CMST 387 at UMGC is the third web design and technology course: a comprehensive, project-focused exploration of the techniques, tools, workflows and best practices used in advanced web development.
UMGC now lists it as WDDE 385, Principles of Web Design and Technology III (formerly CMST 387), with WDDE 375, the renumbered second course, as the prerequisite. The stated goal is to create professional websites, and the topics are web security, accessibility, inclusive design and web performance optimization.
At this level a site that simply works is not enough. Instructors look for evidence that you test, measure and justify: security risks addressed, accessibility checked against standards, and performance improved with figures to show it.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) |
| Code | CMST 387, now WDDE 385 |
| Level and credits | Upper-level undergraduate, 3 credits |
| Prerequisite | WDDE 375 (formerly CMST 386) |
| Focus | Security, accessibility, inclusive design, performance |
| Typical work | Professional site project, audits, workflow documentation |
What CMST 387 Covers
| Official topic | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Advanced tools and workflows | Version control, build tools, testing and deployment practices |
| Web security | Common attacks, safe input handling, HTTPS and secure headers |
| Accessibility | Meeting recognized standards such as WCAG |
| Inclusive design | Designing for varied abilities, devices, connections and contexts |
| Performance optimization | Measuring and reducing load time and page weight |
Key Concepts Explained
Common Web Vulnerabilities
The OWASP Top Ten is a widely used list of the most serious web application security risks. For front-end work, cross-site scripting (XSS), where untrusted input is inserted into a page as code, is one of the most relevant.
Example: A comment form displays whatever users type using innerHTML. Someone submits a script tag and it runs for every visitor. Inserting the comment as text (for example with textContent) and validating input on the server closes the hole.
Accessibility Versus Inclusive Design
Accessibility usually means meeting defined standards so people with disabilities can use a site. Inclusive design is broader: considering slow connections, older devices, different languages and situational limits like bright sunlight or one free hand.
Measuring Performance
Tools such as Google Lighthouse report metrics including Largest Contentful Paint (how quickly the main content appears) and total page weight. Measuring before and after each change shows which optimizations actually help.
Example: A home page hero image was a 3.2 MB photo. Resizing it to the displayed width and serving a compressed modern format brought it under 300 KB, and the page's Largest Contentful Paint improved noticeably in Lighthouse.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
| Assignment type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Professional site project | Integrating all best practices | Plan features, then build in version-controlled stages |
| Security review | Identifying and fixing risks | Check inputs, forms, HTTPS and third-party code |
| Accessibility audit | Standards-based testing | Combine automated tools with keyboard and screen reader checks |
| Performance report | Measurement and optimization | Record baseline figures, change one thing, measure again |
A Professional Workflow
Because workflows are part of the official description, it helps to show yours explicitly in documentation:
- Keep the project in version control (for example Git) with clear commit messages.
- Separate development and production versions of the site.
- Run validation, accessibility and performance checks before each release.
- Document known issues and how you would address them.
Documenting Your Decisions
At this level, the written part of a project carries real weight. A short technical document that lists the risks you identified, the standards you tested against, the tools you used and the before-and-after figures turns a working site into evidence of professional practice.
Keep screenshots of audit results as you go, since rebuilding them at the end is tedious and easy to get wrong.
It also helps to explain trade-offs openly. If you kept a heavier font for brand reasons or deferred a fix for time, say so and note how you would address it in a real project.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Relying only on automated tools. They catch many accessibility issues but not all; manual keyboard and screen reader checks matter.
- Security as an afterthought. Retrofitting input handling late is harder than designing it in.
- Optimizing without data. Changes made with no baseline cannot be shown to help.
- Too much third-party code. Every library adds weight and potential risk.
Study Tips for CMST 387
- Read the OWASP Top Ten summaries and WCAG quick reference early.
- Run Lighthouse on your site weekly and track the scores.
- Use a screen reader on your own pages for ten minutes.
- Keep a running log of decisions for your final documentation.
How We Help with CMST 387
Send the brief, rubric, your repository or files, any audit reports and feedback. A web tutor explains security, accessibility and performance issues, reviews your workflow and can provide a model audit report or commented example code for reference.
GradeEssays is independent of the University of Maryland Global Campus. We offer tutoring and reference material only; the site and reports you submit should be your own work under UMGC's academic integrity policy.
Take Your CMST 387 Site to a Professional Standard
Share the brief, your project and feedback. We explain advanced workflow, security and performance choices.
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Frequently Asked Questions
UMGC lists WDDE 375 (formerly CMST 386), Principles of Web Design and Technology II.
Yes. The catalog lists it as WDDE 385, formerly CMST 387, and allows credit for only one of the two.
Web security, accessibility, inclusive design and web performance optimization, within advanced web development workflows.
Accessibility focuses on meeting standards for people with disabilities; inclusive design also considers devices, connections, languages and situations.
Browser developer tools and Google Lighthouse are common choices; record figures before and after changes.
Yes. Send the report and brief; we explain the findings and how to present and act on them.