Strengthen your Python expertise through classes that focus on automation and analysis. These programs demonstrate how coding supports innovation and efficiency.
Begin your journey as a professional graphic designer by learning the essential skills and tools used by industry experts. Gain hands-on experience in Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator, and create a stunning portfolio to showcase your talent to potential employers or clients.
Learn how to retouch and color correct photos, combine images, and create graphics in Photoshop. This course covers the basic and intermediate features of Photoshop such as color/contrast, photo retouching, layers, masks, filters, and saving files for web/video/print.
Learn how to design professional page layouts with text & graphics in Adobe InDesign. This course covers styling, importing, packaging, and advanced techniques like styles, master pages, and tables. Perfect for creating books, magazines, and ads.
Learn how to draw and edit vector graphics using Adobe Illustrator. This course covers the basics and advanced features, including the Pen tool, effects, layers, masks, and more. Perfect for creating logos, icons, and packaging.
Leverage the power of cutting-edge AI tools and features in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and other Adobe apps in this hands-on class.
Learn the fundamentals of graphic design as you get hands-on experience and produce real-world projects. Broaden your understanding of graphic design concepts, understand the elements of design, and expand your portfolio in this comprehensive graphic design course.
Master Photoshop from the ground up and prepare for the Adobe Certified Professional exam with expert-led training, hands-on projects, and personalized tutoring. This comprehensive program is ideal for aspiring designers, photographers, and creative professionals looking to earn industry-recognized certification.
Advance your layout and design expertise while preparing for the Adobe Certified Professional exam in this hands-on InDesign Certification Program. Through expert-led classes, personalized tutoring, and real-world projects, you'll gain the skills and confidence to create polished magazines, brochures, books, and more.
Build professional-level Illustrator skills and earn your Adobe Certified Professional credential through hands-on classes, private tutoring, and real-world projects. This certification program covers everything from vector drawing to logo design, giving you the tools to succeed on the exam.
Develop high-impact motion graphics and visual effects while preparing for the Adobe After Effects Certification exam through hands-on classes and private tutoring. This in-depth program covers beginner to advanced techniques, equipping you with the skills and credentials to stand out in animation and video production.
Master the art of video editing and earn your Adobe Premiere Pro certification through expert-led training and one-on-one tutoring. This comprehensive program prepares you for the certification exam while helping you build professional-level editing skills.
Graphic Designers take thoughts and messages and turn them into attention-getting visuals. It is a discipline that requires not just a good eye for what is attractive, but also solid skills to translate that vision into coherent messages. There are many ways to accomplish this task through learning the art and skills of Graphic Design. Using images, text, and artwork, Graphic Designers create logos, ads, social media graphics, magazines, books, websites, apps, and more.
Most Graphic Designers aim to be able to produce and then optimize their creations to be marketable. They create their work using a variety of apps such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Sketch (Mac only), and Adobe XD. It’s even possible to animate a creation using Adobe After Effects or Adobe Premiere Pro. Most Graphic Designers prefer to work on Macs, which are suited to the artistic side of creation, though PCs are still a viable option.
All of Virginia’s major industries hire Graphic Designers in some capacity. Most graphic design professionals work in marketing or advertising departments, but there are some instances where graphic design can come in handy for internal communications and reports. Read ahead to learn mre about this field throughout some of Virginia’s most important industries.
Virginia has a well-established education industry, from local school districts and training centers to universities and EdTech companies. Educational institutions and companies hire Graphic Designers for branding, recruitment, course materials, and digital media. They may develop brochures and print materials or design graphics for websites. Plus, graphic design work for a university or educational institution is often unique and engaging. For instance, the University of Virginia in Charlottesville is currently hiring an Environmental Graphic Designer in its Creative Services team.
Local, state, and federal agencies all hire Graphic Designers for public communications, signage, digital materials, infographics, brochures, and other forms of internal and external messaging. With such proximity to Washington, D.C., it’s no surprise that many in Northern Virginia travel into the nation’s capital for work as well. For instance, a Graphic Designer may work at the Department of Transportation to create ADA-relevant signage and branding materials so everyone can absorb the messaging.
Financial institutions in Virginia are abundant, but each requires graphic design expertise to get its messaging across. Banks and financial services companies like Capital One in McLean will hire Graphic Designers to work on digital products and improve the UX/UI designs. Likewise, they often work with annual reports by creating clean visualizations, charts, infographics, and designs. This makes complex financial information far easier to understand, regardless of your experience with finance.
Even hospitals and healthcare institutions hire Graphic Designers for community outreach, patient education, external marketing, branding, and internal communications. At the McKesson Corporation, which has a med-surg division in Richmond, there is an open posting for a Graphic Designer. The requirements involve turning campaigns and brand concepts into an engaging and enjoyable experience for the consumer, so this role may involve creating brochures, medical infographics, and other health-related visuals for a thorough and effective marketing campaign.
Graphic Designers are in high demand for businesses across Virginia. With densely populated urban areas, creating traffic-stopping campaigns on a frequent and rotating basis with the aid of excellent graphic design is what businesses want. The salary range for jobs as Graphic Designers reflects how popular the career choice is—just a general range for salaries under the heading of “Graphic Designer” is between $55,000 and $65,000, but more specialized titles give a better idea of what you can expect. Not to mention, it will vary based on the particular city. For instance, Fairfax-based designers may earn closer to $77,000 on average.
Probably the most recognized role in Graphic Design is someone who works with a marketing team or advertising agency. These professionals manage online campaigns, deal with social media, and handle SEO initiatives. The state average salary is around $60,000 to $77,000, but this will vary depending on your location. For instance, Digital Marketers in Virginia Beach earn closer to $108,000. This makes sense, as Virginia Beach is a heavily trafficked tourist location in Virginia and would likely have more diverse opportunities for a marketing career.
With significant design experience along with a solid portfolio, you may be able to find a position as a Design Director, which can elevate your earnings from $135,000 to well over $193,000. This is an incredibly important role, where you’d essentially lead and manage an entire design team. This is simply an estimated range, with some cities like Richmond even reporting Design Director positions with salaries ranging from $200,000 to $220,000.
Noble Desktop offers live online Graphic Design certificates, bootcamps, and classes for those who are dedicated to learning multiple aspects of graphic design in an intensive, fast-paced environment. These hands-on classes feature a live instructor to guide you and answer your questions in real time. These classes introduce the necessary software and concepts to provide you with the support you need, combined with the convenience of learning from your chosen location. If you decide it would be helpful, you can even share your screen with your instructor.
Noble Desktop offers a Graphic Design Certificate, which provides comprehensive instruction on foundational design concepts such as color theory and typography, along with training in Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. You’ll gain proficiency in Adobe applications, learn to edit and retouch photos, create vector graphics, and layout documents. At the conclusion, you’ll have a portfolio you’ll be proud to showcase.
The Graphic Design Portfolio Bootcamp is a 30-hour class where students learn a wide range of skills in a short time. Topics include graphic design theory and practices, design quality, composition, typography, color, and other essential design elements. Students work on multiple design projects such as logos, social media graphics, album art, and advertisements.
The Adobe Creative Cloud Bootcamp may be a great place to start if you want experience with some of the most industry-standard graphic design tools. You’ll learn photo editing with Photoshop, layouts with InDesign, logos and branding materials with Illustrator, 3D digital design with After Effects, and video editing with Premiere Pro.
You can also explore Noble Desktop’s shorter courses, such as individual Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, and Premiere Pro courses. This allows you to customize your learning experience even more, so that you only learn what you need.
Noble Desktop offers the advantage of investing in onsite corporate Graphic Design training to upskill your team or workforce at your location. An expert instructor can tailor a live training session for your company via a teleconferencing platform such as Zoom if that is a better solution. If it is easier for individuals to choose the time they’d like to take the course, vouchers can be purchased and distributed. Discounts are available for multiple voucher purchases. To find out more, contact Noble Desktop.
Virginia’s professional community is, without a doubt, an impressive one. The state is home to some of the largest companies in the world, and with its proximity to the nation’s capital, its connections to the government and public service sectors are undeniable. Needless to say, those looking to gain new skills in tech, data, business, or design are well-positioned to do so.
Virginia students can take classes at the modern facilities located at 600 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, D.C., 20024. This is right off L’Enfant Plaza. It’s a professional yet welcoming environment that allows students to jump right into their studies. If you’re coming from Virginia, you’ll have no trouble getting here. While the trip will depend on where you’re coming from within the state, those in the Northern Virginia (NOVA) region can hop on the Virginia Railway Express to Union Station and take the Metro for a short ride to L’Enfant Plaza. Driving is still an option, with various parking garages available to make the trip easier. Otherwise, there are bus routes connecting from NOVA to D.C. With so many options, attending classes and workshops in D.C. is convenient and simple.
Graphic design plays a major role in branding, communication, and marketing across Virginia’s businesses and agencies. With this, the students at Noble Desktop have an opportunity to learn visual principles and software techniques from instructors with real design experience. The school's instructors offer decades of experience and insight into the field that enables you to make a real difference in the Old Dominion.
A seasoned educator and training leader, Brian brings ample experience to the classroom, particularly in designing and delivering learning programs in project management and emerging technologies, like AI. He has created adaptive learning models that blend instructor-led lessons, live experiences, and self-paced study, making professional development flexible and accessible to everyone. Brian has also focused heavily on integrating AI into training, which helps organizations and professionals by applying AI to real-world situations that can fix challenges, assist leadership, execute projects seamlessly, and make more informed decisions. Beyond teaching, he has led curriculum development, managed large-scale training initiatives, and implemented collaboration tools that have led to higher retention rates and increased engagement from students.
Clarissa has over 25 years of experience as a corporate trainer, Project Manager, and Business Consultant. She has designed and delivered highly effective training sessions for federal agencies, private corporations, and international organizations, making her a well-versed and experienced trainer and educator. She is currently the President and CEO of Projections Training Solutions, which has trained over 10,000 professionals worldwide, including clients like the Department of Defense, NASA, Microsoft, and FEMA. Not to mention, her work has taken her to places like China, Japan, South Korea, Africa, Singapore, and the Caribbean. Her programs span subjects like leadership, project management, business analysis, and emerging technologies. At Graduate School USA, Clarissa is a trusted and well-respected instructor who teaches and helps develop several programs.
As a retired combat veteran who served as both an Air Force enlisted member and a Navy officer, Alan brings more than 30 years of experience across federal and commercial sectors. His background consists of work in budgeting, auditing, programming, operations, global logistics, supply chain management, and IT acquisitions. He has worked extensively with federal, state, and local governments, such as the Executive Office of the President and various departments (such as the State, Defense, Health and Human Services, and Education Departments, to name a few). Alan’s consulting work includes strategic planning and business development with the D.C. government, federal agencies, Lockheed Martin, and more. Overall, he’s a well-equipped educator due to his experience and expertise, but he also holds a teaching certification from Harvard’s Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. His expansive background makes him a perfect fit to teach subjects like finance, accounting, and project management.
With more than fifty-five years of experience in federal and non-profit financial management, Johnny is a retired senior Federal Manager and Vietnam combat veteran. His degrees are from Herbert H. Lehman College and St. John's University. He has been working as an adjunct faculty member at the Graduate School USA since 2011, teaching Appropriations Law, as well as a range of federal budget-related courses, including finance and accounting. His career also includes leadership roles, such as the Chief of Budget Execution for the IRS Office of Chief Counsel and the Budget Officer for the Small Business Administration’s Office of Inspector General. His impressive career experience and education allow him to share his wisdom with others, fostering a supportive and structured learning experience.
Charles Byrd is an experienced Employee and Labor Relations Consultant with a strong background in federal human resources management and legal counseling. He obtained his B.A. in Business Administration and Political Science from Loyola University and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore School of Law before diving further into his career. Over the years, he has advised agencies on complex HR and labor matters, managed HR programs, and represented organizations in legal proceedings. In addition to this, Charles has developed and delivered specialized training in subjects like project management and human resources. He has been recognized for his professional excellence as well as his teaching abilities and leadership skills, acquiring awards and accolades throughout his decades-long career.
Natalya has been a part-time instructor at Graduate School USA for over 15 years, where she teaches project management, leadership, and human resources courses. She has developed original curricula, including Change Management Workshops and specialized project management programs. In addition, Natalya has served as an action learning coach and facilitator in government leadership initiatives. She runs her own consulting business, offering coaching and training for public and private entities. Moreover, she created the Define and Achieve Your Goals Process and is a certified Birkman Method Consultant. Her M.S. degree in Project Management from George Washington University’s School of Business provides her with the credibility and skills that have allowed her to excel in this field for so long. Between her experience and knowledge in the field, she’s well-equipped to provide insight into the project management field.