What You'll Actually Learn
We've structured this program around what working designers actually do. You'll move through four distinct phases, each building on practical skills you can use right away.
Foundation Period (Months 1-2)
Start with design principles that matter. Color theory, typography hierarchy, layout composition. You'll learn Figma and basic HTML/CSS. By week eight, you'll have completed three small landing pages that demonstrate proper structure and visual balance.
Technical Development (Months 3-5)
Here's where we dig into responsive frameworks, CSS Grid, Flexbox, and JavaScript fundamentals. You'll work with real website data, forms, and basic interactivity. Most students find this challenging but rewarding—it's where design meets function.
Applied Projects (Months 6-7)
Team-based work on realistic briefs. You might design a restaurant website, an artist portfolio, or a small business site. We bring in occasional feedback from professionals who review work and offer perspective on what clients actually need.
Capstone Development (Months 8-9)
Your final project. Pick something meaningful to you—maybe a local nonprofit or a passion project. You'll handle the entire process from research and wireframes through to final deployment. This becomes the centerpiece of your portfolio.
Orin Helmsley
Senior Design Instructor
Spent twelve years doing agency work before switching to teaching. Orin brings a practical approach to web design and focuses on helping students understand why certain design decisions work better than others.
Vera Tillman
Development Lead
Started as a self-taught coder and knows exactly where beginners struggle. Vera teaches front-end development with patience and clear explanations. She's particularly good at making JavaScript concepts click for design-minded students.
How the Program Runs
We've designed this to fit around working schedules. Most students balance this program alongside their current jobs or other commitments.
Your Portfolio Takes Shape
By graduation, you'll have five substantial projects that show progression and range. These aren't exercises—they're work you can actually show to potential employers or clients.
Responsive Landing Page
Single-page site with clean layout, proper typography, and mobile-first design. You'll learn fundamental CSS and how to make design decisions that work across devices.
Multi-Page Business Site
Small business website with navigation, content pages, and contact forms. Focus on information architecture and user flow through multiple pages.
Interactive Portfolio
Portfolio site with filtering, modal windows, and smooth animations. This introduces JavaScript interactions and dynamic content display.
Team Collaboration Project
Work with 2-3 other students on a larger brief. Learn version control with Git and how to coordinate design decisions in a team setting.
Capstone Website
Your signature piece. Full design process from research through deployment. Demonstrate everything you've learned in one comprehensive project.
Redesign Challenge
Take an existing website and reimagine it. Document your process, justify design choices, and present your reasoning. Shows critical thinking and design maturity.
What Happens After Completion
We're honest about outcomes. This program gives you solid foundational skills. Where you go from there depends on how much you practice and what opportunities you pursue.
- You'll have technical skills to build professional websites from scratch and understand how design decisions affect user experience.
- Your portfolio will demonstrate actual capability. Past students have used their work to land junior positions or freelance projects.
- You'll understand industry workflows enough to contribute meaningfully to design teams or handle client projects independently.
- Career support includes resume review and interview prep, but job placement isn't guaranteed. That part's on you.