Hey Guys

I already have a brief bit of knowledge in to creating websites and various other things like SEO and Graphic design but I am just wondering if there our any courses I can study for to give me grades in web design?

I know its not 100% needed but I would like to show other people that I have skills in this area and have something to back it up with.

Thanks

The best way to impress people is going to be with your knowledge of design and the web. There may be courses you can take at your local college, but if you aren't taught correctly, it can actually hinder your development, which is why many people here in the US have such a hard time getting a proper education in this field, and have to be self-taught.

My recommendation is to get an education in a field that is as related as possible, and teach yourself at night.

I agree with Abel. The best way to show your skills is by having a portfolio of sites. You can build them for other people or just build them for yourself to show people what you can do.

I won't tell you not to go to school though. I don't know if there are that many or even any specific programs for web design. You'll more likely find schools offering design program which will probably include a class or two on web design.

If you're just looking for a single class or two, most any college or university will likely have some classes. Many offer continuing education programs where you can easily register for a class and some schools will let you register for a calls without actually being a full or part time student. In either of those cases you may not get a grade though. It depends on the school.

A variety of local and community colleges offer basic web design courses and some even have degrees in it. That being said, the focus seems to be heavily on [all-]Flash sites and these courses are thus of limited value, since all-flash sites suck for search engine optimization.

Design simple stuff with obvious, redundant navigation using descriptive keywords first and foremost. Have your web illiterate friends try it out and see if they can do all the different functions it needs to meet, easily.

Another good way to learn is to look at the competition's site and make a list of the things they do which you like and might want to imitate. Everything from colours, to layout, to brand strategy to content etc. I know that several of my layout and branding elements were inspised by this analysis.