New Program Spotlight: Graphic Web Design

Our Web Design & Development program is being revamped to accommodate learners’ needs by breaking it into three professional certificate programs on Graphic Web Design, Front End Development, and Back End Development. We sat down with Program Manager Rebecca Mattox and Instructor Rob Smith to learn more about the upcoming changes and the Graphic Web Design Certificate.

Rebecca, why is the Web Design & Development program being updated?
Web design and development skills are more desirable today than ever before. Our college is constantly evolving to lead in innovation and respond to the needs of our community and workforce. The programs were previously offered as one course, but offering three separate courses benefits both designers and developers. These certificates give students the opportunity to learn the fundamental design principles, tools, and practices.

Are prospective students required to take the courses in a particular order?
Although there are certain prerequisites for each course, students may choose to enroll in any course. As long as the students meet those requirements, they can take courses in any order.

Why are web design and development skills essential?
More and more, we see these technical skills becoming part of job requirements. An organization’s website is a user’s first impression with your brand. A well-built website will not only lead to a better experience for the consumer but also increase traffic and conversations. This certificate program focuses on the user’s end experience. It gives students an understanding of how to design and implement user-focused, growth-driven sites and our students take this knowledge to fill the gap in the workforce.

Rob, how long have you been an instructor for CPE?
I became part of the web design teaching staff in August of 2017. I instructed the design portion of the Web Design & Development course.

How does your background relate to instructing this course?
I have been a professional graphic designer since 1998. Currently, I serve as the assistant director of marketing in charge of creative for CPE. Brand promotion and image strategy keep me awake at night. My background is in print design, so I know the struggle for designers trying to move from print to web.

What can students expect to learn?
Primarily, this is a design course covering design applications in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Both designers and developers alike will gain valuable skills from this course.

Students new to design or developers looking to broaden their design skills can expect to get a solid grounding in practical aesthetic design theory. Students who are looking to break into the world of web design will build a solid foundational knowledge in HTML and CSS that will give them the necessary skills to propel them into front-end development.

Along with design and coding skills, students will also be introduced to the key concepts of user interface and user experience. Usability is a deciding factor in whether or not an audience remembers a product, event, space, website or design of any kind. It is a driving factor in not only market decisions, but in the human experience as a whole. The key to success in design is understanding how design affects usability. This course is taught with a quick pace hands-on approach meant to introduce key concepts and build them into practical skills.

Learn more
For more information on this program or other technology offerings, call 470-578-6765 or email ccpe@kennesaw.edu.