Sessions Online School of Design Sessions, the first accredited online design school, offers students over sixty courses in web design, web development, multimedia, digital design and new media marketing. Courses are taught by expert instructors and are project-based, meaning that you can start anytime and work at your own pace. Sessions' wide variety of certificate, course packages and individual courses integrate theory and practical applications utilizing relevant best-of-breed software tools. Sessions online certificates programs include: Graphic Design Certificates Web Design Certificates Multimedia Certificates Digital Arts Certificates Business Marketing Design Certificates

The only nationally accredited fully online school of design, Sessions is also accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council ( DETC ) in Washington, DC and is the first online school licensed by the State of New York Department of Education.

Sessions Courses

Sessions offers courses in the hottest design fields, including graphic design, Web design, multimedia, digital arts, and business marketing design. These courses, over sixty of them, are project-based and can be completed at your own pace. Expert faculty work with you throughout each course, offering professional feedback and guidance structured to help refine your employment portfolio.

Certificate Programs

To get a job in the design field, prospective employees need quality portfolios that display their talent and skills. Sessions Certificate programs help students hone their skills and eventually create quality professional portfolios. Students are immersed in the creative and technical aspects of digital media through hands-on projects, and are given feedback by expert instructors along the way. This collaboration allows students to refine the work they eventually show to prospective employers. Certificate programs are offered in graphic design, web design, multimedia, digital arts and business marketing design.

Concentrations

Design Concentrations offer students in Advanced and Masters Certificate programs the opportunity to specialize on a particular aspect of design that goes beyond the basics learned in the core certificate program. Each concentration is a 105-hour program, and completion of the core programs is a prerequisite for admission. Available concentrations vary by program but include: advanced portfolio, corporate identity, digital photography, digital illustration, digital imaging, e-commerce, web design, flash, web coding, visual identity, and web business.

See all concentrations.

Portfolio Review

Advanced and Master's Certificate students must complete a final Portfolio Review. The review is conducted by a faculty panel and evaluates twenty to thirty pieces of work submitted by the student. Students are able to submit Sessions.edu projects and/or any other projects they think will represent them well in future job applications. The goal of the Portfolio Review is to find a student's best work and help them refine it into a professional, polished presentation for prospective employers. To do this, students are given two separate rounds of feedback, allowing them to implement suggestions and new ideas between rounds. The feedback includes both constructive technical critiques, and candid thoughts on how professionals may react to the student's work.

Short Programs

Sessions Short Programs are geared to students who need a specific skill in order to start working as a design professional. Short programs include two online courses led by expert instructors. The majority of enrolled students works full-time, and still manages to complete the short program in about six weeks. As with all Sessions programs, students can begin a Short Program at any time and complete the project-based courses at their leisure.

Short programs arm student with skills using the hottest design software programs on the market. If you want to begin a career in graphic design, web design, or multimedia, enroll in a Sessions Short Program and start working with the all-star faculty today.

If after completing a Short Program your interest is piqued in other areas of design, you can apply your credit and tuition towards a full Sessions Certificate Program and be happy to know that you've already completed 25% of the course requirements.

See all programs.

Certificate Programs

Graphic Design Certificate Become a great graphic designer with an education covering the field's evolution and its current cutting edge. In your first course, you'll set the stage by analyzing the past, present, and future of one of the fastest growing careers in the world. Armed with the knowledge of how the graphic design field evolved, you'll be introduced to the leading imaging application for both print and Web media, Adobe Photoshop. While learning how to color, scale, select, enhance, distort, and manipulate scanned images, you'll get feedback from expert instructors. Graphic Design Starter Kit includes these two online, instructor-led, and project-based courses: Intro to Graphic Design Adobe Photoshop Basics

Get more info, or sign up for this Graphic Design Certificate

Web Design Certificate This is the web design course you've been looking for. Learn how to design a web page using the leading HTML editing programs Macromedia Dreamweaver or Adobe GoLive. Study the web design of leading websites and understand why they are superior from both a functional and aesthetic standpoint. Armed with the knowledge of these best practices, you'll be able to create your own professional websites using advanced layouts such as tables, style sheets, frames, colors, and more. Web Design Starter Kit includes these two online, instructor-led, and project-based courses: Intro to Web Design Dreamweaver I or GoLive Basics

Get more info, or sign up for this Web Design Certificate

Multimedia Certificate Learn how you can tap into this emerging field that brings together web design, animation, and graphic design. In your first course, you'll study the emergence of multimedia, looking at its roots and where it is headed. You'll learn how multimedia is used in a number of different business and media environments. Once armed with the knowledge of where the multimedia business is developing, you'll be introduced to Flash, a multimedia application that offers drawing and animation tools. After completing this course, you'll understand and know how to work with layers, scenes, nested symbols, and movie clips. Multimedia Starter Kit includes these two online, instructor-led, and project-based courses: Intro to Multimedia Flash Basics

Get more info, or sign up for this Multimedia Certificate

Digital Arts Certificate Learn how to develop technical skill as well as creative artistry in digital photography and imaging. Acquire the skills to use the latest digital imaging software and vector drawing skills. Exciting course projects include identity design, photorealistic imaging, color correction, illustration, and more. The Digital Arts Starter Kit includes these two online, instructor-led, and project-based courses: Adobe Photoshop Adobe Illustrator

Get more info, or sign up for this Digital Arts Certificate

Business Marketing Certificate Learn how to set up and manage a graphic design business either as a freelancer or with others. We'll show you everything you need to know, like how to market yourself, present your portfolio, and ultimately find a job. We'll even help you with the details, such as registering a company name and establishing an accounting system. In the second course you'll focus on how to create and launch your own online design portfolio. Throughout this process, expert faculty will help you identify your designing strengths and weaknesses, ultimately allowing you to showcase your most marketable talents Design Business Builder includes these two online, instructor-led, and project-based courses: Graphic Design Business Web Portfolio Design

Get more info, or sign up for this Business Marketing Certificate

It's About the Future...

In 1997, Sessions thought there was a better way for creative people to learn design skills and concepts. They also thought there was a better way to provide online education. They were right. By becoming what they believed was the future of design education and online learning, Sessions provided courses that gave people exactly what they needed, thus building their reputation and helping them become an industry leader in online education.

They're still looking to the future by offering courses that incorporate cutting edge technology under the instruction of industry experts with a passion for teaching.

It's About Results...

Decide for yourself how successful Sessions has been...

Satisfied Students

95% of students believe they've met their learning objectives in design (DETC student poll, 2004) Over 45% of students return to participate in more programs and courses Over 80% of enrolled students complete their courses Course are ranked by students for quality of content and instruction at an average 4.8 of a possible 5.0

Sessions Student Profiles: Jeremy Wilmott | Gorana Urlic | More Student Profiles

Industry Recognized Credentials

• First online school to be licensed by the New York State Department of Education
• Faculty is also licensed by the New York State Department of Education
• The New York State Department of Education has given acceptance of their proprietary online teaching methodology course
• Accredited by the Distance Education Training Council since 2000
• National accreditation of content embedded in third party degree programs

It's About Evolution...

Sessions now offers expertise and experience to colleges, universities, and corporations who want to provide state-of-the-art distance education programs. If you want to reach more students and maintain a high level of educational quality, "get powered by Sessions."

Sessions also continue to innovate. DesignTeam® is a new groundbreaking online educational experience that simulates real world creative teams competing for professional roles, clients, and projects. Professionals use this program as an internal sales tool. Offline, they've published a unique mentoring education model in books and periodicals for the design professional.

You're invited...
To see is to believe. If you want enhance your school or training center by offering online educational programs, take a look at what has made Sessions so successful. You'll be shown how to expand enrollments and increase student satisfaction.

Enrollment

How to Enroll
At Sessions, you can enroll today and start tomorrow. Because courses are project-based, everyone works at their own pace--meaning you don't have to wait until next semester to get going. Applications are completed online, and the application process is pretty painless.

Payment Options
Sessions makes convenience a priority by offering a variety of different payment options; including payment by credit card, check, money order, traveler's check, and bank wire.

Financial Aid
To help students stay within their budgets, Sessions offers a number of financial aid options including easy-pay tuition plans, career training loans, military tuition assistance, and aid programs for the unemployed and physically disabled.

Employer Tuition Voucher
Many companies are willing to help their employees learn new skills. Find out if your company offers employer tuition vouchers!

Contact Sessions
Get answers to all your questions at any point in the enrollment process. Just contact the Sessions Admissions team for assistance.

FAQ
Here are the answers to a number of frequently asked questions pertaining to Sessions, programs, courses, and enrollment process.

Learn more about Enrollment.

School Accreditation

Sessions is a school of design that offers continuing education courses online. Because it is a distance learning education, Sessions is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC).

The Distance Education and Training Council, located in Washington, D.C., is an established accrediting body that has built a reputation for integrity over the past eighty years. The organization began as the National Home Study Council in 1926, and its mission to promote sound educational standards and ensure ethical business practices has remained constant over the years.

DETC's unfailing reputation has helped it grow. New distance learning schools look to DETC for accreditation because the institution has a federally recognized and highly refined accreditation program that has stood the test of time. DETC's growth makes it an emerging leader in the global distance learning field. In addition to its members in the U.S., DETC has accredited schools in Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland, and Japan.

Why is Accreditation such a Big Deal?

Determining a school's effectiveness is not as black and white as determining the success of a company. For the latter, a profit margin and stock price is enough information for most people. Because anyone can open up a school and claim to offer a sound education, accrediting bodies are needed to separate legitimate schools from fly-by-night operations.

Sessions has a distance education accreditation, meaning it has voluntarily subjected itself to a comprehensive peer examination carried out by a recognized body. This certification says that the school meets the established standards of the accrediting body. These standards include setting educational goals for students, offering organized learning experiences that enable students to reach these goals, and showing that graduates have benefited professionally from the learning experiences received while in school. Moreover, the accreditation of Sessions.edu ensures the public that the online school of design is financially stable, employs qualified teachers, provides adequate facilities, materials, and equipment, displays effective recruitment and admissions policies, and advertises its programs truthfully.

Being an accredited institution is an ongoing process. It is clear that standards of excellence change. In the distance learning field, for example, online learning wasn't possible twenty years ago. The emerging learning tools offered online are consistently raising the bar in the definition of excellence among distance learning institutions. Accordingly, schools must undergo accreditation evaluations regularly, encouraging continuous improvement and long-range planning.

Most importantly, being accredited means gaining the trust of many different groups, including the educational community, the public, students, state and federal authorities, and anybody else with a vested interest in knowing whether a school does what it claims to do. These groups know that an accredited school has a program to meet its objectives, is able to provide the tools needed to reach those objectives, does in fact meet its objectives, and appears to be able to meet them in the future.

To learn more, visit the DETC site.

New York State Licensure
New York State's Board of Education has a division that licenses non-degree granting private schools in the state. Sessions is licensed by this Bureau of Proprietary School Supervision (BPSS).

With licensing power, the BPSS helps ensure that students going to these schools receive the type of education that provides them with the skills needed to get quality jobs, and also ensures that students' money goes where it's supposed to. The online curriculum and administration within Sessions.edu complies with all BPSS rules and regulations.

The BPSS works with the state-mandated Proprietary School Advisory Council to ensure that appropriate standards are met, investigates student complaints when necessary, and enforces all relevant state education laws.

To learn more, visit the New York State Board of Education site.