The 10 Best Online Graphic Design Courses Of All Time [2024]

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Updated: March 17th, 2022

Interested in learning about graphic design or seeking to improve your general design knowledge?

Then finding the most suitable course is an excellent starting point. Often, when you google “graphics design”, there is an overwhelming amount of information, especially for someone new to the industry. You see so many design tools, courses, businesses, and you begin to wonder, where do I begin?

Stress no more; that is why we are here.

We have come to show you the right path to learning graphic design for beginners.

Years ago, learning graphic design was restricted to official institutions and design schools, where you study for years to acquire a degree in design. Well, not today. The dawn of the internet, coupled with the Covid-19, allows almost anything to be done virtually. Yes, you can learn graphic design virtually, from your home, as long as you have access to the internet.

With suitable online courses, one can go from beginner to expert in the space of months via online graphic design courses. In this article, we will aid your journey by identifying the best virtual graphic design courses and also provide you with details like:

Pricing
Length of course
What to expect from the course
Frequently asked questions for graphic design courses

What is the Best Online Graphic Design Course?

Put away the notion that to get the very best, you have to pay a considerable amount. No, the best things do not always require payment, and such is the case for graphic design. Institutions and companies are increasingly offering free virtual online for people to skill up in graphic design.

Some of the best online graphic design courses with certificates do not actually require any payment. In this era of virtual learning, various learning platforms provide top-class design courses for free. These courses are carefully structured to cater to the requirements of beginners and intermediates. Some give certificates for free, while for others, you might have part with little cash for a certificate.

Therefore, this article offers a carefully collated list of the best online graphic design courses with certificates and without certificates, but free. In contrast, some provide free certificates online. Essentially, the best virtual graphic design course understands and caters to the needs of either a novice or intermediate designer. That utilizes well-defined modules and tasks to take them from beginner to expert within a specified period. It is also one that explains the rudiments of graphic design and creates a roadmap for future development.

Top 10 Online Graphic Design Courses

Here are the top ten online graphic design courses:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Most courses in this discourse are from renowned virtual learning platforms. But, this particular course comes from a university famous for efficiency, quality, and competence. MIT gives a great virtual lesson to learn a graphic design that teaches the basics such as content alignment, typography, display, color, and contrast, etc.

Without a doubt, MIT’s visual design course massively enhances the design knowledge and skills who enroll. Not incubus enrollment simple, this course stands out in the portfolio of any designer.

Key Highlights

Certificate from MIT
Ease enrollment
4 years course
Tuition: $55,510

You can visit their official website or visit here to learn more details about the online course.

2. Creative Live

Regarded as the “la cream de la cream” of virtual visual design learning, Creative Live is known for offering high-end design courses. It comes with a feature that links learners with a global network of top-class instructors, exposing you to the market’s best design techniques.

Also, you remain updated with new design trends wherever you are in the world.

Their design courses stem from a desire to spur passion for design while enabling people to hone their craft most suitably. Its virtual visual design courses are therefore identified as high-end in the field.

Key Highlights

Access to top-class design instructors
Constant update on new design trends worldwide
Easily accessible tutorials and modules
Approx. 12 hours of content
Cost ranging from $8-$29

You can visit their official website or visit here to learn more details about the online course.

3. Canva

Besides providing a convenient web and mobile-enabled design platform, Canva also offers a unique avenue for people to acquire design skills. Its courses are comprehensive and well structured to teach beginners the rudiments of design, from simple icon design to advanced logo design, designing flyers, and subsequently creating templates.

An excellent platform to acquire graphic design online courses is Canva.

Key Highlights

Self-paced, free courses
Practical design tutorials
Tutorials in logo, flyer, and icon design

You can visit their official website or visit here to learn more details about the online course.

4. Graphic Design Fundamentals

Timothy Samara is the creator of the graphic design fundamentals course. And it does is focus on imparting knowledge to novice and intermediate designers. Its design course is user-friendly, with easy access anywhere and flexible.

Enrolling in Timothy Samara’s design course will significantly enhance your design thinking process by completing specific design projects.

Key Highlights

User-friendly graphic design courses
Easily accessible worldwide
Graphic design skill enhancement
5 hours 29 minutes of content
Cost: $14

You can visit their official website or visit here to learn more details about the online course.

5. Skillshare

Do you seek the best graphic design courses online free, then Skillshare is your go-to place. Adding to its profile of over 21,000 virtual classes, Skillshare offers many design courses tutored by top experts in the design field. Skillshare’s courses cover logo design, developing a brand identity design, and advanced 3D illustration. Its courses tutor people on the act of mastering top design tools.

A one-time sign-up gives you free access to all lectures and resources on Skillshare for two months. After which, you may have to subscribe to a premium plan to get unlimited access to all resources available. It also provides an avenue to collaborate with over 7 million creatives on its learning platform. Skillshare also offers practical tasks and classes to evaluate the skill or knowledge of the learner properly. Its courses are easily accessible with its mobile application and are self-paced.

Key Highlights

Self-paced
Collaborate with over 7 million creators
Free access to all resources for two months, after which you have to subscribe

You can visit their official website or visit here to learn more details about the online course.

6. Alison

With over 140 visual design courses, Alison stands out as a top-notch virtual platform to acquire design skills. Its studies are very comprehensive, loading learners with lots of information required to skill-up regarding graphic design. From fundamentals to advanced design theories, Alison links up learners with top-experienced experts in the design field.

Visual design is one of the most popular virtual courses on Alison.

Key Highlights

Comprehensive graphic design courses
Access to top- professionals in the industry
Advancement from beginner to expert
1-3 hours duration
Free courses

You can visit their official website or visit here to learn more details about the online course.

7. Absolute Cross

Thought to be among the very best virtual platforms providing visual design classes, Absolute Cross ranks among the very best. What differentiates Absolute Cross from others platforms is its commitment to simplifying graphic design for learners. Their courses utilize simple language and various other simple means to demystify visual design for a beginner.

Also, while guiding users through their design journey, Absolute Cross produces an all-rounder by mixing up HTML codes, etc., into the learning modules.

Key Highlights

All-round inclusive with the inclusion of HTML codes, Adobe Flash
Simplifying the basics of graphic design
Self-paced, free courses

You can visit their official website or visit here to learn more details about the online course.

8. Udemy

Arguably the Apple of virtual learning, Udemy stands out as a hive for the best online graphic design courses with certificates. With millions of subscribers globally, Udemy offers online learning content for almost any sphere of life, including visual design. We can locate some of the very best virtual design classes on Udemy. But while they are many, we will streamline them for you.

It has the Graphic Design Masterclass by Lindsay Marsh, a top-rated course for design. As previously stated, the top virtual visual design courses adequately cater to the requirements of the novice or intermediate designer.

On Udemy, Lindsay Marsh nicely creates this course in a manner that caters to one who is ready to acquire visual design skills either fully or partially. Meaning that the study was is very flexible with each individual’s schedule. It also seeks to enhance the intermediate individual.

Touching on the rudiments, advanced theories, and practical examples, the course is holistic, helping people master essential design tools. It also possesses a feature that lets you stay updated on new design trends, for design changes daily as the world evolves.

Key Highlights

Over 25 hours on demand video
Price ranges from $14.99 - $89.99
Walk through the entire package
Understanding key design tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign

You can visit their official website or visit here to learn more details about the online course.

9. Coursera

Undoubtedly ranked among the best virtual learning platforms today, Coursera offers top-end virtual graphic design courses. These classes are of many varieties, some sponsored by companies like Google, some sponsored by tertiary institutions, etc. Undeniably, Coursera offers online graphic design courses with certificates free.

For instance, through Coursera, the University of Colorado Boulder provides an online graphic design course with a certificate, known as the Graphic Design Elements for Non-Designers Specialization. The classes run for three hours per week for three months, after which a specialization certificate is awarded for successful completion.

The course is easily accessible on mobile or the web. It incorporates design techniques and expounds on the best and most effective means of effectively communicating design strategies to clients.

Learning graphic design for beginners is made easy through Coursera, as this specialization requires no previous design knowledge. Therefore, it sufficiently caters to beginners, offering hands-on classes through practical recorded videos, discussion forums, tasks, and much more. The modules involve designs rudiments, graphical or visual aspects of design, typography, and characteristics of print and digital designs.

The course has four critical areas of specialization that can turn a beginner into an expert designer.

Key Highlights

Duration: 4 hours
Easy access to video and tutorials anywhere, anytime.
Free courses

You can visit their official website or visit here to learn more details about the online course.

10. Shaw Academy

Exquisite online graphic design courses with certificates free are available at Shaw Academy. This academy is a prestigious virtual learning platform for design. Such that design certificates earned from the forum are considered more respectable than others.

Visual design courses provided by Shaw Academy teach the essential technical skills for design. But it also offers practical design experience for students through challenges and tasks.

Shaw Academy doesn’t just teach the rudiments of design but engages in creative means of learning to improve design creativity and spur up their creativity side. It uses quizzes, flashcards, tasks, and interactive lectures to teach beginners graphic design. It is, therefore, a significant choice for someone who loves simplifying things and learning in a fun environment.

Key Highlights

Over 32 interactive lessons spread over modules
Earn a respective certificate from Shaw Academy
Makes learning fun and relatable
Online quizzes and tasks
Duration- 16 weeks
Cost- $69.99 per month

You can visit their official website or visit here to learn more details about the online course.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Graphic Design Course Should You Choose?

As the world moves towards the “future of work,” digital, more demand for visual designs will increase. But acquiring the proper design skills now will increase your chances later of landing a job.

Therefore, in your steps to choosing a graphic design course, first, conduct a self-evaluation. If you are a beginner or intermediate, identity will help you choose the right graphic design course. Each class offers thorough training for different levels of expertise.

How Do I Get Started?

Begin by asking yourself, why do I want to get into graphic design? If you can identify your reason, it can serve as a drive to push you on despite whatever challenges you face. So, right now, evaluate your current skill level. Identify the knowledge you possess and those you will need. And begin taking action.

How much does a graphic design course cost?

For graphic design degrees, the costs are usually equivalent to getting a bachelor's degree. But for online graphic design courses, apart from most which are accessible, the price varies. These courses can range from as low as $100 to as high as over $1000.

How long is a typical graphic design course?

Typically, a graphics design degree takes about a year to complete. But for online graphic design courses and boot camps, duration varies. Some span for about a few weeks to complete, some a few months, and some are self-paced.

Final Thoughts

In summary, demand for graphic design will only keep increasing. And now, it has become easier to learn graphic design, especially with the plethora of virtual learning platforms. Accessing the right resources can positively impact your design journey, just as using the wrong help can negatively impact it.

Above is a well-detailed list of top design courses for you; read through it again, identify what suits your needs, and take actions to enhance your design skills. The design space is constantly evolving and competitive, so get ready to keep learning and improving daily.

meet the author

Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.

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