CMST 386 at UMGC continues the web design and technology sequence: you create a website promotion strategy with search engine optimization and build a professional site that includes multimedia and scripting.
UMGC now lists it as WDDE 375, Principles of Web Design and Technology II (formerly CMST 386), with WDDE 365, the renumbered first course, as the prerequisite. The official topics are website marketing, web analytics, performance, privacy and security, with a focus on XHTML, CSS and JavaScript.
The shift from the first course is significant. A site now has to be found, measured and trusted, not just built. Students who are comfortable with code sometimes find the marketing and analytics side the harder part, because it calls for clear reasoning about audiences and goals.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) |
| Code | CMST 386, now WDDE 375 |
| Level and credits | Upper-level undergraduate, 3 credits |
| Prerequisite | WDDE 365 (formerly CMST 385) |
| Technologies | XHTML, CSS and JavaScript |
| Typical work | Promotion and SEO strategy, website with multimedia and scripts, reports |
What CMST 386 Covers
- Website marketing: defining audiences, goals and channels to attract visitors.
- Search engine optimization: titles, descriptions, headings, content quality, links and technical health.
- Web analytics: measuring visits, sources and conversions, and acting on what the data shows.
- Performance: fast loading through optimized images, efficient code and caching.
- Privacy and security: HTTPS, safe forms, cookies, consent and data handling.
- Multimedia and scripting: adding audio, video and JavaScript interactivity responsibly.
Key Concepts Explained
On-Page SEO Basics
Search engines read a page's title element, meta description, headings and body text to judge what it is about. Each page should target one clear topic, with a unique title and description that match what a searcher wants.
Example: A dog-grooming site had every page titled "Home". Rewriting titles to "Mobile Dog Grooming in Annapolis | Paws & Co" and "Grooming Prices and Packages | Paws & Co", each with a matching description and one clear h1, tells search engines and users exactly what each page offers.
Goals and Conversion Rates
Analytics only matter when tied to a goal: a booking, a sign-up, a download. A conversion rate is the share of visits that complete that goal.
Example: A site gets 2,000 visits in a month and 50 booking requests, a 2.5% conversion rate. If visits from social media convert at 1% and visits from search at 4%, the strategy might shift effort towards search content.
XHTML-Style Discipline
XHTML required well-formed markup: lowercase tags, every element closed, attribute values quoted. Modern HTML is more forgiving, but writing to those rules keeps code clean and predictable, which is the habit the course emphasizes.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
| Assignment type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Promotion strategy | Audience, goals, channels | Set measurable goals first, then choose channels that reach that audience |
| SEO plan or audit | On-page and technical SEO | Review titles, headings, content, links and speed page by page |
| Site build with scripts and media | Integration and code quality | Add each feature on its own and test before combining |
| Analytics or performance report | Interpreting data | Explain what each figure means and what you would change |
Performance, Privacy and Security
These three topics often appear together in reports because they all affect trust.
- Performance: compress and correctly size images, load scripts efficiently and avoid unnecessary third-party code.
- Privacy: explain what data you collect, why, and how cookies are used; collect only what you need.
- Security: serve the site over HTTPS, validate form input and keep any software up to date.
Free tools such as browser developer tools and page speed testers give measurable figures you can quote before and after changes.
Adding Multimedia Responsibly
The course asks for a site that incorporates multimedia and scripting, and both can harm usability if handled carelessly. Videos should not autoplay with sound, should have captions, and should be compressed or hosted in a way that does not slow the page.
Scripts should enhance pages that still work without them where possible, so a single error does not leave visitors with a blank screen.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Keyword stuffing. Repeating a phrase unnaturally hurts readability and is not good SEO.
- Metrics without meaning. Listing page views with no link to goals or decisions.
- Heavy media. Large videos and images that slow the site.
- Scripts that break the page. One JavaScript error can stop everything after it. Check the console.
Study Tips for CMST 386
- Review semantic HTML and CSS from the first course; this course assumes them.
- Write the strategy around one realistic audience and two or three goals.
- Measure page speed before and after optimizing so you have evidence.
- Keep the browser console open while adding JavaScript.
How We Help with CMST 386
Send the brief, rubric, your site files or link and any feedback. A tutor explains SEO, analytics, performance and scripting issues, reviews your strategy and can provide a model promotion plan or report structure for reference.
GradeEssays is independent of the University of Maryland Global Campus. We offer tutoring and reference material only; the site and strategy you submit should be your own work under UMGC's academic integrity policy.
Strengthen Your CMST 386 Project
Share the brief, your site or plan and feedback. We explain promotion, SEO and performance choices and help you plan the work.
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Frequently Asked Questions
UMGC lists WDDE 365 (formerly CMST 385), Principles of Web Design and Technology I.
Yes. The catalog lists it as WDDE 375, formerly CMST 386. Credit is allowed for only one of CAPP 386, CMST 386 or WDDE 375.
The official description focuses on XHTML, CSS and JavaScript.
Yes. One stated objective is creating a website promotion strategy with search engine optimization.
Clear goals, the metrics tied to them, what the figures show and what you would change as a result.
Yes. Send the brief and draft; we explain gaps and how to strengthen your reasoning.