My college offers two careers in the computer field;
computer science
computer engineering

CS deals with programming (mostly AI, C++, etc..)
CE deals with hardware related stuff

Both require alot of tedius work, including advanced math.

I hate math. I like designing stuff. I dont like the science, I like the art.
The CS might touch upon html, etc...

My Q; how do you become a web designer? Can you get a BA in web design? Also is it possible to learn all this stuff by yourself and get hired by large companies? Or would you just have to be a freelance designer?

I don't know first hand, but I personally when I hire people for design applications, for example site designs or just a general work, don't care what the studio is, I just want to see work. I will hire someone who has a better portfolio then someone with higher education. Flare is what I want to see, not a certificate.

I would guess that its the same with Studios, a good reel or portfolio will gaurentee you a position, however a degree will help secure it no doubt.

Thread moved to Web Design and Content.

If you don't like maths then computer science and engineering is probably not for you.

If you want to be a web designer then you need a very good working knowledge of at the very least html/css, plus the ability to work with javascript. Things like PHP, ASP and working with databases is also good so the more you know about these the better.

You'll need the ability to transfer any idea into a workable page/site, ie from a graphic design or a customers draft, or converting templates and scripts to acieve the desired result.

Understanding the basic principles of good design and layout is also necessary/desirable - eg - navigation systems and site usability.

Finally if I was to hire a designer they would need the ability to deal with clients, setup and troubleshoot web hosting accounts and email.

If you want to be a graphic designer, then look into your university's fine and professional arts program. Keep in mind that being a good visual designer will not make you a Web designer, which requires a significant amount of knowledge in the underlying technologies to do at a professional level. Now, straight graphic designers do quite well, if they're good at what they do and can find a firm that appreciates their work (or can put together a good client base), but if you stop there, you're really going tot shortchange your clients if you're not intimitely familiar with the backend work that makes design functional, and relying on WYSIWYG editors to do this for you is a very dangerous game to play with your clients (and will typically remove you from consideration with most respectable design firms). Even if you're using these editors, you use them to speed up the process of creating something you already know at a professional level, not as a replacement for that knowledge.

The bottom line is that you can't go into Web design with any hopes of achieving professional status without having s sound technology-based knowledge foundation. The good news is that the technical knowledge associated with front-end Web design is amongst the easiest to learn :)

You need to be a good learner and due to interest you must familiar with few graphic designing like Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Fireworks.
But to be good designer you must learn from your environment that express the recent trends, degree whatever you have but it have the foundation web desingning.