Our students
Most students who undertake the MA Web Design & Content Planning programme do so either because they have been working in web design (often self-taught) and feel they need some formal qualification or have never been involved with web design and see it as a career-change opportunity. If you fall into either of these categories, you'll be in good company. Set out below are brief profiles (in their own words) of just a few of our students.
Mia Spencer
Graduated December 2009
I had been working as a self taught web designer/manager for several years and felt that I needed to both solidify my knowledge and underpin it with some academic foundation. I also wanted to build my thesis project site and knew that this would be the ideal support framework within which to do it.
The teaching is very well executed and covers a wide breadth of subject matter. Now that I am in my final phase I am really able to appreciate how well structured the course is to provide me not only with general learning but also with the skills I need during this thesis project.
My project, urbanfoodie.net, a London foodie hub, had been in my mind for a while. I am a passionate foodie who believes in real food - even when you live a busy London life. The website, which has recipes (including a baby food section), a small producer shop, a foodie social network and more, is one that I felt a great deal of passion for - I wanted to build it as much for myself to use as anyone else.
I am continuing to work as Web and Design Manager and also working hard on getting Urban Foodie up and running as a profitable business.
Mohammad Kashem
Graduated December 2009
I had been working as a publishing designer for a media company in London since 2003. Before joining the MA Web Design and Content Planning programme I did a course on Magazine and Publishing Design from the London College of Communication, University of Arts. A major part of my design project work was in print media. Alongside printing I was keeping an eye on web design and its evolution. I was designing websites using WYSIWYG editors but was keen to gain more confidence by pursuing a professional education.
The programme was a perfect choice for me in terms of the time I invested and the skills and knowledge I gained in return. I was looking for a web design programme that would be unlike other programmes on offer. Most of the programmes available elsewhere seem to focus on development aspects of the web. As a designer I wanted to learn more about aesthetics, usability and marketing aspects of web sites and a workable understanding about various web-development technologies. The MA Web Design and Content Planning programme is a nice balance of design and development for the web. Class size was small and at times informal and I was lucky to have teachers who are experts in the field too. Whenever I needed any help or advice from the tutors I would always get it almost instantly. They are just an email away!
My web thesis project was dhakatown.net on Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Dhaka is a mega city of 12 million people. I noticed there was no full-fledged website like londontown.net or visitlondon.com in Dhaka. I wanted my thesis project to be on a service that can generate money too. Since its formal launch in October 2009, users are increasing each month. New contents are being added every day. Shortly, I will have an office for the site in Dhaka, and want to employ a few people too.
I am working as a publishing designer for a media company at present. My future plan is to have my own design companies both in the UK and in Bangladesh.
Jason Michael
Graduated December 2008
I decided to take the MA because it was something I have been interested in for a very long time, I love all things digital, and the ability to create and develop websites was something I was starting to develop a passion for. At the time I had just completed my BA in Business Management, been travelling to South America, and when I came back I decided it would be best in the long run that I tried to make my working life something I would enjoy doing for the rest of my life - footballer was out of the question, so Web Design was something I was extremely keen to learn.
The programme/teaching was excellent. I didn't know anything about how to design/build websites when I started, and after two years I am working at Bluhalo, a digital agency as one of two HTML/CSS developers with huge responsibility for sites such as Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspurs FC. It's incredible really, because without opting to do an MA at Greenwich University, and without the excellent teaching methods of David & Tom, I wouldn't be able to work where I am now- which I absolutely love. I think the teaching style is great because you are taught the fundamentals and a very clean and organized method of designing, developing and also thinking - which are vital in real life web design.
The idea behind my thesis project was down to my dad owning a small courier company (mckcouriers.com), which didn't have a website and no real online resource. Therefore, an ideal opportunity to help my dad's business enter a new era and complete my thesis with a very real project.
I now work for Bluhalo, digital agency; I've recently finished the new Liverpool FC website which was built from scratch from designers PSDs (Photoshop images) and am close to completing a re-design of an existing Bluhalo site for Tottenham Hotspurs FC. Both sites are due to launch before this seasons Premier League campaign. You can view those sites in the coming weeks and also some other projects I have been involved in post my MA at dysfunctionaldesign.co.uk. Next on the agenda, Bluhalo are re-designing their own website which I will be building towards the end of the year.
Patricia Pilippi
Graduated December 2008
I was working in a language school designing marketing materials when I decided I wanted to broaden my design and online marketing knowledge by doing an MA.
I think this course is unique in its approach and has the right balance of design and technical know-how. No previous web design knowledge is required as a good foundation is built in class and the fact that the tutors are very competent and always there to help make this a very enjoyable course.
For my thesis project I decided to do a redesign of my previous company's website (www.mayfairschool.co.uk) as the old site design looked dated and wasn’t very user-friendly which resulted in too many phone queries. Besides I wanted to increase their online revenue as well as their site traffic by adding new and relevant features and therefore make it a useful resource for both new and existing clients.
I have since changed jobs and I'm now working as a Marketing Executive looking after my company's website and their email/online marketing as well as being part of their e-learning strategy team. I have also recently started to do some freelance web design work.
James Barker
Graduated December 2005
I was managing the intranet for a large insurance company, and wanted to learn more about web design and internet marketing to apply to my job, and also some personal websites.
The MA was a perfect mix of design, content management and internet marketing. The tutors were approachable experts. Importantly, you get out what you put in - study and commitment must continue outside the lecture room to achieve truly great results.
At work I often needed to source good quality images yet did not have any budget. There were internet sites that offered high quality images for a price, or low quality images for free. There was a gap in the market for high quality free images. My theory was that offering such a service would generate high traffic which would bring in decent advertising revenue. My project site, freedigitalphotos.net has become a great success.
The MA meant I now had ‘commercial quality’ web design/marketing skills, and as a direct result I set up my own web development business about a year after graduation. That went well, and I subsequently joined a design agency as Technical Director, in charge of all web projects.
