Magazine design involves an understanding of journalism, graphic design and publishing. Traditionally, people employed in this industry have not needed formal training to enter the profession. They learned the skills they needed on the job. However, it is now common for people involved in magazine design to complete post-secondary training that incorporates technical skills and academic studies in media theory, cultural studies.
The curriculum for magazine-design programs varies from school to school. Most magazine-design programs foster a deep knowledge of print design, typography, digital imaging and journal design. Design history, design and social change, design and perception, and aesthetics may also be taught. Students who wish to learn magazine design often enroll in Communication Design programs that aim to teach students communication design principles, communication theories and design skills.
According to AIGA, the professional association of designers, by the year 2015, designers should have the ability "to draw on experience and knowledge from a broad range of disciplines, including the social sciences and humanities, in order to solve problems in a global, competitive market of products and ideas." This is what is known as meta-disciplinary study. Because the communication and magazine industry will become more diverse over the next few years, designers need to undergo meta-disciplinary study as well as training in specific magazine design-related skills.
All graphic design students should have a basic level of competency when it come to computer-based graphic design programs. AIGA explains that graphic designers will also need a number of new competencies in the coming years. These competencies include the ability to create and develop visual responses to communication challenges; understanding hierarchy, typography, aesthetics, composition and the construction of meaningful images; and the understanding of and ability to use up-to-date tools and technology. Students entering the magazine design field should become proficient in these areas.
In January 2010, CollegeCrunch.com released a ranking of the Top 10 graphic design programs in the United States. Noting that the graphic design field was incredibly competitive, it recommended that students choose "a school with a well-regarded program in the graphic-design or related fields" to make themselves more competitive in the job market. Carnegie Mellon University's Communication Design program, which features many courses of interest to magazine design students, was at the top of the list.