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HIGHER EDUCATION
If you are interested in becoming an artist and want to major in the arts, then online classes might be your best option. While students don’t always think about online art programs, getting an online degree has advantages over an on-campus program. The online experience is slightly different and can offer some extra benefits to students. Here are 10 reasons you might want to consider getting your art degree online.
When you attend school at a college or university, you pay a lot in tuition, campus food, books, parking, room, and board, When you are paying for an online degree program there is less overhead and no extras. You will probably purchase online textbooks or software, but the overall cost is lower. You can continue to live where you do and cook your meals without wasting money on a college dorm, apartment close to the campus, campus meal plans, or fast food.
Instead, with online classes, you just pay for the credits you take and the materials you need for class. Plus, there are plenty of financial aid options, scholarships, and grants for students who want to earn their degree online. Compare online programs and in the long run, you could save a lot of money.
If you want to make money as a freelancer or in a 9-5 job, it is easier to work while you attend classes. Most online classes offer far more flexibility, allowing you to work and complete coursework in your free time. In traditional programs, you would have a rigorous on-campus schedule that would force you to schedule your work around your classes. With an online program, you aren’t usually expected to attend during a certain time slot, so you can fit classes in during times that work best for you.
You can choose a great art school across the country and attend without the inconvenience of moving or traveling. Rather than relocate online art school can be done from the comfort of your own home, favorite coffee shop, or wherever you want. This is especially important when you don’t have a great local art school and you also don’t want to move far away from your family, job or home.
When you attend art school, there are often a number of classes you have to attend on-time and stay for hours. You will work on class projects during the required class time slot and still have homework to finish later. You will sit through long lectures and critiques. These things aren’t a waste of your time, but you can be more efficient with online learning. Art degree programs online allow you to get projects done while you listen to lectures on your laptop. You can work on projects late at night or early in the morning—or whenever the time works best for you. There aren’t a lot of classes that require a specific meet time with an online program, so you get far more flexibility in the schedule.
We’ve already touched on how online art schools allow you to attend school cross-country while staying home. You get to stay near your family and job. But you also get the comfort of your own home, kitchen, neighborhood, and bed when you study online. It can be exciting to relocate, but it can also be highly inconvenient and intimidating. If you aren’t excited about leaving home for college but would like to attend an out-of-town school, then an online art education program might be perfect for you.
There are many times you may need a class credit that your school doesn’t offer or you might even need to take certain prerequisite classes before you attend a school. If you want a cheap and easy way to get those credits, online schools are a great choice. Even if you aren’t getting the whole degree from an online school, you can take the classes you need and then transfer those credits to the school you are enrolling in for your art degree. This is also a really good idea for students that want to take a year off before getting into a program but would like to earn credits while they are doing so. You could take one class or a full semester, depending on what you want to get accomplished before you transfer.
Many art programs will have a certain list of available degrees. Not only do you have access to more schools online, but you have access to all of their programs too. You can get degrees in illustration, graphic design, painting, sketching, animation, film, photography, medical illustration, art education and so much more. Not only can you choose from a wide range of degrees, but you should also consider what focuses or minors you are going to pair with your degree. As a graphic designer, it could be smart to minor in business, marketing or communication.
When you are in a class environment, you have to do what the class is doing. When you are in your own environment taking an online class, you can watch TV or listen to music while you take classes. You get to eat your snacks and take naps when you feel like it. Or you can enjoy the peace and quiet it might take for you to focus. Whatever you need, you can set your own environment when you are attending an online art school.
From online chat forums to emailing a professor, your online classes are going to push you to a new level of professional online communication. The learning experience with various programs and platforms is very important in today’s art world. Even if you plan to do traditional mediums, like paint on canvas or printmaking, you can still benefit from the practice of communicating online. You will likely need to set up an online presence and communicate with clients, bosses or gallery directors once you enter the art world as a professional.
When you are attending an on-campus class, you may have trouble reaching professors outside of class. Sometimes they will set up office hours, but they often are difficult to reach outside of very set times. When you are attending online classes, the professors are usually available by email much more readily. You can connect with teachers if you have a question or problem. When in class, a teacher might be concerned about answering a question without all the facts and might forget to get back to you on it. But when you ask questions through email, they are often in a place where they can find an immediate answer and respond promptly.
Getting your degree online may not be the best option, depending on your situation and preferences. But, if you would enjoy the comfort of your own home and the flexibility of online classes, you should consider getting your art education online.
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