Graduate careers advice: you and your web design and development degree

Graduate careers advice for what career options you can pursue with your web design and development degree.

Related jobs include:

• Android/iOS developer
• Database/Systems administrator
• Games designer
• Games developer
• Geographical information systems manager
• UX designer
• Web developer/designer

Work experience

Build a portfolio by working on and designing websites independently of your studies. Your course may offer a year’s paid work placement.

Alternatively you can display initiative by arranging part-time work or a summer placement yourself. Most businesses maintain their own online presence, so plenty of opportunities exist in this area.

You can demonstrate your ability to communicate your technical knowledge to the public by taking part in local community schemes, such as helping elderly people to use the internet or designing websites for community groups. Contact your local council to find out which schemes exist in your area.

Information on opportunities to gain experience can be found here.

What sectors?

Companies will either have their own in-house web designers or will employ freelance agencies when required, so plenty of opportunities exist for web design graduates.

You may decide to work in a freelance role or to set up your own agency.

Your design skills could also land you a role in an advertising firm or design studio.

Many businesses, including large IT and telecoms firms, require graduates with development skills for such roles as software engineering and testing.

Your web design and development CV

The technical skills you will acquire on your course include:

• database design;
• data analysis;
• design skills;
• digital marketing;
• web design;
• software and application development.

You will also develop transferable skills like:

• problem solving;
• communication;
• research;
• teamwork;
• time management;
• project management.

Such a range of skills will make you attractive to employers and equip you with a basis for starting your own agency or working as a freelancer.

Postgraduate study

A Masters, which usually combines lectures with practical projects, will allow you to further study a specific area of design or development in more detail.

If you wish to teach IT in a school or college, you must obtain a teaching qualification such as Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).

More information can be found in our Further Study section.