Design Academy: Schedule/Timeline
Here's a schedule (or timeline) to help you understand the sequence and assist you each year in school to ensure you are on the right track and don't miss a deadline!
- July, during 6th-10th Grades
Attend Design Academy Summer Camps (when offered)
- 9th & 10th Grades
Take prerequisite classes at high school for pathway/emphasis area
- August, 11th Grade (1st Semester)
Attend RTI for Design Academy one-half of the school day as a 1st year student
- September, 11th Grade (1st Semester)
Attend Family Night at RTI for a generalized student orientation with parent/guardian for information pertaining to the Design Academy and "What do you want to do when you grow up?" We'll get a plan in place for you to make it happen.
- January, 11th Grade (2nd Semester)
Purchase the 1st year college credits when available
- August, 12th Grade (1st Semester)
Attend RTI for Design Academy one-half of the school day as a 2nd year student
- January, 12th Grade (2nd Semester)
Purchase the 2nd year college credits when available
- May, 12th Grade (2nd Semester)
Graduate high school!
- August (following high school graduation)
Consider enrolling at a community college for a night class, one or two nights per week, taking general education class requirements towards your Associate degree.
Pathways, Courses & Pre-Requisites
There are six different pathways (emphasis areas) in the Design Academy:
- Graphic Design
- Animation/Game Art Design
- Animation/Game Art Development
- Website Design & Development
- Interior Design
- Drafting & Design
For courses & pre-requisites, see the specific pathway pages in the menu at the right.
A student can choose a pathway based on their career outlook. Each pathway has coursework structured upon the current demands in the industry and what will be expected/required of the student entering college. For the most part, the student will need to continue their education at a 2- or 4-year college in order to land employment in these visual arts fields.
There are multiple exit points for a student after completing the Design Academy as a high school senior. Depending on the pathway, the student has the following options: enter the workforce, continue for an additional year of study at RTI as an adult student, continue to get an Associate's Degree, and continue to get a Bachelor's Degree.
The choices after high school graduation are listed in detail below. This information is listed in order, and is relative to the level of job (and pay rate) each profession will receive. The more the student advances on this list, the better the opportunities for the "dream" job, along with the "dream" pay!
For adult students that enter the Design Academy as a "walk-in" (meaning, never has taken any of the Design Academy courses as a high school student), the exit point choices begin at #2 below.
-
Enter the Workforce
When:
- After High School Graduation
Options:
- Freelance (if you have your own computer/software)
- Work at family-owned business
- Work at local business as entry-level
After high school graduation the student could enter the workforce as a freelancer if a computer with the appropriate software was available and the student had enough talent to survive the tough competition that is already out there. A high level of understanding of the subject matter would also be necessary in order to be successful.
The student could land an entry-level job at a family business, also. This seems to work out really well for the family and student. The student learns entry-level skills, usually enough to compensate for the slack in the business with regards to graphic design, website programming, or technical drawing skills.
Securing a job with a local company will be tough. There are only a few local businesses that might hire a recent high school graduate for entry-level work; however, those businesses are few and far between. Many companies in the area require students to have completed the adult program at RTI (at least) before considering hiring them. This is because the field is so advanced and there is a lot to learn; it takes the 2 complete years of education just to get an understanding of the basic information.
After the student completes any of the above options, the student could attend East Central College (ECC), the Art Institute, or another college to obtain an Associate's Degree.
Students also have the option of continuing their education and getting their Bachelor's Degree, which is an additional 2 years of college after receiving the Associate's Degree.
After the student completes any of the above options, the student may enter (transfer) into a 4-year college and complete a Bachelor's Degree. This degree will allow for placement into the industry.
Students transferring into a 4-year college will usually only have about 2 years of college to complete once they have obtained their Associate's Degree. There are many factors that will fall into place, and therefore a specific amount of time cannot be determined. It is all dependent upon the college, the major field of study, any required minor, and what ECC dual credits will transfer.
If the student decides to continue for the Master's Degree, in many cases it is considered terminal (depending upon the pathway/emphasis). This means that this is the highest level of education that can be reached in this degree field (there is no doctoral program available).
Reality Check
Students on the animation/game art and interior design tracks will most likely not have the option of entering the local workforce, because a degree is required for most jobs in these industries and/or there are no employment opportunities in these fields locally. For instance, there are many students wanting to enter game art design and work for popular gaming companies such as Sony or Nintendo, however there are not any of these companies located in the Rolla area. That isn't to say a student wouldn't be able to freelance or receive a contract through one of these companies, the actual reality of it says the possibilities are rare.
Students will also need to realize that employment opportunities in the visual arts fields are mostly centered around large cities and/or major entertainment companies. Animation/Game Art companies are not typically located in the Midwest, and therefore a designer/developer would need to relocate to cities such as Orlando, Seattle, New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles.
Additional settings for Safari Browser.
