Do You Want to be a Graphic Design Teacher?
If you are attending graphic design school or are already employed as a graphic designer or artist you may have thought about becoming a teacher. What does it take to become an art instructor and what do you need to qualify?
The Basics
Regardless of the subject you want to teach all teachers must fulfill certain prerequisites before teaching in the public school system or at a college.
- To teach at a college or university the usual requirement is a master’s degree in the specific subject area that is to be taught.
- To teach in elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools the minimum requirement is a bachelor’s degree.
- To qualify as a teacher in the public school system or at a college you must hold a teaching license. Specific teacher’s programs are available at universities, colleges, and online education centers.
- You should be an accomplished graphic designer or artist
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What Happens in the Classroom?
If you love to teach the profession of teaching can be a very rewarding experience — you’ll see your students’ progress in their skills and knowledge of the arts.
The job of an art instructor can also be challenging as you think of new ways to present material, concepts, and techniques in design or art.
Teachers can work more than 40 hours a week due to the additional time spent in planning and developing class curriculum, being available for student consultations, and other outside school activities.
You must be able to communicate effectively and be socially adaptable to a variety of different cultures, backgrounds, and personalities.
To become a successful teacher you must also continue to learn and hone your own skills as an artist or graphic designer in order to keep up with the latest trends and developments in your areas of expertise.
The Job Outlook and Typical Salary for Teachers
Job openings for secondary teachers (middle school and high school) are expected to increase about 7 to 13 percent in the next 10 years. The mean annual wage for secondary teachers is $54,390.
Job openings for postsecondary teachers (college level and universities) are expected to grow 14 to 19 percent in the next ten years. The mean annual wage for full-time faculty positions at colleges was $79,439.
Paul Abel
I am currently in a Master’s program for a Type 03 Certification in Illinois. (certification to teach general education k-9) I am holding off on student teaching due to the economy and the state of Education. I am considering trying to get into teaching graphic design at the secondary level. Can the courses I’ve taken apply to that end? I am researching my options. I have been a Graphic Designer for 16 years.
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Hi Paul,
Each school district has its own set of guidelines and prerequisites for qualifying to teach at the secondary level. Depending on the field that you want to teach, this may mean a minimum of a bachelor’s degree or higher. Generally speaking, to teach any courses at the secondary level requires you to fulfill the basic requirements that pertain to receiving your teaching credentials first.
The courses you have taken in graphic design will certainly help fulfill specific requirements for the teaching positions you want to apply for, but with that said, you will need to contact your local school district or design college to find out the specifics of what you need in order to qualify.
In some cases art colleges or community colleges offer teaching positions to individuals who have extensive experience in their specific field but may lack an official degree from an institution of learning. These individuals go through special teaching credential programs that go over the essentials of teaching theory, methodology, etc. to qualify for a teaching spot.
Hope this helps and good luck to you.