Bachelor’s Degree (BA) in Digital Design: Web Design Emphasis

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Overview

Digital Web Design: Your Path to a UX Design Future

The Bachelor of Arts in Digital Design with an Emphasis in Web Design degree is designed to help prepare you to work in a variety of industries that use screen-based content, including advertising, marketing, branding, social media and corporate communications. If you’re interested in developing your technology skills, the website design courses at Grand Canyon University can provide a strong foundation in all forms of digital design with a focus on user experience (UX), user interaction (UI) and web design. 

As a digital design major at GCU, you will have opportunities to put what you’ve been taught into practice. Through hands-on experiential learning activities, you will be prompted to develop a professional portfolio of web and digital design samples, which may support your search for internships and other work opportunities.

Digital Design Student
Why GCU

Benefits of Pursuing Digital Web Design Classes From GCU

Digital design may be an ideal career path if you are passionate about technology but also have a creative mindset and want opportunities to work on a range of project types — from web design and application design to user experience (UX) or user interaction design applied in gaming, advertising and entertainment design — and many more. This digital design degree from GCU can help you turn your creativity into a potential career path. You’ll have opportunities to further your technical proficiencies and design skills while benefiting from a blend of classroom instruction and hands-on learning activities.

Three GCU Design Students Pose in Front of Work on Wall

Earn an Online Digital Design Degree

As a modern university, GCU is committed to utilizing technological solutions that can help enhance accessibility to education for our students. With our interactive e-learning platform, you can take website design courses online. Join an online community of digital design students and benefit from hearing a range of perspectives in online forums. You will work through curriculum under the guidance of instructors who are knowledgeable in their fields, yet with the convenience and flexibility that comes with being an online digital design major. 

All Digital Design Emphases

Animation Emphasis
Coursework

Attend UX and Web Design Classes on GCU’s Campus 

If you’re interested in being a traditional, on-campus student, GCU welcomes you to earn your digital design degree on our campus in Phoenix. Work through digital design curriculum and UX design techniques while benefiting from face-to-face engagement with your instructors and fellow students. As a Christian university, GCU encourages students in each of our colleges to participate in on-campus worship activities and faith-centered groups. Surround yourself with like-minded peers and enjoy a supportive learning community as you acquire a well-rounded, distinctly Christian education. 

Digital Design Club Sits at College Table

Design Club and Professional Association for Design 

During your time at GCU, you may have the opportunity to enhance your skills and use your creativity in extracurricular activities that can help supplement your classwork. We encourage students to participate in GCU’s design club, the Creative Herd, and support local chapters of professional associations for design like the Arizona chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and the American Advertising Federation (AAF) to discover design events and opportunities for networking. 

Digital Design Majors Study Motion, UX/UI and Web Skills

In our information-driven society, a digital design degree can empower you to apply your skills in crafting design solutions. The website design courses at GCU focus on core UX skills and how to communicate in a visual society and create engaging and enriching digital information. 

Throughout the program, you’ll be taught skills that cover the following areas:

  • Principles of design and composition
  • Color and typography selection and usage
  • Strategy and presentation skills to pitch ideas
  • The use of industry-standard software
  • UX/UI systems
  • Application design (add under UX/UI systems)
  • Fundamentals of HTML and CSS (add to list at bottom)

In every studio course, you will be prompted to create dynamic visual content.1 This digital design degree program aims to create adept UX/UI designers with a set of skills that appeal across all sectors of the economy. In addition, you may be provided opportunities to specialize in different areas of interest.

Uncover Motion, UX/UI and Web Skills in the Curriculum for Digital Design M

Behind every screen today is a digital designer deciding what content goes where, what moves and how to marry both form and function in order to create an enjoyable brand journey. Our digital website design courses are developed to support foundational creative skills, skill enhancement, motion graphics and portfolio development.

This program includes the following core competencies: 

  • The design and creation of motion graphics across multiple mediums to meet the needs of client businesses
  • The design and application of branded content in screen-based applications
  • Theories of UX/UI as applied to the design of mobile and web products
  • The design process, including:
    • Concept development and responsive design
    • Visualization techniques
    • Stylistic trends and interface concepts
    • Composition
    • Typography and color theory
    • User experience
GCU Digital Design Student Poses Outside Fine Arts Center

Senior Design Portfolio

During your senior year, you will create a professional portfolio, showcasing refined design skills, effective communication, problem-solving and critical thinking while integrating ethical leadership with a Christian worldview. The program can help guide you to continually refine your craft through prototype development and responsive feedback, with the goal of helping you graduate prepared to pursue diverse industries.

 

Throughout the portfolio process, creativity is encouraged to highlight your distinct skill set. A portfolio course typically taken during your second year of college (sophomore year) can help you prepare yourself for potential internships, developing employer-ready digital design pieces, while the senior portfolio showcases advanced skills, preparing you for interviews in sought-after digital design or web design careers after obtaining your degree.

Careers

Career Possibilities With a Bachelor’s Degree in Digital Design: Web Design

Graduates who possess the design skills necessary to create websites, apps, kiosks and interactive displays may work toward seeking a career in virtually any industry, including private companies, the public sector and nonprofit organizations. With a solid foundation in digital design and web design competencies, you may be prepared to pursue a range of jobs, such as a graphic designer and an art director.

$92,750

Median annual wage for web developers and digital designers as of May 20232

Accreditation

GCU Offers Institutionally Accredited Design Degrees

Grand Canyon University is pleased to be an institutionally accredited school that emphasizes quality instruction and a well-rounded curriculum. In addition, the Higher Learning Commission has continually accredited GCU since 1968. The College of Arts and Media is aligned with the university's dedication to maintaining the principles and standards set forth by our accrediting organizations.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

It can be challenging to choose a degree program that fits your passions and may be aligned with your career goals. The following frequently asked questions and answers may help guide your decision-making process as you reflect upon your higher education options.

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Bring Your Ideas to Life

Transform your creative passion into a purposeful future by exploring our digital web design degree. Complete the form on this page to delve into the exciting possibilities at GCU.

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1 A working laptop and a subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud are required to take web design classes at GCU. Additional supplies or software programs may also be required.

2 The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Web Developers and Digital Designers as of May 2023, retrieved on May 10, 2024. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as web developers and digital designers, nor does it reflect the earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.

3 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). How to become a web developer or digital designer. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Nov. 3, 2023. 

4 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, Sept. 6). What Web Developers and Digital Designers Do. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved Nov. 8, 2023. 

5 Coursera. (2023, June 15). Web designer vs. web developer: how the jobs differ. Coursera. Retrieved Nov. 3, 2023. 

6 COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2022 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective September 2023, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Web Developers and Digital Designers, retrieved on Nov. 9, 2023. 

7 Kutev, Cassie (2023, July 14). Graphic design vs. digital design: what’s the difference? Indeed. Retrieved Nov. 3, 2023.
 

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