5 Best Online Master’s Degrees in Web Design

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Harvard University is home to Grad School Hub's #1 online master's in Web Design. Harvard awards a Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies in the Digital Media Design field. The MLA is provided through a hybrid format, requiring students to take at least one course on campus. Weekend on-campus course options are available. The program details both the artistic and technical aspects of effective digital media. Prior to admission, students must complete two stipulated online degree courses. Admitted students then go on to work through the 12-course curriculum. Students must take courses in the following areas: animation, film, or virtual reality; computational design; instructional design; and web design and application development. The program is completed through a capstone project, where Harvard students present an original digital media prototype. Harvard Extension School prioritizes affordability: This degree program is the second most affordable on this list.

Established in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. The private Ivy League university is widely considered one of the most prestigious universities in the world. As a research university, Harvard was one of the founding members of the Association of American Universities. Harvard also has the greatest endowment of any scholarly institution. The Harvard Library, comprised of 79 individual libraries, is the largest academic library system in the world. Eight U.S. presidents are among Harvard alumni. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University at No. 2 for, both, National Universities and Best Value Schools.

Boston University offers a concentration in Web Application Development within its Master of Science in Computer Information Systems. The concentrated program covers the client side and the server side of web application development. Students work with cutting-edge technologies to build web applications for desktop and mobile. Students can expect to interact with databases and coding languages. The curriculum includes core courses in Business Data Communication and Networks and Database Design and Implementation for Business. Concentration requirements include Rich Internet Application Development and Introduction to Probability and Statistics. The degree can be completed in 18 to 24 months.

BU first took root in the Newbury Biblical Institute in Newbury, VT in 1839. Thirty years later, it was chartered with the name Boston University. Despite its historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church, the university is nonsectarian. Now a private university in Boston, MA, BU is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. It is also categorized in the highest tier of research universities by the Carnegie Foundation. Notably, Alexander Graham Bell - then a professor at the university - invented the telephone in a BU lab. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University at No. 42 for the nation and No. 28 for innovation.

The University of Denver awards a Master of Science in Information and Communications with a concentration in Web Design and Development concentration. The curriculum is comprised of four core courses in Information and Communications Technology, four in the Web Design and Development concentration, and four electives. Core courses include ICT Business Foundations, ICT Technical Foundations, and Enterprise Architecture. Concentration courses include Website Design and Management and Usability Design for Websites. All students must complete a capstone project and accompanying seminar. The university designed its MSI to be achieved in 24 months.

Founded in 1864 by the Methodists, DU is now a nonsectarian university. The private research university is located five miles south of downtown Denver, CO, in the University Neighborhood. Its campus is a designated arboretum with several historic buildings. The oldest is University Hall, which was built in the Richardson Romanesque style. The historic Chamberlin Observatory is located just a few blocks away. Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is among DU alumni. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University at No. 96 in the nation and No. 58 for best value.

Fort Hays State University awards a Master of Professional Studies in Web Development. The program's courses are offered both online and through the university's Virtual College. The curriculum includes three core courses: Advanced Web Development, Proseminar in Informatics, and Research Methods in Informatics. Major courses include Introduction to Web-Enabled Databases and Web Scripting Languages. Students can choose from elective offerings such as Law of Cyberspace, Interactive Systems Design, and Intensive Web Development. MPSWD students can also partake in an Information Networking internship. All students must culminate the program with a capstone project.

FHSU was established in 1902 as the Western Kansas Normal School. Its campus, located in Hays, KS, is a former frontier military outpost. The campus was flooded by the Great Flood of 1851, leading to a midnight evacuation. Today, a stream called Big Creek winds through the campus, which is home to more than 40 limestone-faced buildings. The public university is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents.

Southern New Hampshire University provides a Web Development concentration within the Master of Science in Information Technology program. The program is offered fully online, with round-the-clock access. The concentrated program builds skills in developing websites, web applications, and methods for building website traffic. It also covers web analytics, e-commerce, and more. The MSIT can be achieved in as few as 15 months. The university is a Cyber Security Center of Excellence.

The university was founded in 1932 as a business education institution. Its original name was the New Hampshire School of Accounting and Secretarial Science. Today, SNHU is one of the fastest-growing universities in the United States. The private university is based between Manchester and Hooksett, NH. It also has satellite campuses in Salem, NH, and Brunswick, ME. Most students are enrolled in an online capacity.