The Graphic Design School or 'TGDS' is an accredited Australian based school that specialises in Graphic and Web Design and who offer online courses and qualifications in both subjects. I am currently a student with the school studying the Intensive Foundation Course in Graphic Design and I have to state that my experience of the school so far is a totally positive one, and that certainly seems to be true of every other student that I've come across, both past and present.

I've decided to write this short review as one of the things that I found difficult when my making my decision to enroll with the school, was actually finding any feedback from either past or present students. I eventually did through the school's facebook group page where the team spirit and total encouragement is clearly evident. However, it's difficult these days to find an online course, (or any course for that matter), that is either legit, worthwhile, up to date, value for money, does what it says on the tin or gives you any kind of qualification that is worth the paper it's printed on. Well for anyone reading this that may be thinking of enrolling in any of the courses with TGDS, let me tell you now... It is 100% legitimate and fulfills all of the above criteria and more as any course should. And not only that, the school is very highly regarded and recommended by all who are currently or have studied there.

The thing that sets this school apart is that it is actually a school, a physical school with a physical building, physical students and tutors and real courses taught by experienced professionals within various areas of the design industry. The school has branched out online to reach more people and now has students from all across the globe, such is the popularity and excellent reputation of TGDS. Their website by the way: www.thegraphicdesignschool.com

I'm based in the UK and have been studying with the school online now for a little while and am genuinely enjoying every minute of the course and I can honestly say that my ability as a designer since working my way through the Intensive foundation course has developed at an incredible pace.

A quick overview of the process as a student:

1. Enroll. This is made easy and you can either pay in full or take out a payment plan spreading the cost of the course either over 3 or 6 months. This can be done using Paypal so all nice and easy.

2. Access the Schoolyard. The schoolyard is the area that all students of the school have access to. It is like your own personal back office and is jam packed with all kinds of materials and learning resources that are both helpful and essential to the studies you will be engaged in. The course is broken up into modules which are also accessed via the schoolyard.

3. Download a module. The course materials are easily accessed and you literally download a module as and when you are ready to complete it. The setup has been designed so that you can only complete one module at a time (except for Modules 1 & 2 which can be downloaded together to get you started). This prevents people from skipping ahead and missing out on things that are needed to move on to the next modules. Each module has been designed to build on the next and so each part fits together like a jigsaw... skipping any would mean missing the point, line or plane - (designer joke couldn't resist) entirely and you'd only be cheating yourself! Each module is then assessed.

4. Submit your module. Upon completing a module and the assessments that go with it, you login to your schoolyard and upload your assignment. It gets submitted to your tutor who was assigned to you on enrollment (and who is also a seasoned professional within the industry) who then duly assesses your work and returns it to you with their comments, observations, encouragement, helpful advice and constructive criticisms. The tutors know what they are talking about and it is this observation and advice that has helped me to develop my skills. At this point it is advisable that you act on any advice given to you before moving on as it still fresh in your mind. Submitting a module unlocks the next one.

That's the process in a nutshell. It has been made very easy and accessible in a technical sense. The course and module material itself is both in depth and very interesting. It is kept up to date and is written in such a way that is engaging and fun, making the learning process a whole lot easier. The Intensive course has been designed to be completed in a year, some do it sooner, some take a bit longer. It all comes down to how much time you can dedicate to the course and fitting it round your other commitments etc. At the moment I'm averaging something like a module a month. There are 12 modules, plus a one module upgrade which gives you the Certificate IV in design qualification, so I'm about on par time wise. The Certificate IV in design qualification is equivalent to an NVQ level 3 in the UK and is definitely a plus on your CV. Getting into the design industry is notoriously portfolio based and the great thing about studying with TGDS is not only do you get a professionally recognised qualification, but you also qualify with a portfolio in hand that can be used to help you find work when approaching potential employers and or clients. Double whammy!

The student forum is a particularly useful resource and is the first port of call when having a question about a module. Considering students and tutors are very often on completely different parts of the globe, the tutors are very quick to respond to any queries, questions and comments you may have and they don't stop until you fully understand what you were looking for. The forum is very easy to navigate and more often than not, you find that someone has already asked the same question and the answer is there waiting for you. All in all, the whole online system works extremely well.

You never feel like a lonesome internet student with TGDS as the community it has built is very extensive. You quite quickly become and are made to feel like part of the family and all students are so helpful and encouraging as are all tutors, not just your own and there is never a feeling of competition.

I think I need to stop now but I could keep going. So far in my humble experience I cannot give you a negative about the school. From the second I came across it, after reviewing several other course providers, I got that buzzing feeling. It had the vibe and I knew I had found the place that was going to give me what I was looking for and so far, it has lived up to that expectation and the work I am producing is of real quality, as is that of the other students.

And, I have already had an enquiry about my availability as a designer upon completion of the course  :)

Sarah