Web Design Schools

Neziroth · Post by **Neziroth** » August 27, 2003, 12:51 am

I've been looking into going to college for Web Design, however last year during my senior year in highschool, my ever so helpful guidance counselor told me that most colleges didn't offer majors in this field. I was wondering if any of you had any information on the subject.

Basically, my experience now is limited. I know: HTML, Limited JavaScript, Limited CSS, and Limited Flash along with Photoshop, Frontpage, etc.

Would it be a field worth looking into, and is there a big demand for it, and more importantly, what other subjects would I need? A lot of math / multimedia dev. courses?

I'm trying to research via search engines and such but I'm having trouble finding results. I know a lot of you are techies so I figured someone may be able to point me in the right direction...

Thanks

Post by **Xouqoa** » August 27, 2003, 1:42 am

Most Universities do not offer a 4 year degree in anything internet related. A few of the more progressive schools will offer a Networking/IT degree, but it scarcely touches Web Development usually.

Phoenix University (online) has one, I think - but they are expensive I believe.

Your best bet is probably going to be a Community College. I know the one here has several different Internet oriented A.S. degrees. It's not a BS, but it's better than nothing I guess.

As far as what you should try to learn. Anything and everything that you are interested in. The more you know, the easier it will be to market yourself. I lean towards the Application programming end of things mostly now, but I've had design with creative design and graphics and all that fun stuff too. Teaching yourself stuff will help a lot, too. =)

Laliana · Post by **Laliana** » August 27, 2003, 3:22 am

Look into The Art Institutes

Sargeras · Post by **Sargeras** » August 27, 2003, 3:45 am

Lali beat me to it. But I'm going to an AI school which offers BS's in 4 computer related fields. I'm majoring in Multimedia/Web Design, which seems to be similiar to what you're looking for.

Good luck!

Aabidano · Post by **Aabidano** » August 27, 2003, 8:28 am

Xouqoa wrote:Most Universities do not offer a 4 year degree in anything internet related.

For a long time I didn't know anyone in the industry that had a CS or related degree, and still don't know too many. Most of what I would consider the best (Bell Labs, LLNL, etc..) have advanced math degrees, with a heavy programing background. I know many with no degree at all, though I wouldn't reccomend that approach...

There's not a lot of work available in doing the front end, the back end systems your best long term bet I think. Keep in mind any course you take in college on a specific application is likely going to be 4+ years behind the curve when you take it, and 2-8 years behind the curve when you graduate.

I'd shoot for a degree in ME, EE or mathmatics\statistics with programming and such as filler. Business administration with a statistics\math background would probably be good too.

Deward · Post by **Deward** » August 27, 2003, 10:03 am

It definitely depends on the University. My university still teaches some cobol and Fortran but they also teach VB and VC++. They have a few web design classes but those types of classes are more handled by the communications and Art department. I would recommend going to school and getting a Computer degree of some kind but also minor in Art, Comm, or even Business Admin. A lot of Business departments are providing an E-Commerce business class that isn't programming heavy but does make a good relation to business. Double-majoring is a good way to get a job as well.

The most important thing is to be well rounded. You will learn maybe 10% in college courses but you need that slip of paper to get anywhere. I studied a lot of programming on my own and worked on a few muds before I graduated from college (1997). If you want to go into web design then start designing before you get out of college. Many web employers will want a resume or art dossier to look at to see if you will make a good fit. For my current job I was placed at a computer and told to debug a couple web pages.

Deward

Post by **Sylvus** » August 27, 2003, 11:39 am

I've been a professional programmer/"web guy" for almost four years now, and the way I'd look at it is that there really isn't enough meat to web design to merit a degree in it. I'd suggest either focusing on the art aspect of it or the programming aspect of it. Most every university will offer a degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science or any of various Art degrees.

Once you understand the fundamentals of logic and programming, picking up any language is a snap. Even moreso with the web related languages, most of them involve less logic and just following a certain syntax. Having the knowledge of the fundamentals of programming will then allow you to pick up a more robust language for backend processing or a myriad of other things.

I can't speak with any authority on the artistic side, but I'd assume that it is similar. You learn the fundamentals of what looks good and how to make something happen, and even if the tools you are using change, you're still an artist and can make do with whatever.

One thing I'd suggest, if you do end up going with one of the above disciplines, take a course (or three) from the other. It'll only help you out in the long run.

Good luck!

masteen · Post by **masteen** » August 27, 2003, 11:55 am

The courses offered at most CC are suitable for setting up a web page to post pics of your rugrats or latest vacation to Disney, and that's about it.

My coworker's GF is taking (and passing) the graphic design curriculum at our local CC, and she's dumb as a rock and as computer savvy as my dead grandfather. She doesn't even know what a hyperlink is, much less how to set one up. Her personal page looks like it was done by an 8 year old.

Taly · Post by **Taly** » August 27, 2003, 12:25 pm

dont watse your money is all i can say. i went to a web design school and after i graduated i was fighting with people who never even went to school for jobs.

If you have a good portfolio thats really all ya need. just take basic classes to learn the programs you want. but paying to go to school for that piece of paper is a waste.

Post by **Xouqoa** » August 27, 2003, 2:06 pm

masteen wrote:The courses offered at most CC are suitable for setting up a web page to post pics of your rugrats or latest vacation to Disney, and that's about it.

Not always, though. The CC I go to has the basic intro for HTML, then an advanced course, and also a data driven website class that covers PHP/ASP a little bit.

I forgot about the Art Institutes, those are probably a good place to check, but I think they are expensive. (Really expensive)

If you want to be more on the art side of web stuff, I would recommend a Commercial Art degree with a minor or double major in Advertising )or Marketing maybe). If you want to be more on the back end of things business and computer science might be the way to go. If you go the computer science route though, be prepared for lots of math and physics.. that's what drove me away from that. Ugh.

Neziroth · Post by **Neziroth** » August 27, 2003, 7:24 pm

The thing I don't get is if there's not really many courses for the whole field, how do you people go about learning PHP, VBScript, PERL, etc? I'm interested...

JavaScript and HTML and even some CSS I learned myself through tutorials, looking at other people's script, etc. is it the same thing for the more advanced stuff? Or is that "the programming side" of web design classes that was mentioned?

Also, if i were to try to learn PHP and such I'd have to pay for web hosting, since the free sites don't allow certain types of files... like .asp, .php, and all those. I'm not so much looking for a full blown career i guess... I just want to learn this stuff, making money on the side would be a nice bonus.

Edit: I apparently skipped right by Xou's last post. The whole math / physics idea drove me away too. Through HS I took Computer Science college courses, I'm about as far as I can be without picking up some hardcore math classes that make no sense to me. Bleh! There must be another way...

Thanks all so far for the advice.

Post by **Xouqoa** » August 27, 2003, 9:56 pm

I taught myself ColdFusion pretty much by myself with a good book and a friend who knows it pretty well also. When I couldnt' find an answer in the book, I'd ask her. Now she's the one asking me questions usually.

http://www.phpwebhosting.com has $9.95/month service which will allow you to play around with PHP and MySQL. Personally, if you are looking to get into a professional career type situation, I would try to learn either ASP/.NET, ColdFusion, or JSP. PHP is really nice, but for some reason I don't see many job positions for it. That's not to say you WON'T find a job doing PHP, I just think it would be easier with one of the other three. (.NET and JSP seem to be the most common.)

But yeah, if you want to teach it to yourself, you'll either need your own server space, or you can set up IIS or Apache on your local machine (Good practice!) and play around with it there.

Neziroth · Post by **Neziroth** » August 27, 2003, 11:25 pm

Awesome, thanks Xou

Taly · Post by **Taly** » August 28, 2003, 1:19 am

Neziroth wrote:The thing I don't get is if there's not really many courses for the whole field, how do you people go about learning PHP, VBScript, PERL, etc? I'm interested...

Read the books and check out the web. thats what most have done without going to school.

My boss never went to school and she knows perl and css builds websites and creates logos. all she did was read the how too's

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » August 28, 2003, 1:29 am

If you are in a Microsoft world, VBScript is the way to go. I am self tought in ASP, ADO, etc...it really isn't that hard...plenty of reference material available.