Web Design AOS. Program Guide. web design AOS program guide

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1 Web Design AOS Program Guide web design AOS program guide 1

2 Web Design AOS Program Guide The Mission Department Head s Message Curriculum Program Objectives Getting Started STUDENT WORK BY: Daniela Vizcaino Eric Satterwhite Grace McCrorie Mick Fahy Sarah Watson 2 web design program guide 3

3 web design AOS program The Mission The Web is always evolving, so it s no wonder that Web design is one of the most challenging, creative, and rewarding careers in design. A good Web designer is able to balance the business goals of companies and clients with the diverse needs of Web users. Succeeding in the field requires strong project management, technical, and communication skills, as well as artistic vision and an intuitive grasp of the medium. The Sessions Associate of Occupational Studies in Web Design program offers an intensive two-year professional degree for students seeking to enter careers as Web designers with a focus on visual and interactive design. Designed for high school graduates and adult learners, the program will offer a strong foundation in visual design and a working knowledge of XHTML, CSS, and Flash design practices. Strong graphic design is the foundation of the Web design program. First year studies include drawing, typography, color theory, composition, digital photography, and XHTML, CSS, as well as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Second year classes place greater emphasis on the Web by providing training in Adobe Fireworks, Dreamweaver, and Flash, as well advanced studies in scripting, animation, and online marketing. Web design students learn to think like designers through research, practice, and critique. Students learn how to identify the needs of different client and audiences; research and analyze a project brief; manage the different stages of a Web site project, create site maps, comps, and mood boards and present work to clients; manipulate the fundamentals of design; create polished, professional work; and discuss and critique design with peers. General education courses help students develop proficiency in critical thinking and written communication and a foundation in psychology, business, computer technology, writing, and art history. Excellent communication skills and an understanding of the social and aesthetic context of design are the hallmark of any Web designer. Students are expected to apply the approaches and ideas acquired in the general education program in their design coursework. The program will focus on helping students build a body of work through faculty mentoring and critique. The Web design faculty is a team of professionals who bring to the classroom many years of experience in design agency work, design industry publishing, software and technology standards, art exhibition, and online teaching. Small classes combine personal attention with peer-to-peer interaction, and second year students gain essential career preparation training in a capstone project, design business class, and portfolio review. Department Head Christopher Schmitt is the founder of Heatvision, a small new media publishing and design firm. Christopher is an award-winning Web designer who has been working with the Web since A sought-after speaker and trainer, Christopher is the Co-Lead of the Adobe Task Force for the Web Standards Project (WaSP) and author of numerous Web design and digital imaging books, including Adapting to Web Standards: CSS and Ajax for Big Sites, and CSS Cookbook. Christopher has also written for New Architect Magazine, A List Apart, Digital Web, and Web Reference. Department Head s Message The Web has removed myriad barriers to communication. A message can be sent, seen, even heard around the world in an instant. A Web page can be distributed to a global audience without regard to geography or time. However there is this problem: your message isn t the only one out there. Web design is no longer a tool for major companies with outsized IT budgets or expensive computer systems. Broader access to technology means that your idea (and the execution of that idea) must compete for attention on the Web with so many other messages, ads, pages, and sites that it s hard to be noticed. But that s the fun part of designing for the Web. As a Web designer, you re responsible not only for creating a design idea but also for executing that idea, down to the last pixel and HTML tag. You control the message, if you have a mastery of Web languages and graphics software, and a good grasp of design fundamentals, page layout, and interface design. A skill in Flash and JavaScript will help you provide the interactivity that many clients demand. In the Sessions College Associate of Occupational Studies program, you ll gain a foundation for creating rich Web designs. A focus on visual design will help your work stand out from the crowd. We ll help you hone the skills you have and develop the skills you don t have to give you the tools for creating professional work. Web design requires both sides of the brain; the analytical and the creative side are both required for a cohesive solution. In the Associate of Occupational Studies program, you ll learn a process that will help you channel your creativity for the real world of client work. In your online classes, you ll design dozens of graphic and Web projects. Practical work, discussions, and critiques will challenge you to evolve your design process and discover how to address the needs of different clients and audiences. Christopher earned an MA in Communication for Interactive and New Communication Technologies from FSU s College of This type of process and hands-on training is essential whether you re dealing with prospective clients and employers or simply working on your Web presence. Web design can be as challenging as it is rewarding, but at the end of the day, once you are done and a site is published, your design is out there for all the world to see. Communication. - Christopher Schmitt 4 sessions college for professional design web design AOS program guide 5

4 Curriculum web design AOS program The Associate of Occupational Studies in Web Design program is designed to be completed in 2 years. Classes start in the spring, summer, and fall and students must complete 72 in order to graduate. 18 of general education are required. Year one First year studies include drawing, typography, color theory, composition, digital photography, and XHTML, CSS, as well as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Semester 1 DES 104 Color Theory 1.5 DES 101 Typography I 1.5 DES 111 Drawing I 3 DES 1 Photoshop I 3 GEN 104 English Composition* 3 Semester 2 DES 105 Design and Composition 1.5 DES 131 Logo Design I 1.5 DES 141 Illustrator I 3 DES 151 Digital Photography I 3 GEN 105 Computer Technology* 3 Semester 3 WEB 101 XHTML and CSS I 3 DES 102 Typography II 3 GEN 106 History of Art* 3 GEN 107 General Psychology* 3 Year TWO Second year classes place greater emphasis on the Web by providing training in Adobe Fireworks, Dreamweaver, and Flash, as well advanced studies in scripting, animation, and online marketing. Semester 4 WEB 204 Web Graphics Using Fireworks 3 WEB 211 Dreamweaver I 3 GEN 205 Business & Technical Writing* 3 WEB 205 Writing JavaScript/DHTML 3 Semester 5 WEB 221 Flash I 3 WEB 2 Dreamweaver II 3 WEB 231 Web Design I 3 WEB 206 Web Accessibility Design 1.5 GEN 204 Intro to Marketing* 1.5 Semester 6 WEB 207 Internet Marketing 3 WEB 208 Flash Web Site Design 3 WEB 209 CSS Layouts 1.5 GEN 206 Design Business* 1.5 WEB 259 Capstone Project 2 WEB 260 Portfolio Review 1 Total : 72 * General education course. 6 sessions college for professional design web design AOS program guide 7

5 Program Objectives The goal of the Associate of Occupational Studies in Web Design program is to prepare students for a professional career as a Web designer. In the program, students will develop the technical, creative/visual, and communications skills for professional practice. Students will also begin to develop a portfolio of individual creative work to present to potential employers. In the program, students are expected to develop the ability to: 1. Create sophisticated, appropriate color 10. Design basic Flash illustrations, images, 2. palettes and use color and contrast effectively in their work. Design and lay out typography for animations, and interfaces for the Web. 11. Manage a professional Web design process including competitive research, 3. readability, impact, or expression. Create drawings in traditional media mood boards, site maps and wireframes, color design and imagery, CSS layouts, and basic usability testing. 4. that show a command of proportion, perspective, and value contrast. Prepare images for professional. Create Flash Web sites that show a proficiency in the use of digital assets, animations, interface design, and 5. publication with Photoshop retouching, correction, compositing, or collage. Create engaging and readable layout usability. 13. Apply in their work an understanding of English composition, business writing, 6. design that attracts the eye using fundamental design and composition techniques. Develop effective logo designs from a psychology, computer science, marketing and art history. 14. Write papers and presentations that demonstrate critical thinking, clear 7. client brief using an iterative design process. Manipulate framing, perspective, organization, and professional style, grammar, and spelling. 15. Represent their design services to 8. distance, and lighting to take professional digital photographs in a range of settings. Create consistent, visually appealing potential clients or employers and manage different aspects of the Web design process. 9. page designs using XHTML, CSS, and basic JavaScript via Dreamweaver or hand coding. Design Web graphics that are polished, 16. Identify current areas of strength and prepare and maintain a portfolio of their best design work in print or on the Web. consistent, and optimized, which communicate effectively and are integrated into an interface design. Getting Started admissions Students can enter programs in the spring, summer, and fall. Candidates are required to: Complete an online application and pay an application fee of $50. Provide official transcripts for high school and/or college. Provide two sealed letters of recommendation and write a 500-word essay. Provide 5-10 art or design portfolio pieces or complete a design sample project. Recent high school graduates will be required to submit SAT or ACT scores (or GED). Students whose first language is not English must provide satisfactory TOEFL, SAT Verbal, or ACT English scores. prerequisites Students must have a computer with an Internet connection and the required supplies or software programs for specific classes. Requirements for the Web Design program: A Windows or Mac-based computer that meets manufacturers requirements for the required software below Access to the Internet A digital camera Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Flash, and Fireworks CS4 software Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) An account with an ad-free Web hosting service Basic drawing supplies Any questions about program requirements may be directed to admissions@sessions.edu. web design AOS program Course Materials The Associate of Occupational Studies program is delivered entirely online. Students have 24/7 access to the school learning environment. No textbooks are required for the Associate of Occupational Studies program. The program is built around award-winning online curriculum developed by Sessions College for Professional Design faculty. All coursework and materials required to complete each course are provided in an online learning environment, including orientation materials, lectures, exercises, critique and discussion forums, videos, multimedia tools, and an online library. orientation All AOS students are expected to complete an Orientation class in the week before the beginning of semester. In the Orientation class, students will meet their program advisor, create a user profile, and get familiar with the learning environment. Students will review their semester schedules, and learn the requirements for submitting exercises and participating in discussions and critiques Calendar Summer 2010 New student orientation: May 3-7 Summer semester: May 10-Aug 20 Fall 2010 New student orientation: Aug 3-Sept 3 Fall semester: Sept 7-Dec 17 8 sessions college for professional design web design AOS program guide 9