Advancing its reputation as the quality leader in online education for creative professionals around the world, Sessions Onlinesm Schools of Art and Design announced today it has received the 2008 Best Practices Award for Distance Learning Programming from the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA). Sessions’ Graphic Design Master’s Certificate Program won on the strength of its extensive creative and technical graphic design curriculum, one-to-one student mentoring and dedicated faculty comprised of renowned graphic designers.
The award was presented at the USDLA Annual International Awards Ceremony held on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri.
“As a premier organization for the entire distance learning profession, we are honoring Sessions Online sm as a leader in the industry,” said Dr. John G. Flores, CEO of USDLA. “Sessions has raised the bar of excellence and we are truly honored by its contributions to the distance learning industry.”
The Best Practices in Distance Learning Programming are awarded to schools that have designed and delivered outstanding and comprehensive distance learning programs. The USDLA was especially impressed with the unique curriculum that Sessions developed to prepare design professionals for new careers or advance in their current professional environment.
“Winning this award re-affirms that Sessions’ focus on innovation, quality and a human-centric student experience truly optimizes the promise and potential of online learning,” said Doris Granatowski, chief executive officer and president, Sessions Online sm . “We’re very pleased that the USDLA has recognized our unique programming and culture that, combined, enable our students to both significantly expand their knowledge of graphic design and take their careers in exciting new directions.”
A Unique Graphic Design Program
Sessions’ Graphic Design Master’s Certificate Program prepares students for professional advancement in graphic design by coupling a complete immersion in the creative foundations of graphic design—including coursework focused on working creatively with color, typography, composition and visual identity—with an emphasis on maximizing the technical understanding of leading design applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and many others.
Sessions is the only fully online school recognized by the USDLA as offering numerous career concentrations specifically tailored for students that want to advance in their current careers, or launch new design careers. Students who enroll can select carefully structured career concentrations in Web design, digital imaging, digital photography or game art—vastly broadening opportunities to advance professionally.
And like all of Sessions Online sm curriculum, the Graphic Design Master’s Certificate Program is designed around students’ lifestyles, with classes and coursework available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing students with busy lives the freedom and flexibility to progress through the curriculum with direct support and mentoring from a renowned faculty of instructors.
With more than ten years experience providing an unparalleled learning experience for creative arts students across the world, Sessions is now the only non-degree granting school to achieve full accreditation by both the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) and Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools (CCS/MSA). Sessions is also licensed by the New York State Education Department.
Student Development and One-to-One Mentoring
Sessions’ fully online system allows students to automatically store the portfolio of work they develop into a feature called “MyGallery.” Student advisors and faculty access student Galleries and provide individual critique and guidance to maximize students’ understanding of the graphic design creative and technical process.
Upon completing the Master’s Certificate Level, students present their body of work to a portfolio review board comprised of faculty members who themselves boast many years of hands-on graphic design professional experience.
An Experienced, Dedicated Faculty
Sessions’ faculty, totaling more than 30 experienced design professionals, teach by combining lectures, hands-on projects, video tutorials, illustrations and interactive exercises. The faculty is comprised of industry-leading artists, writers and graphic designers who all share a passion for online teaching. Moreover, Sessions has designed a proprietary online instruction training program, through which all faculty members must progress, that helps instructors maximize the many benefits associated with online teaching while ensuring that teaching methods consistently meet or exceed the rigorous standards that Sessions has created.
About Sessions Online sm Schools of Art & Design
Sessions Online sm has since 1997 provided an unparalleled learning experience for creative professionals around the world. Coupling rigorous academic programs with a unique, “one-to-one” teaching/mentoring approach and groundbreaking student social and networking opportunities, Sessions Online sm School of Design, School of Game Art, and School of Fine Arts foster unlimited creative expression within the highly accessible and flexible environment of a human-centric fully online school.
Sessions Online sm Schools of Art & Design is accredited by both the Middle States Association Commission on Secondary Schools and the Distance Education Training Council. To learn more Sessions Online sm, visit www.sessions.edu/portal.
About USDLA
The United States Distance Learning Association is a non-profit organization formed in 1987 and is located in Boston, Massachusetts. USDLA promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training and serves the needs of the distance learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking and opportunity. Distance education and training constituencies served include pre-k-12 education, higher and continuing education, home schooling as well as business, corporate, military, government, and telehealth markets. The USDLA trademarked logo is the recognized worldwide symbol of dedicated professionals committed to the distance learning industry. For more information visit www.usdla.org or call 800.275.5162.
