Some of the most popular degree programs for today’s students are the numerous web design degree programs in Indiana. The state has a wealth of options available, ranging from certificate and two-year programs to bachelor’s degrees in this fast-growing field. Thanks to seasoned professors who have been working hard to push the design world forward over the course of their careers, students will learn the rich history of design and how lessons learned from past developments can create even better websites in the future. Each program focuses on practical skills, history, information technology skills, and a variety of programming languages that will make it possible to be not just a designer, but also a traditional web developer versatile enough to work for organizations of any size. Consider these many programs a strong start to what will likely be a long, fulfilling career in an industry that’s always hiring.
Art Institute of Indianapolis
Department of Graphic and Web Design
The Art Institute system operates a nationwide network of schools that focus on everything from traditional painting and sculpting to next-generation design and development skills. The Department of Graphic and Web Design is decidedly more tech-minded and oriented toward the future, and that benefits Indianapolis students a great deal. The department’s primary focus is on teaching best practices and the nature of good design. Professors are typically professionals who have been working in the design and development field for several decades, and their extensive experience helps students learn from past design mistakes and efficiently use today’s most innovative techniques to produce a versatile, responsive product that can be used by everyone from individual bloggers to corporate organizations across the country. With the prestige of the Art Institute name and a number of on-campus events for design students, job placement rates are high for graduates of these programs.
Graphic Design Associate of Science (AS)
The two-year program in web design is rather narrowly focused but, in this case, that’s not a bad thing. Instead of learning only fundamental skills in a wide variety of design-related fields and applications, students spend their time focusing solely on graphic design for the web and light printed materials. This allows them to become experts in programs like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, Apple’s Aperture program, and a number of others. All students will take classes that introduce them to color palettes and the best way to choose colors, graphic sizes, and design types for the web. They will learn about key differences between electronic and print graphic design, as well as how to create graphics that scale well on different devices and with different screen sizes. Internships are required at the Art Institute, and academic credit will be awarded to students who successfully complete at least one practical experience in the Indianapolis design community as a result.
Graphic & Web Design Bachelor of Science (BS)
This four-year program goes above and beyond what is offered by the AS degree in graphic design. Students will learn will of those skills, ranging from the programs used for design to the methods needed when producing stunning graphics for all types of media. In addition to those fundamentals of graphic design, however, students will also learn extensive amounts of information about creating websites and designing them to coincide with how people use the Internet in the 21st century. That means they’ll learn about XHTML and CSS, PHP and MySQL databases, and more. All students will be expected to understand the difference between adaptive and responsive design, as well as how to create websites that scale down perfectly from desktops to tablets, tablets to smartphones, and so on. An internship is required for this program, though the Art Institute maintains a wealth of connections in Indianapolis that makes it easy for students to find a relevant placement in the city.
Accreditation
- The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
Contact
Art Institute of Indianapolis
Department of Graphic and Web Design
3500 DePauw Blvd. #1010
Indianapolis, IN 46268
Phone: (317) 613-4800
Website: http://new.artinstitutes.edu/indianapolis/Programs/graphic-design/497
DeVry University
College of Media Arts and Technology
DeVry is one of the oldest and most seasoned providers of distance education, but they also operate a nationwide network of smaller, urban campuses where students can enjoy a traditional classroom learning environment. That’s certainly the case for Indiana students, who enjoy access to two web design programs at campuses in both Indianapolis and Merrillville. The College of Media Arts and Technology uses the talents of adjunct and doctoral professors who still work somewhere in the design industry, which allows students to learn theoretical design skills and practical insights that will make it easier to hit the ground running as they find employment in this growing sector. All students will be encouraged to complete a portfolio as they go through each course, and that portfolio will play an instrumental role in their capstone course as well as their job interview process once they complete either of the available programs in design at DeVry. Both web design and development degrees offered at the Indianapolis and Merrillville campuses are also available online, and our editors ranked these programs as number four in the top ten best online web design schools and degrees.
Web Graphic Design Degree Program Associate of Science (AS)
Designing graphics for the web is an entirely new process, and one that might not be familiar to those who are more accustomed to designing for print and large format materials. This program focuses exclusively on creating graphics for websites, with courses that focus on popular design software as well as the best practices for various screen sizes. Students will learn how to choose colors, how to differentiate from RGB and CMYK color formats, and how to pick proper matching hex-format color codes for their graphics and web designs. They’ll be able to create scalable graphics that translate well between devices, and they’ll learn about emerging trends and formats like 24-but PNG, SVG graphics, and much more.
Bachelor in Multimedia Design and Development
For those students with an interest in more than just graphic or web design, DeVry’s program in multimedia design is likely the best choice. This program starts students off with courses on basic graphic design and development, web design, and basic web programming, and then moves into everything from online videos to animation. The program also encourages students to create a professional portfolio throughout the program, and will review this portfolio component during a final-year capstone. Coursework emphasizes numerous software tools from Apple, Adobe, and other companies, that integrate graphic design with video, animation, and other media. Students will learn how to create adaptive, responsive designs that scale to all screen sizes, and they’ll put their skills to use in real-world scenarios and through case studies. Internships are strongly encouraged in this program, and students can opt to exchange up to three credit hours of academic work for internship experience to help them handle the added workload.
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
9100 Keystone Crossing
Ste. 100
Indianapolis, IN 46240
Phone: (317) 581-8854
Website: http://www.devry.edu/degree-programs/college-media-arts-technology/web-graphic-design-about.html
Grace College
School of Arts and Sciences
Originally founded as a theological school, Grace College has grown into a small liberal arts institution that gives students the advantage of smaller class sizes and a more intimate learning setting. The School of Arts and Sciences oversees both a Bachelor of Art and Bachelor of Science in web design and development, offered through the school’s Art Department. The school is one of the largest of Grace College’s five “divisions,” and has spent the last half-century creating strong connections with the surrounding Winona Lake community so that its graduates can enjoy better degree recognition and post-graduation job opportunities. All students benefit from brand new, on-campus computer labs and learning facilities, which help students put their classroom theory to practical use as they create vibrant websites, corresponding graphics, and unique web applications that they produce using web programming skills.
Bachelor of Art (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) in Web Design and Development
It’s worth noting that students can choose either a BA or BS degree as part of the web design and development program. The Bachelor of Arts degree focuses more heavily on humanities and liberal arts courses in the general education core, while the Bachelor of Science program will see students take a large number of quantitative course requirements, programming classes, and laboratory science courses. Both programs are united by the web design and development core, which teaches students how to create websites using HTML, XHTML, CSS 2.0 and 3.0, and PHP. They’ll learn about popular content management systems like WordPress, the proper way to design graphics for the web, and how to create responsive websites that can automatically scale down as screen sizes get smaller. Students will become proficient in numerous applications that make designing a bit easier, from Dreamweaver to Photoshop and both the Mac and Windows platforms. They’ll also learn the basics of web hosting and file management, giving them a series of even more marketable skills for future clients.
Accreditation:
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
Contact
Grace College
School of Arts and Sciences
200 Seminary Dr.
Winona Lake, IN 46590
Phone: (800) 544-7223
Email: enroll@grace.edu
Website: http://www.grace.edu/academics/undergraduate-majors/school-arts-sciences/art-department/web-design-and-development
Indiana Wesleyan University
Department of Information Technology
Indiana Wesleyan is typically ranked as one of the best regional universities in Indiana, and is often cited as being one of the best values among private institutions in the state. The Department of Information Technology is one of the largest on campus, and it has been growing by leaps and bounds in recent years. To better accommodate the needs and academic intentions of aspiring web designers, the department has expanded its offerings to include both two-year and four-year degrees that will give students the right practical skills and on-the-job knowledge to succeed in this field after graduation. IWU’s Department of Information Technology largely relies on professors with doctoral degrees and real-world IT experience, though several adjuncts do teach courses on-campus and via the school’s distance learning platform.
Computer Information Technology Associate of Science (AS)
The CIT degree at Indiana Wesleyan is designed for students who wish to learn a wide range of computer-related skills that work well within a larger organization. In addition to learning the basics of web and graphic design and development, students will learn traditional computer programming languages, network security skills, database management, and the fundamentals of popular software suites used in an office environment. Throughout the 63-credit program, internships and simulated, real-world experiences will be emphasized. This focus allows students to enjoy a better chance of employment in the industry upon graduation from the program.
Business Information Systems Bachelor of Science (BS)
A four-year degree in business information systems builds on the curriculum of the associate’s degree program. Students who choose this path will learn all of the same skills as those in the two-year program, but they’ll build on them and go more in-depth over the course of 120 credits. Students will focus on advanced network security not only in the workplace, but also on mobile devices and home computers that might be used in data-sensitive environments. They’ll learn more advanced web development routines and programming languages, and they’ll learn how to create custom applications and network solutions that work for their specific employer. An internship requirement, which counts for one elective course, will ensure a strong resume at the conclusion of the program.
Accreditation:
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
Contact
Indiana Wesleyan University
Department of Information Technology
4201 S. Washington St.
Marion, IN 46953
Phone: (866) 468-6498
Website: http://www.indwes.edu/adult-graduate/as-computer-information-technology/
Purdue University Calumet
School of Technology
Purdue’s Calumet campus is designed to serve students in the greater Chicago metropolitan area, thanks to its location in the northwestern part of Indiana. Consistently ranked as one of the more prestigious private schools in the state and recognized as a great overall value, the School of Technology focuses on giving students the right combination of forward-thinking classroom theory and practical, on-the-job skills through an internship component. All professors hold doctoral degrees at Purdue’s School of Information Technology, which helps them give students insight not only into basic skills, but also into research that demonstrates how computer graphics and web design principles affect marketing practices, profits, and consumer behaviors.
Bachelor of Science (BS) in Computer Graphics Technology
This Bachelor of Science program is heavy on programming and quantitative skills. Students will need to satisfy the math and IT core in order to complete the program, which will see them take courses like discrete mathematics, computer programming, information technology management, and network security. They’ll also focus heavily on computer graphics design, which includes popular file formats, leading software tools that aid the design process, and web hosting systems that allow for full deployment of graphics upon their completion. Students will learn about color choices, emerging formats, and scalable graphics that can be used on multiple devices and for multiple media formats.
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
Contact
Purdue University Calumet
School of Technology
Anderson Building, Room 145
2200 169th St.
Hammond, IN 46323
Phone: (219) 989-2035
Email: cit@purduecal.edu
Website: http://webs.purduecal.edu/citg/citg-home/cgt-degree/
Vincennes University
Department of Information Technology
Founded in 1801, Vincennes markets itself as the first university in Indiana. The school is a two-year, residential institution, making it significantly different from virtually every other two-year college or university in the state of Indiana. Students attend Vincennes for both associate’s degrees and certificates, both of which are offered by the Department of Information Technology. Thanks to a combination of doctoral professors and skilled adjuncts, students benefit from on-campus labs, insight into real-world skills required of the modern web designer, and long-term perspectives on the future of web and graphic design. Affordable tuition rates for certificate and two-year degree programs give students a chance to succeed without the traditional debt burden offered by other institutions.
Web Publishing and Design Certificate
The focus of this degree is on the intersection of content and visual effects. In addition to learning popular software programs used to design for the web, like Photoshop and InDesign, students will learn how to create a blog and how to market content online. This combination of skills is perhaps the most highly in-demand among today’s employers. At the completion of the certificate, students will be able to create engaging content, work within popular content management platforms, and create compelling graphics and XHTML designs that leverage the power of today’s digital content.
Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Web Development
This Associate of Applied Science degree leaves the liberal arts curriculum behind and focuses almost exclusively on how students can design websites and deploy them for individuals or organizations. The program teaches students content management platforms, CSS and XHTML, PHP and MySQL, web hosting and website administration basics, and how to properly secure, backup, and organize a productive website. Students will be required to have at least one internship, generally during their second and final year of study, for which they can earn up to six credits of elective work through Vincennes “exchange” program.
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA HLC)
Contact
Vincennes University
Department of Information Technology
1002 N. 1st St.
Vincennes, IN 47591
Phone: (800) 742-9198
Email: vuadmit@vinu.edu
Website: http://www.vinu.edu/content/web-development
Growth in web design and development shows no signs of slowing down, as an increasing number of businesses and individuals launch websites to target new audiences and redesign their approach to the online world. For those students with a natural talent for graphic design, web designs service, and large-scale web development, there is perhaps no better degree than one of the options listed here. Each of the web design degree programs in Indiana will teach essential design, programming, and deployment skills that will prove useful over the long course of the internet’s future.
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