About the Arts, Design & Media Career Community

As a member of the Arts, Design & Media Career Community, you’ll join a vibrant network of current and former students who are interested in the pursuit of a “creative career” — a broad term applied to the following: communications, advertising, and public relations; architecture, design and UI/UX; journalism, illustration, publishing, and content development; studio art, arts administration, and cultural institutions; performing arts and entertainment; fashion and textiles; and other creative career sectors. By joining this community, you will gain exposure to the professional practices of artists, designers, architects, writers, and practitioners working in a multitude of contexts and industry niches.

To explore what’s possible in a creative field or within a creative role/discipline, join one or more (or all!) of our vibrant alumni communities:

Our Career Engagement Process

The following five phases are applicable for any professional pursuit — internship, fellowship, job, graduate program — in just about any discipline, practice, or industry. Some fields will require (and expect) very specific approaches to the application, or may follow a particular protocol during the selection process; be sure to do your research.

AD&M Industry Clusters

Browse various creative career “industry clusters” below to gain insights, trends, and resources relevant to a particular practice or industry nice. Or, if you are just getting started, head to Exploring Creative Careers.

Featured Articles

Report from the American Institute of Architects Conference

This summer I had the pleasure of attending the 2026 AIA Conference on Architecture & Design in San Diego.  The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the preeminent professional organization for architecture in the United States and, with more than …

By Alex Harner
Alex Harner Assistant Director, Career Development
Read more

Alex’s 11 Tips for Navigating the Architecture Career Fair

1. Research three to five firms beforehand

You won’t be able to visit every firm at the fair but check who will be attending on Handshake and pick 3-5 firms to research thoroughly.  Explore their websites, note exceptional projects, and …

By Alex Harner
Alex Harner Assistant Director, Career Development
Read more

Career Resources

Student Stories

Labor Market InsightsIn partnership withLightcast logo

Students working with members of the career team at WashU.

Type in a keyword to select a relevant occupation. (If you'd like to see data for a specific location only, filter by state.)

WashU CNX Alumni Connections

  • St. Louis, MO
  • Assistant Director of Prospect Research Washington University in St. Louis
Meet Cristie
  • St. Louis, MO
  • Business Analyst McKinsey & Company
Meet Abigail
  • St. Louis, MO
  • Finance Rotational Program NXP Semiconductors
Meet Ellie
  • St. Louis, MO
  • Development Associate Stick Figure Productions
Meet Andrew
  • Innsbruck, Austria
  • US Teaching Assistant Fulbright Austria
Meet Enzo
  • New York, NY
  • Product Offerings Lead Windward Consulting Group
Meet Bereket
  • St. Louis, MO
  • Civic Engagement Manager Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement
Meet Otto
  • St. Louis, MO
  • Talent/Model TalentPlus Universal
Meet Shannon Laine

Career & Industry Guides

Online Learning

Social Media for Working Professionals

Taught by Madecraft
Social media can be tricky to navigate. While it’s a place for you to express your thoughts and share details…

Delivering an Authentic Elevator Pitch

Taught by Tatiana Kolovou
Find out how to craft an authentic personal pitch while projecting competence and warmth—two key factors in making a great…

Avoiding Legal Hot Spots: Five Legal Tips for Social Media Managers

Taught by EverCourse
Whether you are a social media manager, an influencer, or a business owner, if you leverage social media on a…

Creative Inspirations: Stefan G. Bucher, Designer, Illustrator, and Writer

Taught by Stefan G. Bucher
Meet a truly monster graphic designer, Stefan G. Bucher. Stefan’s projects range from his Daily Monsters, to the Daily Letter…

Exploring Photography: Family and Group Portraiture

Taught by Natalie Fobes
In this course, Pulitzer finalist Natalie Fobes shows how to capture engaging portrait shots of couples, families, and other groups…

Creative Inspirations: Mexopolis, Animation Studio

Taught by Sandra Equihua
Mexopolis is the husband and wife team whose animated television series El Tigre has defied all the rules and won…

Creative Inspirations: Troika Design Group, Design and Branding Agency

Taught by Troika Design Group
Ever wonder who’s behind those cool identity graphics on broadcast and cable TV networks? Come take a peek behind the…

Photography Foundations: Lenses

Taught by Ben Long
Many of the creative options available to a photographer hinge on an in-depth understanding of lenses. In Foundations of Photography:…

Learning Graphic Design: Things Every Designer Should Know

Taught by John McWade
Appearance may not be everything, but how something looks has a fundamental impact on how it’s perceived, what it communicates,…

CSS Positioning Best Practices

Taught by Bill Weinman
Web designers and coders will be introduced to techniques to improve their results in CSS Positioning Best Practices. Beginning with…

Creative Inspirations: Harry Marks, Broadcast Designer

Taught by Harry Marks
Harry Marks is considered by many to be the godfather of broadcast design. More than any other individual, he changed…

Creative Inspirations: tokidoki, Character Illustrator

Taught by tokidoki
The Japanese-inspired lifestyle brand tokidoki, created by Italian artist and designer Simone Legno, started as a set of characters on…

Industry Primer for Media: Technology, Innovation, and AI

Taught by Starweaver
Media technology sits at the intersection of creative production, audience trust, and rapidly evolving AI—and the seams between fragmented systems…

Troika’s ABC Brand Campaign: Start to Finish

Taught by Troika Design Group
Get an inside view behind the making of ABC TV’s fall promotional and brand image campaign, and watch a 60-second…

Narrative Portraiture: On Location in Texas with Keith Carter

Taught by Chris Orwig
In the Narrative Portraiture series, photographer and teacher Chris Orwig explores how to use location and natural light to create…

Creative Inspirations: Renegade Animation, Animation Studio

Taught by Renegade Animation
Renegade Animation has pioneered digital 2D paperless animation with a unique all-Flash workflow—and a bunch of really great cartoons! This…

Douglas Kirkland on Photography: Studio Portraiture

Taught by Douglas Kirkland
In the Douglas Kirkland on Photography series, well-known photographer Douglas Kirkland explores a variety of real-world photographic scenarios, sharing technique…

Creative Inspirations: Rick Smolan, Photographer

Taught by Rick Smolan
Rick Smolan is responsible for some of the largest photographic projects ever undertaken. A former Time, Life, and National Geographic…

Douglas Kirkland on Photography: Natural Light Portraiture

Taught by Douglas Kirkland
In the Douglas Kirkland on Photography series, well-known photographer Douglas Kirkland explores a variety of real-world photographic scenarios, sharing technique…

Canon 5D Mark III Essential Training

Taught by Ben Long
In this course, photographer and author Ben Long details the features, controls, and options in the Canon 5D Mark III…