Help me Choose my courses. Is it worth it?

I want to take these courses. Am I making the right decision?

[flagirl]

Hello,
Lately, I have been seriously thinking about getting a college credit certificate for web design or web developer from a community college. I am due to graduate with a BA in English/Technical writing and have been exposed to some web stuff and found that I love it.

I would like to know what I could expect to earn having either of the following certificates in addition to my BA in Technical Writing, or independent of it. I also plan on taking courses in photoshop, dreamweaver, and in-design. Any input would help! BTW I could easily turn either of these into AS Degrees by adding only a couple of classes since I already have and AA, will have a BA and all my general ed. requirements would have been met.

Option 1: Web Design
CGS 1000 Intro. to Computers & Technology 3 cr.
CGS 1555 Introduction to the Internet 3 cr.
CGS 2509 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat 1 cr.
CGS 2820 Web Authoring - HTML 3 cr.
CGS 2541 Database Design 3 cr.
CGS 2822 Web Site Creation 3 cr.
OST 1142 Keyboarding I 1 cr.
OST 1813 Desktop Publishing 3 cr.
CGS 1577 Presentations Systems 3 cr.
CGS 1871 Multimedia Authoring I 3 cr.
CGS 2876 Desktop Audio/Video Design/Animation 3 cr.
COP 2823 Graphics Design for Multimedia/Internet 3 cr.
COP 2826 Advanced Graphics Design 3 cr.

Option 2:Web Developer
CGS 1000 Intro. to Computers & Technology 3 cr.
CGS 1555 Introduction to the Internet 3 cr.
CGS 2509 Introduction to Adobe Acrobat 1 cr.
CGS 2820 Web Authoring - HTML 3 cr.
CGS 2541 Database Design 3 cr.
CGS 2822 Web Site Creation 3 cr.
OST 1142 Keyboarding I 1 cr.
CGS 1760 Introduction to Unix 3 cr.
COP 1000 Programming Logic 3 cr.
CGS 1936 Perl and CGI 3 cr.
CGS 2545 Introduction to Web Databases 3 cr.
COP 2800 JAVA Programming 3 cr.
COP 2822 Scripting for the Web 3 cr.

[woop01]

Speaking for most of the web developers I know, what you do at night will be more important than what courses you take.

Make sure you use everything you learn to develop your own site(s) at night without having to be motivated to do so for course credit. It will either turn into a great portfolio or business.

[flagirl]

Thanks, actually, I have learned HTML myself and am a beginner CSS user. I have learned only enough to, for example, find a CSS template and modify the hell out of it just by messing around and playing with it. But it's not like I can just start something from scratch. I would like to learn some real skills though and would at least like to have something on my resume.

[flagirl]

I guess what I'm trying to ask is if these courses are worth it. If I actually learn and apply the things that I learn in them, will I have a decent job or know enough to do my own business? How much could I expect to be paid?

[faith580]

i was on here about 4 years ago asking the same questions...what classes to take and are they worth it. i say take them. but just like woop01 said...ya gotta do it on your own. the teachers are only gonna tell you so much. i suggest you build you own portfolio with all that you learn. in addition to class..look online for tutorials. thats how i learn alot of my skills. look at those template sites to get ideas.

as for a pay...i also asked that same question here. and its a hard thing to answer. that depends on your skills/creativity. you can have all the degrees and certificates in web design/developing all you want. but in my opinion its what you can do...not necessary the book smart part.

[dbdev]

The very fact that you know enough to get a css template and modify the "hell" out of it instead of starting from scratch is indicative of a consultant in the making.

Work smart; not hard.

Courses don't mean squat by the way. I have completed a vast number of projects without once ever being asked "what web design courses did you take".

In this business the proof is in the pudding.

Start creating sites and asking for feedback. Learn from your mistakes. Develop a strong portfolio of high quality work and use that as a showcase of your design skills.

No amount of more education is a waste however it's your portfolio and client testimonials that is going to get you the contracts.

Your BA in writing is going to go a long way for you.

Best of luck on your venture into this growing market.

Mike.

[jtara]

These courses seem outdated to me.

Perl and Java are the only server-side scripting languages covered?

Perl, IMO, is on the way out. Java is a specialty. (Raise your hand if you use Java on your site, and you do NOT work for a big corporation...)

While I don't like PHP myself, I don't know what they are thinking by omitting it.

I'd like to see at least an introduction (in the Web Developer track) to a modern scripting language such as Ruby or Python.

I don't see Javascript anywhere, nor CSS. AJAX? No way.

Keyboarding? If you need a course in keyboarding, forget it!

[flagirl]

Thanks everyone! These are really great and helpful comments. Actually, when I was looking at the courses, I didn't know what many of these courses meant. As I started working on my little website projects, I found myself feeling like I needed to know what php and javascript were. That's when I started doubting these courses, and of course, I definitely don't need a keyboarding or intro to the internet course! So this is my plan, I'll read some books and do some tutorials and practice, practice, practice. I'm thinking of this:

1. Getting to know the inside and out of HTML
2. Getting to know the inside and out of CSS
3. Learning Photoshop very well
4. Reading an intro to programming logic book
5. Learning some stuff about javascript and php
6. Reading some stuff about SEO
7. Reading as much as I can about web standards
8. Hang out here a LOT!

This sound like a good plan? Feel free to help me modify my plan!

[dbdev]

9. Start building international relationships.

There are several freelance websites out there that act as a marshalling point for contractors and clients.

From there (among other places such as here) you can see who is who in the industry, get an idea of how much they charge and what contracts and proposals look like.

Introduce yourself to sources you find. Tell them you are starting a web design company and will consider their company as a source for work.

Start building a database of names, numbers etc.. of international sources.

This is an important step as international sources will play a big role in project execution should you take the route of consultant.

And yes. Hanging out here is prolly one of the best things you could do to learn more about this industry.

All the best.

Mike.

[Jane_Doe]

It depends upon what your goals are. If you want to make a living from your own content sites eventually, you can do that really just knowing HTML and Dreamweaver.

I took classes like Java and C++ when I went back to school when my kids were old enough to start grade school. The programming classes in those languages were a LOT of homework and I've never used the languages outside the classroom. As Jtara noted, you would probably only use those if you worked in a big corporation and in a programming oriented type job.

[edited by: Jane_Doe at 4:57 pm (utc) on Mar. 3, 2008]

[flagirl]

Well, I like the sound of a consultant, although I’m not exactly sure what exactly would be required to be one. I have a few goals. Right now, I’m trying to learn as much as possible in hopes to be able to do websites that are decent enough that I could target small businesses in the area while I finish graduate school. I’d love to be able to work from home.

Maybe as I learn more, I’d like to make money from them in one way or another. I have some experience writing proposals and other business communications, and I think that may be very helpful in this. I am currently doing a website for a non-profit that started out as a volunteer project to help them with their updating. I started doing one on my own to replace what they have, and as I learned more about the organization, I came up with a whole new structure of it, including content and all. They were pretty impressed, and I think I’ll be getting paid for it now. I did some of it and told them if they wanted to me complete the project, I would need compensation. We will be negotiating soon, and I will be presenting a proposal this week.

I really only want to study things that are useful for my purposes. I’d like to know enough to be able to create quality websites on my own. I am not planning to work for a big company for now or do big huge websites.

[phranque]

Keyboarding? If you need a course in keyboarding, forget it!

ignore that advice!
i start programming in high school at a time when keyboarding courses were for secretarial sciences students.
i could still use a course in keyboarding...

[flagirl]

I've been typing for over 10 years, and I type 60+ words a minute on a slow day. What else is keyboarding if not learning how to type fast? Am I missing something here?

[jtara]

What else is keyboarding if not learning how to type fast? Am I missing something here?

OK, I made a smug comment, and a keyboarding course would probably be useful, and perhaps essential to some.

I had typing in junior high school. Old manual Underwoods. Typing teacher going hoarse, calling out:

"A S D F J K L semi!"
"A S D F J K L semi!"

Then she would come around with a ruler and whap you one if you looked at the keyboard, using the wrong finger for any key, or took your other fingers off of the home row.

A friend of my mothers typed with the "two finger method" that they apparently taught in Germany. He insisted it was good enough. Sure was funny to watch him type.

So, yea, it's just learning to type fast, in the proper way - with your fingers over the home keys, and without having to look at the keyboard. A classroom setting is actually useful for this.

I suppose nowadays, they will also warn you about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome...

Anyway, I was making the assumption that anybody with a serious interest in developing web sites would already possess keyboarding skills.

The courses you listed sound more like they are designed for somebody who doesn't have a clear direction, and has said "Hmmmm.... Web Design - that sounds interesting - I'll try that!"

I know people who have been through all of those - first the course to turn them into an IT drone, then when that didn't work out, the Real Estate course, then the Insurance course, the Medical Assistant course.... they just eat up the promises that all you need is this course.

If you already have an interest, then I think this particular kind of course isn't going to give you what you want. I think your new course of action sounds good!

[phranque]

hey if you can type 60/minute you can already keyboard.
all i'm saying is if you don't have that "ruler rapping your knuckles in high school" you will still be a 2-6 finger typist with carpal tunnel that can't type in the dark, 20 years later.

as far as the rest - if you spend your 40 hours/week or whatever here and developing your site(s) you will have more practical experience - you just won't have the certificate to frame and hang.
the most important thing in any case is learning how and where to find the answers you don't already know.

[dbdev]

Well, I like the sound of a consultant, although I’m not exactly sure what exactly would be required to be one.

There is a lot to being a consultant. As mentioned developing relationships, learning the business aspect of "web design", gaining the trust of clients, understanding and recongnizing the quality of deliverables from contractors and marketing.

The key is to be able to validate and approve work completed by others. Once you get back all the "pieces", your job will be to assemble them into a fully functional website.

Starting local will also be key. Start going to business networking meetings typically held monthly. From there you will find clients which translates into a portfolio which is the ultimate sales tool in this business.

Mike.