How Do I Become an Interactive Media Designer?

You must complete a fairly extensive education and familiarize yourself with a suite of computer software to become an interactive media designer. The basics of design and conceptualization and the technical aspects of software that facilitates the implementation of designs are also something with which you need to be familiar. Likewise, you need to learn the basics of print and graphic design as well as Web layout and coding. A a bachelor's degree in design with an emphasis on either graphics or the Web and an internship with a design firm or a Web content service are also useful. Once you complete your education, you can apply for a position to become an interactive media designer.

There are two educational paths for you to choose from in order to become an interactive media designer. College or university will usually require you to take roughly 60 credit hours of general education coursework with an additional 20 credit hours of lower division coursework in art, design, Web site coding, and programming. The remaining credit hours focus almost entirely on the types of interactive media design in which you wish to specialize. The courses are usually one of two types: classroom lectures and interactive labs, in which you learn how to use design software, such as the Adobe® Creative Suite®, to create interactive graphics and layouts for the Web.

The second option is to pursue a certificate in in graphic or Web design from an art and design school. Such programs focus entirely on the various aspects of designing graphics, layouts, and Web sites for interactive use without requiring you to complete roughly two year's worth of general education courses. The certificate is usually enough to secure an entry level position as an interactive media designer, but some firms do require the bachelor's degree instead. The certificate can be enough for you to learn the necessary skills to become an interactive media designer before establishing your own freelance interactive media design service.

Once you have completed one of these educational paths, look for an unpaid internship in some aspect of graphic, print, or Web design. The internship will provide you with two things: professional contacts and valuable, hands-on experience in the field. While the courses you take in college will help you learn the basics, an internship can show you how those skills are applied on a day-to-day basis.