Is design education good in private design colleges?

Once upon a time, public colleges like NID, NIFT and IIT-IDC were synonymous to design education in India. But as design education has gained immense popularity in recent years, there are many private colleges popping up in the map.

These private design colleges offer a range of design programs, from undergraduate to postgraduate levels. They promise excellent infrastructure, experienced faculty, and industry exposure. However, do they deliver that promise? Is the education really good and will my degree hold any value in the end? Some private colleges may not provide the quality of education they promise, leading to disappointment and a waste of time and money.

Even when I set out to join a design college I was presented with the ‘dilemma of private colleges’. It was crucial that I investigated and evaluated their claims before investing in them, and so should you. Research thoroughly, ask questions, and seek advice from industry professionals and the current students of these private colleges.

But for now let us go over some general pros and cons of private college:

Pros

Flexibility- You have more flexible programs and curriculum structures compared to government institutions

State-of-the-art facilities- It's a private college. Obviously, they would invest in modern facilities, equipment, and technology.

Industry connections- Not all of them but some private design colleges have strong ties with industry professionals, giving their students access to real-world projects, internships, and job opportunities.

Specialized programs- Certain private colleges offer more specialized programs or niche areas of study

Cons

Cost- It is to no one’s surprise that private colleges have higher tuition fees which can’t be afforded by all students

Accreditation and recognition- Some private design colleges don't have the same level of accreditation or recognition as government institutions, and this could impact the perceived value of the degree in the job market.

Quality of Faculty- While some private colleges have experienced faculty members, others lack qualified instructors with industry experience or academic credentials.

Reputation- The reputation of private design colleges vary widely as some have not established themselves as reputable institutions within the design community.

Illustration by Nandini Seshan

Having gone through the pros and cons, you would want to begin digging up on the private colleges to figure out which ones are worth the buck and the effort.

Here are some factors you might want to look into before considering the college:

- Accreditation

- Faculty

- Curriculum

- Industry Connections

- Alumni Network

- Infrastructure

- Student Support

- Tuition Fees

- Location

- Student Life

Ultimately, whether design education in private colleges is good or not depends on various factors such as the specific college, program offerings, faculty expertise, industry connections, and overall learning experience.

After your detective work, you should have a list of private design colleges that do offer all the factors of a good design education. And others which don’t.

With this you would be able to make an informed design on whether you would want to attend a private design college or not and which one.

To learn more information on design education and related topics, do check out other blogs!

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Nandini Seshan

Communication Design/NID Vijayawada

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