Programs in desktop publishing and digital imaging prepare people to combine images and words into print and computer displays. Students learn how to use desktop publishing software to arrange text and graphics. They study web page design and various ways to use and process images.

In 1985, a businessman coined the term "desktop publishing." So began an era of publishing from almost any computer workstation. Rapid improvements in software opened publishing and printing to many more people. At first, desktop publishers could blend text with clip art to produce newsletters and brochures. Now, they can develop web pages adding digital photos and animation. (The businessman mentioned above was Paul Brainerd, whose company invented PageMaker.)

This program is about learning to use sophisticated software programs to produce digital graphics for clients. You learn how to format articles, text, and images into web sites, newsletters, invitations, posters, and other related pieces. You learn how to use different kinds of software to edit and manipulate photos, clip art, and designs. You also learn illustration and layout techniques. In addition, you learn everything about design, from selecting interesting fonts to directing the reader's eye across the page.

You can enroll in a computer training school, an art school, or a college or university to learn desktop publishing. Some universities offer desktop publishing as continuing education. They may offer digital imaging courses in departments of art or computer science. Not surprisingly, you can find many distance learning programs offered on the Internet. They depend on your having the right software to complete the lessons.

The most common desktop publishing programs are those offered by about 20 community colleges and independent schools. Typically they offer one-year certificate and two-year degree programs. You can learn desktop publishing also by enrolling in fine arts, computer science, or printing and publishing programs. These are usually through four-year colleges and universities.

As a student of desktop publishing and digital imaging, you decide whether you want to work with Macintosh or PC/Windows products. You decide which software programs you want to study and use. These decisions may either influence the school you choose or be influenced by the school you choose.