New in Fall '19: Web Design and Development certificates

June 3, 2019 Richard Rezler

NOTE: This is the second in a three-part series on new program offerings in the Fall 2019 semester. See also: General Studies associate degree, Broadcast Media Arts certificate

WCC’s Web Design & Development faculty members discovered a demand from students and industry to offer shorter, layered certificate programs. In response, the department will offer five new web-based certificate programs beginning in Fall 2019 that range from 10 to 12 credit hours apiece.

“Our previous certificate was attempting to build a web design generalist, someone who learned some things about everything. Our new certificates follow the industry trend of allowing students to rapidly specialize,” said faculty member Jason Withrow. “It’s a change in how the department operates, from building amazing generalists to building amazing specialists who can stack these certificates and become multi-specialists.”

The new certificate programs being offered in Fall 2019 include Client-Side Web Developer (10-11 credit hours), Interface Designer (11-12 credit hours), User Experience Designer (11-12 credit hours), Server-Side Web Developer (11-12 credit hours) and Digital Strategist (11 credit hours).

The Client-Side Web Developer Certificate and User Experience Designer Certificate programs can both be completed entirely with online courses.

Withrow said the programs were designed by himself, Kelley Gottschang and Scott Shaper – the Web Design & Development department’s full-time faculty members – to be “remarkably flexible and result in a quicker path to a skillset that can be highlighted on a résumé, yet are built to complement each other and be combined.”

The department continues to offer its complete Web Design and Development Associate in Applied Science Degree program, which would include the completion of one or more of the new certificate programs.

There’s also a 3+1 transfer agreement with Eastern Michigan University that results in a WCC associate degree and a Bachelor’s of Science in Communication Technology from EMU. Under that articulation agreement, 86 credits can be completed at WCC and 38 at EMU.

CLIENT-SIDE WEB DEVELOPER CERTIFICATE

(10-11 credit hours)

This program is designed for students interested in employment as Client-Side Web Developers. Students will create standards-compliant, accessible and usable Web interfaces to meet both user and client needs.

INTERFACE DESIGNER CERTIFICATE

(11-12 credit hours)

This program is designed for students interested in gaining the skills necessary to design industry standard digital interfaces. Students will learn Web design skills such as appropriate use of Web fonts, colors on the Web, Web layout and digital marketing collateral.

USER EXPERIENCE DESIGNER CERTIFICATE

(11-12 credit hours)

This program is designed for students interested in employment as a User Experience professional. Students will create industry-standard information architecture, interaction design, information design and human-computer interaction deliverables.

SERVER-SIDE WEB DEVELOPER CERTIFICATE

(11-12 credit hours)

This program is designed for students interested in employment as Server-Side Web Developers. Students will create standards-compliant, accessible and usable Web interfaces that meet both user and client needs.

DIGITAL STRATEGIST CERTIFICATE

(11 credit hours)

This program is for students interested in the strategic management aspects of Web design and development. Courses focus on the knowledge and skills necessary for employment as a digital strategist, marketing specialist or project manager.

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