How to Learn Web Design: 5 Best Online Courses

by Wegic Team

Aug 29, 2024

Research shows that users only need 50 milliseconds to form an opinion about your website or business, which will determine whether they stay or leave. As a result, web designers are essential to any modern business, and the skills required are in high demand.
So you want to be a web designer? How to learn web design? In this blog, we'll list 5 best web design online courses for beginners, including some of their most notable features and offerings. Whether you are a stay-at-home individual looking to learn website design or aiming to switch careers to become a web designer, this article will help you choose the right online web design course for you.
Table of Contents
What skills do web designers need to have?
Considerations for online web design courses
5 best online courses to learn web design
  • Coursera
  • LinkedIn Learning
  • Design+Code
  • Webflow University
  • edX
Put your knowledge into action and build something
FAQs about web design courses

What skills do web designers need to have?

Before applying for any online courses, we should ponder why we opt for an online curriculum, meaning that we aim to achieve specific objectives through completing the course. Indeed. The clear objective is "to become a web designer".
But do you comprehend what skills are required to explore this profession? Now, I would like to introduce the qualifications one should possess in order to secure a formal position as a web designer who earns a wage for your future work:
how to learn website design
Gaining the fundamental principles of visual design
There are twelve fundamental design principles: contrast, balance, emphasis, proportion, hierarchy, repetition, rhythm, pattern, white space, movement, diversity, and unity. These visual and graphic design concepts work together to produce beautiful and practical designs that are understandable to consumers.
For beginners, following these visual design principles usually leads to a layout that is easy to use. For example, the golden ratio, which is often used to create beautiful works of art, is also used in typography to create visually pleasing relationships between font sizes, line heights, and line widths.
Studying color principles
When used well, color may aid customers in navigating a website, comprehending the brand, and taking action. Color may elicit feelings and send messages when utilized purposefully and effectively.
Mastering the basic knowledge of interaction design
Interaction design is about creating engaging interfaces with well-thought-out behaviors. For web designers, you need to have basic knowledge about interaction design, like creating design strategies, identifying key wireframe interactions, and prototype interactions, which can help you create a user-friendly experience for your visitors.
Learning to use prototyping and design tools
To understand the exact needs and expectations of the target audience, you first need to create a model, obtain stakeholder approval, collect feedback, consult with your collaborators, make changes, and then iterate this process until you have a clear visualization of what you need to build as the final product. Collecting feedback and making changes to the product in the early stages is easier than when the product is almost ready. Therefore, it can save energy and costs, and help guide the product in the right direction.
Understanding basic coding languages
For example, HTML determines how elements appear in a browser such as a website's content, images, and navigation. While you don't need to become a web developer, having an understanding of how it works can be helpful. Exactly, as a designer, having basic programming knowledge allows you to collaborate with developers more efficiently.
But there are so many courses online, and each one has its own way of teaching, covers different things, and is meant for different people. It can be bothersome which one is right for you! When purchasing a course, keep in mind the following points:

Considerations for online web design courses

  • Curriculum: Please ensure that the course comprehensively covers fundamental and advanced topics related to HTML, CSS, JavaScript, responsive design, UX/UI principles, and related tools.
  • Flexible schedule: A healthy balance between online learning and everyday life is vital, particularly in light of obligations to one's family and job. Courses that enable students to work part-time or at their own pace are given precedence.
  • Certificate: A certificate is a wonderful way to boost your CV and improve your abilities. While not all courses have this option, we assure you can choose one course to learn.
  • Experienced instructors: Please select courses taught by experienced web designers or instructors with expertise in web design or related fields.
  • Services and resources: Please ensure that this course offers services and resources aimed at assisting students in finding employment upon completion.
  • Real-world web design experience: Addressing the practical design problems encountered in professional environments, it can provide participants with convenient web design experience through real-world projects.

5 best online courses to learn web design

01 Coursera

This course, offered by the esteemed University of Michigan, is very renowned. It provides learners with in-demand skills taught by esteemed university professors and industry experts. The course covers the fundamentals of webpage creation, from crafting grammatically correct HTML and CSS to incorporating JavaScript for interactive experiences. As learners hone these skills, they will also learn how to create websites that seamlessly integrate across mobile devices, tablets, and large-screen browsers.
During the graduation project, learners will create a professional portfolio showcasing their growth as a web developer and their knowledge of accessible web design. This will demonstrate their ability to design and implement a responsive website, utilizing various tools to create an accessible site for a broad audience, including those with visual, auditory, physical, and cognitive impairments.
Upon completion, learners will obtain a professional certificate from the University of Michigan.
Best for: Anyone with an interest in transitioning into a career in web design. If you're a web design novice, this is your best bet for gaining a comprehensive understanding of the industry.
  • Price: $49 per month
  • Time length: 6 months
  • Flexible schedule: Yes
  • Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes

02 LinkedIn Learning

This platform has a variety of web design courses that can be customized to fit your skill level, whether you're a beginner or an advanced practitioner. You can learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, which are all essential to web design.
One of the great things about LinkedIn Learning is that it's integrated with your LinkedIn profile. Once you finish a course, you can add your certification to your profile, which will boost your professional credibility. Additionally, LinkedIn Learning provides opportunities for community engagement. You can participate in discussions, connect with other professionals, and expand your network within the web design community.
  • Price: Free
  • Time length: 6 months
  • Flexible schedule: Yes
  • Includes verified certificate of participation: No

03 Design+Code

The UI design course at Design+Code is perfect for developers who want to improve their visual design skills. You'll learn about designing systems, established principles, and modern techniques that can be easily translated into code. With Figma, you'll effortlessly create intuitive web experiences, wireframes, application models, and working prototypes.
You'll also learn how to use other popular design and development tools like Sketch, FramerX, Swift, and React. Plus, the platform offers courses to master other creative skills like sound design, video editing, app development, and game creation. Unlike other courses, you'll need to demonstrate your mastery of the skill to earn your certificate.
Best for: Web Developers
  • Price: $19 per month
  • Time length: 111 hours
  • Flexible schedule: Yes
  • Includes verified certificate of participation: Yes

04 Webflow University

WebflowUniversity is a completely free platform that provides extensive courses and tutorials on web design. The Ultimate Web Design Course includes more than 100 videos. It starts with everything you need to know to get started with Webflow and gradually introduces more advanced design concepts. You will learn the basics of HTML, explore the features of CSS classes and sub-classes, and discover how to create page designs using containers, divs, flexbox, and grids. This course will also teach you how to create professional custom websites on the Webflow platform without any coding skills.
Best for: hobbyists looking for an easy introduction to web design using the Webflow platform.
  • Price: Free
  • Time length: 5 hours
  • Flexible schedule: Yes
  • Includes verified certificate of participation: No

05 edX

This course will enable you to add interactivity to your website. Unlike other courses on our list, the W3Cx Frontend Developer Program aims to cover the fundamentals of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript comprehensively. This equips students with the necessary skills to enhance their web design capabilities by learning how to develop websites, interactive web applications, and games.
Although this course is one of the most expensive on the list, it offers one of the broadest curricula, which justifies its price. Upon completion, you will receive a certificate to validate your newfound skills.
Best for: hobbyists looking for an easy introduction to web design using the Webflow platform.
  • Price: Free
  • Time length: 7 months
  • Flexible schedule: Yes
  • Includes verified certificate of participation: No

Put your knowledge into action and build something

You may save a lot of time by sorting through possibilities by enrolling in the best 5 online courses mentioned above. Now it is time to enroll in various free web design courses and learn whatever you want to know about theory and practice in the field of web design.
Acquiring the fundamentals of website design may initially prove challenging, but with the right online courses, you can transform into a master of web design. If you have an avid interest in web design and wish to apply your knowledge gained, it is highly recommended that you take action by utilizing some of the best website builders, such as Wegic, a new website builder to help you bring your theoretical knowledge into practice.
It is only when one embarks on designing a webpage that the journey truly begins. Anyone, whether novice or advanced, can customize and launch your website.

FAQs about web design courses

What jobs can you get after completing a web design course?

After finishing your web design course, you could be eligible for positions like web designers, web developers, front-end developers, UX designers, and UI designers. Web developers combine their creativity with technical computer skills to produce web designs. They make sure that the website meets the specific needs of clients and organizations, develop and test website applications, work together with graphic designers, and keep their websites up-to-date.

How long is the average online web design course?

The duration of web design courses can vary depending on the topics covered. The courses we have listed can take anywhere from a few hours to several months to finish. On average, it is recommended that you spend at least a few weeks to complete a web design course.

Are there free online web design courses?

Yes, there are tons of free web design courses, tutorials, and resources online – and we've included them in our list. Although the really good courses usually cost money, the free ones are still a great way for students and aspiring designers to improve their skills and learn new things.

Do I need any prior knowledge to start a web design course?

While some courses are designed for complete beginners, having basic computer skills and an understanding of design principles can be beneficial. You can gain some basic knowledge by reading books and online blogs published by web design experts, which is very beneficial for learning online courses.

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