If you wish to appear a qualified candidate for a web design role, you’ll need not only the specialized knowledge the field requires, but also something to show prospective employers that you possess those skills. A certificate program is one way of doing this: schools that offer in-depth programs in web design award certificates as a credential for their students’ achievement. Above and beyond these certificates (which are much like diplomas), you can further document your capabilities by standing for certification examinations in, for example, the Adobe Creative Cloud programs. These certifications are even greater proof of your abilities and should do something to separate you from the pack of other job applicants.
Noble Desktop: Web Design Certificate
Key Information: This online certificate program runs for 26 all-day weekday sessions for a total of 162 classroom hours, and is offered at a discounted price of $4995. Students enrolling in the program should know how to use a computer and be reasonably proficient in Photoshop. No prior coding experience is necessary, however. The tuition includes a free retake option that allows you to repeat the entire course, either as a brush-up, or as a chance to catch up the bits you may have missed the first time through.
The Noble Desktop Web Design Certificate program begins with instruction in how to use Figma, an all-around tool used by web developers to keep the various strands of a project together. From there, it moves on to modules on UI design, HTML and CSS, Flexbox, Grid and Bootstrap, and JavaScript. The class also includes modules on portfolio development, HTML email styling, and how to make the most of WordPress. The result is a body of knowledge that will enable you to use the most in-demand tools to develop dynamic and interactive websites for desktop and mobile devices alike.
Included with tuition are no fewer than eight 1-to-1 mentoring sessions with an established professional in the web design field. These are designed to round out the educational experience and provide oversight as you develop your portfolio for the job market. The mentoring sessions also cover resume polishing, interview readiness, and best practices for approaching the job market. Note that Noble Desktop does not provide such job placement services as seeking out leads for students to follow.
It does include features such as a free retake option and industry-leading proprietary text- and workbooks. The curriculum is of the hands-on learn-by-doing variety, which gives students a chance to apply what they’re learning and to see the results on their own screens. A number of payment plans are available as well. Instruction is conducted fully live and fully online, which affords the student the necessary contact with the teacher—class sizes are kept small—as well as the chance to study from anywhere. That would include the Hamon Atrium in the Dallas Museum of Fine Art if you’re interested in learning about web design in an inspiring artistic setting.
Dallas College: Web Development Certificate
Key Information: This certificate program is available at all seven Dallas College campuses (Brookhaven, Cedar Valley, Eastfield, El Centro, Mountain View, North Lake, and Richland) and consists of two semesters of work, nine credit hours per semester (To judge how much work that entails, Dallas College considers 12 hours to be a full-time courseload). The price for the resulting 18 credit hours is $1422 for Dallas County residents. Texans living outside of Dallas County pay $2430, while out-of-state and international students pay $3600. Certificate program students are exempt from the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirement (which ensures that you’re ready to tackle college-level work), but note that the waiver is waived if you choose to take additional non-certificate program courses in addition to your certificate work. The program’s only prerequisite is that you be able to operate a computer.
Formerly the Dallas County Community College District, which was established in 1965, Dallas College is one of the largest community colleges in the Lone Star State, and is host to over 20,000 continuing education students. The school awards approximately,000 certificates annually.
The certificate program consists of six courses: Digital Imaging I, Web Design Tools, Introduction to Python Programming for the first semester, and PHP Programming, Beginning Web Programming, and Web Authoring for the second. Each of these courses consists of a two-hour weekly lecture and a four-hour weekly practical hands-on lab. Stress is placed on the technical aspects of web development, including database concepts, web authoring, and networking. The program was created to produce graduates who possess the necessary skills to assume an entry-level position in web development.
Texas State Technical College: Web Design & Development – Front-end Designer
Key Information: This is an online two-semester, eight-month program that prepares students for entry-level positions in front-end web design. Nine credit hours are required per semester (a full-time course load would be 12 credit hours; you can estimate the time required to participate in the program accordingly). Texas residents pay $1746 per semester for the program, coming out to $3492 for the entire program. That increases substantially for non-Texas residents: $3132 per semester, which yields $6264 in total. The certificate program has no prerequisites, and students are exempt from the TSI (Texas Success Initiative) assessment requirement. The school also offers a two-year (16-month; four-semester) extended version of the web development curriculum; it yields a level two certificate. The price is exactly double the one-year tuition ($6984 for Texas residents; $12,528 for non-residents), and you must initially pass the TSI assessment.
The two-semester program consists of six classes: UI/UX Design, Beginning Web Programming and Web Design I in the first semester, and Web Authoring, Web Design II, and Intermediate Web Programming in the second. Each of these classes consists of a two-hour weekly lecture and a four-hour hands-on lab. Students will learn mark-up and scripting languages, interactive interface design, and techniques for both server- and client-side web development. The extended two-year program follows the level one certificate curriculum with instruction in MySQL, PHP, server management, internet commerce, and the advanced use of scripting languages to create interactive digital media.
The course is delivered by Texas State Technical College via its TSTC platform, which brings instruction to you, not only in Dallas, but also from El Paso to Houston, from Amarillo to McAllen, and, indeed, beyond, assuming there’s an internet connection and a place to sit. Lectures and coursework alike are delivered directly to you, with the added bonus that, while you do have to be present at the lectures, you can do the coursework at any time that works with your no doubt already busy schedule.
Collin College: Front-end Web Developer
Key Information: another certificate program on offer from a two-year Texas college, the front-end Web Developer course offered by Collin College, runs for the space of almost a year, breaking up its 18 credit hours into three semesters. Students in Collin County (just northeast of Dallas) pay $62 per credit hour, making the total price of the certificate program $1116. Texans living outside of the county are charged a significantly higher $117 per credit hour, yielding a total tuition of $2106. Out-of-state and international students pay $187 for each credit hour, which comes out to $3366 in total. No payment plans are offered to continuing education students. On the bright side, certificate students are exempt from the TSI assessment requirement.
The program begins with a summer class in elementary web programming to make sure that students are able to manage the technical material that follows. Classes in interface design, web design tools, and an intermediate web programming comprise the fall semester’s work. The spring semester consists of a class in web authoring and, by way of a capstone, a course that applies what’s been learned this far in a fictional workplace, including the development and testing of a website.
Collin College offers both two-year degree and certificate programs at no fewer than seven campuses, all located within the confines of Collin County, which incorporates such cities as Allen, Frisco, and Plano. The web design certificate program is taught entirely at the Wylie Campus, situated in Wylie, about a half hour’s drive from downtown Dallas (Dallas’ unpleasant traffic permitting, of course). The spanking-new campus opened in the fall of 2020, and is capable of handling 7500 students each semester. The campus even includes a café with a Starbucks bar and, what is far rarer, an actual brick-and-mortar Barnes & Noble bookstore for purchasing textbooks that, be forewarned, may add considerably to the cost of your education. The campus even boasts a small art gallery, just in case you need some visual inspiration for that website you’re designing.
General Assembly: UX Design Bootcamp
Key Information: if you wish to cast your skill net a little wider, you might consider a course in all aspects of UX (user experience) design. The field incorporates web design while delving into the technical sides of websites and a certain amount of how to go with the what. The online program runs every weekday for approximately three months. Classes have two starting times each day: 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time and noon Eastern Time, the latter primarily intended for students on the West Coast, although it would also suit Easterners who aren’t early risers. The program is priced at $16,450. Payment plans are available, including one that becomes active only once you land a job. The course has no prerequisites, but does include several hours of self-paced pre-work that covers basic UX design concepts and ensures that all students are adequately prepared for the first day of class.
The curriculum covers both UI (user interface) and UX fundamentals before proceeding to a module on design development (from wireframing through to a finished product) and one on UX functionality in the real-world. The course concludes with an entire module devoted to career planning, which includes a capstone project that can then serve as the basis of your portfolio. An additional optional 22 hours of self-paced study of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is included as well. General Assembly teaches its UX program online, meaning that you can take it from anywhere from Dallas, Texas to Dallas Plantation, Maine to the Dallas section of Kamloops, British Columbia. As yet, however, you won’t be able to take the class from Asteroid 8084 Dallas, which is located beyond the internet in the outer part of the Main Asteroid Belt. Zoom is the primary means of broadcasting live classes; students also stay in contact with the school and each other using Slack.
General Assembly includes extensive career services with their classes. Students are assigned a career coach who works with them throughout the duration of the course to prepare them for the job market experience, including such things as mock interviews and personal brand development. Also included is access to networking opportunities, including school-hosted events such as guest speaker engagements and hiring panels. The school’s 2020 figures (the most recent available) show that nearly 75% of GA students who participated in the career services program were able to secure in-field jobs within six months of completing their course.
Career Foundry: UI Design Program
Key Information: This is a self-paced (asynchronous) UI (user interface) class that prepares students for the job market in anywhere from four-and-a-half months (students working 30 to 40 hours per week) to nine months (part-time students working 15 to 20 hours a week). The price of the program is $7900, with a prepayment discount available, along with a number of payment plans, including one that won’t kick in until you’ve found a job. The course comes with a money-back guarantee: if you fail to find at least a part-time in-field job within six months of graduation, you’ll owe nothing. The program is beginner-friendly, and there are no prerequisites. Note that the first lesson is available on the CareerFoundry website at no charge.
CareerFoundry is based in Berlin, Germany, and is truly international in scope, with mentors and tutors in every time zone on the planet, although the language of instruction is always English. The UI program is entirely online and entirely self-paced: you view the lessons (which the school strives to keep up-to-date) when you can, and then submit the practical exercises to your tutor, who returns them with constructive criticism within 24 hours. In addition to the tutor, you are also assigned a mentor who reviews your projects and helps sharpen your portfolio. In addition to Career Foundry’s dual mentorship model, you also have a student advisor, as well as a career specialist, whose job it is to help find you a job once you’ve completed your studies.
UI is the aspect of web design that concentrates on the development of the parts of websites with which the end user comes into contact. If there’s a button on a website, it’s because a UI designer put it there. The CareerFoundry curriculum is divided into an introductory phase, an extended immersion phase, and then a specialization (which offers students a choice between voice user interface design, animation for UI, or front-end development for designers). In addition to their regular classes, all students take a Job Prep Course to get them ready for the vagaries of the job market. The program is designed to keep participants’ eyes on the prize—getting hired—to which end emphasis is constantly placed on marketable in-demand skills.
Otis College of Art and Design Extension: UX/UI for Web Design Certificate
Key Information: the UX/UI for Web Design program at Otis College of Art and Design consists of ten separate courses that may be taken in a year or for up to as long as a year and a half. The price of the program is estimated at $5310; students pay per course upon enrolment, so there is no lump sum payment required. This program is WIOA funding eligible. There are no prerequisites. The certificate of completion is issued by the University of California at Riverside.
Located in Los Angeles, Otis College is among the leading art schools in the country, and offers a small set of extension division certificate programs. The UX/UI program delves into both sides of the web design coin, approaching both from an artistic direction. Students, therefore, take classes in color theory, typography, and graphic design, as well as more technical classes in specific UX and UI methodologies. A concluding class in portfolio development is included as well. Among the tools students will learn to use are Figma, Sketch, Mirro, and programs from the Adobe Creative Cloud.
Otis College teaches its classes both onsite in and around Los Angeles and online, opening them to students across the country. Classes are a combination of lectures and hands-on exercises that develop into the substance of the portfolio you’ll be able to show to prospective employers once you’ve completed your studies. Extension students at Otis College are able to avail themselves of such resources as career assessment and counseling. Internship advising and a degree of professional networking are included as well. Students exit the program with the creative and technical skills to assume entry-level roles in web design.
FAQ for Web Design Certificates
What is the Difference Between a Certificate and a Certification?
Although they sound alike, and both share a common Medieval Latin root in certificare, to certify, in the business world, certificates and certifications are different things. You are awarded a certificate when you complete a certain type of course of study. Certificate programs are generally extensive, and the certificates they generate are very much like what diplomas are to degree programs. They often come in digital form and are suitable for display on such things as LinkedIn profiles. You should also reference your certificate on your resume.
A certification, on the other hand, is more objective. It means that you’ve passed an exam established by a software manufacturer (such as Adobe) and administered by a third party (more often than not, Certiport or Pearson VUE). Being an Adobe Certified Professional for a given Creative Cloud program attests to the fact that you’ve amassed a definite and quantifiable amount of knowledge about the software.
Should I Pursue a Certificate or a Certification?
Certificates and certifications are essentially mutually exclusive. A certificate is more subjective, and, obviously, a certificate from a better and better-known school is going to stand you in better stead than one from Joe’s Academy of Web Design and Noodle House. A certification establishes that you are competent at using a given program.
While certification is a more absolute measure of your abilities, it is limited to a particular type of software: being an Adobe Certified Professional in InDesign shows that you’re good at manipulating type, but it doesn’t say anything about the broader portfolio of skills you’ll have acquired as a result of having attended a certificate program. Certificates testify to a breadth of knowledge that certifications cannot target. You, therefore, should probably go for both: a good certificate program should probably give you enough knowledge about at least one type of software in which you can then pursue certification.
Do I Need to Become Certified to Find a Job?
There’s no secret vitamin pill for getting hired. On the other hand, one or more certifications on your resume should help the hiring director answer the first question people in their position have to ask: can a given candidate do a given job? A certification is an objective yardstick that can go a long way toward answering that question. You want to make yourself look as capable as you possibly can, and certifications can go a long way toward doing just that.
That said, you needn’t seek out certification for every skill you have. That would be pointlessly time-consuming, and decidedly expensive (as you have to pay for every certification exam you take). Determine which skills are most important to the jobs for which you are applying, and consider becoming certified in those.
What Certificate Program is Right for Me?
Which is Better: In-Person or Online Classes?
The choice between in-person and online classes is a matter of both personal taste and individual circumstances. Learning in a classroom with a living, breathing teacher in the same room as you is the way you learned to learn in school, and it’s a generally reliable method for learning everything from quilting and mixology to Figma and Photoshop. Where in-person learning comes up short is convenience: to take part in an in-person class, you have to get to an in-person class, and that can entail rush hour, inconvenient public transportation, and any number of other complications that can all be avoided by following a class live online in the comfort and privacy of your own space. You can wear something comfortable, sit in a comfortable chair, and (Dallasites will no doubt appreciate this) never have to venture out of the air conditioning in summer.
As relates specifically to web design classes in the Big D, the choice of an online course over an in-person one may also be dictated by the somewhat scant availability of in-person classes in Dallas. Online courses will give you more from which to choose, simply because there are more of them than there are schools in Dallas that offer web design certificate programs. More classes from which to choose also involves different time frames, prices, and bells and whistles. You will need to do considerable due diligence (and a small amount of soul-searching) to find the right option for you, your schedule, your wallet, and such other obligations as you may be juggling.
Which is Better: Live Online or Asynchronous Classes?
Choosing between a synchronous and an asynchronous online class is at least as much a matter of practical necessity as it is of personal choice. You may simply not be able to find a live online course that fits your schedule. Many certificate programs take place in the daytime, which makes them incompatible with a day job. Family obligations (or a second job) may make evening classes, when you can find them, equally impractical. You may also not like learning from a teacher at this point in your life and feel you can do just as well learning on your own. And, finally, there is the financial imperative: on-demand classes are generally less expensive than live ones, and any opportunity not to go into debt should always be evaluated very circumspectly.
All that said, most people can profit from the ability to ask the instructor a question when something isn’t clear. That’s something you lose with an asynchronous class, although there are self-paced classes that provide tutors to whom questions can be addressed. The other pitfall of on-demand learning is sticking with it. Having to report to class at a particular time every day will definitely keep you honest and on top of your assignments. When there’s no one to crack the metaphoric whip but you, you’d only be succumbing to human nature if you fell behind and ultimately lost interest in the whole undertaking. That doesn’t mean that on-demand learning doesn’t work. It does mean that you’ll need to have considerable reserves of self-discipline to keep going with your self-paced program