The best web development courses to kickstart your career in 2021
Looking for the best web development courses to boost your career? Alongside the rising popularity of ecommerce and mobile apps, demand for skilled web developers is on the increase. What’s more, the role is a rewarding and lucrative one. But with so many web development course providers out there all promising to give you the skills you need, finding the right course can be a real challenge.
As a team of dedicated web designers and developers we understand what tech skills are relevant in today’s industry, and in this guide we’ll help you find the best web development course to suit your experience, schedule and budget.
We’ll give you a run-down of the best flexible online courses, and the best fast-track bootcamp options. Lastly we’ll pick some noted courses at degree level.
First up, let’s take a look at the best online courses:
Online web development courses
Don’t have much time to study? Online courses are a great way to learn the fundamentals of web development at your own pace. And they’re a good option if you want to dive into a specific area on a shoestring budget.
Skillshare
Cost: Free for limited access to the course library; £14 a month for full access.
Skillshare offers video-based courses on a range of creative fields including web design and development. This platform is ideal if you have a busy schedule – lectures start from just 5 minutes long. Skillshare has lots of courses to choose from, including CSS, JavaScript, UX/UI and responsive design, so if you want to try your hand at a niche area of web development there’ll be a class for you.
Skillshare courses can be taught by anyone so it’s a good idea to check course reviews before you commit to one. On the flip side, there are also classes from noted experts in the industry to look out for.
Khan Academy
Cost: Free.
Khan Academy’s Computer Programming module offers several lessons related to web design and development, including HTML, SQL, CSS and JS. Lessons are delivered via an electronic blackboard with voice-over narration. There are also on-screen coding exercises to complete, and regular multi-choice quizzes so you can check your understanding as you learn.
All content on Khan Academy is free, so it’s a great option if you’re on a tight budget. Another really nice feature is how the courses are organised to build on your knowledge, which makes it easy to start from scratch and gradually progress to more advanced levels.
Treehouse
Cost: $29.99 a month, or $19.99 a month for an annual subscription.
Treehouse is an online coding school with a wide range of web development courses including full stack JavaScript, PHP development and Ruby. Because lessons are available from beginner to advanced, Treehouse is a great option if you want to take your skills beyond a basic level but can’t commit to a full time course.
While the monthly cost is a bit higher than other online courses, Treehouse offers a lot of benefits for your money; lessons are taught by design experts who are also professional teachers, and there are regular challenges and quizzes to test your knowledge. There’s a handy Workspaces feature which lets you practice your coding outside of lessons. Another plus is the forum where you can post your code for advice and feedback.
Bootcamp web development courses
Bootcamps are intensive courses that train you to be a web developer in just 2-4 months. Most also offer career coaching and recruitment opportunities. They’re ideal if you’re keen to start a career in web development and you’re prepared to pack in lots of study in a short time. Here’s our pick of the best ones:
Northcoders
Cost: £7,200 (with the option to pay in instalments).
Duration: 14 weeks.
Northcoders is an award-winning coding school which will take you from a coding newbie to a work-ready web developer in just 14 weeks. The bootcamp is available in Manchester, Leeds and online, and is taught by experts in the industry.
The curriculum is comprehensive; languages include HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and back-end languages such as Node.js, Express and SQL. Lessons are made up of lectures and practical coding projects, and the course is constantly updated to reflect tech and industry advances.
Unlike other bootcamps, Northcoders don’t require weeks of coding prep before you start – so it’s a great fast-track option. Another benefit is the level of support leading up to and after graduation, including career coaching, and setting up interviews with industry partners.
Le Wagon
Cost: £6,500.
Duration: 9 weeks full time, or 24 weeks part time.
Le Wagon is considered one of the world’s leading coding schools. Enrol on the London bootcamp and you can learn to be a web developer in only 9 weeks, though you’ll need to do 60 hours coding prep before you start the course (including basic web development concepts, versioning and tech workflows). Le Wagon also offers a part time option so it’s ideal if you think you’d excel in a bootcamp but you’ve other commitments.
Lessons are hands-on and teach you step-by-step how to build your own web applications. Programming languages include Ruby on Rails, JavaScript and ES6. There’s great post-graduation support too, with career services to help you prepare for interviews, and the chance to meet with top recruiters.
iO Academy
Cost: £11,000; there’s the option to pay in instalments after graduation.
Duration: 16 weeks.
The iO Academy is a bootcamp based in Bath which teaches you to be a web developer in 16 weeks. While prior coding experience isn’t essential, it’s recommended you learn some basic coding skills to increase your chances of acceptance.
Though this course costs more than other bootcamps it has its perks: taught by industry experts, class sizes are limited to groups of 8 to mimic a real working environment. You’ll learn a good range of languages including HTML, CSS and JavaScript for front-end, and PHP and Node.js for back-end. Towards the end of the course you can choose to specialise in full stack JavaScript or complex problem-solving.
During this bootcamp you’ll be introduced to industry partners, and the post-graduation employment rate is very high. The academy also offers ongoing support after graduation.
Web development degree level courses
If you can invest your time and money in an honours degree, you’ll benefit from a thorough understanding of the subject and a wide set of skills. What’s more you’ll be in demand from employers and have great career prospects. Here’s our pick of some noted degree courses currently available:
BSc (Hons) Web and User Experience Design, Manchester Metropolitan University
Cost: UK students £9,250 per year; international students £17,000 per year.
Duration: 3 years, or 4 years with a work placement/foundation year.
Entry requirements: minimum BCC at A Level or equivalent qualification.
This course aims to give you the perfect balance of technical skill and creative ability possessed by the very best web designers. With an emphasis on UX principles throughout, you’ll learn coding and programming skills, together with the aesthetic aspects of design and left field thinking. You’ll also get to collaborate with other students on various projects such as gaming and animation.
This degree gives you all the practical skills you need for a career in web design (3 of our team at Supremo are graduates of this course) so it’s well worth checking out. There’s the chance to study an extra placement year to get valuable work experience before you graduate. You can also apply for a foundation year if you don’t yet meet the entry requirements.
BSc (Hons) Computer Science (Web and App Development), Keele University
Cost: UK/EU students £9,250 a year; non-EU international students from £14,750 a year.
Duration: 3 years, or 4 years with an optional work placement/foundation year.
Entry requirements: BBC at A Level, or equivalent; GCSE maths and English at C/4. Foundation year available.
This degree has a strong emphasis on programming so it’s ideal if you enjoy the technical side of web development. You don’t need A Level maths to apply, but some ability for maths might be an advantage. During the course you’ll gain a practical understanding of current and emerging tech, including mobile and web applications – a big plus given the rising popularity of apps among consumers and employers.
Like Manchester Met, Keele’s BSc has the option for a placement year with several tech companies situated near the campus. Another benefit is the campus itself; Keele is one of the best places to study, consistently ranked in the Top 3 UK universities for student satisfaction.
BSc (Hons) Creative Computing, Bath Spa University
Cost: UK students from £9,250 a year; international students from £14,925 a year.
Duration: 3 years.
Entry requirements: from CCC at A Level (or equivalent) preferred.
Last up on our list is the BSc from Bath Spa. Aimed at practical, imaginative individuals, this course focuses on how computing can enhance human creativity. The course is very hands-on, with a mix of creative problem-solving challenges and collaborative projects. You’ll gain skills in programming, UX design and web development which you’ll apply in creative contexts.
The department collaborates with new tech companies and freelancers in the industry, so there’s the chance to gain a work placement as you study. There’s also the opportunity to spend a semester studying abroad via Bath Spa’s Erasmus and Exchange programmes.
Web development experience
If this article has left you wondering how you can go one step further and put your web skills into practice, why not join us at Supremo Academy? Working alongside industry professionals, you’ll have the opportunity to further develop your knowledge whilst gaining first-hand experience in the sector. Perfect for both students and graduates alike, we’ll help you progress your career in web development.
So there you have our guide to the best web development courses available, from self-paced online options and intensive bootcamps, to web design courses at degree level. We hope you’ve found this guide helpful, and whichever direction you choose to take we wish you every success for your future career.