By earning an online degree in furniture design, you can turn your passion for this fun, hands-on hobby into a great career. When earning your degree, you will gain much needed understanding of the materials involved in creating uniquely designed furniture, such as metals, woods, plastics, and textiles, and how to combine the aesthetic and structural components of your designs. The skilled trade of furniture design is taught through practical education in the technology and technique behind this functional art.

Though traditional woodworkers who design and make one-of-a-kind items for their clients are still able to find work, there has become an increasing need in this field for furniture designers to develop a level of computer expertise. Modern wood shops have automated power tools and machines that will require a deep understanding of mathematics, geometry, and computerized programs; thus, the increased dependence on computer-aided design (CAD) programs have needed to keep current by incorporating CAD training into the coursework, teaching traditional drafting and technical drawing skills along with those that are aided by a variety of 2- and 3-D technologies.

You will need extensive knowledge of drawing, rendering, and color in order to work in the furniture design industry. You will additionally study other areas including conceptual and historical aspects of furniture design and contemporary aesthetics. Practical coursework will focus mainly on wood, welding, metal, and lamination techniques, but may also include ergonomics and research and development.

You can gain the knowledge and training necessary to work in the industry by earning an Associate of Arts or certificate through an online university. You might also continue your education in order to earn a Bachelor of Arts in furniture design, or industrial design with an emphasis in furniture design.

First working in a local wood or cabinet shop can help you develop hands-on techniques that will be beneficial in addition to your educational training. As a trained furniture designer, you may be self-employed or work for a small or large manufacturing company. Once graduated, some designers with one to four years of experience earned an average annual salary of over $40,000 in 2008. The job prospects in this field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, will depend greatly on economic cycles as well as entrepreneurial skills for those who wish to be self-employed.

With the right combination of technical ability and creativity, you may find furniture design to be an excellent career choice for you.

Studying Media Arts and Animation

The world of computer animation has come a long way in recent years; it is sometimes mind boggling to compare the animation of more recent films such as WALL-E and Up to those made even just a few short years ago: Monsters, Inc, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles, for instance. It is quite obvious that this type of technology has made astounding advancements.

Earning a degree in arts and humanities with a specialization in computer animation, visual effects, or gaming animation involves taking classes that will likely include those that teach computer-aided software programs and multimedia.

You will find, once you have graduated, that you will be able to find a position working for a video game company, a production studio, an architectural design firm, or a corporation that deals in marketing and media. Because the spectrum of computer animation has grown beyond the film industry, graduates have the opportunity to work in a variety of industries. Learning the technical aspects of animation, behind-the-scenes operations, storyboard creation, client business relations, presentation, and team building skills will provide you the education you need to be competitive in this field.

When you train for a career in Web design and animation, you will find a rich variety of topics will be covered:

• 3D animation skills
• 3D graphics design
• Movie and television production
• General computer animation
• Drawing and design animation
• Photorealistic and non-photorealistic animations
• Web design and Internet based skills
• Business building and marketing skills

Multimedia artists and animators, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, earned a median annual salary in 2007 of $54,550, with top earning animators commanding an almost double salary of $98,000. The median salary for graphic designers in 2007 was slightly more than $41,000 annually.

The top paying fields for animators in 2007 included: design services, Web search portals, motion pictures, and employment services.

The BLS indicates that job growth in the industry of animation and arts will grow by approximately 16% through 2016; during this period, graphic design should see a growth of 10%. Both fields are quite competitive, but if you have a keen eye for detail and a creative mind, an animation or design career may be the best career choice for you.

]]> http://ieducationblogs.com/2010/08/03/make-a-great-living-by-earning-an-online-degree-in-media-arts-and-animation/feed/ http://ieducationblogs.com/2010/07/30/a-wealth-of-opportunities-in-mathematics-and-statistics-for-those-who-earn-their-online-degree/ http://ieducationblogs.com/2010/07/30/a-wealth-of-opportunities-in-mathematics-and-statistics-for-those-who-earn-their-online-degree/#comments Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:07:07 +0000 Stacey Boothe Snelling http://ieducationblogs.com/?p=1209

Earning Your Online Degree

Businesses, various industry sectors, and government all require statistical analysis; this means a wealth of career opportunities are available to those who double major in statistics and mathematics. Individuals who possess this joint degree can not only find jobs in finance, accounting and banking, but are invaluable in psychology, biological science and computer software engineering as well.

Those who have been formally trained in mathematics use techniques and innovative computer technology to tackle various issues – anything from exploring the safety of new prescription drugs to deciphering encryption systems for all branches of the military.

Likewise, statisticians are likely to enjoy many career opportunities. A statistician’s general job description is relatively simple; it involves analyzing, interpreting and summarizing data; however, their day-to-day tasks are actually quite a bit more complex with far-reaching effects that influence a wide variety of sectors of the economy such as psychology, sports, and engineering. Using their unique mastery of numbers, statisticians conduct surveys and experiments, then present the tabulated data in a manner that addresses practical issues.

With the proper education, those who have a natural give for mathematical comprehension will be well prepared to work in many different types of careers.

If you want to expand your options, but don’t have the time necessary to attend a campus-based university, there are a variety of excellent online degree programs to choose from.

Online bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in the fields of mathematics and statistics are available. Some of your coursework will include the following:

• Calculus and matrix algebra
• Statistical design
• Statistical data analysis and databases
• Bio-statistical methods
• Computational mathematics
• Mathematical modeling
• Mathematics and management science

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 9% or more growth during the 2006 – 2010 decade. Particularly in demand will be bio-statisticians due to the pharmaceutical boom. The annual mean salary for statisticians, according to the BLS, is approximately $66,000. As informational technology continues to make advances, the demand for mathematicians and statisticians will remain consistent.

Learning is a Lifelong Process

Those interested in pursuing a career as an adult educator usually have education and/or work experience in a particular field. Earning a degree in adult education will build upon that education and/or work experience to qualify them to teach the skills of their profession to others.

Adult educators enable adults to further their educations by offering them the encouragement and knowledge they need to do so. Those who are considering furthering their education by earning a degree in this field should:

• Be able to work with a wide variety of people
• Love to teach
• Have strong interpersonal skills

Courses you will take when studying for a degree in adult education will include adult psychology, program planning and development, and adult growth and development. When you are earning your bachelor’s, you will also take courses in curriculum development, communication, and theories and practices of adult education.

Typically, adult educators will teach in post-secondary schools such as colleges and universities, or vocational schools. To teach in these settings, it is usually necessary to have a college degree along with strong knowledge of the subject you will be teaching.

In addition to teaching at post-secondary schools, you may want to pursue a career as a corporate trainer; many companies have begun to employ corporate trainers to provide professional development programs that encompass a wide array of job-related topics.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, adult educators will earn approximately $42,000 if they teach adult literacy or remedial education. Teaching at a college or university, you may, as an instructor, earn an annual salary of $36,000, depending on the school and location. Professors earn quite a bit more – on average they earn approximately $75,000 annually.

Earning a Computer Programming Degree

If you choose to earn an online computer programming degree, about half of your curriculum will be in general education – science, English, math, social studies – and the other half will involve computer programming training.

Computer programming graduates will have a wide array of career possibilities; they can opt to work for small or large businesses, or do freelance work in order to be their own boss.

A majority of computer programmers begin their careers by writing code for software companies; they can, however, be promoted to lead programmers when they have gained experience.

Some common computer programming careers include the following:

• Mainframe programmer
• Lead programmer
• Systems analyst
• Systems programmer
• Applications consultant
• Web programmer
• Java programmer
• Systems consultant
• Database programmer
• Applications programmer

As the industry of computer programming expands, so does the importance of education to employers, who must keep programmers on staff due to how much they have come to rely on computers and the people who write the programs for them.

To ensure each computer programmer is properly trained and graduating with the knowledge they need to do their jobs competently, the Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP) was created. To acquire the title of Certified Computer Professional, an individual who has obtained four years of work experience or a college degree with two years work experience can take a core exam plus two other specialized area exams.

A Graduate Degree in Poly Sci Will Take You Far

As a student of a political science graduate program, you will be examining the function and development of government; additionally, you be looking at the behaviors of rulers throughout history. When you understand the evolution of current democracy, you will be able to integrate best practices of the past into new ideas and policies.

When you’ve graduated, you may choose to pursue a career in public service or government by becoming a consulting analyst, support staffer, or an elected politician. You might also choose to become a professor in order to influence policies of the current government by writing essays for political journals, conducting research on the effects of proposed laws, or engaging in political debates.

Political science majors often concentrate on specific areas of politics, such as local government or international relations. Politicians rely on teams of consultants and experts, as it would be next to impossible to be versed in all aspects of government.

As a graduate student, you will use your life experiences as well as your previous undergraduate studies to explore the deeper issues of politics and what its influences are. Master’s degree programs in political science can offer you the chance to delve deeper into a chosen area of expertise and choose a niche field such as nonprofit law, administrative theory, regulatory policy, and public policy.

Some Career Paths of Political Science Graduates:

• High School Teacher
• College Professor
• Campaign Manager
• Legislative Aid
• Agency Specialist
• State Legislator
• Legislative Attorney
• District Attorney
• Judge
• Consultant
• Press Secretary
• Lobbyist

Skills of a Successful Political Science Graduate:

• Efficiency in Oral Presentation
• Effective Interview Techniques/Skills
• Strong Written Communication Skills
• Accurate, Comprehensive Research Skills
• A Thorough Understanding of International Policies and Politics
• A Thorough Understanding of American Policies and Politics

Professional Associations:

• American Political Science Association
• International Political Science Association

Become a Nurse!

If you have decided a nursing career is for you, your next step is to learn all you can and decide on a university to attend. There are different levels of nursing, so training can take various forms. You might opt to work first toward your associate’s degree in order to be hired at a hospital in an entry-level position. A bachelor’s degree, however, will put you in a better position to enjoy a plethora of career opportunities.

Nurses who are trained in a particular specialty will have a valuable skill set that will be highly marketable when looking for positions in doctors’ offices, clinics, and hospitals, therefore, you may consider focusing on becoming one of the following types of nurses:

• Ambulatory: provide assistance in doctor’s offices and clinics
• Emergency: help with emergency room care
• Infusion: administer medication and fluids via injection
• Critical Care: attend to patients with acute problems
• Hospice: care for terminally ill patients
• Radiology: help patients who are receiving radiology or other diagnostic examinations
• Peri-operative: assist surgeons while they are operating
• Radiology nurses help attend to patients receiving radiology or other diagnostic examinations

Online Nursing Degree programs are now helping students by making this career choice more available than ever before. Online training means that wherever you are, you, too, can study nursing.

An online degree will help you upgrade your career prospects without having to leave the job you may already have, as well.

Prospects for nursing careers are quite favorable. As will all areas of the health care field, nursing will benefit from the long-range increase in demand for care due to the aging population.

Because of the strong demand, nurses make above-average wages; the median annual income for a registered nurse was approximately $58,000 in 2006.

Earn Your Christian Counseling Degree Online

When studying to earn an online biblical counseling degree, you will explore ways of synthesizing modern psychology with biblical teachings to provide guidance for those who need direction in healing mental difficulties. After completing your degree, you can opt to become a rehabilitation, school, personal or family counselor or professor.

A theological degree program’s goal is to meld scriptural guidance with secular insights into psychology to help those with emotional or spiritual issues work through their problems.

Courses you may take while earning your degree include biblical anthropology, biblical psychology, the history of biblical counseling, teen counseling, family counseling, marriage counseling, premarital counseling, Christian perspectives on sexuality, and Christianity and social science.

When you continue your studies to earn a doctoral degree in counseling, you will be qualified to provide services to married couples and families or lead support groups within a church. You might also consider working at a correctional or rehabilitation facility, begin your own private spiritual counseling practice, become a professor of theology or biblical counseling, or perhaps conduct research.

To earn your doctoral degree in biblical counseling, you will need to conduct extensive research and write a thesis; it takes approximately 2 – 5 years to earn a doctorate.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a growth of 21% between 2006 and 2016 for the employment of counselors; this varies somewhat depending on the type of counseling you choose to do. For instance, employment in the rehabilitation field is expected to grow 23%, while those who become school counselors can expect a mere 13% job growth.

The median salary for mental health counselors is approximately $40,000 annually; school counselors can expect to earn a yearly salary of about $45,000.

Develop Your Web Designing Skills

With e-commerce growing at an astounding rate, nearly every retail business conducts some level of its sales online. Business Web sites are not, however, limited strictly to retail sales. Other types of organizations need to have an Internet presence for those who would like more information.

Though there are various types of Web publishing software that allow just about anyone to create a Web page, business and organizational websites are much more complicated to create and to keep up to date. The most successful Web sites are carefully organized in a way that those visiting can navigate it so they can easily find the information they are looking for. If a Web site is too complicated, a browser will likely move on to one that they can peruse without frustration.

In order to actually develop a Web site, an individual must have a high degree of understanding of human behavior, software, programs, computers, and systems.

Job

When you’ve earned your Web Development Degree, you will likely be responsible for the creation, site design and day-to-day operation of the site. Your job title may differ depending on the organization you’re working for; many will hire freelance Web developers rather than hire them directly.

Working as an entry-level Web developer may include doing the following:

• Gathering relevant content and information to include on the site;
• Developing and organizing the Web design concepts and pages;
• Designing, building, and testing each of the pages and their links;
• Presenting the site to the organization for approval or refinement;
• Updating contents and maintaining the site.

The skills you will need, as well as your responsibilities can be divided into the following three categories:

1. Design Skills: this involves developing content, layout, graphics, and security.
2. Technical Skills: you will need to be able to write code, develop company databases, and implement testing.
3. Management Skills: web developers must evaluate hardware and software systems, coordinate with various company personnel, provide customer service, and possibly train additional developers.

Education

As the Internet has grown, so has the competition for Web developers. Companies typically prefer to hire Web developers who hold a bachelor’s degree. Individuals with bachelor’s degrees other fields, but with certificates or associate’s degrees in Web development are quite attractive to most employers as well.

Most college programs provide students with a solid background in the most common basic operating systems, applications, and database languages, the most common of which are: Active Server Page (ASP), HTML, Front Page, Java, JavaScript, Common Geteway Interface (CGI), Standard Query Language (SQL), Visual Basic (VB), ActiveX, Perl, Oracle, and Windows 95 and NT.

Individuals are responsible for keeping current on these technologies once they have graduated, however.

Earning an Online Liberal Arts Degree

If you are trying to decide between a vocational degree or one in liberal arts, you may be asking yourself which type of education will be a better choice in terms of the global marketplace.

Here are some reasons why a liberal arts program is the better choice:

Real World Skills

Seven things that educational and economic leaders consider essential for competing in a global marketplace, as outlined by Tony Wagner in the October 2008 issue of Educational Leadership are:

• Curiosity and Imagination
• Collaboration of leadership
• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Effective oral and written communication
• Accessing and analyzing information
• Agility and adaptability
• Initiative and Entrepreneurialism

Most of the companies you will interview with after graduation are looking for employees who possess the type of skills learned through brick-and-mortar or online liberal arts programs. Business leaders want you to come prepared with these skills; they can then train you to do your specific job within the company.

What a Liberal Art Degree Program Teaches Students:

• How to think, not what to think. You will be trained to think independently and analytically along with the ability to do so empathetically and with self-control.
• How to learn. As Albert Einstein once said, “…The value of liberal arts degrees is that they train the mind to think.” (Frank, Phillip. 1947. Einstein: His Life and Times. 185. Alfred A. Knopf.)
• How to be more interesting. The more knowledge you possess, the more you will be able to express your creativity, wit, and wisdom – something employers desire.
• To develop the tools necessary to continue learning new things throughout their lives.
• To better their entire lives, not just their work lives.

If you have an interest in becoming a person of broader knowledge, who is well educated in a wide variety of areas, and who possesses skills desired by business leaders of today, a liberal arts degree is definitely the way to go.