A Degree on Design. How is that still a thing?
Going—or not—to a Design School is just a matter of taste and is definitely not the only way of learning the craft.
I get that question a lot: —Hey, Pablo… Should I go to college and get a Degree on Design?
My answer is usually the same, “Of course! Oh, wait, we’re not in the 70’s anymore…”
Joke aside, what I’m saying is this: Nowadays there’re plenty of other options. And if you combine them all, the result is a uncountable amount of sources of information where anyone —potentially— can learn.
Don’t get me wrong, I do understand the social influence and that false sense of power that a degree can provide. But, when we’re talking about Design, I think every university in the world is overrated.
This is just the start of the conversation, the tip of the iceberg. Of course having options will not ensure the path for educational quality, but neither Schools will and this can’t be truer nowadays.
Also, on that note, we cannot longer make accountable Schools for the poorly educated professionals out there. One reason only, education is not up to schools but up to the hunger for knowledge of the students.
Here’s my personal story.
I consider myself a self-taught designer. Everything I know about the craft I learned it by working hard and having an open mind. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn”, right?
Well, that’s not entirely true. I did went to a Design School and I did get a degree. But by the time I started school I was already designing and dealing with clients and the frustration of the hustle that comes with the creative life. I wasn’t really good, but I was starting… and that’s a very important first step.
Today is pretty obvious that the traditional educational system is broken. But when I was studying, that topic was considered taboo. No-one talked about it and even though I had my suspicious, I still completed my duty in the classrooms.
The fall of the educational system is the logical evolution of this information-era we are living in. The bigger question is, if Design Schools are not able to stay relevant, what’s their purpose then?
I know all this may sound pessimist, but I believe it’s the opposite. I believe it’s the perfect excuse for a radical educational revolution. And hopefully we all can witness a rebirth of the School for the times to come in this lifetime. Until then, caution is a good advice.
Not being cautioned enough lead me to follow the most transited path.
Today, my degree is just a piece of paper that serves as a constant reminder that I too was a victim of a tradition that is no longer true: Graduating will not ensure you a career, not even a job.
Truth be told, I hated going to school. I was never an obedient student and I cannot recall any “aha” moment during my years in the classroom. So, it’s probably why I’m biased.
Even though I felt like I was wasting my time, I stayed because I knew that my lack of enthusiasm was not an excuse for not giving it a try… Also, I knew that somehow I had to compensate my lack of experience.
Looking back, I’m pretty sure it was a mistake. That I follow a tradition without really asking myself if there’s any other option. A better fit for me.
I want to make something really clear. Even though I didn’t like schools, I always considered myself a student and I had an enormous respect for all the mentors and teachers out there. The real heroes in this story.
James Victore says it beautifully, “You don’t have friends. You don’t have enemies. You only have teachers.”
I understand the frustration of giving yourself entirely and don’t get what you want from the classroom (the system’s fault, but your mistake). I also know that this is a profession filled with insecurities and there’s this idea that if you endured school somehow you’re entitled to stuff. The faster you realize that none of that is true, the sooner you’ll start a real design education.
This thing we do, this craft… is never finished. The moment you stop, is the moment you career dies.
Keep asking how to get better, keep learning, no matter how.
A final thought.
A solid and strong design education is utterly important and it is the foundation of our career. Today, more than ever.
If you are—or know someone who's—thinking of becoming a Designer (and I’m using that word in the broader way possible), explore all the options available and don’t forget that Schools are no longer the solely owners of knowledge.
Thanks for reading.
Pablo Zarate is a Designer and an Independent Art Director from Buenos Aires, Argentina. You can buy his posters and get in touch with him on Twitter & Facebook.
