If you’re looking for a career that combines computer skills with creative design abilities, you should look into the degree required for a career as a website designer. While it isn’t strictly necessary to earn a degree in order to find work designing and developing websites, it is important to have a thorough knowledge of both the artistic design skills and the technical computer skills needed to create websites that are as functional as they are aesthetically appealing. Most web developers have an undergraduate degree in the field of web design and development.
Subjects Studied in a Website Design and Development Program
It’s possible to start out working in the field of web design and development with just a high school diploma, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). However, even the most motivated and independent learners cannot learn everything they need to know about design and computer programming all on their own. That’s why many professional web designers and developers earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in web design. Web design programs include studies in computer programming languages as well as graphic design classes.
Associate’s Degrees in Web Design
Most employers consider an associate’s degree the minimum degree required for a career as a website designer, the BLS reported. In a two-year associate’s degree program, web design majors will study fundamental computer programming languages like HTML and learn how to write the computer code that creates websites.
Bachelor’s Degrees in Web Development
An associate’s degree in web design may cover the basics, but it won’t expose students to a lot of general college-level studies that could prove useful in an individual’s later career, or to a wide array of computer programming languages and publishing tools. Additionally, a two-year degree might not be sufficient to allow for any future career advancement. For example, a bachelor’s degree in web design and development is the degree required for a career as a website designer and project manager, according to the BLS.
The demand for website developers is increasing rapidly, with the BLS predicting job opportunities to grow “much faster than average,” by 27 percent over a decade. However, the career prospects are predicted to be best for candidates who are familiar with multiple computer programming languages and digital multimedia tools. That’s why some employers consider a bachelor’s degree in web development to be the degree required for a career as a website designer. Bachelor’s degree programs in web development may offer students more opportunities to study additional programming languages, such as JavaScript and SQL, and to learn how to use tools like Flash and Photoshop. Four-year programs also offer students the chance to learn how to create multiple types of webpages and websites, include web portals and Internet retail sites.
While there’s no one degree required for a career as a website designer, it’s a smart idea to invest in an education at the bachelor’s degree level.