There are a number of accredited web design degree programs in Illinois. Selecting which of them is the best fit for a given person’s career goals can be a challenge. The information below may help to make it less so.
Rasmussen College
School of Design
The foundations of Rasmussen College go back to 1900, when it opened as the Rasmussen Practical School of Business in St. Paul, Minnesota. Since then, it has opened other locations in Minnesota as well as many in Florida, Illinois, Kansas, North Dakota and Wisconsin; it also has an ample online curriculum. Locations in Illinois are in Aurora/Naperville, Mokena/Tinley Park, Rockford and Romeoville/Joliet, with central services in Chicago.
Multimedia Technologies Associate’s
Rasmussen College offers an Associate in Applied Science degree in Multimedia Technologies that seeks to equip students to effectively execute and manage projects and portfolios in visual and interactive media in business and other ventures. The degree (for which two specializations are available: Digital Design and Animation and Web Design) requires 95 to 96 credits, many of which can be earned in the Rasmussen professional diploma program. Thirty-four to thirty-five credits of general education coursework are joined by a number of classes in the major: Introduction to Business, Project Planning and Documentation, Professional Communication, Internet Business Models and E-Commerce, Career Development, Technology’s Role in the 21st Century, Introduction to Computer Graphics, Introduction to Multimedia Design, Typography, Digital Publishing, Color Theory and Techniques, Audio/Video Editing, Digital Media Production, Fundamentals of Web Authoring and Design, Digital Media Assembly, Multimedia Technologies, and Multimedia Portfolio Development and 9 credits of specialization classes. The institution has a required associate’s seminar class, as well. Our editors rank this program as number five in the top ten best online web design schools and degrees.
Digital Design and Animation Bachelor’s
Rasmussen College also offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Digital Design and Animation that explicitly expands upon the offerings of the Multimedia Technologies Associate’s and equips students with intermediate-level knowledge of visual and interactive media principles in the business environment. The degree requires 183 to 184 credits, including the entire set of those required of the Multimedia Technologies Associate’s listed above. Additional courses include expanded general education offerings and upper-division work in the major: Business of Digital Media, Figure Drawing, Study of Animation, Flash Animation, Polygon Modeling, Advanced Methods of Computer Graphics, Digital Photography, Advanced HTML Coding with CSS, Concept Development for Digital Media, Advanced Application for Digital and Experimental Art, Digital Effects Creation, Storyboard Development for Digital Media, Digital Video/Audio Project, Web Design Project, 3D Game Character Creation, and Animation Graphics Project. The institution has a required senior seminar course, as well.
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
Contact
1415 West 22nd Street
Suite 400
Oak Brook, IL 60523
Phone: (630) 366-2800
Email: None listed; contact forms are provided on website below.
Website: http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/design/web-interactive-design/
Robert Morris University Illinois
Institute of Art & Design
Robert Morris University Illinois describes itself as a private, non-profit university that awards degrees at the associate’s, baccalaureate, and master’s levels at its main campus in Chicago and satellite campuses throughout Illinois. U.S. News & World Reports and The Chronicle of Higher Education, among others, have lauded the school. Estimated 2013-2014 tuition for full-time undergraduates (12-24 quarter hours) is $7,600 per quarter, with housing in Chicago costing an additional $3,625 and various programs charging additional materials and facilities fees.
Associate in Applied Science Degree in Graphic Design
Robert Morris University Illinois offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Graphic Design meant to equip students to succeed in entry-level graphic and web design positions. The degree requires 92 quarter hours, including a 20-hour general education sequence, an 8-hour career management sequence (College as Career and Developing Professional Presence), and 4 hours of free electives. The remaining hours come from such courses as 2-D Design, Drawing, Color and Composition, Computer Illustration, Graphic Design I and II, Digital Page Composition, Digital Photography, Digital Imaging, Typography I, Interface Design, and Art History I. Notable is the divergence from requirements of the baccalaureate degree discussed below; there is some overlap, but some classes for the associate’s are not required for the bachelor’s. Consequently, the associate’s degree and the parallel bachelor’s degree do not appear to cleanly articulate, although those who do proceed from associate’s to bachelor’s in the design program at Robert Morris University Illinois appear to have a broader view than those who seek only the higher degree.
Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Graphic Design
Robert Morris University Illinois offers a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Graphic Design meant to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to enter successfully into professional graphic design roles. The degree requires 188 quarter hours, including a 72-hour general education sequence, an 8-hour career management sequence (Personal Narrative & Branding and Life-Long Career Strategy, Intermediate ICenter Project or Advanced ICenter Project), 8 hours of free electives, 20 of foundational courses (Design, Color and Composition; Illustrator; Introduction to Digital Photography; Digital Imaging and Storyboarding), 24 of design courses (Introduction to Digital Video Production, Design for the Web, Graphic Design I and II, Typography and Multimedia Web Design), 32 of studio design courses (Web Development for Designers, Digital Video Production, Publication Design, History of Graphic Design, Senior Internship, Sign & Symbol, Interactive Digital Publication and Professional Portfolio Development), and 24 of prescribed electives that equip students for diverse graphic design situations.
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
- ACE Certification
Contact
401 S. State St.
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (800) 762-5960
Email: enroll@robertmoris.edu
Website: http://www.robertmorris.edu/artanddesign/graphic/
Southwestern Illinois College
Business Division
Founded in 1946 as Belleville Junior College, Southwestern Illinois College serves the communities of southwestern Illinois in its Belleville, Granite City, and Red Bud campuses; off-campus sites; and online. It offers more than 150 degree and certificate programs, some of which are designed to facilitate transfer to four-year schools, to nearly 25,000 students annually. Notable is the outreach to the elderly in the college’s Programs and Services for Older Persons.
Graphic Communications Associate in Applied Science
Southwestern Illinois College offers an Associate in Applied Science degree in Graphic Communications meant to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to enter into industry-current practices in visual media, online and offline. The degree requires 68 to 70 credits, including Basic Design I, Operating System Basics, Basic Web Page Design, Internet Essentials, Computer Graphics, Photoshop, Rhetoric & Composition I, Graphic Communications I, Graphics and Animation, HTML, Electronic Publishing, Advanced Photoshop, Digital imaging, Fonts & Type, Document Management, Web Development I, Web Design and Usability, Advanced Graphics Applications, Web & Graphics Internship, several general education electives and 6 credits of program electives. The last are chosen from among Graphic Communications II, Copyright/Trademark/Patent Law, Introduction to Information Technology, Online Marketing, SEO & Web Analytics for Marketing and Microsoft Office Suite I. Estimated cost of the degree in the 2013-2014 exceeds $10,000 and is best suited for students who plan to enter the workforce after completion of the degree, rather than pursuing a four-year degree at another university.
Web Designer
Southwestern Illinois College also offers an Associate in Applied Science degree in Web Design meant to equip students to design websites and other online items at entry-level proficiency. Emphasis is on programming languages and the production and refinement of online objects throughout the curriculum. The degree requires 67 to 69 credits, including Operating System Basics, Internet Basics, Photoshop, HTML, Introduction to Programming, Database Management, Rhetoric & Composition I, Computer Graphics, Web Development I, JavaScript Programming I, Java Programming I, Web Design and Usability, Fonts & Type, Graphics and Animation, Introduction to XML, Advanced Photoshop, JSP, Web Site Development, Advanced Graphics and Animation, Web and Graphics Internship and several general education electives (mostly in the humanities or social sciences; mathematics and natural sciences are oddly absent). Estimated cost of the degree in the 2013-2014 exceeds $10,000 and is best suited for students who plan to enter the workforce after completion of the degree, rather than pursuing a four-year degree at another university.
Web Development and Administration
Southwestern Illinois College additionally offers an Associate in Applied Science degree in Web Development and Administration meant to provide students the knowledge and skills needed to design and maintain websites and online services effectively. Emphasis is on preparation for work as a webmaster. The degree requires 67 to 69 credits, including Operating System Basics, HTML, Introduction to Programming, Database Management, Introduction to Networking, Rhetoric & Composition I, JavaScript Programming I, Java Programming I and II, Web Design and Usability, Server I, Introduction to XML, JSP, Systems Development & Design I, Web Site Development, Web and Graphics Internship, 6 credits of program electives (chosen from Photoshop, Graphics and Animation, Web Development I, Visual Basic Programming I, Visual Basic for Applications, C++ Programming I, C# Programming I, ASP, Advanced Graphics and Animation, SQL, Linux Operating System and Network Security) and several general education electives (emphasizing communications skills but explicitly including mathematics). Estimated cost of the degree in the 2013-2014 approaches $9,800 and is best suited for students who plan to enter the workforce after completion of the degree, rather than pursuing a four-year degree at another university.
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
- Amember of the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)
Contact
[postal address]
Phone: (618) 235.2700
Email: diane.ditucci@swic.edu
Websites:
- Graphic Communications: http://www.swic.edu/GraphicComm/
- Web Designer: http://www.swic.edu/WebDesigner/
- Web Development and Administration: http://www.swic.edu/WebDev/
Spoon River College
Career and Technical
Founded in 1959 as one of many nationwide efforts to expand access to higher education and occupational training, Spoon River College is a public community college in Illinois serving more than 4,000 students annually. Estimated cost of attendance for the 2014-2015 academic year is $135/semester hour for residents of the community college’s district, $288/semester hour for Illinois residents outside the district, $324/semester hour for out-of-state students, and $175/semester hour for online students, tuition and fees inclusive.
Associate in Applied Science in Digital Design and Information Technology
Spoon River College offers an Associate in Applied Science degree in Digital Design and Information Technology that seeks to equip students to succeed with multiple aspects of traditional and multimedia business actions. The degree requires 61 credit hours, 49 of which are explicitly defined as coming from such courses as Composition I, Two-Dimensional Design, Foundations of Electronic Design, Project Management, Photography I, Speech Communication, Digital Imagery, Computer Illustration, Applied Math, Web Design I and II, Graphic Design I and II, Digital Media Production, Graduation Portfolio Seminar and 3 hours each in a humanities and a health science course. The remaining 12 must come from four courses among the following: Three-Dimensional Design; Drawing I and II; Figure Drawing; Internship; Aqueous Media I; Painting I and II; Photography II; Special Topics; Small Business Development; Digital Media Production II; Web Servers, Security and Maintenance, and Introduction to Web Scripting & Databases.
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
Contact
23235 N. Co 22
Canton, IL 61520
Phone: (309) 647-4645
Email: lauren.courtney@src.edu
Website: http://www.src.edu/academics/career/digital-design/Pages/default.aspx
Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy
Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy was founded by Howard A. Tullman in 2007 as a private, for-profit college in Chicago. Existing in a strategic partnership with Tribeca enterprises, the holding company of the Tribeca Film Festival, and in partnership with Sterling Partners, the school offers curricula straddling the divide between traditional, formal college instruction and professional apprenticeships, providing an accelerated and blended introduction to the media industries; lectures are supplemented by experiential learning.
Associate in Applied Science in Graphic Design + Visual Communication
Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy offers an Associate in Applied Science degree in Graphic Design + Visual Communication meant to prepare students to conduct professional work in visual media. Theoretical underpinnings inform the first year of the curriculum; practical applications inform the second. Thus, students acquire not only technical knowledge and skills for the professions, but the interpersonal and aesthetic understandings that inform professional success. The degree requires 69 credit hours of coursework, including general education classes. Students will take Composition I and II, Humanities I and II, General Math, Oral Communication, Production-in-Action, Principles of Design I and II, Digital Image Manipulation, Motion Graphics I and II, Interactive Design I and II, Brand Identity, Career Development I and II, Design Studio, Design Workflow, Package Design, Designing for the Client, Social Media Design, Focused Study I and II: Advanced Design and Flashpoint Academy Studios to complete their curricula.
Accreditation
- The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
Contact
28 North Clark Street
Suite 500
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: (312) 332-0707
Email: info@tfa.edu
Website: http://www.tfa.edu/programs/aas-design-viscom/program-overview
Waubonsee Community College
Career Programs
Waubonsee Community College was established to meet the needs of Community College District 516, which covers parts of Kane, Kendall, DeKalb, LaSalle and Will Counties, in 1966. Based near Sugar Grove, the college also has locations in Aurora and Plano, as well as some 40 extension sites, and it offers programs online. In the 2011-2012 academic year, the college enrolled more than 31,000 students, teaching them with nearly 120 full-time and 550 adjunct faculty and supporting them with 35 administrators and more than 480 staff.
Associate in Applied Science in Web Site Design and Development
Waubonsee Community College offers an Associate in Applied Science degree in Website Design and Development meant to equip students to design, develop, and maintain online content using industry-leading tools. The degree requires 60 semester hours, of which 15 are in a general education sequence (Online Communication, 6 hours of English, Introduction to Psychology and a mathematics elective), 15 are in core program requirements (Business Information Systems, Introduction to Programming, Networking Essentials, Information Technology Project Management and Web Development with HTML/XHTML), 21 in major requirements (JavaScript Programming, Database Management, either Flash ActionScript or PHP Webserver Programming, Digital Image, Emerging Internet and Web Technologies, Web Authoring with Dreamweaver and Advanced Website Design) and 9 in electives selected from Computer Information Systems, Graphic Design, or World Wide Web courses. Estimated tuition per semester hour, beginning in the Fall 2014 term, is $104 for students living in the college’s district and students taking courses online, $270.91 for Illinois residents living outside the district, and $293.78 for others; fees are not included.
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
Contact
Route 47 at Waubonsee Drive
Sugar Grove, IL 60554-9454
Phone: (630) 466-7900
Email: None listed; contact forms are provided on website below
Website: https://www.waubonsee.edu/learning/academics/career/www/331/index.php
Illinois offers a number of great programs for students seeking careers in web design. This list is a great starting place for research into which accredited web design degree program in Illinois is right for you.
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