Roger Williams University

DSGN 300: Web Design Communications

Fall 2025

Credits: 3

Room: GHH G12 Studio

Schedule: Tuesday–Thursday, 12:00 – 1:50 PM

Office Hours: Tuesday–Thursday, 9:30–10:00 AM / 2:00–2:30 PM (in person or Zoom); additional appointments by request

Office: GHH 325 & Zoom

Instructor: Erik Kowalski

Email: ekowalski@rwu.edu

Cell: 508.965.6642

Preferred Contact: Please use Bridges email. I typically respond within 24 hours M–F.

Building upon skills acquired in prerequisites, this course requires students to translate problem-solving design skills to the user interface of websites. Students will begin with visual mockups and wireframes created in Figma or Photoshop, then move into building responsive websites using HTML, CSS, and the Bootstrap framework. Emphasis is placed on typography, usability, accessibility, and site architecture, culminating in a portfolio-ready final project: a live, hosted personal portfolio website.

Course Objectives

At the completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate a fundamental understanding of web design principles.

• Produce visual mockups and prototypes in Figma or Photoshop.

• Write semantic, standards-compliant HTML for structuring content.

• Apply CSS for layout, color, typography, and responsive design.

• Implement Bootstrap framework features for professional responsiveness and interactivity.

• Develop effective site maps, information architecture, and wireframes.

• Design, build, and host a personal portfolio website with custom domain and hosting.

• Critically analyze websites for design, usability, and accessibility.

Course Structure

This is a studio course that meets twice per week. Sessions will mix lectures, demonstrations, design mockups, coding workshops, and critiques. Students should expect 8–12 hours of outside work per week on mockups, coding practice, research, and project refinement.

Students will progress through the full workflow:

1. Wireframing & Mockups (Figma/Photoshop)
2. Front-end Coding (HTML/CSS/Bootstrap)
3. Final Portfolio Website (hosted live online)

Schedule of Class Meetings

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory. Three unexcused absences lower your grade by one letter. Six unexcused absences result in automatic failure.
Chronic lateness or leaving early counts toward absences. Only instructor-approved absences are excused; email or voicemail alone does not constitute approval.

Participation

Full participation in design mockups, coding workshops, and critiques is required. Professional conduct, engagement, and constructive feedback are essential.

Assignments

• Deadlines are absolute. Submit work on time, even if incomplete.
• Assignments submitted on time may be revised during the last three weeks of the semester.
• All work for critique is due at the beginning of class.
• Plagiarism is prohibited and will be treated as an academic integrity violation.

Grading

Projects are evaluated on design principles, exploration, research, originality, usability, aesthetics, and craftsmanship across both visual mockups and code.

RWU Grading Scale:
A: 93–100  |  A-: 90–92.9  |  B+: 87–89.9  |  B: 83–86.9  |  B-: 80–82.9
C+: 77–79.9  |  C: 73–76.9  |  C-: 70–72.9  |  D+: 67–69.9  |  D: 63–66.9  |  D-: 60–62.9  |  F: <60

Academic Integrity & Intellectual Property

All RWU students commit to the University’s academic integrity policies:
RWU Academic Standards.

Use of AI or code-generation tools must be explicitly approved for each assignment. Course materials are the intellectual property of the instructor and may not be shared without permission.

Required Materials

• Laptop with Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop/Illustrator)
• Figma account (free tier acceptable)
• Code editor (VS Code recommended)
• Domain name + hosting account (required for final project)
• External or cloud storage
• Sketchbook for wireframes

Student Accessibility Services

The university commits to providing reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Students with disabilities who need accommodations to fully participate in this class
are urged to contact Student Accessibility Services, located on the first floor of the University Library, open M–F, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Contact:
sas@rwu.edu or 401-254-3841.

Tutoring Opportunities

The Tutoring Center (Math, Science, Writing, Language, SECCM, Architecture, Business) is on the second floor of the Main Library. Walk-ins welcome; appointments encouraged.
WritingHelp (email tutoring) is also available. More info: rwu.edu/go/tutoring. Hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–8 PM; Fri 9 AM–3 PM; Sun 5–8 PM.

Title IX Policies

Roger Williams University fosters a campus free of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. Reports can be made to Title IX Coordinator Jennifer Stanley (jstanley@rwu.edu).
Confidential resources: RWU Counseling Center (401-254-3124) and RWU Health Services (401-254-3156).

Chosen Name Policy

RWU recognizes that some students use a name other than their legal name. Students may update their chosen name via RogerCentral. For questions, contact the Registrar’s Office
or Henley Ballou, Assistant Director of Queer & Trans Initiatives (hballou@rwu.edu).

Intercultural Center & QTRAC

The Intercultural Center supports diverse student identities and experiences. Within it, the Queer and Trans Advocacy Center (QTRAC) serves LGBTQIA+ students through advocacy,
programming, and resources. Contact Michael R. Walsh, Director of Student DEIB, at 401-254-3766 or mwalsh@rwu.edu.

Mental Health & Wellness

If you are feeling stressed, worried, or down, resources include: Office of Student & Family Assistance (401-254-3042), Counseling Center (401-254-3124),
and Public Safety (emergency: 401-254-3333 or 4357). Immediate help: call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.

Spiritual Life

RWU respects all religious observances. Notify me in advance of any conflicts with class requirements, and I will provide reasonable accommodations.

Emergency Procedures

RWU Alert will notify the campus of urgent situations via text, email, and siren. In case of fire alarms, proceed outside; for outdoor sirens, proceed inside.
Emergency contacts: Emergency 401-254-HELP (4357); Public Safety 401-254-3611; Health Services 401-254-3156; Facilities 401-254-3136; Counseling Center 401-254-3124.
For life-threatening emergencies, call 911.

COVID-19 Protocols

Mask wearing (N95/KN95) is recommended in indoor settings. RWU may reinstate mask requirements as needed. Students are supported in choosing to wear a mask.

Final Note

This syllabus is a contract between instructor and students. Success requires consistent attendance, participation, and commitment to both
design exploration and technical implementation. By the end of the semester, each student will have a live, hosted portfolio website to showcase their work.