Determine the type of program you're interested in; for example, the Art Institute of Pittsburgh's online division offers a year-long diploma, a two-year associate's degree and a four-year bachelor's degree in web design.
Check the school's admissions requirements; associate's and bachelor's programs require a high school diploma. Some schools may accept a GED; some schools require SAT or ACT scores.
Set up your home or office learning environment with the college's technical specifications for online learning. An Internet connection (some schools require high-speed) and email are required. Schools may also require the Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, Windows Media Player, in addition to a color printer, scanner, digital camera, web cam, DVD burner and digital drawing tablet. Students in the web design program at DeVry University must have a minimum of 2 GB RAM, a 160-GB hard drive, a microphone, a head set, a USB 2.0 and a graphics card.
Take courses in website development, database systems, computer animation, basic web scripting, fundamentals of design, instructional design theory, broadcast graphics, digital audio, screen design and graphics, writing for multimedia, digital imaging and illustration for the web.
Complete any general education core requirement classes, usually part of an associate's or bachelor's program, such as English composition, world history, math and introduction to psychology.
Check your school for a chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the national communications honor society. Standard brick-and-mortar schools with online divisions may have this organization; online-only schools usually will not. Joining an honor society gives you access to a membership database, the alumni job bank, continuing education seminars and connections for after graduation.
Discuss your graduation plan with your advisor; even though you're an online student, you'll still have a faculty or academic advisor to help you select courses, decide on projects and plan your schedule. Advisors can ensure you've completed all requirements and any paperwork required for graduation.