Advanced Certificate in Web Site Development

Learning to develop a web site is only half of this course - business & management are the rest.

Course Code: VIT010
Fee Code: AC
Duration (approx) Duration (approx) 900 hours
Qualification Advanced Certificate
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HOME STUDY - WEBSITE DEVELOPER - PROGRAMMING

GAIN SKILLS TO DEVELOP DYNAMIC DATABASE DRIVEN WEBSITES + GRAPHIC DESIGN + e-COMMERCE!

This unique course will teach you website development from all angles: programming, database, graphics and marketing. Designed to help you develop critical and in demand skills that make a difference to commercial success in the here & now of today's world.

  • Learn VB.net, ASP.net, SQL and Javascript (new!)
  • Develop graphic skills in Photoshop & Flash
  • Learn E-commerce and marketing

IT staff are often some of the most called upon staff in any office requiring broad knowledge and skills.  This means that employers are looking for versatile and adaptable employees with a wide range of skills. Don't miss out on this chance to improve your employment opportunities.

We've now included our new Javascript for Web course.  This exciting course will teach you how to use javascript to provide added functionality to your website from dynamic navigation and forms to games and more!

Modules

Core ModulesThese modules provide foundation knowledge for the Advanced Certificate in Web Site Development.
 Html (Writing a Website) VIT102
 Visual Basic.Net BIT101
 ASP.NET BIT200
 Graphic Design BIT205
 Information Security BIT203
 Internet Marketing BIT204
 Javascript BIT202
 
Elective ModulesIn addition to the core modules, students study any 2 of the following 9 modules.
 Industry Project I BIP000
 E Commerce BIT100
 Flash CS BIT102
 Publishing I (Self Publishing Children's Books) BWR107
 Research Project I BGN102
 Workshop I BGN103
 Digital Photography BPH202
 Photoshop CS - Beginner To Medium Level VIT202
 SQL For The Web BIT201
 

Note that each module in the Advanced Certificate in Web Site Development is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.


Writing a Web Site (HTML)

  1. Introduction to the Internet and HTML
  2. The most important HTML Tags
  3. Simplification through HTML Construction Software
  4. Creating Links
  5. Loading a Site onto the Internet
  6. Adding Graphics
  7. Designing a Web Site that Works
  8. Advanced Features

E Commerce

  1. Introduction - what is e-commerce (more than the internet)
  2. Success and failure - what makes the difference
  3. Promotional strategies - are different on the internet
  4. Optimizing web site potential
  5. Increasing web site exposure
  6. Automating supply of goods, services and cash flow
  7. Managing constant change
  8. Dealing with e-commerce problems

Flash Programming

Comprehensive module on Flash. This course will take you from the very basics of flash right up to developing interactive multimedia web solutions.

There are twelve lessons in total, as outlined below:

  1. Introduction to Flash
  2. Using the Flash editor
  3. Drawing & Colour
  4. Working with objects and symbols
  5. Working with text
  6. Working with graphics
  7. Animation
  8. Actionscript
  9. Using audio in your movies
  10. Using video in your movies
  11. Components
  12. Publishing

ASP.NET

ASP.net is a program used to develop web sites. It has very real advantages over HTML (which is more widely used) and other web site programs (eg. It will download sites much faster, and search engines are likely to rank ASP.net programs higher than others). There are 11 lessons as follows:

  1. Introduction
  2. VB.NET Essentials
  3. Web Forms
  4. Web Server Controls
  5. Form Validation
  6. Classes and Namespaces
  7. Creating ASP.NET Applications
  8. ADO.NET
  9. Error Handling
  10. Email from your Applications
  11. Project: Creating an Online Store

Visual Basic Programming.Net

  1. Introduction
  2. Variables
  3. Understanding conditional statements
  4. I/O handling
  5. Controls and Objects – An Introduction
  6. Structured Programming using Modules
  7. Properties, methods, events & classes
  8. Inheritance
  9. Polymorphism
  10. Using controls
  11. Debugging
  12. Developing a complete VB.NET application

 

Photoshop - Beginner To Medium Level VIT202

There are 9 lessons in this course:

  1. Learning the menus
  2. Working with digital image files
  3. Understanding the Tool Palette
  4. Using Layers, Actions and History
  5. Digital Painting, shapes and colours
  6. Selecting, Resizing, Transforming and Masking
  7. Adjustments and modifications
  8. Adding Filters and Styles
  9. Preparing files for print and web

  SQL For The Web BIT201

 There are 12 lessons in this course:

  1. Introduction to Databases
  2. Fundamentals of SQL
  3. Building a database with SQL
  4. Storing & Retrieving Data
  5. Advanced SQL database access methods
  6. Database Security
  7. Using SQL in applications
  8. Cursors
  9. Stored procedures
  10. Error Handling
  11. Dynamic SQL
  12. Advice & Tips

 

Tips for Getting Work

  • Success in Web Development doesn't come from getting a qualification!
    • Many of the most successful web developers do not hold university degrees
    • Many I.T. degree graduates have tried and failed to develop a successful career in web development
  • Success comes from what you learn, not what you qualify in
  • Successful web developers need to be prepared to start at the bottom, take work wherever they can find it (even if pay is poor) and build a career from the ground up
  • Few developers ever earn big money working for someone else. If you want a big income; you probably need to be self employed
  • If you are going to be self employed; you need to learn business skills, develop a capacity to find clients and sell your services, and above all, have the right attitude and persistence to develop a business
  • Make sure you learn the type of programming that is in demand; and that you are prepared to keep learning and staying up to date as your career rolls on.
 
WHAT IS THE OPTIMUM PAGE WEIGHT?
 
Consider how fast or slow the service used by your audience will be.
In the past many people accessed the internet by a slow dial up speed, where each 1kb could take as long as one second to download. So the 55kb page above would take on average 55 seconds to download.
As time advances, download speeds increase; but the sizes of files being downloaded also increase; so large files may still take a minute (sometimes longer) for many people to download.
 
If you know that everyone accessing your page has a fast broadband connection, you are free to create pages with larger page weights. Nowadays, many more people have faster high speed access, so page weights are becoming less of an issue, but still worth considering when designing your site, as fast loading pages are always preferable to slower ones.

Making highly optimised websites is largely dependent on what extra technologies you wish to include when designing and coding your site, for example, will you be using an programming language like Visual Basic or ASP.NET, will you be linking to a database application, etc. However, here are some tips to make pages load faster which might be relevant to you:

  • Optimise Your HTML Code: Make sure that your site doesn't have any unwanted tags and that it is optimised (i.e. fast loading graphics and programmed applications like Javascript or Visual Basic).
  • Effective Table Designs: Design using nested tables instead of using cell merges and splits. Use separate tables where ever possible. Not designing for 100% height is better than using one outer table. If your page is contained within one main table, it will not be displayed until the entire table is fully loaded. If many outer tables are used (i.e. different tables for the header, content, footer, etc.) the page displays the content of each table as soon as its elements are loaded.
  • Maximise Content Area: This not only reduces load time, it enhances the readability of your site.
  • Minimise Use of Graphics and Flash Scripts: These are the major contributors to the size of your web page, so try to avoid using them. Try using background colours and fills instead of images.
  • Optimise All Heavy Files: As much as possible optimise heavy graphics, Flash files and scripts. In editors like Fireworks and Flash there are various options in the preview panel to reduce the size. See how popular web sites like google and yahoo have pages that are very small in size and thus load in seconds.
  • Stick to Simple Designs: Most fast loading sites have very simple designs. Complicated designs will slow down your pages.
  • Spread Out Your Content: If you find yourself having very long pages of content, break them into separate pages and thus reduce the sizes of the individual pages. This is also an important navigational issue, as smaller logically arranged pages are easier to use than large complex pages.
  • Use Text Links instead of Graphic Buttons: Basically, try to make use of HTML as much as possible.
  • Use Server Side Include (SSI) Files – where ever possible. SSI files, once called from the web server, reside in a server cache so on subsequent requests they load faster.
 
ACS Distance Education holds an Educational Membership with the ATA.
ACS Distance Education holds an Educational Membership with the ATA.
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.
Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.
UK Register of Learning Providers, UK PRN10000112
UK Register of Learning Providers, UK PRN10000112

How can I start this course?

You can enrol at anytime and start the course when you are ready. Enrolments are accepted all year - students can commence study at any time. All study is self paced and ACS does not set assignment deadlines.

Please note that if a student is being assisted by someone else (e.g. an employer or government subsidy), the body offering the assistance may set deadlines. Students in such situations are advised to check with their sponsor prior to enrolling. The nominal duration of a course is approximately how long a course takes to complete. A course with a nominal duration of 100 hours is expected to take roughly 100 hours of study time to complete. However, this will vary from student to student. Short courses (eg. 100 hrs duration) should be completed within 12 months of enrolment. Certificates, Advanced Certificates and Awards (eg. over 500 hours duration) would normally be completed within 3 -5 years of enrolment. Additional fees may apply if a student requires an extended period to complete.
If a student cannot submit their assignments for 6 months to ACS, they should advise the school to avoid cancellation of their student
registration. Recommencement fees may apply.

Simply click on the ENROL OPTIONS button at the top of this screen and follow the prompts.

You can see the course price at the top of this page. Click 'enrolment options' to see any payment options available.

You can pay by Credit Card, PayPal, Afterpay or bank transfer.

Yes! We have payment plans for most courses. Click 'enrolment options' to see the available payment plans.
We also have Afterpay that will allow you to pay for your course or payment plans in four instalments (if you are in Australia).


What do I need to know before I enrol?

There are no entry requirements that you need to meet to enrol in our courses, our courses are for everyone.
If you are under 18, we need written permission from your parent/ guardian for your enrolment to continue, we can arrange that after you have enrolled.

You don’t need to purchase any additional resources to complete our courses.

We aim to teach you the essentials without you having to purchase any specific computer program.
We recommend that you have access to a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, so that you can easily complete and submit your assignments.

You sure can. We are here to help you learn whatever your abilities.

Yes, if you are enrolling in a Certificate or Advanced Certificate, you might be eligible for credits if you have evidence of your previous studies or relevant experience. More information is here.

We recommend that you are able to browse websites, send emails and conduct online research. You will need to be able to type and submit your assignments.
If you have limited computer skills, we can make special arrangements for you.

This is possible, it depends on the institution. We recommend that if you would like to use our courses that you contact the institution first. Our Course Handbook is a good resource for this.

Our courses are written in English and we only have English speaking academic staff. If you can read and complete your assignments in English, our courses are ideal for you.

Our courses are designed to build knowledge, hands on skills and industry connections to help prepare you to work in the area, running your own business, professional development or as a base for further study.

This course is aimed at providing you with a solid understanding of the subject. It has been designed to take 600 hours, which includes your course reading, assignment work, research, practical tasks, watching videos and more. When you complete the course, will have a good understanding of the area/ industry you want to work in.

It’s up to you. The study hours listed in the course are a rough guide, however if you were to study a short course (100 hours) at 10 hours per week, you could finish the course in 10 weeks (just an example). Our courses are self-paced, so you can work through the courses in your own time. We recommend that you wait for your tutor to mark and return your assignment before your start your next one, so you get the benefits of their feedback.

The course consists of course notes, videos, set tasks for your practical work, online quizzes, an assignment for each lesson (that you receive feedback from your tutor from) and ends in an exam (which is optional, if would like to receive the formal award at the end), using our custom built Learning Management System - Login.Training.

Our courses are designed for adults to gain professional development and skills to further their careers and start businesses.

Our custom online learning portal allows you to conduct your learning online. There may be practical tasks that you can do offline. You have the option of downloading your course notes or print them to read later.

There is also the option to pay an additional fee for printed course notes and or USB (availability limited to location and deliverability).

Yes, if you don’t have access to the internet, you can receive the course as paper notes or on a USB stick for an additional fee. We can also make alternative arrangements for you to send your assignments to us.

We offer printed notes for an additional fee. Also, you can request your course notes on a USB stick for an additional fee.

Yes, your tutor is here to help you. Simply post any questions you have in your login.training portal or contact the office and we can pass on a message to your tutor.

We are more learning focussed, rather than assessment focussed. You have online quizzes to test your learning, written assignments and can complete an exam at the end of the course (if you want to receive your certificate). You will not receive a pass/ fail on your course work. If you need to add more details on your assignment, we will ask you to resubmit and direct you where you need to focus. If you need help, you can ask your tutor for advice in the student room.

Each module (short course) is completed with one exam.

Exams are optional, however you must sit an exam if you would like to receive a formal award. You will need to find someone who can supervise that you are sitting the exams under exams conditions. There is an additional cost of $60 incl. GST for each exam.
More information is here

There are practical components built into the course that have been designed to be achieved by anyone, anywhere. If you are unable to complete a task for any reason, you can ask your tutor for an alternative.

When you complete the course work and the exams (8-9 exams) and you will be able receive your course certificate- an Advanced Certificate. Otherwise, you can receive a Letter of Completion.

You can bundle the short courses to create your own customised learning bundle, Certificates or Advanced Certificates. More information is on this page.

Yes, our courses are built to be applicable for people living anywhere in any situation. We provide the fundamentals, and each student can apply their own unique flair for their own interests, region and circumstances with the one-on-one guidance of a tutor. There is also a bit of student directed research involved.

Employers value candidates with industry skills, knowledge, practical skills and formal learning. Our courses arm you with all of these things to help prepare you for a job or start your own business. The longer you study the more you will learn.

ACS has an arrangement with OAMPS (formerly AMP) who can arrange Professional Indemnity from Australian and New Zealand graduates across all disciplines. Ph: 1800 222 012 or email acs@oamps.com.au.


Who are ACS Distance Education?

ACS Distance Education have been educating people for over 40 years.

We are established and safe- we have been in education for over 40 years.
We are focused on developing innovative courses that are relevant to you now and what you will need to know in the future.
We are focused on helping you learn and make the most of your experience.
You can enrol at any time, you can work on your course when it suits you and at your own pace.
We are connected to many industry bodies and our staff participate in continuous improvement and learning activities to ensure that we are ahead of what learning is needed for the future.

Our courses are not accredited by the Australian Government. However many of our courses are recognised and held in high regard by many industry bodies.

Our courses are written by our staff, who all have many years experience and have qualifications in their speciality area. We have lots of academic staff who write and update our courses regularly.


How do I enrol my staff/ sponsored students?

Yes, you can do a request for a bulk enrolment and request an invoice on our Invoice Request Form

We can prepare an invoice, quote or proforma invoice. Simply complete your details on our Invoice Request form

We can arrange bulk discounts for your course enrolment, please get in touch with us to discuss your needs.

Yes, we have many students who are in locked facilities, such as prisons or hospitals. We can cater by also offering paper notes at an additional cost.


What if I have any more questions or need more information?

We can assist you to find the right course for your needs. Get in touch with us via email (admin@acs.edu.au) call on +61 7 5562 1088 or complete our course advice form.


What if I change my mind?

Please get in touch with studentservices@acs.edu.au if you would like to be removed from our mail list.

If you would like ACS Distance Education to delete your information at any time (whether you are a customer or a prospective customer), please contact our privacy officer and we will process this ( admin@acs.edu.au ).




Course Contributors

The following academics were involved in the development and/or updating of this course.

Dr. Sherif Sakr

Research Scientist and University Lecturer in Computer Science and Engineering. Sherif has a PhD in Computer Science, MSc, BSc.

Josiane Joubran

CSC consultant with IBM, Software QA Engineer, Course Writer and Tutor. Josiane is an I.T professional with extensive experience with computer hardware and engineering in Lebanon and Australia. Josiane has a B.Eng., Grad.Dip.I.T., Master Info.Tech., MCP, MCSE.

Sarah Jury

Over 15 years working in small business, I.T., education and science. Sarah has a PGCE(Post Compulsory Education), BSc(Hons) (Genetics), DipComp(Open), CertWebApps(Open).
She has designed and created several Web sites for different organisations.





Tutors

Meet some of the tutors that guide the students through this course.

Connie Hu

*

Julia Mayo-Ramsay

Dr Julia Mayo-Ramsay is a practicing environmental and agricultural lawyer. She holds a PhD in International Environmental Law, LLM, BLJS, GDLP, LLM (Environmental Law) and a Master of Applied Science (Agriculture).
Julia started out in agriculture working on various dairy farms in the 1980s before working as dairy manager / tutor at Hawkesbury Agricultural College Richmond NSW. Julia then went on to work at Riverina Artificial Breeders at Tabletop (Albury) NSW as an embryo transfer technician assisting vets with artificial breeding and embryo transfer in cattle, sheep and deer. This was followed by two years as a herd manager for a very large commercial dairy herd milking 3,000 cows over three dairies on the outskirts of Sydney before heading overseas. In 1994 Julia accepted a position in NE Thailand at the Sakhon Nakhon Institute of Technology (now a University) training farmers and students in cattle breeding and dairy farm management. On returning to Australia in late 1996 Julia completed a Master of Applied Science in Agriculture at Hawkesbury Agricultural College (UWS) as well as law degrees and maritime studies. Julia now works as a Lawyer in the area of environmental and rural law.
Currently Julia teaches a variety of maritime subjects for Marine Rescue NSW.
As well as teaching Julia is working on a number of environmental research projects.

Josiane Joubran

Josiane has eight years experience as an I.T professional in Lebanon and Australia. Extensive experience with computer hardware and engineering, CSC consultant with IBM, Software QA Engineer, Course Writer and Tutor

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