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University of Maryland Global Campus — Web and Digital Design

CMST 385: Principles of Web Design and Technology I

A complete guide to UMGC's CMST 385: Principles of Web Design and Technology I — what this course covers, typical assignments, and where to get expert help when a deadline is close.

Undergraduate 3 Credits UMGC

Principles of Web Design and Technology I is the gateway course for UMGC's web design sequence — HTML5 and CSS fundamentals for planning and producing a professional website.

What CMST 385 covers

A study of web design, tools, and technology principles. The goal is to plan and produce a professional website. Topics include internet protocols; usability; accessibility; and social, ethical, and legal issues related to website production.

Focus is on HyperText Markup Language version 5 (HTML5) and cascading style sheets (CSS).

Typical CMST 385 assignments

Expect a project requiring you to plan and build a professional website using HTML5 and CSS, addressing usability and accessibility explicitly.

Key topics in CMST 385

Writing tips for CMST 385

Follow the assignment instructions and rubric line by line

UMGC assignments for CMST 385 are graded against a specific rubric or grading criteria your instructor provides — every requirement has to be visibly addressed. Skipping a requirement because it seems minor is one of the most common reasons a strong submission loses points.

A finished visual project still needs a written design rationale

CMST courses like CMST 385 usually require more than a finished design file — evaluators want a written explanation of the design decisions, principles, and process behind the work, not just the final visual output.

Address accessibility, ethics, and usability explicitly

UMGC's design courses consistently build accessibility, ethical/legal considerations, and usability into their rubrics. A visually strong project that ignores these dimensions is one of the most common ways students lose points in this discipline.

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Why students seek help with CMST 385

Students sometimes build a visually complete website without the usability and accessibility considerations the course specifically requires — the rubric typically wants those addressed explicitly, not treated as optional.

How GradeEssays helps with CMST 385

Share your web design project and rubric, and your writer will help build a website that explicitly addresses usability and accessibility using proper HTML5/CSS.

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Prerequisites and course context

CMST 385 has no listed prerequisites, but it is the gateway course for CMST 386, CMST 387, and CMST 388 — the entire upper-division web design and JavaScript track. Note: students may receive credit for only one of CAPP 385 or CMST 385.

Related courses

Frequently asked questions

Why is CMST 385 such an important prerequisite?

CMST 385 has no prerequisites of its own but is the gateway course required by CMST 386, CMST 387, and CMST 388 — the entire upper-division web design and JavaScript track.

Can another course substitute for CMST 385?

Students may receive credit for only one of CAPP 385 or CMST 385, since they cover the same web design fundamentals content.