8 of the Best Web Design Courses in the World

8 of the Best Web Design Courses in the World

Web design skills have become crucial in so many industries that earning a degree could land you a career with just about any company you could dream of working with. The best school could be right in your backyard or halfway around the world. Doing well as a designer hinges on choosing a program that gives you the skills necessary to excel in your chosen career path.

Studying abroad has added advantages that come from being exposed to unique cultures. You learn how to interact with people from varied backgrounds, get the chance to learn new languages and gain access to educational tools that may not be available closer to home. These eight schools with locations around the world offer some of the best design programs you’ll find anywhere.

Academy of Art University – San Francisco, CA

Providing an “integrated approach” that focuses on “creative fulfillment” for students, Academy of Art University caters to students who wish to learn more about web design, user experience, visual design, motion graphics and more. Its School of Web Design and New Media provides education in all of these areas through courses taught by faculty immersed in the creative industry. Students may attend classes in the professional-quality studio environment of the San Francisco campus or choose to spend a semester studying in Europe.

Bournemouth University – Dorset, United Kingdom

With Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of the Arts programs in subjects such as software engineering, computer networks, game technology, computer animation arts and computer visualization and animation, Bournemouth University prides itself on high standards. Master’s degree programs are available for students wishing to pursue further education in areas including digital effects and data and innovation. Bournemouth hosts informational events in countries all over the world, inviting international students to learn more about its programs and consider studying design in the U.K.

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) – Manchester, NH

SNHU allows international students to gain “real world experience” in its bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. Depending on whether they prefer an artistic or technological concentration, undergraduate students can choose to pursue either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of the Arts degree in computer information technology. The Master of Science degree offers a concentration in web design, including media, databases, scripting and the essentials of e-commerce.

Media Design School (MDS) – Auckland, New Zealand

Media Design School offers intensive programs in graphic and interactive design, 3D animation and visual effects, motion graphics and concept design and illustration. Each program prepares students to move on to obtain a Bachelor or Masters level degree in design, animation, computer arts or creativity technology. Media Design School welcomes international students to its campus to take advantage of all that the technologically grounded programs have to offer. MDS was the highest rated design School in the 2015 CG Student Awards.

Full Sail University – Winter Park, FL

In the bachelor’s program for web design at Full Sail University, students learn:

  • HTML5, CSS and XML
  • ActionScript and JavaScript
  • Coding
  • Interface design and usability
  • Cross-platform content publishing
  • Interactivity
  • Web standards

Websites are approached from both the front and back ends so that future designers are able to create something that is not only attractive but also highly functional from an administrative standpoint. Other design-oriented degree programs include mobile development, computer animation, game design, game development and digital arts and design.

Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Games + Animation – Los Angeles, CA

In 2015, Gnomon boasted a 94 percent student placement ratio, meaning that students who enroll in the Entertainment Design and Digital Production or Digital Production and Entertainment program have a high probability of getting jobs in the industry after graduation. Located directly in the Television Center building, Gnomon offers local and international students a 30,000-square-foot campus complete with seven state-of-the-art computer labs. With the best technology possible available at their fingertips, students can let their creativity flow in every class.

ISART Digital – Montreal, Canada and Paris, France

The programs at ISART are aimed at providing a “real world” setting for design students. Courses are available in digital art, game art and design, game programming, 3D animation, 3D special effects and more. Students receive instruction from professionals in the design field, giving them access to valuable expertise and insights. In addition to opening up its campus to students from other countries, ISART also offers students the opportunity to earn a Franco-Japanese double diploma by spending one year studying in Niigata, Japan.

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)

Locations in Savannah, Atlanta and Hong Kong make SCAD accessible to students from all over the world. The curriculum boasts over 40 total programs, including bachelor’s and master’s degree concentrations in areas such as graphic design, design management, service design, illustration and animation. Students at SCAD enjoy a curriculum that delivers “quality and excellence” and a collaborative environment that encourages teamwork among peers.

Whether you study in your home country or choose to get your web design degree abroad, you’ll come out of the program with skills that today’s companies are seeking. Look for a design school that offers a strong foundation in what you want to learn, and don’t let location discourage you from choosing the best of the best. The cultural experience you get from studying in another country may increase your chances of getting hired, or it could lead you to a new and innovative career path that you never imagined.