in Legal Studies programs. Through the Purdue University System, online students can also complete a number of distinct graduate degrees in just 18 months, including:

• The Master of Arts in Teaching
• The Master of Science in Education
• The Master of Science in Higher EducationThe Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology
• The Master of Science in Health Education
• The Master of Health Care Administration
• The Master of Health Informatics
• The Master of Health Information Management
• The Master of Public Health
• The Master of Public Administration
• The Master of Science in Human Services
• The Master of Science in Homeland Security and Emergency Management
• The Master of Science in Criminal Justice
• The Master of Science in Accounting

Purdue University is located in West Lafayette, IN, and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The public research university consistently ranks well among national universities.

View general online master’s program information.

17. University of Miami

Time to Degree Completion: 16-20 Months



The University of Miami is a particularly strong option for current and prospective finance professionals looking to boost their credentials quickly. The fastest online master’s degree available from this institution is the 16-month Master of Finance degree.

If you’re interested in the business side of the music and performing arts industries, a Master of Arts in Music Industry or a Master of Arts in Live Entertainment Management degree, both of which can be completed in as little as 18 months, might be the right fit for you. The University of Florida’s accelerated programs also include the Master of Science in Education Sport Administration and the Master of Science in Education Applied Learning Sciences, both of which are 20-month degrees.

The University of Miami is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

View general online master’s program information.

18. Baker College

Time to Degree Completion: 12-18 Months



At Baker College in Owosso, MI, the fastest online master’s degrees include the one-year general MBA and a more specialized one-year MBA in Business Intelligence. Students can also pursue an 18-month Master of Science in Information Systems degree. Online courses at Baker College are offered through both traditional asynchronous formats and OnlineLive formats that utilize live, real-time virtual meetings.

Baker College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

View general online master’s program information.

19. Central Michigan University

Time to Degree Completion: 12 Months*



Central Michigan University, a public university with its main campus in Mount Pleasant, offers online learning options at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Online classes can be presented in 8-week, 12-week or 16-week formats. The quickest accelerated online master degree options at this institution are the one-year Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Administration and Master of Entrepreneurial Ventures degrees.

For undergraduates studying at Central Michigan University, the 4+1 accelerated graduate degree program allows you to double count 9 to 18 credits toward both your bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Under this program, undergraduates complete the first courses – up to 18 credits – of their master’s degree programs as part of their bachelor’s degree curriculum. Another benefit of this option is that the master’s-level courses students complete while registered as undergraduates are cheaper, since students pay undergraduate tuition for these classes.

This university is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

View general online master’s program information.

20. Thomas Edison State University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-20 Months



At Thomas Edison State University in Trenton, NJ, online programs of study are available at every level, from associate’s degrees and undergraduate certificates to graduate certificates, master’s degrees and doctorates.

Thomas Edison State University is an adult-focused public university that offers numerous online MS and online MA options. The one-year degree options at Thomas Edison State University include the Master of Science in Management, the Master of Science in Human Resources Management and the Master of Science in Accounting, which is also available in a 20-month format. Earning a Master of Business Administration degree from Thomas Edison State University takes 15 months and prepares students to work in business roles in areas like accounting, finance, marketing, human resources management, healthcare management and data analytics.

Several graduate degree options for adult learners are available in 18-month formats, including the following:

• The Master of Public Service Leadership
• The Master of Science in Homeland Security
• The Master of Science in Information Technology
• The Master of Arts in Educational Leadership
• The Master of Arts in Educational Technology and Online Learning
• The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies

Thomas Edison State University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

View general online master’s program information.

21. Warner Pacific University

Time to Degree Completion: 7-18 Months



The single fastest online master’s degree on our list is the Accelerated Master of Arts in Teaching offered by Warner Pacific University. Full-time students who complete a full schedule of classes from May through August and a 15-week student teaching experience during the fall semester can complete this degree by December, but they must be ready to commit to taking both morning and afternoon classes throughout the summer and essentially working full-time in the classroom during their clinical teaching experience.

Students can also opt for other fast degree options in education. The Master of Education degree for licensed teachers can be completed in 18 months. There is also a 20-month part-time Master of Teaching option that consists of evening classes for students who need a less rigorous schedule.

Outside of degrees in education, Warner Pacific University offers an accelerated Master of Business Administration and a 4+1 combined degree business administration program that awards both a Bachelor of Business Administration and an MBA.

Warner Pacific University is located in Portland, OR, and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

View general online master’s program information.

22. Capella University

Time to Degree Completion: 13-14 Months



Capella University, an online university headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, offers online instruction in dozens of graduate-level degree programs. The fastest online education options at the master’s level available at the school are the ones for which the institution offers its FlexPath format of study.

Under the FlexPath learning format, Capella University students take one or two courses at a time and complete their desired number of courses over a 12-week academic term for which they pay a flat tuition rate. The fastest FlexPath students can finish degrees like the following in as little as 14 months:

• Master of Science in General Psychology
• Master of Science in Psychology: Industrial/Organizational Psychology
• Master of Science in Psychology: Sport Psychology
• Master of Science in Psychology: Child and Adolescent Development
• Master of Science in Educational Psychology
• Master of Education in Teaching and Learning
• Master of Business Administration in Project Management
• Master of Business Administration: Self-Designed MBA
• Master of Business Administration in Health Care Management
• Master of Business Administration in Human Resource Management
• Master of Science in General Human Resource Management
• Master of Science in Human Resource Management in Health Care
• Master of Health Administration: General Health Administration
• Master of Health Administration in Health Care Informatics
• Master of Health Administration in Health Care Leadership

Even faster degree options are, surprisingly, graduate nursing programs. Capella University offers the following eight master’s degree programs in nursing that, with the FlexPath program, can be completed in just 13 months:

• Master of Science in Nursing in Care Coordination
• Master of Science in Nursing in Care Coordination (RN-to-MSN)
• Master of Science in Nursing in Nursing Education
• Master of Science in Nursing in Nursing Education (RN-to-MSN)
• Master of Science in Nursing in Nursing Leadership and Administration
• Master of Science in Nursing in Nursing Leadership and Administration (RN-to-MSN)
• Master of Science in Nursing in Nursing Informatics
• Master of Science in Nursing in Nursing Informatics(RN-to-MSN)(13 months

Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

View general online master’s program information.

23. Northeastern University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-20 Months



Northeastern University is a private research institution headquartered in Boston, MA, with campuses not only throughout the country but across the globe.

More than 30 of the master’s degree programs offered online at Northeastern University can be completed on a shorter timeline than the two years traditionally required for graduate school. In fact, more than 20 of these degrees can be completed within one year, and another seven programs can be completed in 18 months.

At Northeastern University, accelerated programs are available in a variety of specialized fields, including degrees in business, education, health, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects and more. The breadth of online master’s degree program options makes this school a great place for students from many backgrounds to advance their education in their given field.

View general online master’s program information.

24. Colorado Technical University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-18 Months



Online classes at Colorado Technical University are just five weeks long, and new terms begin nine times each year. The mobile-friendly CTU Mobile platform makes online learning truly convenient and on your terms, since you can access your educational materials from a device like a smartphone or tablet.

The fastest online master’s degree at Colorado Technical University is the Master of Business Administration. In this one-year MBA program, students can choose from a dozen concentrations, including accounting, global leadership and logistics management.

In 18 months, students at Colorado Technical University could earn a Master of Science in Management degree or branch out into fields like criminal justice or technology with a Master of Science in Criminal Justice or a Master of Science in Information Technology.

View general online master’s program information.

25. National University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-18 Months



National University is a veteran-founded private nonprofit institution that is located in San Francisco, CA, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

The accelerated online master’s degrees available from National University cover a wide range of subject areas, from business to criminal justice, computer science and even health. One year of study may be enough to complete either the Center for Creative Leadership Master of Business Administration (MBA) or the Master of Criminal Justice Leadership. It takes a minimum of 14 months to earn the Master of Science in Data Analytics degree. The Master of Public Health degree program requires 18 months of full-time study to complete.

National University’s four-week classes are some of the shortest courses out there, so you’ll never feel like your courses are dragging on. New terms start nine times each year, allowing students to jump into graduate school when it’s convenient for them and to keep pushing through until they reach their educational goals.

View general online master’s program information.

26. Eastern University

Time to Degree Completion: 10-18 Months



Eastern University’s two 10-month online master’s degree programs, the Master of Business Administration in Organizational Management and the Master of Science in Data Science, make the institution one of the fastest schools for online graduate study.

The school also offers seven distinct Master of Education degree programs that can each be completed in one year, as well as a 12-month Master of Arts in Theological and Cultural Anthropology. Additionally, a Master of Arts in Teaching: Classical Education degree takes at least 16 months to complete, and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership takes 18 months.

Eastern University is a Pennsylvania Christain institution that is based in St. Davids, PA, and is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

View general online master’s program information.

27. University of Arkansas

Time to Degree Completion: 12-18 Months



At the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, two master’s degree programs can be completed online in as little as 12 months. The Master of Social Work degree for students with advanced standing takes one year to finish online, including a year-long internship through which students acquire real-world experience. The Master of Science in Engineering Management degree can also be completed in this short timeframe.

Other accelerated programs at the University of Arkansas require 18 months of study. These graduate degree programs include the more technical Master of Science in Engineering, the Master of Education in Educational Technology and the Master of Science in Operations Management. E-learning students at the University of Arkansas also enjoy the benefit of getting to pay in-state tuition no matter where they live.

View general online master’s program information.

28. Full Sail University

Time to Degree Completion: 12 Months



At many institutions, only certain degree programs can be completed on an accelerated schedule. That’s not the case at Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL. Each of the 10 master’s degree programs offered online at Full Sail University can be completed in just 12 months. The accelerated offerings include:

• Master of Science in Business Intelligence
• Master of Science in Entertainment Business
• Master of Science in Digital Marketing
• Master of Science in Innovation & Entrepreneurship
• Master of Science in Entertainment Business: Sports Management
• Master of Science in Game Design
• Master of Science in Instructional Design & Technology
• Master of Arts in Public Relations
• Master of Arts in New Media Journalism
• Master of Fine Arts in Media Design

Full Sail University is a private for-profit institution that prizes hands-on experience and is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.

View general online master’s program information.

29. Louisiana State University

Time to Degree Completion: 9-18 Months



One of the fastest graduate schools for online students is Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. The degree with the shortest completion time here is the Master of Social Work, which students who qualify for advanced standing – those who already have a Bachelor of Social Work degree – can finish in as little as nine months.

Students can also go for a 10-month Master of Business Administration program, with MBA concentrations in 10 different fields, including data analytics, hospitality and casino management, family enterprise entrepreneurship, project management and international business. There is also an 18-month MBA degree option.

One-year master’s programs at Louisiana State University include programs in educational leadership, human resources, nonprofit administration, health administration and sport management.

View general online master’s program information.

30. University of South Carolina

Time to Degree Completion: 12-18 Months



The University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, is a public research university that has been educating students for more than 200 years. The school offers a robust assortment of online graduate degree options from nine subject areas, including science and engineering, education, business, nursing and the arts.

Online courses at the University of South Carolina are offered in three separate 100% online formats. The fastest online master’s degrees at the University of South Carolina are the one-year full-time Master of Business Administration program and the Master of Science in Business Analytics, both offered through the Darla Moore School of Business. The school also offers an accelerated Master of Health Information Technology, an interdisciplinary program offered by the College of Engineering and Computing that can be completed in 18 months.

View general online master’s program information.

31. Indiana Tech

Time to Degree Completion: 12*-14 Months



At Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne, IN, there’s an accelerated master’s degree option for both graduate and undergraduate students. The standalone graduate program that can be completed the quickest is the Master of Business Administration – Professional Studies degree program. Over the course of 14 months – or potentially even less time – graduate students complete an MBA program with a curriculum customized to their unique interests and goals.

For Indiana Tech undergraduates, the path to a graduate business degree may be even shorter. Indiana Tech offers a Fast Track program that shortens undergraduate study in subjects like business administration and accounting to just three years and puts the student on the path to complete an MBA or a Master of Science in Management in just two additional semesters of full-time study. (Although the graduate program isn’t an option, the three-year bachelor’s degree format is also available to undergraduates majoring in criminal justice, psychology, pre-law, communication and recreation therapy.)

Indiana Tech is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

View general online master’s program information.

32. Grand Canyon University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-18 Months



Grand Canyon University is a private, for-profit Christian institution of higher learning in Phoenix, AZ. The school is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The university’s online programs commonly have a shorter course duration and offer 52 start dates per year, so prospective students don’t need to wait long to start working toward their master’s degrees.

You can earn a graduate business degree in 12 to 18 months at Grand Canyon University, but doing so is a little tricky. Both the Online Master of Business Administration degree and the Master of Business Administration in Leadership degree are meant to take just shy of two years of study (22 months). However, if you already have a business administration background, you can get certain fundamental MBA courses waived to shorten the curriculum to 18 months. If you’re willing to double up on your courses at least three times during your studies, you could reduce the time it takes to graduate down to just 12 months.

If you’re not eager to make so many adjustments to shrink the time it takes to earn a graduate degree, Grand Canyon University does offer an online Master of Science in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity that is designed to be completed in 18 months. Like the MBA degree (assuming no waived course requirements or doubling up on classes), the Master of Science in Computer Science degree program can be completed in under two years.

View general online master’s program information.

33. University of New England

Time to Degree Completion: 16-24 Months



As the largest private university in Maine, the University of New England – regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education – has some excellent options to offer online graduate students, including those looking for a quick way to improve their credentials.

This university is credited with having offered the first fully online asynchronous accredited Master of Social Work degree program in the country, but that isn’t the only reason this school’s online MSW program is special. While the traditional program requires three years of study to complete, the advanced standing MSW program is the fastest online graduate degree option at this school, with a completion time of 16 months. The next fastest master’s degree options are the Master of Public Health and the Master of Healthcare Administration degrees, both of which can be completed in as little as 18 months.

Additionally, all four of the online Master of Science in Education degree programs offered at this institution – the general MSEd as well as specializations in Educational Leadership, Reading Specialist and Inclusion Education – may be completed in just under two years of study.

View general online master’s program information.

34. Rivier University

Time to Degree Completion: 12 Months



Rivier University in Nashua, NH, offers three online master’s degree programs that students can complete in just one year. The Master of Science in Computer Information Systems degree combines technical and business coursework to prepare students for roles like system architect, integrated systems designer, quality assurance analyst and information technology project manager.

Most of the MBA programs offered by Rivier University are two-year degree programs. However, two of these options – the MBA in Management and the MBA in Information Technology Management – can be completed in only one year.

Rivier University is embracing “open educational resources” over traditional (and expensive) textbooks, which is good news for students. Using a textb00k-free format for the MBA in Management degree program is saving students approximately $1,500 dollars, according to the school. The university is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.

View general online master’s program information.

35. Columbia College

Time to Degree Completion: 12 Months



Columbia College in Missouri offers online master’s degrees in the fields of business administration, education and criminal justice. With six eight-week terms per year, students only have to take two courses per term to complete all of the requirements for a master’s degree in just 12 months. It’s an intensive workload, certainly, but it’s doable, especially if you’re able to make graduate school your full-time focus.

Another option to speed up your education in business, specifically, is by applying to Columbia College as an undergraduate and taking advantage of the combined undergraduate and graduate Accelerated MBA program to start working toward your master’s-level studies early – and have your first graduate-level classes count toward both degrees.

Columbia College is a liberal arts and sciences college that has garnered national recognition. The private nonprofit institution is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

View general online master’s program information.

36. South University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-18 Months



South University in Savannah, GA, is a private university that dates back to 1899. The fastest program at South University is the Master of Science in Human Resources Management degree, which can be completed in as little as 12 months.

A number of other degree programs, including the Master of Public Administration, the general Master of Business Administration and the Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration, can be completed in as little as 16 months.

South University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

View general online master’s program information.

37. Upper Iowa University

Time to Degree Completion: 12 Months



Upper Iowa University in Fayette, IA, offers half a dozen online master’s degrees in various fields. For students in search of a fast online graduate degree, the standout program at Upper Iowa University is the Master of Healthcare Administration, a degree that the school advertises as taking as little as one year to complete.

Online learning at Upper Iowa University involves taking up to two courses per session, although graduate students more commonly focus on one class per session. There are two eight-week sessions in a traditional fall or spring semester, plus an accelerated six-week session in the summer.

Upper Iowa University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

View general online master’s program information.

38. George Washington University

Time to Degree Completion: 12-18 Months



George Washington University in Washington, D.C., offers more than half a dozen online master’s degree options, many in subjects that are fitting for the school’s location in the nation’s capital: homeland security, cybersecurity, political management and more. The private but federally chartered research institution is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

The fastest online master’s degrees offered through George Washington University can be completed in as little as one year. These degrees include the Master in Management degree, the Master of Studies in Law degree, the Master of International Policy and Practice degree and the Master of Public Health degree, which is also available in an 18-month format. Both the Master of Professional Studies in Cybersecurity Strategy & Information Management and the Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security degree programs can be completed in 16 months.

View general online master’s program information.

39. University of Florida

Time to Degree Completion: 12 Months



At the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL, online students can pursue graduate-level studies in 85 programs in a variety of subject areas. For students interested in the fastest online master’s degrees available, a program that will be of particular interest is the University of Florida’s one-year Master of Science in Management. This accelerated degree program consists of eight-week periods and involves a workload so intense that students are advised not to attempt to work full-time during their studies.

The University of Florida is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

View general online master’s program information.

40. Widener University

Time to Degree Completion: 12 Months



Widener University in Chester, PA, offers accelerated master’s degree programs that stand on their own as well as combination master’s and bachelor’s degree options.

Among the fully online one-year master’s degree programs available are the allied health Master of Education and the Master of Arts in Organizational Development & Leadership. Online students in the one-year Master of Business Administration degree program can pursue a concentration in business process innovation, investment management and organizational leadership.

The Accelerated Advantage 4+1 program can put undergraduate students at Widener University on the path to a quick master’s degree from the start. In addition to directly corresponding master’s degrees in fields like business, engineering and social work, students in any major can leverage this program to quickly pursue a graduate degree in business administration, organizational leadership, public administration, allied health education or criminal justice.

View general online master’s program information.

The Benefits of Accelerated Master’s Degree Programs

Completing your master’s degree program quickly can be valuable in many ways. In accelerated master’s degree programs, online students generally complete the same rigorous coursework that students in a traditional, campus-based two-year degree program would. Whether students are pursuing an online MS, an online MA or another type of online master degree, they take required core courses and, often, more specialized elective courses. However, they get through these core courses faster by carrying an intense and difficult workload.

Financially, this choice to pursue one of the fastest online master’s degrees is a wise one. Spending a shorter amount of time overall in school typically translates to paying less money in tuition, and if you’re borrowing the money to get your master’s degree, it means less student debt on which to be charged ever-growing amounts of interest. There is also an opportunity cost of staying in school longer – the money that you’re missing out on each year you’re not out in the workforce putting your degree to work full-time – that you minimize when you are able to complete your master’s degree program faster than is usually expected.

Related Resources:

• 25 Cheapest Online Master’s Degree Programs
• Easiest Online Master’s Degrees
• 50 Best Online Master’s Degrees 2021
• Top 50 Highest Paying Master’s Degrees
• The 20 Best Online Masters in Liberal Arts Degree Programs
• The 20 Best Online Master’s in Accounting Degree Programs
• The 20 Best Online Master’s in Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering Degrees
• The 20 Best Online Masters in Applied Behavioral Analysis Degrees
• The 10 Best Online Masters in Chemical Engineering Degrees
• The 20 Best Online Master’s In Communications Degree Programs
• The 20 Best Online Masters in Computer Science Degree Programs
• The 20 Best Online Master’s in Creative Writing
• The 20 Best Online Master’s Degrees in Cyber Security
• The 10 Best Online Masters in Economics
• The 20 Best Online Masters in Environmental Studies
• The 25 Best Online Master’s Degrees in Homeland Security
• The 20 Best Online Master’s in Hospitality Management
• The 20 Best Online Master’s in Information Systems
• The 25 Best Online Master’s Degrees in Information Technology (IT)
• The 20 Best Online Master’s in Library Science Degree Programs
• The 10 Best Online Master’s in Nursing Education
• The 20 Best Online Master’s Degrees in Nutrition
• Top 10 Graduate Degree Programs in Criminal Justice
• The 20 Best Online Master’s Degrees in Public Health
• The 20 Best Online Master’s Degrees in Recreation, Tourism, and Coaching
• My Undergraduate Degree is Not in the Same Field as What I Want to Get My Master’s in. Will I Be Able to Get into a Program?

For Further Reading: 

• What Degree Do I Need to Be a Policy Analyst?
• What Degree Do I Need to Be an Intelligence Analyst?

The post The 40 Fastest Online Master’s Degrees appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

]]> https://www.degreequery.com/top-10-undergraduate-architecture-degree-programs/ Mon, 17 Mar 2025 20:12:44 +0000 https://www.degreequery.com/?p=2737---d0bf25fd-5152-4358-83d5-7913da0ea8d4 For many architects, the passion to design and create is lifelong. You may think that by knowing you want to pursue a career in […]

The post Top 10 Undergraduate Architecture Degree Programs appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

]]> For many architects, the passion to design and create is lifelong. You may think that by knowing you want to pursue a career in architecture, the hard part of your educational choices is already over. In fact, it’s just beginning. You may know what major you’d like to pursue, but you still have to decide where to go for your studies. The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) recognizes more than 120 architecture schools in the United States alone. How do you choose the right one for you?

There are so many factors to consider when selecting an undergraduate architecture program. Should you choose an art school or an Ivy League university? Are you more interested in small class sizes or affordable price tags? Do you want a school where studying abroad is a major and required part of the educational experience, or one where international travel is just one of many options for gaining hands-on work experience? To help you decide, here are profiles of the top 10 undergraduate architecture degree programs. All offer accredited, professional Bachelor in Architecture degree programs that have recently received high rankings from industry leaders.

1. Cornell University

When the Greenway Group published its 2015 annual rankings of the nation’s best undergraduate architecture schools in the report DesignIntelligence, Cornell University topped the list. The Ithaca, NY-based school also ranked in the top third of the QS Top 100 Universities in the World for Architecture list, Arch Record reported. Of course, Cornell isn’t known solely for its excellent architecture education. The university as a whole has received favorable rankings, with U.S. News & World Report listing the school among the best national universities, best value schools, most innovative schools and best global universities.

What should you expect if you enroll in Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning? As with most undergraduate architecture programs, a full-time student will spend five years earning their bachelor of architecture (B.Arch.) degree. The first three years of a Cornell architecture student’s education focus on building a foundation of basic conceptual knowledge through a core curriculum that includes introductory to intermediate studies in structures, representation, design and architecture history. Later, students take advanced architecture classes and interdisciplinary courses. During the course of their studies, students have the chance to pursue one of several concentrations, including:

• Architectural Analysis
• Architectural Science and Technology
• Architecture, Culture, and Society
• History of Architecture
• Visual Representation in Architecture

Naturally, design is an important part of any architecture program. While Cornell architecture students will cultivate skills in the design studio at every level (and during every semester) of their studies, they will also delve into the history, theory, representation, structures and technology of architecture. The opportunity to spend a semester studying in Rome makes Cornell University a great choice for aspiring architects who also have a passion for international travel.

Location: Ithaca, NY

Enrollment: 14,453 undergraduate students

Tuition: $47,286

2. California Polytechnic State University

The California Polytechnic State University made the list – several of them, in fact. Not only did the Greenway Group rank the school’s undergraduate architecture program second in the nation, but the institution has found its way onto numerous lists published by U.S. News & World Report, including:

• Best regional universities (tied for 10^th place)
• Best colleges for veterans (again, tied for 10^th place)
• Top public schools (ranked number one in the United States)

The program also has a claim to fame as “one of the largest architectural programs in the United States,” with an enrollment of more than 850 full-time undergraduate architecture students.

At the Cal Poly College of Architecture and Environmental Design, undergraduate students will get an education in the “polytechnic tradition” – one that combines art and science to help you develop all of the skills you will need to plan and design exceptional architecture. The off-campus program allows students to visit, study and intern in far-off places such as:

• Copenhagen
• Florence
• Paris
• Rome
• San Francisco
• Washington, D.C.
• Japan
• Mexico
• Switzerland
• Thailand

Students emerge from the five-year program, accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB), prepared to take the Architectural Registration Exams. The program’s hands-on, “learn by doing” curriculum gives students the foundational skills they need to succeed in the three-year professional internship required to attain a state license. With tuition costs of just $9,000 for in-state students, a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Cal Poly is among the more affordable choices. The school’s consistently high rankings mean you don’t have to sacrifice quality for savings.

Location: San Luis Obispo, CA

Enrollment: 19,246 undergraduate students

Tuition: $9,000 in-state; $20,160 out-of-state

3. Rice University

IMAGE SOURCE: Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Rice University earned the double distinction of making both the graduate and undergraduate top 10 lists in Design Intelligence. Students in the undergraduate program at Rice will complete coursework in architecture history, theory, practice and technology. Throughout their education, they will progress from learning the foundation of architecture to intermediate architecture studies and finally professional studies. Studio experience is an integral part of the undergraduate architecture program at Rice from day one. Every semester, students complete studio work in addition to their coursework in the classroom.

In some ways, the Rice School of Architecture is the opposite of California Polytechnic State University’s program. With just 125 students enrolled at any time, the undergraduate architecture program at Rice bills itself as “the smallest professional degree program situated within a top research university.” This small program size translates to plenty of individual attention for the students who earn their B.Arch. from Rice.

Rice University is a great choice for students who want to gain real-world experience working on long-term projects with prestigious architectural firms even before they graduate. Third-year students collaborate with local and global civic leaders as part of their design studio work. Fourth year students develop their own research and design proposals before they receive their Bachelor of Arts degree.  Through the Rice Preceptorship Program, fifth-year students can complete a year-long practicum in places like New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London and Paris before returning to school for a final year of professional studies. At the end of their six-year education and training endeavor, students receive their Bachelor of Architecture degree – and are already one year into their professional experience requirements.

Location: Houston, TX

Enrollment: 3,926 undergraduate students

Tuition: $41,560

4. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

 Besides earning the number-four place in the Greenway Group’s top 10 undergraduate architecture list, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has found a place on numerous rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, including:

• Best global universities
• Best colleges for veterans
• Top public schools
• Best national universities

At Virginia Tech’s College of Architecture and Urban Studies, students spend the first year of their studies completing a foundation program. They learn about the design process, tools to create two- and three-dimensional designs and design concepts, working alongside students in landscape architecture, interior design and industrial design programs.

By the second year, undergraduate architecture students begin their professional studies. They learn about the human, environmental and technological factors involved in building design and practical and artistic expressions of architecture fundamentals.  In the classroom and the design studio, third-year students at Virginia Tech study design principles, technical application and the makings of quality architectural structures. During their fourth year of study, students can build their skills while taking part in an off-campus program such as:

• The Extern Program
• The Chicago Studio
• The Washington-Alexandria Center
• The Study Abroad Program

Fifth-year students create a portfolio of designs through independent studies guided by individual faculty advisors. The final year of the program, Virginia Tech reports, is “comparable to graduate studies” in that students develop in-depth knowledge and skills and complete a terminal project.

Location: Blacksburg, VA

Enrollment: 24,247undergraduate students

Tuition: $12,017 (in-state); $27,444 (out-of-state)

5. Syracuse University


IMAGE SOURCE: Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Fifth on Greenway Group’s top 10 undergraduate programs list is Syracuse University. U.S. News & World Report has ranked the institution among the best national universities, best value schools, best colleges for veterans and best global universities.

The first three years of an undergraduate program at the Syracuse University School of Architecture focus on a core curriculum that teaches students the fundamentals of design concepts, technology, the history and theory of architectural design and how to view the world through an architectural lens. Students gain hands-on skills in the design studio through drawing and multimedia exercises. By their second year, Syracuse architecture students are already developing their own individual design methodologies. Students also have the opportunity to take their education out of the classroom and off-campus, either at the Syracuse University School of Architecture’s studio in New York City or by traveling abroad in Florence or London.

Year four of an architecture student’s education brings advanced studio work, complete with prominent architects acting as critics. During an undergraduate student’s fifth and final year of study, he or she will complete a design thesis and create a design proposal to compete against fellow students’ work.

Location: Syracuse, NY

Enrollment: 15,224 undergraduate students

Tuition: $41,794

6. University of Texas at Austin

Besides being ranked the sixth best undergraduate architecture program in the country, the University of Texas at Austin also has the distinction of being named among the best value colleges by the Princeton Review, Kiplinger and Forbes in recent years. The school also made the QS Top 100 Universities in the World for Architecture list. U.S. News & World Report named the University of Texas at Austin on the following lists:

• Top public schools
• Best value colleges
• Best colleges for veterans
• National universities
• Global universities

The University of Texas at Austin has a long history of providing a professional architecture education, offering its first professional degrees in 1910. Today, the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Architecture offers both a five-year professional Bachelor of Architecture degree and a four-year, pre-professional Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies degree. Students can also opt to earn two degrees through one of the school’s two dual degree programs. Dual degree program combinations include the Bachelor of Architecture/Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering, which takes a full six years of study, and the Bachelor of Architecture/Bachelor of Arts, which requires five years of full-time study plus summer courses. Students who intend to complete their educational preparation for an architect career during their undergraduate studies should enroll in one of the professional programs to develop the design skills and experience they will need for their work.

Architecture students at the University of Texas at Austin have plenty of opportunity to develop and engage their design skills outside the classroom. Popular study abroad choices include the Study in Italy program based in Tuscany, the Europe Program and Studio Mexico. In their later studies, honors students can also gain work experience through a professional residency program that will pair them with an architectural firm in one of 29 nations.

Throughout their studies, students will develop a foundation in design, visual communication, construction, environmental controls and the history and theory of architecture. Even in their lower-division courses, students have the opportunity to develop their skills through hands-on work in studio format classes. At under $10,000 per year for in-state students, the program is an excellent value for aspiring architects in Texas.

Location: Austin, Texas

Enrollment: 39,523 undergraduate students

Tuition: $9,876 (in-state); $35,606 (out-of-state)

7. Rhode Island School of Design

For students who crave individual attention in their studies, the Rhode Island School of Design is an excellent choice. At the private fine arts school of only 2,014 total undergraduate students, the average class size is just 16 students.

The five-year professional Bachelor of Architecture program includes a heavy focus on design studio, where students cultivate their technical and artistic design skills and inspire one another. The objectives of an undergraduate architecture education at the Rhode Island School of Design are twofold: to learn to create architecture and to understand the complexities, and responsibilities, of work as an architect. In addition to studying technical aspects of creating architecture, students cultivate skills in thinking critically, expressing ideas through drawing and building models and creating architecture with a range of different materials.

During their first year of study, architecture students develop a foundation in design, drawing and special dynamics as well as beginning liberal arts courses for a well-rounded education. As sophomores, they cover design principles, historical and modern architecture, wood structures and architectural and structural analysis. In addition to studying steel and concrete structures and urban design principles, junior architecture students begin the advanced studio work they will continue to conduct through years four and five. Senior students also focus on environmental design, while fifth year students cover integrated building systems, principles of professional practice and complete intensive work on a degree project.

Location: Providence, RI

Enrollment: 2,014 undergraduate students

Tuition: $45,530

8. Southern California Institute of Architecture

Another small, private school to make Greenway Group’s Best U.S. Undergraduate Architecture Schools list is the Southern California Institute of Architecture. With an enrollment of just 500 students and an 80-member faculty made up primarily of practicing architects, the independent school offers its students plenty of individual attention and a fluid learning environment where students can explore the discipline and test the limits of architecture. Despite its status as one of the few “independent” architecture schools in the nation, students can rest assured that their curriculum meets the high standards set for accreditation by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).

The Southern California Institute of Architecture, or SCI-Arc, has consistently ranked well regionally, nationally and globally. Assessment surveys have noted the school’s excellence in analysis and planning, computer applications, construction methods and materials, cross-disciplinary teamwork, design, research and theory and sustainable design.

The core of the Bachelor of Architecture curriculum at SCI-Arc comprises design studios and courses in visual studies, media and technology and architecture history and theory. Students also take upper-level classes in professional practice and interdisciplinary seminars that tie architecture into the arts, sciences and humanities. Studying at SCI-Arc prepares students with more than technical expertise and conceptual and practical skills – they also achieve personal growth, proficiency in thinking critically and an understanding of the theoretical and practical design issues that face contemporary architects, like the need for sustainability.

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Enrollment: 500 undergraduate students

Tuition: $41,120

9. Pratt Institute

In addition to being ranked ninth in the nation among undergraduate architecture schools, Pratt Institute ranks among the top 20 regional universities as published by U.S. News & World Report.

During the course of their undergraduate architecture education at Pratt Institute, students will complete 170 credits. Most of these credits come from core architecture courses in subjects that include design theory and practice, graphic communication, construction technology and humanistic design aspects. Required liberal arts studies in topics like cultural studies, humanities and media studies, mathematics and science and social science serve to balance out a student’s education.

Because the Pratt University School of Architecture enrolls just 722 undergraduate students, its Bachelor of Architecture education is highly personalized. By the end of their third year of study, students have typically completed most of the basic coursework required for a career in architecture. Year four begins a unique curriculum as individual students combine architectural electives to delve deep into a subject area like architecture history and theory, building technology, construction management, design, planning, preservation or urban design. Students complete their education with an in-depth design study that culminates in a degree project.

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Enrollment: 3,143 undergraduate students

Tuition: $44,580

10. University of Southern California

Rounding out Greenway Group’s list of the top 10 undergraduate architecture programs is the University of Southern California (USC). The school also finds a home on the QS Top 100 Universities in the World for Architecture list. U.S. News & World Report lists USC on numerous rankings, including lists like:

• Most innovative schools
• Best value schools
• Best colleges for veterans
• Best national universities
• Best global universities

In addition to its five-year professional Bachelor of Architecture degree, the USC School of Architecture also offers a four-year Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies and an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science in GeoDesign degree. Of course, aspiring architects who seek preparation for a professional internship experience and ultimately a license should pursue the professional B.Arch. program.

What should you expect from the B.Arch. program at USC? You’ll jump right into your architectural studies from the first year of enrollment, but you’ll also combine courses in your major with general education classes throughout your education. The first two years will focus on introductory work, and in year three, you will progress to integrative studies. Required coursework includes classes in architectural design, architecture in relation to culture and community, building structures, construction materials and methods, the fundamentals of design communication, world history of architecture, pre-calculus and physics for architects.

In the second cycle of your studies, you’ll spend the final two years of your education exploring various types of architecture and working on your own strengths in the aspects of the discipline that most interest you. During your fifth year, you’ll complete a comprehensive design studio project in conjunction with courses in professional practice and research in the design studio.

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Enrollment: 18,740 undergraduate students

Tuition: $49,464

For Further Reading: 

What Is the Difference Between a Degree in Interior Design and Interior Architecture?

Do I Need a Degree to Be an Interior Decorator?

Top 10 Interior Design Schools in the U.S.

The post Top 10 Undergraduate Architecture Degree Programs appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

]]> https://www.degreequery.com/top-15-liberal-arts-schools-america/ Mon, 17 Mar 2025 19:57:44 +0000 https://www.degreequery.com/?p=3961---e9d5fffb-810a-4643-974a-e6deb49cd190 What do you want out of your college education? If you want more than just a job – for example, a lifelong thirst for […]

The post Top 15 Liberal Arts Schools in America appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

]]> What do you want out of your college education? If you want more than just a job – for example, a lifelong thirst for knowledge or versatile skills like critical thinking and writing – then a liberal arts education might be right for you.

Liberal arts schools offer a number of benefits you won’t find at other colleges. These comparably small schools often feature small class sizes that encourage student discussion and engagement. Some provide graduate-level research opportunities to undergraduate students. Many liberal arts schools have strong international education, study abroad or study away programs that help students develop an understanding of different cultures. Students who graduate from a liberal arts college often go on to earn a master’s or doctoral degree in graduate school, or they can enter the workforce with skills that are in-demand across all industries. Generous financial aid packages make these mostly private institutions affordable for students from all economic backgrounds.

The top 15 liberal arts schools in America are spread out across the nation, accredited by different regional accreditation agencies and offering different academic programs of study. They do have one thing in common, though. Each institution is known for providing an exceptional liberal arts education with the academic breadth and depth to develop skills in thinking, speaking, writing and learning.

1. Williams College

Topping the list of the best liberal arts schools in the nation is Williams College. The private school dates back to 1793, which makes it among the oldest institutions of higher learning in America.  While small class sizes are a typical selling point of many liberal arts institutions, Williams College has an exceptionally low student to faculty ration of 7:1. Don’t let the $50,070 annual tuition charge scare you away from this highly ranked school. Williams College prides itself on putting a top-notch liberal arts education within reach for students “without regard to their ability to pay.” Half of all students currently enrolled at Williams College are receiving some form of financial aid from the school – and that award can range from $5,400 to $64,000. The school commits to meeting “100 percent of every admitted student’s demonstrated financial need for four years,” which may be one of the factors that contributes to its outstanding 97 percent freshman retention rate.

Do you think choosing a liberal arts school means sacrificing the plentiful academic options you’ll find at other colleges? That’s not the case at Williams College. Despite its classification as a liberal arts school, Williams College offers a number of distinct degree programs that build upon the core liberal arts studies, so students can enjoy a well-rounded education but also prepare for their intended careers. The three dozen major programs of study, plus numerous concentrations, are part of three different academic divisions. Students in the division of languages and the arts can choose from majors like Japanese, Russian, music and theatre. The social sciences division includes majors in sociology and psychology. Science and mathematics offerings include biology, chemistry, geosciences, physics and math. In addition to earning the coveted first-place spot on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the best national liberal arts colleges, Williams College is also ranked first among the best colleges for veterans, third among the best value schools in the country and fourth among the best undergraduate teaching programs.

Location: Williamstown, MA

Enrollment: 2,045 students

Tuition: $50,070 

2. Amherst College

Amherst College has plenty of experience – nearly two centuries, to be exact – in developing students’ skills in critical thinking, writing, speaking and lifelong learning. The private liberal arts college was founded in 1821 and has since been home to America’s first collegiate athletics program, first intercollegiate baseball game and first undergraduate degree program in neuroscience. Notable alumni include former United States President Calvin Coolidge, while past instructors include renowned poet Robert Frost. If you’re anticipating going on to earn an advanced education, Amherst College is an excellent choice. Ninety percent of the school’s graduates go on to attend grad school within five years of earning their bachelor’s degree. With a student-faculty ratio of 8:1 and an average class size of just 16, students at Amherst have plenty of opportunity for individual attention and making personal connections throughout their studies. Amherst College offers generous financial aid packages, with an average award of $50,255 in scholarships and grants – never loans that will have to be paid back. That means students at Amherst can graduate with an excellent education and no student loan debt.

Unlike many liberal arts schools – and, for that matter, many colleges of all varieties – there’s no one-size-fits-all core curriculum that every student must complete. Instead, Amherst College features an open curriculum that allows students the ultimate flexibility in customizing their education. With more than 850 course options available through the college and thousands more offered through partner schools, students can quite literally study any discipline they choose. The result is that double majoring is common, and students who pursue two majors still have the time to delve into other areas of study and develop a well-rounded educational foundation. The 38 majors available at Amherst College range from biochemistry to film and media studies and from neuroscience to classical languages. Students can also choose to create their own interdisciplinary major or Independent Scholar Program instead of, or in addition to, pursuing an existing program of study. The most ambitious students can even get a taste of graduate-level academic work by opting to complete an honors thesis. Amherst College placed second on U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of the best liberal arts schools in the nation, but it also took first place among the best value schools and ranked among the top 10 most innovative colleges in America.

Location: Amherst, MA

Enrollment: 1,792 students

Tuition: $50,562 

3. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College, just 11 miles from Philadelphia, earned the distinction of being one of the first coeducational colleges in America when it was founded in 1864 by the Quakers. Today, the private, nondenominational school emphasizes a combination of intellectual development and ethical behavior. More than 90 percent of the student population lives on campus, where the landscape of lawns, hills, trees, hiking trails and Crum Creek combined to earn Swarthmore the title “the most beautiful campus in America.” Swarthmore’s Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility helps facilitate volunteerism and incorporate service and activism into academic programs through community-based learning. The strong support for service and social responsibility contributes to the school’s impressive volunteerism rate of more than 60 percent. Swarthmore students also participate heavily in study abroad opportunities and the Honors Program. With a student to faculty ration of 8:1, students considering Swarthmore College can expect small class sizes.

Swarthmore College offers upwards of 40 programs of study in subjects ranging from astronomy to medieval studies and from computer science to peace and conflict studies. Students also have the opportunity to design their own majors, an independent path which requires them to take 10 to 12 courses in their specialized areas of study. Of course, with more than 600 courses to choose from each year, students have plenty of options to customize their education. Students in any major must complete a thesis, exam or other “comprehensive requirement” before graduating with their bachelor’s degrees. In addition to offering a traditional liberal arts curriculum, Swarthmore College is also known for its highly rated undergraduate engineering program. The college is also rated among the best value schools, best colleges for veterans, best teaching schools and best undergraduate engineering programs – in addition to the top liberal arts colleges, of course – by U.S. News & World Report.

Location: Swarthmore, PA

Enrollment: 1,542 students

Tuition: $47,442 

4. Bowdoin College

At Bowdoin College, the school’s mission is known as its “offer,” and it encompasses knowledge of art, culture, history, nature and literature. Bowdoin College still stands by that offer today, more than a century after it was written. The school also emphasizes research opportunities, field work experiences and community-based learning. The private school was founded in 1794, at a time when Maine wasn’t even its own state, but instead a district within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To make a quality liberal arts education affordable today, Bowdoin College has entirely eliminated student loans from its financial aid packages. Almost half of the student body receives grants directly from the college – which is one reason why U.S. News & World Report ranked the institution among the best value schools in the nation. Bowdoin College is known for offering a wealth of extracurricular activities. Among these activities are the Outing Club, a group focused on providing off-campus excursions, and the Peucinian Society, an intellectual society which happens to be among the oldest in the United States.

What exactly is Bowdoin College’s offer? All students begin their studies with a first-year seminar of their choice – and with more than 35 topics to choose from, they really do get to choose the seminar that interests them. Every student must take at least one course in each of five distribution areas: International Perspectives, Visual and Performing Arts, Exploring Social Difference, Inquiry in the Natural Sciences and Mathematical, Computational or Statistical Reasoning before the completion of their sophomore year. At that time, they choose a major from the more than 40 options offered. Some Bowdoin College students take the traditional path and stick with one departmental major, while others double major or pursue a coordinate major, interdisciplinary major or student-designed major. The result is an education that combines the breath of studying each distribution area with the depth of studying a major in the discipline of science, art, language, and the humanities.

Location: Brunswick, ME

Enrollment: 1,805 students

Tuition: $48,212 

5. Middlebury College

Founded in 1800, Middlebury College has more than two centuries of experience educating students in the liberal arts tradition. In fact, Middlebury is among the nation’s oldest liberal arts schools. With more than 2,500 undergraduate students, Middlebury College is among the largest schools to make the list. Fortunately, the school still manages to keep class sizes small by employing hundreds of top-tier instructors. The student to faculty ratio is just 9:1, and the average class has only 16 students. Rather than following a semester-based schedule, Middlebury College embraces what’s called a 4-1-4 academic calendar. Students typically complete four courses during the spring and fall semesters, with an additional one-month course or internship during the winter term in January. Summer programs are also offered, particularly in the school’s many foreign language options. Among the more than 150 extracurricular activities available to Middlebury College students are its 31 NCAA varsity athletics teams and its Harry Potter-inspired International Quidditch Association. The location is also excellent for avid skiers, as the region is home to 17 skiing trails.

A main goal of a liberal arts education is learning to think critically and express one’s thoughts eloquently. At Middlebury College, this objective is accomplished through cross-discipline writing-intensive courses, including a discussion-oriented first-year seminar based on academic themes. To develop a well-rounded academic background, all Middlebury College students must take courses in art, literature, history, science, foreign language, deductive reasoning, social analysis and philosophical and religious studies. They also take four required courses in cultures and civilizations, with each course focusing on a different region or topic. Students choose one (or more) of 44 possible majors – such as international politics, history of art and architecture, Hebrew and molecular biology – to study in-depth. They also have the option to propose their own major through the Independent Scholar Program. In addition to being tied for fourth place on U.S. News & World Report’s list of the top national liberal arts colleges, the school earned top 10 spots among the best colleges for veterans and the best value schools.

Location: Middlebury, VT

Enrollment: 2,533 students

Tuition: $47,828 

6. Pomona College

Pomona College is a residential school – and proud of it. An overwhelming 94 percent of the student body lives on campus for their entire education, and even the instructors tend to live within a five mile radius of the college. The private Southern California school was founded in 1887 in Pomona, and the first courses were taught in a small house rented by the college’s founders. To say that Pomona College has grown would be an understatement. Though the school kept its original name, it moved to Claremont shortly after. Today, the college occupies 140 acres of land located near the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. With 182 full-time instructors on staff, the student to faculty ration is just 8:1, and the average class size hovers around 10 to 15 students. International studies are popular at Pomona College, where 50 percent of students will complete a study abroad experience during their academic careers.

The tight-knit community atmosphere that characterizes the Pomona College campus reaches into the classroom – and beyond. The small class sizes and campus community activities are a crucial part of Pomona’s liberal arts education. So are the college’s extensive undergraduate research opportunities and its combination of academic programs that cross disciplines. The curriculum at Pomona College includes studies in natural science, social science, humanities and the arts as well as interdisciplinary coursework. Students can choose from 47 major programs of study that range from media studies to science, technology and society. With more than 600 courses offered on campus and thousands more offered through the Claremont Colleges partnership every year, students can explore plenty of study options.  Pomona College requires students to complete general education coursework that includes studies in a foreign language, physical education, mathematical reasoning, history and cultural studies, physical and biological sciences, creative expression and social institutions and human behavior. Freshmen must also take a Critical Inquiry seminar that emphasizes reading, writing and discussion and focuses on an interdisciplinary theme such as the politics of art or the history of rock and roll music.

Location: Claremont, CA

Enrollment: 1,650 students

Tuition: $47,620 

7. Wellesley College

Wellesley College has offered a strong liberal arts education to female students since its founding in 1870. The private school, located just 12 miles from Boston, remains exclusively a women’s college today. Students at Wellesley College consistently benefit from small class sizes and personal attention, with a student to faculty ratio of just 7:1 and an average of only 17 to 20 students in a class. The school has a robust internship program – in which more than 70 percent of students participate during their academic careers – which includes hundreds of paid internships with stipends provided by the Center for Work and Service. Notable Wellesley College alumni include television journalist Diane Sawyer and political leader Hillary Rodham Clinton. In addition to the usual residence halls and classrooms, the school’s 500 acre campus includes art galleries, a golf course and theatres for motion pictures and live performances. Most students enjoy the campus atmosphere so much that they choose to live in Wellesley College’s residence halls for the duration of their undergraduate education.

To attain a comprehensive liberal arts education, Wellesley College students must complete coursework in the following subject areas:

• Language and Literature
• Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video
• Social and Behavioral Analysis
• Epistemology and Cognition
• Religion, Ethics, and Moral Philosophy
• Historical Studies
• Natural and Physical Science
• Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving
• A foreign language (from more than a dozen languages offered)
• Expository writing
• Quantitative reasoning
• Physical education
• Multicultural studies

In addition to completing these core academic requirements, Wellesley College students choose from dozens of possible majors in the arts, physical and social sciences and humanities. There are more than 20 interdisciplinary major options available to students in addition to the majors traditionally offered by individual departments. Every major requires students to take at least two advanced, 300-level courses, while the school also requires the completion of two additional 300-level classes in any area of study. Wellesley College’s science programs, in particular, are well-respected, and its physics lab happens to be the second oldest in the United States, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Location: Wellesley, MA

Enrollment: 2,323students

Tuition: $46,836 

8. Carleton College

Carleton College is a private liberal arts school located 40 miles from Minneapolis and St. Paul. Since its founding in 1866, the institution has earned a reputation for providing not just an outstanding liberal arts education, but also a warm and friendly learning environment. About 95 percent of Carleton College students choose to live on campus, even though only freshman are required to do so. Like other schools on the list, Carleton has a low student to faculty ration of just 9:1 and small class sizes, with an average of 18 students per class. In addition to being among the 10 best liberal arts schools in the nation, Carleton College is also among the top 15 schools for studying abroad. About 78 percent of students participate in off-campus study opportunities facilitated by the school, according to U.S. News & World Report. The school uses a trimester, rather than semester-based, academic calendar, which means students complete three 10-week terms per year.

In addition to the 39 majors in which Carleton College students can earn a Bachelor of Arts degree, students can also pursue one (or more) of the 15 concentrations available. Major programs of study range from Asian languages to dance and international relations to mathematics and statistics. Possible academic concentrations include American music, biochemistry, educational studies and archeology. Graduation requirements for students in all majors include coursework such as:

• A writing-rich first-year Argument and Inquiry (A&I) Seminar
• An additional writing-rich course that culminates in a writing portfolio
• At least three courses that involve quantitative reasoning
• Four to five foreign languages courses
• A class in international studies
• A class in intercultural domestic studies
• Four terms of physical education
• Six credits in humanistic inquiry
• Six credits in literary and artistic analysis
• Six credits in arts practice
• Six credits in science
• Six credits in formal or statistical reasoning
• Six credits in social inquiry

Carleton College meets all students’ financial aid need for all four years of school and charges no application fees, so it’s no wonder the school has earned a place on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Value Schools ranking.

Location: Northfield, MN

Enrollment: 2,057 students

Tuition: $49,263         

9. Claremont McKenna College

Compared to other schools on this list, Claremont McKenna College is fairly new, having been founded in 1946 as a men’s school and made coeducational in 1976. In just a few decades, though, the school has built a strong reputation and on coveted spots on rankings like U.S. News & World Report’s National Liberal Arts Colleges, Best Colleges for Veterans and Best Value Schools. The private institution is known for making extensive graduate-level research opportunities to undergraduate students through the campus’s 10 research institutes. Claremont McKenna College happens to be among the most selective schools to make this list, accepting just 10.8 of applicants. For those who make the cut, the institution’s small class sizes, renowned faculty, research opportunities and focus on educating world leaders are well worth the challenge of gaining acceptance. In addition to its Bachelor of Arts programs in liberal arts studies, the school now offers a Master of Arts in Finance program for graduate students.

Claremont McKenna College offers more than 30 academic majors, including government, religious studies, molecular biology and literature. These include film studies and legal studies degree programs, which are offered only as dual major options. The school also offers “3/2 engineering programs” in Economics and Engineering and Management-Engineering, which allow students to combine liberal arts coursework at Claremont McKenna College with an engineering program at a partner school. Students with an interest in finance can also apply to the combined BA/MA program offered through Claremont McKenna’s Robert Day School, which offers the opportunity to earn both an undergraduate and a graduate degree in just four years. Aspiring law school students might be interested in Claremont McKenna College’s involvement in the Accelerated Interdisciplinary Legal Education program, a “3+3 joint degree program” through which students can begin their juris doctor (JD) studies at Columbia University after their junior undergraduate year and graduate with both degrees in just six years. Because the school can only nominate two juniors per year to participate, the program can become highly competitive.

Location: Claremont, CA

Enrollment: 1,324 students

Tuition: $49,045 

10. Davidson College

Since 1837, Davidson College has focused on providing a liberal arts education that emphasizes creativity, intellectual discipline and humane behavior. Essential to the Christian school’s unique success is its Honor Code, a pledge to act honestly and honorably in the classroom and beyond. The student to faculty ratio at Davidson College is just 10:1, and the average class contains just 15 students. The school has a strong study abroad program, with 76 percent of students engaging in some form of international studies abroad. Davidson College is an excellent choice for cost-conscious students. Since 2007, all of the school’s financial aid packages have followed a no loan policy – making in the first liberal arts college in the United States to do so, according to U.S. News & World Report. Instead of financing students’ education with loans that could leave them tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt at the end of their college careers, the school provides generous loans through The Davidson Trust.

To earn their Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees, students at Davidson College must complete a set of core liberal arts requirements. These requirements include coursework in cultural diversity, a foreign language and writing as well as at least one class in each of the following:

• Historical Thought
• Mathematics and Quantitative Thought
• Natural Science
• Social-Scientific Thought
• Philosophical and Religious Studies
• Visual and Performing Arts
• Literary Studies, Creative Writing and Rhetoric

Students can choose from 26 possible academic majors, such as anthropology, environmental studies and political science. A major in interdisciplinary studies is also available, and so are dozens of departmental and interdisciplinary minors, including applied mathematics, dance and experimental physics. Davidson College is also an excellent choice if you’re thinking about grad school. The college offers six pre-professional programs: Pre-Education, Pre-Engineering, Pre-Law, Pre-Medicine, Pre-Ministry and Pre-Military. These academic paths can help prepare you to earn a master’s or doctoral degree.

Location: Davidson, NC

Enrollment: 1,770 students

Tuition: $46,966 

11. United States Naval Academy

With more than 4,500 undergraduate students enrolled, the United States Naval Academy is by far the largest school to make this list. It’s also the most selective, accepting just 7.9 percent of applicants. The public institution, founded in 1845, is one of just five federal service academies – and it happens to be the second oldest such institution, according to U.S. News & World Report. The school is an excellent choice for aspiring Navy personnel. All students are naval officers in training, also known as midshipmen. Not only is the liberal arts education at the United States Naval Academy excellent, but it’s also tuition-free. The United States Navy covers the cost of students’ education. This way, students can graduate debt-free – and then begin their active-duty service in the U.S. Navy. Since they are bound for the physically demanding work of a Navy midshipman, students must meet strict physical education requirements throughout their education. The Naval Academy has a strong athletics program, including NCAA Division I intercollegiate varsity sports teams in dozens of men’s, women’s and co-ed sports.

Due to its naval focus, the school has a unique set of core course requirements distinct from what you would find at most liberal arts institutions. Students must take coursework in mathematics and science and humanities and the social sciences. However, they also need to take classes in engineering and weapons, seamanship and navigation and leadership education and development. Students at the United States Naval Academy learn about ship performance and propulsion, naval weapons systems, cyber engineering, American Naval history and United States law as it pertains to junior naval officers. Students complete many of these courses during their first year of college studies, also known as the plebe year. The school places a strong emphasis on the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and the majority of its 26 academic majors are in STEM fields. These include aerospace engineering, oceanography, cyber operations, quantitative economics and operations research.

Location: Annapolis, MD

Enrollment: 4,511 students

Tuition: $0

12. Haverford College 

In 1833, Haverford College was founded just 10 miles from Philadelphia by the Quakers. Today, the private college has no religious affiliation, but it does have its own ever-evolving, student-run Honor Code that pertains to both academic and social behavior. The Honor Code permits students to have academic and social freedoms such as take-home exams and dormitory lodgings without the oversight of a resident assistant (RA). Haverford College features a student to faculty ratio of 9:1 and very small class sizes. In fact, more than 78 percent of its classes have fewer than 20 students, and nearly 43 percent of classes have fewer than 10 students enrolled. The school’s arboretum campus isn’t just beautiful – for many, it’s home. Not only do 98 percent of Haverford College’s students live on campus, but so does 61 percent of its faculty. Around half of the student population studies abroad during their academic careers, and more than one-third of enrolled students are involved in an intercollegiate sport.

A liberal arts education is all about developing important and versatile skills like critical thinking, writing and speaking, and what better way to cultivate those skills than to invite – even emphasize – discussions and debates in the classroom? Haverford College’s seminar-style courses are known for engaging class discussions that facilitate deep thoughts and big ideas. All Haverford College students take required courses in writing, a foreign language, quantitative reasoning, humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and physical education. As sophomores, students choose a major, the most popular of which include biology, chemistry, economics, English, political science and psychology. In addition to completing in-depth studies into their majors, students are required to develop a Senior Thesis, complete with the kind of original research opportunities that most colleges reserve for graduate students only. As it happens, Haverford College is an excellent choice if you’re planning to go on to graduate school. Its students earn acceptance into professional schools – including medical school and law school – “at rates that are significantly higher than the national average.”

Location: Haverford, PA

Enrollment: 1,194 students

Tuition: $49,098 

13. Vassar College

Since 1861, Vassar College in the Hudson Valley region of New York has provided an outstanding liberal arts education. The private college, which was a women’s college until it became coeducational in 1969, is a residential institution that guarantees housing for the full four-year length of the student’s undergraduate education. About 98 percent of students take advantage of that opportunity. Vassar College might have the highest tuition rate of any school on this list, but it also happens to be among the best educational values in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report. That’s due in part to the school’s commitment to meeting 100 percent of demonstrated financial need for every enrolled student. Close to 60 percent of Vassar College students receive financial aid, sometimes in amounts as high as $60,000. For students from low-income families who need the most aid, the school works to decrease the amount of loans in the financial aid package – or do away with loans altogether – so that students won’t have to worry about being deep in student loan debts when they graduate.

To earn their Bachelor of Arts degree, Vassar College students must complete a freshman writing seminar, studies in a foreign language, a quantitative reasoning course like math or a laboratory science and “distribution requirements” in the disciplines of social sciences, natural sciences, foreign languages and literatures, and art. Students at Vassar College can choose from more than 50 distinct academic majors. One of those majors, cognitive science, became the very first undergraduate degree program in the subject. The school was also among the first academic institutions in the nation to offer classes in psychology, Russian and drama. Today, more than 1,000 courses run on Vassar College’s campus each year. In addition to choosing a major, students can also pursue a correlate sequence, similar to a minor, to further expand their knowledge base. Vassar College believes strongly in a broad and balanced education, so students are required to spend at least half of their college career engaged in studies outside of their major.

Location: Poughkeepsie, NY

Enrollment: 2,418 students

Tuition: $51,300 

14. Hamilton College

Hamilton College has been educating students in the liberal arts tradition for more than two centuries. The private upstate New York institution is the third oldest college in the state. Named for Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, the school was originally founded in 1793 as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy and subsequently chartered under its current name in1812. Today, Hamilton College has 20,000 alumni, who give back to the school at donation rates that place its alumni loyalty in the top one percent. One hundred percent of Hamilton College’s students live on campus in the school’s 27 residence halls. The 9:1 student to faculty ratio allows for exceptionally small class sizes. In fact, almost 75 percent of all courses contain no more than 19 students, and 30 percent of classes have just nine or fewer students enrolled. In addition to ranking Hamilton College tied for 14^th place on its national liberal arts colleges list, U.S. News & World Report also acknowledged the institution as one of the best colleges for veterans and the best value schools in the nation.

Hamilton College students begin their liberal arts education with unique first-year courses that focus on themes like Native American Spiritualities and Adventure Writing, each intended to help students adjust to college-level work. Early on in their academic careers, students must also take foundation courses in writing and quantitative and symbolic reasoning. Throughout their education, students will take classes in cultural analysis, foreign languages, the humanities, social sciences, the arts, mathematics and the sciences while still enjoying the freedom and flexibility of an open curriculum. Students can choose from 51 major areas of study to pursue, including public policy, chemical physics, literature and creative writing and dance and movement studies. Every major includes a Senior Program experience as part of its graduation requirements. The Senior Program requirements vary from one academic concentration to another, but they typically include independent work that culminates in a research project, a comprehensive examination or a research paper and presentation.

Location: Clinton, NY

Enrollment: 1,900 students

Tuition: $49,500

15. Harvey Mudd College

Rounding out our list of the top 15 liberal arts schools in America is Harvey Mudd College, named for renowned mining engineer Harvey Seeley Mudd. The private school is the newest institution to make the list, having been founded in 1955. With just 804 undergraduate students, it also happens to be the smallest institution in terms of enrollment. The small enrollment – and, of course, the school’s 9:1 student to faculty ratio – allow for small class sizes. With 99 percent of students living on campus, the residential school has cultivated a close-knit community held together by both shared fun and the Honor Code. U.S. News & World Report ranked Harvey Mudd College tied for first place in the nation among the best undergraduate engineering programs. Almost 40 percent of Harvey Mudd College graduates go on to start graduate school, while those entering the workforce enjoy a high median starting salary of $92,500.

Though it’s known for its remarkable liberal arts education, Harvey Mudd College is a STEM school. All students graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree. The academic majors available consist of chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, engineering, computer science and a few joint majors that combine the disciplines. Every major emphasizes experiential learning, research and innovation for the real world and research opportunities that, at most institutions, would be reserved for graduate students. Despite the STEM focus in academic majors, studies in the arts, social sciences and humanities are also an important – and mandatory – part of the liberal arts education at Harvey Mudd College. The school strongly believes that humanity goes hand in hand with ethical uses of technology, which is why the Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts department is larger even than any of the school’s STEM departments. Regardless of their chosen major, Harvey Mudd College students also complete a common core curriculum which provides a broad view of each STEM discipline as well as a focus on writing and critical thinking.

Location: Claremont, CA
Enrollment: 804 students
Tuition: $48,594

Editor’s Note: 

The schools ranked on this list have been recognized by some of the most credible, authoritative publications and organizations in America, including U.S. News & World Report. While any one of these institutions has the potential to provide an excellent liberal arts education, students need to think about more than just rankings when it comes to selecting a college. This article should be used as a guide to direct your college research, not in place of it. The information expressed in this list comes from the schools’ official websites, which are excellent resources to help prospective students to continue the process of finding the right college for them.

The post Top 15 Liberal Arts Schools in America appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

]]> https://www.degreequery.com/creative-writing-degrees/ Mon, 17 Mar 2025 19:32:44 +0000 https://www.degreequery.com/?p=14754---fd8f7550-1eec-48cf-b176-a6074c796ac6 The craft of writing is at the heart of a huge range of industries and passions. To name a few: Your favorite stories growing […]

The post What Can I Do With a Creative Writing Degree? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

]]> The craft of writing is at the heart of a huge range of industries and passions.

To name a few:

• Your favorite stories growing up
• Your favorite shows and movies
• Educational and technical materials
• Marketing copy
• Speechwriting

And while many degrees are meant to help you become a better writer, none spend quite as much time drilling you on the finer points, and supporting growth as a writer as a creative writing degree.

You may ask yourself why you need a degree in writing. Few of the greatest writers majored in the craft. One answer is that few of the greatest writers set out to write as a career.

In today’s information-rich society, we’ve created more media in a handful of years than the rest of history combined. While very little of this media is truly top-notch, the market for talented writers can be lucrative and rewarding. A creative writing degree can be a great jumping off point to landing your dream job as a writer.

If you think you may be interested in a creative writing, be sure to peruse the topics in our guide, listed below:

Table of Contents:

• What Creative Writing Degrees Are Available?
• Can I Pursue a Creative Writing Degree Online?
• How Do I Gain Admission to a Creative Writing Degree Program?
• Differences Between Creative Writing and Related Degrees
• What Can I Do With a Degree in Creative Writing?

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Be sure to check out some of our related resources throughout the site:

• How can you prepare for being a professional writer while earning your degree?
• What is the difference between a technical writing degree and journalism?
• What is the difference between a bachelor’s degree in professional writing and technical writing?
• 10 creative careers that won’t require you to be a starving artist
• What can I do with a liberal arts degree?
• What degree do I need to be a technical writer?
• What are my degree choices to be a film or tv producer?
• Why you should pick a degree in communications?

What Creative Writing Degrees Are Available?


Creative writing degrees are a relative newcomer to higher education. In their relatively brief history as degrees they’ve traditionally been offered at at the bachelor’s and master’s levels as one of the following degrees:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts
• Bachelor of Arts
• Master of Arts
• Master of Fine Arts

In recent years, doctoral programs in creative writing have started to be introduced.

You may wonder where there aren’t associates-level degrees in creative writing. This is likely to do with the fact that the best writers are highly literate. And a little more higher education is often viewed as important for those seeking to become truly good writers. As any professional writer can attest to, even bachelor’s-level graduates that took a writing-intensive course of study still have a long way to go in growth as a writer when they graduate.

So what’s studied in a bachelor’s degree in creative writing?

For bachelor of arts degrees in creative writing students begin their 120 credit journey by working through the standard general education requirements of a bachelor’s degree. These typically include courses in the following:

• Social Sciences
• Natural Sciences
• Math and Quantitative Literacy
• English
• Composition
• The Humanities
• The Fine Arts
• A Foreign Language

The aim of these courses is to ensure that you have a well-rounded understanding, are articulate, and are generally qualified to call yourself worthy of a bachelors-level degree.

As you work through your course of study you will begin taking classes within your major. Creative writing programs can vary to quite a great extent. But a “typical” bachelor of arts in creative writing program may offer courses like the following for major requirements:

• Creative Writing Intro
• The World of Writing, Writers and Publishing
• English Language
• Creative Writing Advanced
• Literary Theory
• Shakespeare
• Workshop for Playwriting
• Workshop for Poetry Writing
• Workshop for Nonfiction Writing
• Additional Focus Area Workshops
• An Internship
• A Capstone Project

As you may have noticed, the bachelor of arts degree in creative writing has a good number of typically-formated college courses and just a handful of workshop classes. This is the primary difference between a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of fine arts degree.

Bachelor of fine arts degrees in creative writing have less general education requirements, less academic courses on writing and literature, and a greater number of workshop courses in which you produce creative writing.

While you should come out of either a BA or a BFA with a portfolio of your writing, BFA degrees tend to spend more time on the production of portfolio work.

At the master’s level, there has traditionally been a single degree in creative writing, a master of fine arts (MFA) in creative writing. MFA programs typically allow established or at least somewhat experienced writers a chance to get together in a workshop-heavy program to hone their craft.

Before we go any further, let’s discuss what is a writing workshop?

Writing workshops — the context of a bachelors or masters degree — help to teach writers how to hone their craft in a predictable and organized fashion. In many workshops, the instructor (an established writer) will instruct students to focus on one writing technique, or a type of writing.

Students will work together to generate ideas, often pairing up as they work their way through their creative process. At set intervals, student writers wille exchange their writing with other students in the class who will comment on their writing in a constructive manner. Once constructive criticism has been given, each writer returns to their work to hone it. At the end of the workshop, students will present their work to their peers and receive a final grade.

The act of workshopping provides structure to moving from the realm of ideas to writing. It shows writers how to sit down and productively push through writing, receive criticism, give criticism, and then hone their writing. At the end of a workshop, writers are ideally a little better at planning writing, writing, reading the writing of others, and communicating about their writing.

In an MFA program in creative writing, a majority of the coursework is often structured around workshopping.

In addition, students will attend master classes, lectures, and networking events to attempt to catapult their writing career to the next level.

Within lectures, course material often focuses on readings within a particular literary tradition. For as all the best writers know, the best writers are often the best readers as well.

Finally, Ph.D. programs in creative writing primarily help to prepare the next generation of writing instructors within higher education. While there are but a handful of these programs, they are useful for creative writing students who wish to primarily teach as a career.

Coursework within Ph.D. programs in creative writing is focused moreseo on the education of creative writing than workshops to hone your own writing. Though there is a bit of both.

Students thinking about pursuing a degree in creative writing should also be aware that there are a number of related degrees with slightly different curricula. Links to the respective guides on these academic degree types on DegreeQuery are included below:

• Communication
• Strategic Communication
• Public Relations
• Technical Writing
• And some marketing programs

Can I Pursue a Creative Writing Degree Online?

Historically, a large portion of the creative writing degree progression has involved meeting in-person to discuss and present your writing at a workshop.

With that said, the advancement of conferencing and online communication tools within the last few years has made it possible to emulate this process to a great degree online.

While a good number of creative writing programs are still primarily brick and mortar programs, there are a handful of creative writing programs offered online at the bachelor’s and master’s levels.

Students that think they would like to pursue a creative writing degree online should be aware of some of the most common pros and cons of online education. While online degrees are growing in popularity — around one in four students currently studies online — and work amazingly well for some students, they aren’t for everyone.

Below we’ve listed some of the most common “selling points” and problems (that some students have) associated with online degrees.

Common “Selling Points” of Online Degrees

• • Fully online degrees mean you don’t have to move for your education
  • Asynchronous coursework degrees mean you can log on when you can
  • Many online degrees are slightly more affordable than in-person degrees
  • There is no mention of the fact you studied online on your eventual degree
  • A wide range of support services are offered online

</ul.
Common Problems With Online Degrees

• • • Online degrees have less structure telling you when to work on assignments
    • It’s harder to forge meaningful relationships with classmates or instructors online
    • You have less access to on-campus events online
    • Support services are not as varied online

How Do I Gain Admission to a Creative Writing Degree Program?


Admissions to a bachelor of arts creative writing program is similar to most baccalaureate level degrees. Students must submit a standard cadre of admissions materials including transcripts, essays, standardized test scores, and letters of recommendations.

For bachelor of fine arts degree programs, students are expected to have already spent some time honing their portfolio within their craft. Similarly to programs within art of music conservatories, BFA programs often require students to submit a portfolio, as well as attend an interview.

Some BFA programs err on the side of allowing a student to choose how best to represent themselves. In cases such as these, students may elect to pursue entrance as in a typical bachelor’s admissions process, or as in a conservatory setting.

Master of fine arts in creative writing programs often have quite rigorous admissions standards. In many, applicants must elect to pursue admissions within a single “path” such as playwriting, poetry, or creative nonfiction writing. Applicants are then judged based on past published work as well as an unpublished portfolio. Admissions standards vary, with some programs expecting to recruit hobbyist writers while some of the top programs require writers to be quite well established in their trade already.

Differences Between Creative Writing and Related Degrees


Writing is central to many careers, and is also studied academically in fields within the humanities. So, as one may expect, there are multiple academic paths one can pursue that are similar to creative writing.

Degrees that may be used to find the same employment opportunities, or that explore one facet of writing include:

• • • Creative Writing
    • Technical Writing
    • Public Relations with an Emphasis on Writing
    • Marketing with an Emphasis on Writing
    • Scientific Writing
    • Journalism
    • Communications
    • And Strategic Communications

In a sense, creative writing is the most “pure” of all of the above majors, and can be used to pursue employment in nearly any of the fields for which non-creative writing degrees listed above prepare students for.

All of the above degree programs may require students to craft a portfolio of written work. And nearly all writing (as a product) can be creative. So there is potentially a great deal of overlap.

Some of the key differences between creative writing and other degrees listed above is that nearly every degree is “applied.” These degrees set aside a substantial portion of the curricula for professional-centered courses aimed at preparing students to take careers in a specific industry. These courses may center around a tool set or a set of techniques you could use in business, science, education, or journalism. While writing can still be central to all of the above degrees, you’ll get even more writing-specific education in a creative writing degree.

If you think you may be interested in a degree related to creative writing, be sure to search through DegreeQuery’s offerings.

What Can I Do With a Degree in Creative Writing?


As with many art-centered and humanities degrees, creative writing actually prepares you for a wide range of job types. Though writing-centered careers are the most obvious choice, the critical thinking and articulation skills taught in a creative writing degree are invaluable in many settings.

We’ll work through some of the most common careers those with creative writing degree pursue below.

First, copywriters provided engaging, and wide-ranging text-based content primarily for corporate clients. Copywriters may be tasked with crafting creative assets like the words to a jingle or a script, or more descriptive content such a guide on how to use software.

While there are a number of jobs in our list that share attributes with copywriters, one element in which copywriters contrast with other writing positions is their place of employment and subject matter. Copywriters tend to work in traditional advertising and marketing settings, or for traditional corporate clients. While someone may essentially have the same job as a copywriter in another employment setting, it may be called something different depending on the industry.

The average salary for copywriters is presently $47,838.

Secondly, technical writers (sometimes called science writers as well) aid in STEM-related fields to translate dense science and technology-related concepts into readable prose. Technical writers may come from a purely writing background, or may also hold a degree in technology or the sciences. These writers can become quite specialized depending on the subject matter they tackle.

Some of the largest employers of technical writers include university settings, research organizations, governmental agencies, and corporations. The average salary for a technical writer is presently $74,440.

Our third creative writing-based role is that of media producer (or simply, producer). These creatives tend to work for industries or organizations with a strong online presence. The word media in this sense signifies the fact that a great deal of communication online is multimedia. These “writers” may express themselves with text, graphics, video, web pages, and interactive content.

Media producer can mean everything front front end developer to data journalist to a writer in a newsroom. So as one might expect, the range of salaries varies greatly. With that said, the average salary for this role is presently $55,224.

Finally, many creative writing majors enter journalism at some point in their career. Journalists tell a story in an objective way, and focus on ethical and solid investigative skills. Creative non-fiction creative writing graduates are the most direct “fit” with this profession, but creative writers of all stripes have found themselves recruited into the ranks of journalists.

Salaries vary greatly depending on the location in which you work as well as the critical acclaim of what you have produced. With that said, the average journalist makes a salary of $40,900.
Other careers in which there are many creative writing majors at work include:

• • • Self employed writers
    • Public relations professionals
    • Communications managers
    • Editors
    • And Lawyers

Still didn’t see what you were looking for? Be sure to check out some of DegreeQuery’s related content in the following guides:

• • How can you prepare for being a professional writer while earning your degree?
  • What is the difference between a technical writing degree and journalism?
  • What is the difference between a bachelor’s degree in professional writing and technical writing?
  • 10 creative careers that won’t require you to be a starving artist
  • What can I do with a liberal arts degree?
  • What degree do I need to be a technical writer?
  • What is a degree in strategic communications?
  • What are my degree choices to be a film or tv producer?
  • Why you should pick a degree in communications?

The post What Can I Do With a Creative Writing Degree? appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

]]> https://www.degreequery.com/best-online-bachelors-degrees-in-videography-and-video-production/ Mon, 17 Mar 2025 18:50:44 +0000 https://www.degreequery.com/?p=35180---01801bed-ab80-4b83-b5c7-a89c74934bbc Generally, a bachelor’s degree in videography and video production prepares students to work in television, web media and movies via hands-on experience generating their […]

The post The 10 Best Online Bachelor’s Degrees In Videography and Video Production appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

]]> Generally, a bachelor’s degree in videography and video production prepares students to work in television, web media and movies via hands-on experience generating their coursework and films. To attain this, learners must complete courses in animation and graphics, the business of film production, documentary film-making, script analysis, postproduction, and storytelling.  Videography and video production learners may find careers in T.V. films, motion pictures, advertising, interactive media, commercial, web, and cable programming.  The program may take about four years of full-time study to complete depending on the university and mode of learning. 
1. Arizona State University



Arizona State University (ASU) is a public higher learning institution in the Phoenix metropolitan region. ASU was established in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Administration. It is among the most prominent public higher learning institutions by enrollment in the USA. To be precise, it has an admission of about 13 500 undergraduate students. The university offers more than 350 majors, undergraduate students, at least 100 post-graduate programs resulting in many doctoral and master’s degrees. The Higher Learning Commission also recognizes ASU. Several programs also have extra accreditation via specialized accrediting agencies. Some of its common majors are psychology, Liberal Arts and Humanities, and Communications.  

ASU offers an online bachelor’s degree in Videography and video production. The online degree gives students a broader comprehension of media genres via a theoretical, historical and analytical lens. Students get the interpretive and analytic skills they need to work as videographers, film directors, video producers, talents agents, etc. The learning typically involves screenings, lectures, online discussion critical readings allowing learners to explore digital media, computer games, film and television studies. In short, ASU’s online videography and video production are for individuals who wish to complement practical filmmaking skills with interpretive and analytical skills. 

2. University of Massachusetts Amherst



The University of Massachusetts—Amherst (UMass) is a public university in Amherst, established in 1863. Initially, it was established as an agricultural college but was later expanded to accommodate more courses. Generally, UMass offers more than 100 undergraduate programs, 80 masters programs and 50 doctoral programs. These programs are offered in nine colleagues and schools. It has a suburban setting with total admission of about 24200 students. UMass employs a semester-based academic schedule and was ranked at position 66 in the 2021 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities. It offers both online and offline classes allowing older students to take courses on campus or online. 

UMass has an online degree program in film studies that provides students with a comprehensive survey in the criticism, account, theory, aesthetics and production of videos. The program was launched in 1991, allowing students to obtain successful admissions to graduate programs and prestigious film schools. Graduates also get employment for film and video production positions, film and video distribution, editors, filmmakers, and producers. Furthermore, this program allows undergraduates to study with award-winning filmmakers and professors of international and national acclaim. Some of the courses include video-making, video-editing, film theory, specialized filmmaking, among other subjects. Any person can enroll for the program even if he/she is not a student at UMass Amherst. 

3. University of Montana

The University of Montana (U.M.) is a public research college in Missoula, Montana. U.M. is an association of four campuses around the state, and it is the second largest. It is a flagship campus of the Montana University System. It has over 10,000 undergraduate enrollments with eleven schools and colleges. The schools and colleges are School of Law, School of Journalism, College of Forestry and Conservation, College of Humanities & Sciences, College of Visual and Performing Arts, College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences, and School of Extended and Lifelong Learning. The university typically attracts diverse people to Missoula as it offers a world-class education in a different course. 

U.M. has an online degree program in videography and video production offered in the School of Visual and Performing Arts. Students take 15 three-credit subjects during the four years of study. The course with direct professional applications is film editing, coding vector, web design, digital image editing and layout design. Students can easily access the university’s comprehensive collection of support facilities and assistance, including a Library network, veteran resources and writing centers. While learning the online program, learners prepare for both technical and artistic media careers and obtain skills applicable to future learning. To be precise, the programs focus on developing skills that aid students in securing jobs upon graduating and advancing their studies. 

4. Grand Canyon University



Grand Canyon University (GCU) is a private Christian institution of higher learning situated in Phoenix, Arizona. GCU has nine colleges that include business, humanities and social sciences, education, nursing and healthcare professions, fine arts and production, theology, doctoral studies, and engineering and technology.  The university offers various graduate and undergraduate levels that students can learn online and on campus. It has about 70 000 online students and 20 000 on campus. It was declared the most prominent Christian University in the universe in 2018 based on student admissions. GCU has at least 4200 adjunct faculty and 335 full-time employees that guide students to attain their goals.

GCU offers an online bachelors of Arts degree in Digital Film Production.  The program has two focus alternatives, in screenwriting or production. Regardless of the focus, the degree prepares learners to pursue professions as frontrunners in the art of narrative film development. This program also requires one to complete a total of 120 credits. Generally, learners begin with a broad survey of cinema, including aesthetics and history. Other courses taught in this program are nonlinear editing, film production management, visual storytelling, cinematography, etc. The program typically develops in undergraduates the skills and knowledge required to approach digital filmmaking from a professional standpoint, whether working in major motion pictures or small productions. 

5. Full Sail University



Full Sail University is a for-profit, private higher learning institution located in Winter Park, Florida.  It was formed in 1979 in Ohio and was moved to Florida in 1980. Full Sail has over 15,000 online students and more than 10,000 campus students. The university is authorized by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges to offer bachelor’s, master’s and associate degrees. Precisely, it provides courses in business, film and media production, animation, video game design, and other courses associated with the entertainment and media industries. The university offers both online and offline degree programs that focus on the media, technology, arts, and entertainment. 

Full Saint University offer an online bachelor of science in digital cinematography for learning, hoping to venture into filmmaking careers. This program emphasizes developing skills and knowledge in directing, postproduction, audio, digital editing, and team management. For that reason, the coursework merges hands-on learning with discussion and theory. The program entails 120 credit hours and can be finished within twenty-nine weeks of continuous learning. Students learn to create dynamic content by emulating the workflow of an actual studio. They begin with script development, planning, production and location shooting, and art design. Later on, they learn to film, direct, edit and finally distribute the videos. 

6. Los Angeles Film School



The Los Angeles Film School is a for-profit institution situated in Los Angeles, California. It was established in 1999 to offer both bachelors and associate degrees in entertainment. In other words, the school mainly provides courses related to film production and digital filmmaking. Some of the degrees offered are a bachelor’s in Animation and Visual Effects, Bachelors’ in Game Production and Design, Bachelor’s Degree in Digital Filmmaking and Production. The School also has two associate degrees, one in music production and the other in recording arts. Los Angeles Film School is accredited by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) and the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC).

The university offers an online bachelor’s degree in digital filmmaking. This program indulges learners in the art of film and digital video production for various outlets. Students learn to generate professional content for online media, independent films, mobile applications, broadcast television, and more. They are taught such things at the university by applying the latest equipment available to today’s media developers. Additionally, this program is a 120-semester credit fully offered online via a secure digital platform. Students typically employ the platform to receive and submit assignments and project work, watch video content, talk with students and lecturers, take quizzes and exams, and review course progress and grades. As such, learners have diverse learning alternatives which boost their performance. 

7. The Art Institutes



The Art Institutes entail a group of for-profit art institutions in the U.S, created via the Art Institutes systems in 1969. The schools are possessed by Education Principle Foundation and the Dream Center Education Holdings (DCEH), and Education Management Corporation (EDMC). They offer different programs at both bachelor’s, associate’s, and master’s levels and other courses for non-degree seeking learners. The critical areas of study are photography, baking and pastry, graphic design, fashion marketing, interior design, media studies and animation, digital filmmaking and video production, and audio production. 

The Art Institutes offer an online bachelor’s degree in digital filmmaking and video production. The program is meant for any person who wishes to join camera operators, directors, video editors, producers, digital video effects designers, and writers. The program guides student’s as they work with graphic and editing software, digital video cameras, and other technologies. Students learn to create everything from motion pictures to broadcast news as they prepare to write and direct videos in the future. Some of the main areas of study are sound design, editing, video, digital imaging, audio, lighting, Motion graphics, and studio production. In general, the program requires 180 credit hours. As graduates, students will be ready for entry-level roles in the television and film industry, including commercial and corporate productions. 

8. National University



The National University (N.U.) is a private institution with headquarters in La Jolla, California.  It was instituted in 1971 to offer degree programs at several campuses in California, a satellite campus in Nevada, and several online programs. As such, it maintains its academic campuses throughout the town areas in Nevada and California. N.U. has bachelor’s, associate’s, master’s degrees, continuing education programs, and teaching credentials. It is arranged into two colleges and four professionals, which offers more than 100 degree programs via 1500 online courses. N.U. observes a semester-based calendar and has over 12,000 undergraduate enrollments. The university is approved by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) 

 N.U. offers an online bachelor’s degree in film arts that prepares learners to enter the media production and professional film settings.  Learners acquire skills and knowledge necessary towards working as a significant part of a media or film production team. In general, the online B.A. program demands 180 quarter-credit for one to complete. The program has several courses covering different fundamental concepts like screenplay writing, video and audio editing, producing, directing, and narrative cinematography. Additionally, learners are required to cover two capstone courses. Students typically learn to apply principles of video making, collaborating, and communicating objectives. 

9. Academy of Art



The Academy of Art (AAU) is a for-profit, private institution located in San Francisco, California. It was founded in 1929 by Richard S. Stephens as the Academy of Advertising Art. It is the largest private credited art, and design institution in the U.S. AAU has a diverse population of more than 16,000 learners from all parts of the world. The university believes that all learners interested in studying design and art should have the chance and resources to do so. As such, AAU has over 30 programs and different degree levels to accommodate many students. 

AAU offers a bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Motion Pictures and Television. The degree emphasizes editing, producing, production design, cinematography, directing and screenwriting. To achieve this, students must complete 132 units for them to graduate. Also, students learn several things through the program. For example, they learn to solve issues within the art and design field. This includes synthesis and research of aesthetic, technical and conceptual knowledge. Students can access digital documents, lecture notes, videos, and narrated slideshows that facilitate learning through the School’s web-based platform. In general, learners obtain skills necessary in their future careers as videographers, video editors and producers, directors, screenwriters, etc. 

10. Warsaw Film School



Warsaw Film School is a private institution based in Poland. The School was established in 2004 by Maciej Slesicki and Boguslaw Linda. It is a unique film school, one of three in Poland to offer Bachelors of Arts diplomas. Since it is at Poland’s capital, Warsaw is at the epicentre of film education pivot, including a secondary school, arthouse cinema Kino Elektronik, vocational college, a film-profiled high school, and a production company. The School organizes different artistic, educational, and professional events to honour the film industry. 

Warsaw Film School offers an online bachelor of Arts degree in cinematography and post production. This program included several main concepts: optics, cinematography, film editing, photography, light in the film, production design, and film analysis. The program typically blends academic theory with some practical skills to equip learners with on-set knowledge they require to venture into the competitive field of post production and cinematography. In other words, students learn to become filmmakers who can generate a unique visual language of the television show, film or web series. Learners work on each other’s production with various production crews, directors and obtain practical experience that aids to prepare them once they enter the media and film industry. 

For Further Reading: 

What Are My Degree Choices to Be a Film/TV Producer?

Top 10 Interior Design Schools in the U.S.

Do I Need a Degree to Be an Interior Decorator?

The post The 10 Best Online Bachelor’s Degrees In Videography and Video Production appeared first on DegreeQuery.com.

]]>