Web Development
Programs
Web Development Certificate
Full-time (Day): 2 terms | Part-time (Night): 4 terms
Get ready for your future in building next-generation rich media with the Web Development Certificate. Learn how to create dynamic, data-driven websites and Internet applications today’s users and companies are demanding. Working with the same tools the professionals use, you’ll develop content-rich websites that use databases and programming languages to display context-sensitive web content. This intensive program focuses on client side programming with HTML, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and server side programming using PHP scripting and Structured Query Language (SQL) databases in deploying rich media sites using various Flash and open source content management toolsets.
Through a combination of hands-on exercises, lectures and projects, you’ll be introduced to real-world applications with emphasis on JavaScript, MySQL, XML, AJAX and object-oriented programming techniques on projects of increasing complexity. You’ll learn how to build rich Internet applications, manage social content for the Web and generate a portfolio demonstrating your new skills in web platform development, integration and deployment. Upon completion—and with a substantial résumé and the latest web development programming skills— you will have the knowledge and experience to enter the workforce with confidence.
WDV101 Introduction to Web Development
In this module students are introduced to the fundamental concepts of the web and web development. Students start by building basic web pages using HTML and are introduced to the benefits of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for formatting web pages.
WDV102 Creating a Web Development and Deployment Environment
Students learn how to set up a web development environment in both a local and a hosted environment. Set up and configuration of web servers is covered as well as dealing with remote or hosted environments where File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is required. Alternative Open Source development tools and additional advanced HTML functions are also introduced.
WDV103 JavaScript Basics and the Document Object Model
Students learn how to build dynamic, interactive web pages using JavaScript. They develop a familiarity with fundamental scripting concepts such as objects, properties and methods and learn how to create image rollovers and pop-up windows, and use the Document Object Model (DOM) for basic form validation.
WDV104 Project I: Customer-Focused Site
In the first project students use their new HTML, CSS and JavaScript skills to build a basic marketing-oriented website that can be updated by the site owner. Includes, or similar, will be required for a sample customer page that can be updated without knowledge of HTML.
WDV201 Introduction to MySQL and PHP I
This module introduces the concepts behind integrating database content into web pages. Students receive a foundation in MySQL, an open source relational database, and Structured Query Language (SQL) concepts for the reading and writing of relational data. PHP is introduced as a way to connect to a database from within a website and intersperse the content into a web page.
WDV202 Introduction to MySQL and PHP II
Building on the previous module, students use advanced SQL queries and apply complex logic to process data using advanced PHP scripting.
WDV203 Setting Up a MYSQL Database
This module shows students how to set up and use the popular phpMyAdmin tool that is traditionally used to create and manage MySQL databases. Students learn how to design a simple database, populate it with data from a spreadsheet and integrate the database data into their web pages. Setting up a PHP development and debugging environment will be covered. Students are also shown alternative Open Source development environments.
WDV204 Introduction to XML for Structured Data Manipulation
This module covers the principles of XML document structure and examines how organizations typically use XML to format data. Students are introduced to XSLT for the selective processing and formatting of XML data and integration of the formatted data into their web pages.
WDV205 Manipulating XML with XSL and XPATH
In this module students extend their knowledge of XML by using more complex XML documents. Students begin using XPATH and XSL to transform XML into formats suitable for their web applications. Topics include integrating and transforming data from multiple XML documents and an introduction to structured logic constructs within XSL and XPATH.
WDV206 PHP and XML
This module allows students to extend their knowledge of PHP by manipulating and processing XML documents with PHP’s XML functions. Students learn to create their own XML parsers and understand the benefits of this approach for processing data from multiple documents. The options and benefits of different approaches will be discussed as they apply to large documents.
WDV207 Object-Oriented Programming with PHP
Students learn the basic principles of object-oriented programming and the benefits of adopting this approach for some projects. Topics include the creation of classes and functions, overloading and encapsulation. Students learn to create an authentication system with PHP that uses object-oriented techniques.
WDV208 Project II: Databased-Driven Site
In this project students build a dynamic website with content that is database and/or XML-driven, enabling the site to be changed at any time. Students produce a design that works for varying amounts of content and provide the mechanism for the content to be updated by a non-technical person.
WDV301 Drupal and Content Management
Drupal is one of many Open Source content management systems. It provides an infrastructure that incorporates content socialization concepts such as blogs, podcasts, forums and newsletters and provides a collaborative authoring environment for content. Students learn how to leverage these features to provide a fully managed web environment for prospective clients.
WDV302 Creating a Content Managed Site
Students learn how to set Drupal on their own system or as a hosted solution. They will build their first site using Drupal, incorporating many of the other techniques learned during the program.
WDV303 Customizing Drupal: Themes and Modules
Drupal is extremely configurable and can use pieces of functionality (modules) that are contributed to the Drupal community. Students learn how to incorporate new modules and “skin” their sites with Drupal themes.
WDV304 Web 2.0 and Socializing Your Site
This module explores the socialization of the web and web content. Students learn how to provide a complete solution for prospective clients that uses web development techniques and how these technologies are used to build community-centric websites. Students begin building their final projects, focusing not just on building websites, but on what it takes to build web communities.
WDV305 Project III: Build a Web Community
In this project students build a complete web community using Drupal as the foundation. Students are encouraged to create a brief project plan encompassing all aspects of the community. The plan incorporates elements of user interaction and user interface design as well as its back-end database needs. Students create and discuss a detailed list of community modules and the technologies required to build each module with the instructor.
WDV401 Introduction to Flash
This is an introductory course for designers and developers new to the Flash environment to gain the knowledge and hands-on practice needed to create rich Flash content. Students produce an engaging interface using text, graphics, animations, video and sound. Simple user interactions are added using built-in ActionScript behaviors and Script Assist.
WDV402 Flash and ActionScript 3.0
ActionScript provides experienced Flash designers with the tools and experience they need to create dynamically generated, event-driven animation and interactive games with Flash. This module teaches fundamental programming techniques. It begins by introducing core concepts including instance names, variables, functions, properties and methods and then proceeds through conditions, loops, event handling and animating with ActionScript.
WDV403 Project IV: Working with Flash
In this project students produce a short animated Flash presentation that incorporates video. The presentation text will be dynamically driven, enabling new information to be added at any time. Students also convert navigation from a previous project into Flash.
WDV404 Introduction to AJAX
Students learn the basic techniques for creating web applications that require heavy user interaction. AJAX has emerged as a powerful platform for building web applications with extensive client-side interactivity. Unlike older approaches, which require reloading the entire page with every postback, AJAX uses the JavaScript DOM, XMLHttpRequest object, XML and CSS to download and display only the content that needs to change.
WDV405 Putting the X in AJAX
The X in AJAX stands for XML and in this module students focus on request objects and processing of complex XML data structures. This module also introduces students to the issues around building AJAX sites, where search engine spidering, session management and browser differences must be considered.
WDV406 Web Services and Ecommerce
Many of today’s Internet giants allow programmatic interaction with their services. In this module students learn the basics of incorporating web services into their applications to provide value-added functionality, including e-commerce options. Using AJAX techniques, this new functionality will be incorporated into students’ websites.
WDV407 Final Project
This project further develops Project III, allowing students to consolidate all the techniques learned so far into a community-driven website. Time will be allotted to incorporate AJAX techniques into the work from Project III and further expand it to its final form.