Code for Designers

This course pro­vides an intro­duc­tion to web design prin­ci­ples and client-side script­ing. This course will intro­duce stu­dents to HTML5 and CSS and the fun­da­men­tals of web devel­op­ment and design. The course pro­vides a foun­da­tion on web page con­struc­tion, wire­fram­ing, pro­to­typ­ing and devel­op­ment. By the end, stu­dents will under­stand the anato­my of a web page and know how to work with developers/​communicate with devel­op­ers. Stu­dents will have an oppor­tu­ni­ty to design and devel­op a per­son­al website.
Course at a glance
  • In this hands-on class, you’ll learn through a mix of lab-like exercises, lectures, and assignments.
  • Engage in online discussions and participate in content, design, and coding challenges.
  • Design, build, and deploy a responsive website that demonstrates mobile-first design principles.
  • Aimed at practising or emerging UX designers who want to gain practical experience working with code and set themselves apart by strengthening their understanding of UI design.
  • Fully online asynchronous course accessible through eClass, the University of Alberta’s eLearning management tool.
What you will learn

Course content preview:
Introduction to web typography
An interactive poster tool (typographic experimentation)

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

  • Effectively communicate with developers in a development environment.
  • Understand HTML5 document structure and how to integrate cascading style sheets (CSS).
  • Apply principles of web design usability and accessibility in the design and the development phases.
  • Develop web page wireframes and prototypes.
  • Articulate the limitations of scripting and the importance of mobile responsive design.
  • Understand website optimization and performance traits.
  • Understand the web hosting process.
  • Understand deployment and version control with GitHub.
This course has no prerequisites

Students from all educational backgrounds welcome. You can register for this course without applying and enrolling in a program.

Take note:

  • Tools required for this course are freely available online for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
  • All required learning materials are provided through eClass at no additional cost.
Currently counts towards:

Applicants intending to enrol in a program are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to lock in their course requirements since they are prone to change.

*If you are already enroled in this program, please refer to your specific program requirements as outlined at the time of your admission: Bear Tracks > Academic Advisement.

When will
this course be offered?

New course schedules are released each June and November.

Scheduled for Fall/Winter:

Info & Register