StoutFiles - 2:06 pm on May 25, 2012 (gmt 0)

IMHO - if you're going to get into this business you need a solid understanding of the basics of how the web works - really works including the tech structure, black hat/white hat, basics of HTML, HTTP/S, FTP, SMTP, POP, DNS, VoIP, etc.. Both as a user/developer and as a security enforcer. It's taken me 16 years to get to a point where I feel I can at least talk somewhat intelligible about a narrow slice of all of the skills required. I'm on the edge of my knowledge with the rest.

Not really. Take FTP...you don't need to know how it works under the surface, just how to use an FTP application or FTP functions. A basic understanding is all you need and if you have trouble with an issue, THEN you can delve into the problem and learn more about it.

SO I propose if colleges and universities really want to get in on the education of our future webmasters, then develop curriculum for graduate levels instead of a hodgepodge of courses under a computer science degree.

The hodgepodge of courses is to develop problem solving, so you aren't a one trick pony who's a great webmaster but not great at other things. What if the future of the becomes completely application driven? Now I've got all these webmaster skills that don't really apply to building apps for the new web portals. College CS classes teach you enough so that it's relatively easy to pick up new skills on the backbone you acquire there...it's not up to the colleges to teach you everything, there's just too much to learn. It's up to YOU to keep learning after college.