Art and Design

Options with degrees in Art and Design subjects

Whatever art and design subject you are studying, there are a huge range of options for you as a graduate. Some graduates will choose to pursue something directly related to their degree, others will look at careers where your degree subject is useful. Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so you can also look beyond the creative industries.

Developing your transferable skills while you are studying along with building your self-awareness of your values, interests and personality will help you make informed career decisions. Your career may well be based on the skills you’ve gained over the course of your degree studies.

A great starting point or exploring options with your degree is Prospects – what can I do with my degree? Relevant pages listed below.

Some degrees may be titled differently here – if you can’t find what the resource aligned to what you are studying, you may find exploring sectors a great starting point. Prospects also gives an informative overview of the Creative Industries – Prospects: Creative Industries in the UK .

If you would like some help getting start, feel free to book a careers meeting with me to chat things through.

Interested in working in a Creative Industry?

meet-eric.com has some great introductory resources on the 16 creative industries including on their YouTube channel @ERIC-vx8om where a huge number of creative industry speakers talk about their own careers and opportunities with their sector.

 

words listed on a square: Advertising, Marketing & PR, Architecture, Arts & Craft, Culture & Heritage, Design, Fashion, Film & TV, Games, Media, Music, Publishing, Photography & Videography, Radio, Podcasts & Audio, Theatre & Performing Arts, Writing & Journalism and VFX & Animation]

 

If You Could | It’s Nice That – weekly advice column from @IfYouCouldJobs, where industry experts answer your burning careers quandaries. Submit a question to get an insight or read some of the many interesting articles on here such as “How Can Freelancers Get Noticed By Studios?”

Podcasts

What is networking and why is networking important in Creative Careers?

Networking is all about making connections with people who share your interests or work in the kind of creative career you’re aiming for. Whether you want to work for a company, start your own business, or do a bit of both, knowing the right people can really help you shape your career ideas as well as open up opportunities for you. In creative industries, many jobs and projects are shared through conversations and recommendations—not just formal advertising. By chatting with others, going to events, or even just staying active online, you can learn from people’s experiences, find collaborators, and hear about exciting projects. Building your network while you’re still a student can give you a big head start when you’re ready to launch your career.

Check out our guide to networking as well as some sites for you to network online or find in-person networking events. This list isn’t exhaustive -there are events in and around Dundee all year round. Keep your eye out for events where people you would like to connect with may attend.

Networking and Opportunities

General creative jobs boards

Careers in Animation & VFX

Careers in Design

Careers in Fashion

Careers in Illustration

Careers in Marketing & Advertising

Careers in Film & TV

Volunteering

If you are interested in gaining some voluntary experience locally you may find the following websites helpful

Looking to make the most of your volunteering? Why not sign up for the Dundee Plus Award which helps you reflect on and develop your employability skills. It even gives you evidence to add to your CV.

Internships & Work Experience 

You may wish to read our guide on Work Experience and Internships

  • JobShop – find an opportunity
  • GoinGlobal – International Internships and job options
  • Saltire – a world-class internship programme, which prepares students in their penultimate year of study by taking part in projects in Scotland and all over the world
  • Forage – host of thousands of free virtual job simulations
  • For some University of Dundee students, you may be eligible to take our 20 credit level 2 Internship Module.

Sometimes, making a speculative application may be the way to get that work placement or internship that you want. If you’d like to talk through how to approach a potential employer, feel free to contact the Careers Service.

Starting your own business

Not sure about any of these options? No problem!

“Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don’t restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here” (from What can I do with a graphic design degree? | Prospects.ac.uk)

To help you explore the wide range of career options open to you have a look at what can I do with my degree and take the Career Planner Quiz.

The following websites may also be helpful to search the wider job market, where your transferable skills can be applied.

Graduate Schemes

Many leading UK employers across all industries run graduate training programmes, to discover the benefits of these schemes and how you apply the links below will help: