Accredited web design degree programs in Missouri are a great way to break into an exciting, fast-changing industry. Though most believe the Internet has become “mature” in many respects, the market for skilled web designers continues to grow at a very fast pace. As programming languages, mobile devices, and design principles become more complex and more demanding, however, it’s increasingly common for aspiring designers to pursue at least a two-year degree in the field before securing an entry-level position. In addition to these programs, internships and job placement are significant benefits that help designers secure a strong foothold in this sector quickly after graduation.
Art Institute of St. Louis
Graphic and Web Design Department
The Art Institutes nationwide have always been one of the best options for those studying web design and other modern, artistic pursuits. That’s because these schools are almost always located in thriving urban centers or hubs of artist activity, giving students access to practical experience, seasoned professors, and internship placements that directly benefit their fledgling career after graduation. In St. Louis, students participate in traditional lectures, on-campus lab environments, and design simulations that teach them a variety of key skills. From mobile to desktop designs, basic HTML to advanced PHP and MySQL, these courses prepare students for success in their field. Career events, internships, and an honor society for design students all help to add prestige and occupational success to the program.
Graphic and Web Design, Graphic Design Concentration (AAS)
The Art Institute’s AAS program for graphic design students offers a great concentration that teaches the basics of both design and business ownership. The program recognizes that many designers end up owning their own businesses or working in a freelance capacity, and therefore enforces a requirement within its concentration that students learn about the design sector, business basics, and more. Because this is a two-year program, students cut out many of the liberal arts requirements and instead focus directly on digital illustration and animation, popular software suites used for graphic design, and how to integrate graphics with traditional web design code and programming best practices. An internship is required as part of the program.
Graphic and Web Design, Web Design Concentration (AAS)
Instead of focusing only on graphic design, this two-year program blends both graphic and web design to give students a well-rounded understanding of how to create full websites. Again, the fundamentals of design business ownership are taught. Students in this concentration learn about digital animation and illustration, but also learn about major programming languages like HTML, PHP, CSS, MySQL database administration, and others. They will learn how to construct mobile and desktop sites, create basic web applications, and use popular content management portals as part of this program, and will be required to seek an internship in the industry.
Graphic and Web Design, Graphic Design Concentration (BA)
Those who wish to study more in-depth information about graphic design can opt for the traditional, four-year Bachelor of Arts degree at the Art Institute of St. Louis. This program teaches all of the same basic skills required of the two-year program, including design business ownership, digital illustration, digital animation, and major software suites used for graphic design. The program also advances into classes that discuss the best practices of graphic design, cross-platform design principles and backward compatibility, designing for social media and new technologies, and how to accommodate high-density displays with lower file sizes and richer images. All students must pursue at least one internship during their time in the program, though many opt for additional internships in exchange for academic or elective credit.
Graphic and Web Design, Web Design Concentration (BA)
The Bachelor of Arts program in Web and Graphic Design, with a web design concentration, focuses more extensively on the nature of modern website designs and the programming languages needed to make most designs work with today’s devices. Students will learn how to crate scalable, adaptable web applications that help to store and publish content. They’ll design for websites and applications, and apply design best practices to desktop and mobile designs. Students will also study graphic design concerns more extensively, and they’ll work more on integrating custom graphics with custom web design and CSS code. Students will pursue one required internship, though they may opt to schedule additional internship experiences throughout the final two years of their program at the institution.
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
Contact
Art Institute of St. Louis
Graphic and Web Design Department
1520 S. 5th St. #107
St Charles, MO 63033
Phone: (855) 398-9281
Website: http://new.artinstitutes.edu/areasofstudy/Graphic-And-Web-Design/detail/42/150
DeVry University
College of Media Arts and Technology
There are few universities in the United States more associated with distance education than DeVry, though that’s not the only area where the institution succeeds. Indeed, students in the College of Media Arts and Technology can opt for both online and on-campus classes at a nearby campus. In this case, students would be able to take classes in downtown St. Louis to gain hands-on web design and programming experience. The College of Media Arts and Design offers both two-year and four-year programs in the field, giving students the opportunity to seek the level and duration of education that most closely aligns with their unique needs and professional goals. Our editors rank DeVry’s Associate’s and Bachelor’s web design offerings as number four of the top ten best online web design schools.
Web Graphic Design AAS
This two-year program yields an Associate’s degree in applied science, cutting out liberal arts courses and replacing them with a series of in-depth studies into design fundamentals and digital imaging. Students will learn the most common web design programming languages, including XHTML and CSS. They’ll learn how to create mobile and traditional websites, and they’ll learn how to properly integrate images and printed information seamlessly for end users. Students will even learn how to create online instructional materials that can be used for corporate training, continuing education, and other pursuits that are a bit different from the standard website.
Multimedia Design and Development BA
Students who are looking for a more expanded study of web design and graphic design can choose DeVry’s four-year program, which results in a Bachelor of Arts degree. All students in this program will study major programming languages, ranging from HTML and CSS to JavaScript, jQuery, and MySQL databases. They’ll focus on creating websites that work on all types of devices, using adaptive and responsive architecture behind the scenes. Students will also take a few courses that teach how to create web applications and mobile apps, giving them insight into the latest advances in online design and deployment. Additionally, all DeVry students in the four-year program can choose from one of several concentrations: Web Game Programming, Web Design and Development, Graphic and Multimedia Design, or Graphics and Multimedia Management.
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
Contact
DeVry University
College of Media Arts and Technology
11830 Westline Industrial Dr.
St Louis, MO 63146
Phone: (866) 831-3882
Website: http://www.devry.edu/degree-programs/college-media-arts-technology.html
Lindenwood University
School of Communications
Lindenwood University is the second-oldest university west of the Mississippi River. For more than two decades, the institution has also earned distinction as the fastest growing institution of higher education in the entire Midwest region of the country. Students in the School of Communications therefore earn a highly regarded diploma that is among the most prestigious in Missouri and one of the most recognizable in the region. The professors who teach graphic and web design courses are seasoned professionals, many of them either design business owners or key members of the corporate design community in St. Charles and St. Louis. Students have internship and on-campus job fair opportunities throughout their stay at the university, giving them an excellent chance at post-graduation employment quickly after their degree is awarded.
Bachelor’s of Arts (BA) in Interactive Media and Web Design (IMWD)
The program at Lindenwood focuses on interactive media as well as web design, and this gives students a unique perspective among their competitors for entry-level jobs. All students learn the fundamentals of modern design: programming languages, cross-device compatibility, and successful integration of graphics and the printed word. Thanks to the interactive media concentration, however, students also learn how to integrate YouTube videos, viral media, Adobe Flash designs, and much more. The result is a well-rounded candidate who can handle virtually any of today’s biggest multimedia formats and web design guidelines.
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
Contact
Lindenwood University
School of Communications
209 S. Kings Hwy.
St. Charles, MO 63301
Phone: (636) 949-2000
Website: http://www.lindenwood.edu/communications/imwd/index.html
Metropolitan Community College
Computer Science Department
Serving the greater Kansas City metropolitan area, Metropolitan Community College has five campuses that offer a variety of hands-on, practical degree programs. Currently, the community college system serves as many as 21,000 students across a variety of disciplines. Many choose the Computer Science Department for its excellent combination of hands-on experience, internships, lab simulations, and practical skills for creating next-generation websites and computer programs. With a higher graduation rate and numerous transfer opportunities, this program is a great fit for aspiring designers.
Associate of Applied Science (AAS): Computer Science and Information Systems, Web Technologies Concentration
The Web Technologies concentration is a unique offering among Missouri community colleges, and focuses on the various parts of the Internet that work together to create cohesive experiences on the average websites. That means that students will learn a great deal about web design and website deployment, but they’ll also pick up skills relating to information systems management, server management and error resolution, database administration, and website efficiency testing. This program prepares not only web designers, but also well-rounded web developers who can effortlessly control every aspect of website design, deployment, and maintenance. A required internship further helps students gain hands-on experience and industry knowledge.
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
Contact
Metropolitan Community College
Computer Science Department
3200 Broadway
Kansas City, MO 64111
Phone: (816) 604-1000
Website: http://www.mcckc.edu/progs/csis/degreeinfo/curriculum.asp#web
State Fair Community College
Computer and Information Systems Department
Named for its proximity to Missouri’s State Fairgrounds, State Fair Community College is part of the Junior College District of Sedalia, which serves 14 western and central Missouri counties. Students who study within the Computer and Information Systems Department are given access to cutting-edge technologies and professors who have accrued a significant amount of work experience in Missouri’s professional design industry. As a result, students gain insight into best practices, how to handle tough design jobs, and how to handle the needs of individual clients satisfactorily. Thanks to internship placement services, students also gain a great deal of work experience necessary for success after the conclusion of the program.
Associate of Applied Science (AAS): Computer Information Systems, Web Development Emphasis
All students who wish to study web development must take a broad core curriculum enforced by the Computer and Information Systems Department. This curriculum focuses on computer and web programming, server maintenance, employee training in new programs and hardware, and much more. This is paired with courses in a web development concentration, where students learn about popular content management systems, web application development, web design best practices, mobile design, and integration of print and graphic sources in a cohesive front-end design. All students are placed into at least one internship in exchange for academic credit, but they are free to pursue additional work experience as the program continues as well.
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
Contact
State Fair Community College
Computer and Information Systems Department
3201 W. 16th St.
Sedalia, MO 65301
Phone: (877) 311-7322
Email: admissions@sfccmo.edu
Website: http://www.sfccmo.edu/pages/239.asp
Vatterott College
Computer Science Department
The Computer Science Department at Vatterott delivers courses through both on-campus sections and online coursework. In both cases, students gain access to a uniform set of professors with master’s and doctoral degrees in web design, web development, graphic design, and computer programming. As they continue through the program, students are given access to virtual and on-campus networking events, job interview training, resume coaching, and other services that make it easer to obtain a related career soon after graduation. Thanks to hands-on experience and computer lab simulations of popular design challenges, students are often ahead of their competition in terms of practical design knowledge.
Web Design and Multimedia Development Associate’s
The great thing about Vatterott College’s program is that it combines design of web interfaces and development of multimedia materials. This allows students to effortlessly integrate things like YouTube videos and viral presentations, printed design and blog posts, social media posts and search engine optimization efforts. Coursework focuses on unique design considerations based on website type: blogs, corporate websites, personal sites, information portals and others are all covered. Students will also learn basic graphic design and full multimedia integration, which allows them to more easily create websites that scale between devices and screen sizes without losing crucial content. A primer on modern marketing, SEO, and social media utilization, also allows students to promote the websites they will eventually create. This broader set of skills is highly in demand by today’s employers and will give students a noticeable edge over their entry-level competition as they seek employment.
Accreditation
- Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)
Contact
Vatterott College
Computer Science Department
800 N. 3rd St.
St Louis, MO 63005
Phone: (314) 264-1000
Website: http://www.vatterott.edu/northpark/aos/web-design-training.asp
Web design is growing fast as more and more people look to enhance their online presence. In order to land a job in this growing industry, today’s students and professionals need to show that they accrued both work and educational experience that equips them with the skills needed for success. Several two-year and four-year accredited web design degree programs in Missouri will give candidates the experience and education they need to make a strong entry into this field anywhere in the country.
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