If you are flexible, creative, and like to think outside the box, then a career in Desktop Publishing would be best suited to you. Individuals working in this field use computer software to create designs and page layouts for items that have to be published or printed.
Some other job duties of Desktop Publishers include reviewing graphics or texts created by designers and writers, editing graphics (such as illustrations and photographs), importing graphics and text into publishing software, integrating text and images to make cohesive pages, adjusting text properties (such as spacing, column width, and size), revising and correcting layouts, and uploading or submitting final files for online publishing or printing.
In case you want to learn more about this field, then read this comprehensive article. It will share information about some of the best online Desktop Publishing Programs currently being offered in the U.S. After reading this article, you will be able to decide which desktop publishing program you want to enroll in.
Best Online Desktop Publishing Programs
The degrees mentioned below are ideal for those individuals who are imaginative, have an artistic ability for drawing, and enjoy working with computers.
*Please keep in mind the online Desktop Publishing programs mentioned in this section are not listed according to any ranking.
Penn Foster Career School
The Penn Foster Career School is a nationally and regionally accredited school. It offers an online Desktop Publishing and Design Diploma that helps students learn how to design annual reports, magazines, flyers, brochures, books, resumes, cards, promotional letters, newsletters, letterheads, and other documents. The curriculum of the program also teaches students how to create professional layouts with typography and graphics, and how to create publications for cross-media and print publication. Students can gain all these skills in as little as four months.
Individuals enrolled in this course get a chance to explore a number of modules, such as The Electronic Publishing Process, Elements of Design, Illustrations, Planning and Designing Short and Multi-Page Documents, Essential Publishing Skills, Computer Components and Add-ons, Adobe® InDesign, and The Printing Process. All of these modules can be accessed from a mobile-friendly and custom-designed online student portal.
Pace University
Pace University offers an online and on-campus certificate program in Digital Publishing. In order to graduate from this program, students have to earn around 12 credits. Some of the courses taught in this program include Information Systems in Publishing, Modern Technology in Publishing, Desktop Publishing for the Publishing Professional, Image Manipulation and Management, and Advanced Desktop Publishing.
Bluegrass Community & Technical College
Bluegrass Community & Technical College offers online diplomas and certificates in a wide array of fields and disciplines. Students can earn an online Desktop Publishing Certificate without ever coming to the college campus. In order to obtain the certificate, students have to complete a total of 27 credit hours. The course curriculum covers a range of topics such as Editing Skills for the Office Professional, Introduction to Information Systems, Introduction to Desktop Publishing, Typography, Business Graphics, Presentation Graphics, and Document Formatting and Word Processing.
University of Massachusetts, Lowell
The University of Massachusetts, Lowell offers an online Certificate Program in Graphic Design and Digital Imaging, which helps students break into the field of electronic publishing and graphic design. As part of the Certificate program, individuals have to complete many design projects for their portfolios, for which they have to use numerous software such as Illustrator®, Photoshop®, Adobe InDesign®, and many others.
The curriculum of the program incorporates a range of modules, such as Introduction to Graphic Design, Fundamentals of Typography, Photographic Imaging, Computer Graphics & Illustration, Website Design, User Interface Prototyping for Apps and Web, and Advanced Typography.
In order to get admitted to this program, candidates are required to possess at least a GED or a high school diploma. Students enrolled in the Certificate program are expected to complete both the required courses and the electives. Moreover, they have to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 to graduate from this program. All Certificate courses offered at the university, including this one, have to be completed within five years.
All the programs mentioned above can be completed at the student’s own pace. So think no more and rush to enroll in one of these programs soon!