Web Design and Content Planning, MA

This programme takes graduates from many disciplines and provides them with the skills to plan, design, build and promote effective websites. It is aimed both at people who manage corporate websites and at those who wish to start their own web business. The design of excellent websites presents a notable intellectual challenge and during the programme, students will develop a modern, professional and real-world approach. Our objective is to provide a balanced education in the three aspects of web design and content management: technical, functional and aesthetic.

The technical aspects of the teaching provide an understanding of the tools, technologies and principles utilised for the design and development of contemporary websites. This includes the creation of semantically correct markup, the separation of presentation from content (XHTML & CSS) and the use of web standards (W3C).

The functional aspects focus on the creation of websites with good information architecture that are accessible, useable and findable as a result of effective Search Engine Marketing (SEM/SEO). Students learn how people use the web, how they navigate web content and how they search for information.

The aesthetic aspects of web design are considered with regard to graphic/artistic/typographic and business objectives, including corporate identity and branding.

Typically, our students fall into 3 groups: (1) those with web-related skills (often self-taught) who need a structured and balanced approach to further study, (2) those who have become involved with the web and need new skills to develop their present careers, (3) those who have decided on a career change and see web design and content management as a new opportunity.

Content

• Web Page Design
• Website Planning
• Content Strategy
• Web Thesis Project

Options from a range including:

• Website Design and Testing
• Web Art
• Law and Education
• Training