In the fast-paced world of technology, it can be hard to stay in the know.
Kennesaw State University’s College of Continuing and Professional Education (kennesaw.edu) is helping individuals hoping to bolster their code-crunching abilities through programs such as a Web Design Certificate. The nine-month course (priced at $4,995 in 2015) introduces students to tools, techniques and trends.
Danielle Edwards, a certificate recipient, works as a web designer for the International Plant Nutrition Institute, based in Peachtree Corners, where she creates web registration systems and stop-motion short films.
Q: What led you to this program?
A: I completed my bachelor’s in advertising from the University of Georgia in 2011, but I spent a great deal of my time pursing the design side of advertising. I wanted to create the big ideas and help execute them as well. All of my positions since graduating undergrad have been design-related, because I didn’t know how to code, but I’ve always wanted to learn web design.
Q: What did you learn through the program?
A: The most important thing I learned was how to code. I just wanted to leave the class with an understanding of how the pieces all fit together and where the design aspect inter-sected with the coding aspect of a web design.
Q: How did you fit the program into your schedule?
A: It wasn’t a difficult schedule at all. My company allowed me to leave an hour early on the days I had class to miss traffic. And by the time class was over, so was traffic.
Q: Has the program helped you advance your career?
A: I’ve taken on more web projects at my current job. I just designed a web registration sys-tem that will allow our subscribers to opt in and opt out of our email content. I think the certificate has given me peace of mind about approaching web design projects, because I feel more confident I can tackle them now.
Q: What advice do you have for prospective students?
A: One, I recommend having a web design project in mind that you’d like to complete dur-ing the course of the class. Whenever you learn a new concept, you can apply it to your pro-ject in a realistic and useful way. Examples are good, but I think it would be effective to combine all the knowledge into one useable website, using real-life applications. Two, get some food before class. It’s hard to code on an empty stomach.
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