Web design and development
Studying web design and development provides you with the technical and design-related skills needed for a career in the web, software development and computer science industries
Job options
Jobs directly related to your degree include:
- Applications developer
- Digital marketer
- Game developer
- Multimedia programmer
- Multimedia specialist
- SEO specialist
- UX designer
- UX researcher
- Web content manager
- Web designer
- Web developer
Jobs where your degree would be useful include:
- Application analyst
- Artworker
- Business analyst
- Cyber security analyst
- Database administrator
- Forensic computer analyst
- Game designer
- Information systems manager
- IT sales professional
- Software engineer
- Software tester
- Systems analyst
- Technical author
- VFX artist
Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.
Work experience
Your degree may provide the opportunity to complete an industry placement for one year. This will give invaluable practical experience that helps to demonstrate how you can use your skills in the workplace. If you're not able to do this, you may sill have the chance to work on a project for an external client through other modules.
It's important to get experience working on websites outside of your degree. This will enable you to build a portfolio of your design and development skills and technical ability. Virtually all organisations and businesses have a web and digital presence meaning there are a vast amount of places to approach for work experience or placements. Make speculative applications to those you're interested in and look out for adverts online.
Community schemes are an excellent way to demonstrate you can communicate your technical knowledge to the general public. This could involve you helping someone to use the internet for the first time, or create their own website. Find out about current schemes through your local council.
Find out more about work experience and internships.
Typical employers
There are many web design agencies that specialise in creating, developing and maintaining websites for other organisations. If a company doesn't use these services, they usually have their own web designer or in-house team, which means potential employers could include any organisation that has a large web and media presence.
You may prefer to set up your own design business or work as a freelancer but this is typically recommended once you have built up some experience.
Alternatively, your flair for design could see you working for a small design studio or an advertising firm.
Your development skills could lead to a job in software engineering, testing or even technical writing, which can be carried out in a variety of businesses. Large IT and telecommunication companies also value these technical skills.
Find information on employers in information technology, media and internet and other job sectors.
Skills for your CV
Web design and development courses provide a range of technical skills in areas such as:
- data analysis
- database design
- digital marketing
- graphics and design
- interaction design
- multimedia production
- programming
- scripting/coding
- software development
- user experience design
- web application development
- website design.
These subject-specific skills are gained through projects as well as theoretical study.
You'll also develop a range of transferable skills, such as:
- communication and presentation
- problem solving
- project management
- research
- teamwork
- attention to detail
- time management and organisation.
This combination of skills is sought after by a range of employers, both in the IT sector and beyond. It also allows you to work as a freelancer or to start your own business.
Further study
It's possible to study a specific aspect of web design, development or another computing area in more depth through a Masters degree, which usually consists of taught modules and project work. Alternatively, if you want to gain a further qualification while working, a Knowledge Transfer Partnership might suit you. Check what is needed within your chosen career to make sure you take the right path.
You may also choose to take a more vocational postgraduate qualification to allow you to move into a certain career, such as a teaching qualification to teach IT or computing at secondary or further education level, or a media or marketing qualification to work within digital marketing or the multimedia field.
For more information on further study and to find a course, see Masters degrees and search for postgraduate courses in web development.
What do web design and development graduates do?
Programmers and software development professionals (24%), web design professionals (10%), graphic and multimedia designers (9%), advertising and marketing associate professionals (5%), IT user support technicians (4%), IT business analysts, architects and systems designers (3%) and IT operations technicians (2%) are among the ten most reported roles by web design and development graduates.
| Destination | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Employed | 78.5 |
| Further study | 2.1 |
| Working and studying | 5.7 |
| Unemployed | 6.6 |
| Other | 7 |
| Type of work | Percentage |
|---|---|
| IT | 47.9 |
| Arts, design and media | 11.6 |
| Retail, catering and customer service | 11.6 |
| Marketing, PR and sales | 10.7 |
| Other | 18.2 |
Find out what other graduates are doing after finishing their degrees in What do graduates do?
Graduate Outcomes survey data from HESA.