Web Design and Front-End Development
Program Description
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The Web Design & Front-End Development program awards provide the fundamentals for a career in Web design. You will gain technical and design skills using current industry-standard software and techniques, getting hands on training from experienced professional instructors who give you plenty of one-on-one attention.
Advantages
- Our college is located in downtown Minneapolis, which has one of the largest creative and advertising industries in the country.
- Students become part of a tight-knit community that develops a lasting network which can sustain them throughout their design career.
- With our innovative teaching and curriculum, faculty members combine years of industry experience with their strong academic backgrounds.
- Our advisory committee includes representatives from major ad agencies, Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, and local design firms.
- Our graduates have gone on to successful careers at organizations such as: Adobe, Target, Best Buy, Periscope, General Mills, Clockwork, and 3M.
Program Details
Award Requirements and Course Descriptions & Outlines
Please select the award below to view the degree options and requirements in the college catalog.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Understand the knowledge gained through the study of the history of graphic design, typography and the visual arts, and apply this knowledge to today's diverse cultures and media marketplaces.
- Develop production skills necessary to work within the environment of media industries: create error free data and documents, work within commercial workflows, time management skills, project planning, image production, and valid web documents.
- Understand the elements and principles of design, user experience, and demonstrate visual literacy using strategies to reinforce visual messages and typographic acuities.
- Articulate design solutions and communicate effectively in verbal and written responses using the language of graphic and web design.
- Demonstrate competence with graphic, print, web and interactive media applications and technologies.
- Apply problem-solving, critical thinking, and a personal and professional obligation to their local and global communities as well as social and moral responsibilities.
What You Will Learn
- The program prepares you to use to industry-standard software to create designed Web interactive and print design productions.
- Coursework is taught by experienced faculty members, and covers visual problem solving, art and design principles and production standards.
- You will learn how visual elements such as type, illustration, graphics, photography and animation combine to make effective designs, and also work under tight deadlines to design, compose and produce a well-rounded portfolio necessary for entry into the profession.
Beyond-the-Classroom Opportunities
- You will have an opportunity to do an internship in Web design, a supervised work experience that provides an important learning experience, as well as a useful link to the job market. You obtain an internship site that supports your special areas of interest and provides opportunities to interact with professionals in their working environment.
- You may choose to join The Design Associates of Minneapolis Community and Technical College (DAM) Club, an eclectic group of aspiring designers who recognize that a little collaboration can go a long way. The club is a student chapter of the Minnesota AIGA, the professional association for design and is open to students pursuing design degrees at Minneapolis College, including Graphic Design Print, Web and Interactive Design, Photography and more.
Occupational Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statics, Graphic Designers with Web site design and animation experience will be especially needed through 2018 as demand increases for design projects for interactive media—Web sites, mobile phones and other technology. Growth in Internet advertising, in particular, is expected to increase the number of designers.
Potential Job Titles
- Web Designer
- Content Strategist
- User Experience Designer
- User Interaction Designer
- Front-End Developer
- Quality Assurance Specialist
- SEO Specialist
- Digital Project Manager
- Technical Support Specialist
- Creative Director
- Social Media Specialist
- Content Manager
- Account Manager
Where You Could Work
- Advertising agencies
- Animation companies and studios
- Corporate creative departments
- Graphic design firms
- Marketing and public relations agencies
- Web design studios