Niagara College Canada

New Media Web Design

Program Code (0157)
Ontario College Diploma
Two Years
Welland Campus
Start date: September or January

Career Opportunities | The Niagara College Difference | Projects and Features | Related Links | Testimonials and Profiles | Admission Requirements | Degree Opportunities | Program Related Inquiries | Apply Now

Career Opportunities

Web designers mix artistic flair, software, technical and management skills to create an endless variety of web-based products. This satisfying and flexible career encourages you to develop your own personal talents and creativity in the growing virtual world.

In New Media Web Design you will focus on front-end subjects such as layout, usability and graphic design and you will learn enough programming fundamentals to work in a collaborative project environment.

Industry standard software, W3C best practices, and mentored client work are program cornerstones.

Graduates of this program may find employment or start businesses in:

• Web layout and design
• Web production
• Flash Application Development
• Multimedia production
• 3D modeling and simulations
• Account management
• E-commerce

The Niagara College Difference

• Students complete more than 800 hours of lab experience
• Students work with community partners on real-world projects
• Students learn from Adobe Certified Instructors and local industry leaders
• Ties with nGen (Niagara’s New Media Economic Industry Generator) and Niagara College’s Research Centre provide students with meaningful work related experiences
• Common first year with Computer Programmer creates the opportunity to earn two diplomas in three years

Projects and Features

Public Web Design Projects

The New Media Web Design program accepts applications for website development projects. Preference is given to non-profit organizations and projects that utilize the skills taught in the classroom. Please note that not all applications will be accepted.

To apply for web site development project complete the application below. The template can be completed electronically and returned to newmedia@niagaracollege.ca. Printed versions may be faxed to 905-735-6005 attention Linda Roote.

The majority of public project work is done in the January to April term period. Because of the limited time frame and the educational nature of the work the following is asked of clients:

• Have all content prepared before the January start date
• Be available to meet weekly with the students at the College's Welland campus
• Be prepared to give constructive content guidance and feedback to the students
• Assume responsibility for site maintenance after the end of the term or make arrangements with student developers independent of the course and program

Past projects include:

Niagara Regional Exhibition - www.nre.ca

Ontario College Marketing Competition

Port Colborne High School - www.dsbn.edu.on.ca/schools/pchs/

Niagara Ice Dogs (Jumbo Screen animations)

Media Center / nGen Projects

Niagara College is a founding member of the highly successful nGen project – a multi-partner initiative working to grow the region’s interactive sector. New Media Web Design students created www.NoiseinNiagara.com(a music portal) as an nGen guided project.

NEW! “nGen Phase II” is a production facility combining state of the art equipment including a motion capture studio, render farm, editing suites, and a screening room. It is scheduled to be open in April 2010.

Niagara College’s School of Media Studies is opening a professional services office in the nGen Phase II space at 1 St. Paul Street in St. Catharines. Select New Media Web Design students will work on real projects under the guidance of a Project Manager.

Niagara College Web Development Research Project

Web Development:
Testing CSS generation software for efficiency and quality

Niagara College's New Media Web Design Program, Computer Programmer/Analyst and Business Development Program joined forces with Skybound Software to evaluate the effectiveness of this new CSS generating system as a Niagara Research project.

The results of this research project have been featured as a R-Poster Publication.

» View Research Project (R-Poster - PDF Document)

Community Web Design Projects

Community-based web design projects such as these enrich the learning experience.

• Noise in Niagara
  http://www.noiseinniagara.com
• nGen - Niagara Interactive Media Generator
  http://www.ngen-niagara.com
• The Silver Dart Replica Project
  http://www.silverdartreplica.com

Related Links

Learn more about Web Development

• www.adobe.com
  Home of Photoshop, Flash, Dreamweaver and other program software
• www.flashkit.com
  Learn some cool Flash
• www.w3.org
  The World Wide Web Consortiuim sets Internet programming standards
• www.htmlhelp.com/tools/validator
  Check your HTML for accuracy
• jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator
  Check your CSS for accuray
• www.csszengarden.com
  The beauty of CSS design
• www.w3schools.com
  Full web building tutorials - for free
• www.digitalartsonline.co.uk
  A wonderful on-line magazine offering (free) "inspiration for digital creatives"
• www.ngen-niagara.com
  nGen - Niagara Interactive Media Generator
• www.alistapart.com
  A List Apart explores the design, development, and meaning of web content, with a special focus on web standards and best practices.
• www.smashingmagazine.com
  Smashing Magazine is focused on design and web-development. It delivers useful information, latest trends and techniques, useful ideas, etc.

Testimonials and Profiles

"Partnering with the students of the New Media Web Design program has certainly been a terrific experience. The students were very knowledgeable about web design and easily understood my web site requirements. They took my thoughts and developed them into an easy to use web site that will benefit so many people. The design of the web site surpassed what we had hoped for and I am happy to have had the experience of working with these gentlemen."

D. Armstrong,
(in reference to a retailer training web site students developed for 'Smoke free Ontario')
April 2008

"You go to your TV to turn your brain off. You go to the computer when you want to turn your brain on."

Steve Jobs,
founder of Apple Computer, Inc.

"I work as a Graphic and Web Designer for a music company. I work from home on my computer and don't even have to leave the house. I also get to choose what time or day I start work. It could be morning, afternoon, evening or in the night. As long as I get the project done and I make my 8 hours. Cool huh?"

Francis Otoo, graduate

"Our company has been fortunate to hire a number of highly qualified students emerging from the Multimedia Web Design Program. Now that the Multimedia Program has been expanded into a 2 year diploma, we are confident that graduates will have a strong focus on multimedia web design and it's relationship to database driven systems.

"The Internet is an extremely dynamic medium and the requirements for a successful career in this field are numerous, varied, and ever evolving.

"Niagara College continues to fine tune its curriculum to meet the challenges of the future in a way that local industry can benefit from the academic foundation that it provides. Meridian looks forward to continuing it's relationship with Niagara College into the future."

John Pinter, Founder,
Meridian Reservation Systems

Admission Requirements

Minimum Admission Requirements for 2009-10 (OSS):

Minimum Admission Requirements for 2010-11 (OSS):

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent, or 19 years of age or older as of the first day of classes, with no OSSD or equivalent (Mature Student) including the following required courses:
• English – any Grade 12 (C) or (U), or equivalent.
• Mathematics - any grade 12 (C), (U) or (M), or grade 11 (U) or (M), or equivalent

Recommended Courses and/or Recommended Skills (Not Required for Admission):

• Computer and Information Science – Grade 11 or Grade 12 (M).
• Information Technology Applications in Business – Grade 11 (O).
• Information Technology in Business – Grade 12 (C).

Selection & Ranking Process:

• For competitive programs (the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of available places), selection will be based on the most senior level final grade available at the time of ranking. Mid-term grades are not used for ranking purposes.
• Testing or other supplemental evaluation may be required.

Note:

• Mature Student applicants, or applicants who have an OSSD that includes Workplace (E) level learning, may be considered for admission after meeting with a staff member to review academic needs, interests and possible career directions. Academic testing and/or upgrading may be required.
• Secondary School grades from co-op courses and half credit courses are not considered.

Educational Pathways

Niagara College has articulated agreements providing students with degree completion and credit transfer opportunities with many other colleges and universities.

• View Degree Opportunities for this Program
• View Degree Opportunities by Institution
• View Degree Opportunities by Subject

For a complete listing of articulation agreements, please consult the Niagara College Transfer Guide.

Program Related Inquiries

Contact Information

Email: registrar@niagaracollege.ca
Niagara College Admissions Office: 905-735-2211, ext 7619

Apply now for this program online at www.OntarioColleges.ca

Information Last Modified:
Thu, November 20, 2008 at 02:04:09 PM ET

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