Next Steps

Front-End Design Development, B.A.

The front-end design development major allows you to combine your interests in art and computer science to create software that offers an attractive and intuitive user experience. Courses from the art and computer science departments comprise this interdisciplinary major, and you will have the freedom to emphasize one side or the other as you see fit.

You will learn to attend to user interface, analyze users and their behaviors, and develop software, all skills that will prepare you for a career in the rapidly growing field of user experience (UX).

Why major in front-end design development at Whitworth?

Start from the beginning. You don't need a background in computer science to take the first course.
Become skilled in multiple disciplines. Software development involves much more than writing programs. The front-end design development major incorporates art, technology and design.
Draw inspiration from the vibrant Lied Arts Center. This beautiful, recently built center houses six studios, two gallery spaces and a state-of-the-art computer lab with Apple iMacs.
Gain hands-on experience. You will gain experience outside of the classroom through the required completion of an art or computer science internship. In addition, many courses end with software projects instead of exams, giving you a chance to apply your knowledge.
Have fun and build community with fellow students. You can join the art club – the Artists' Cooperative. Both the art department and the math & computer science department host social and informational activities each year.
Connect your faith or worldview to your learning through classroom discussions of social and ethical issues.
Take advantage of amazing off-campus programs led by your professors.
Become who you're meant to be.

Our front-end design development grads make a difference (and get jobs)

Front-end design development graduates will be ready for careers in software development, particularly related to user experience (UX). User experience is a quickly growing, in-demand area of software development. Graduates may also choose to apply their skills to other fields that involve user interaction, including graphic design, quality assurance, program management and data analytics.

Recent job placements include:

Lauren Pangborn, designer, Wahoo Fitness
Alec Moore, full-stack software engineer, Utah Jazz

Opportunities outside the classroom

Join Whitworth's student-run public-relations agency, Beyond the Pines, and use your graphic design and computer skills to serve local nonprofits.
Provide a local nonprofit with software as part of a class project.
Volunteer in a high school computer science classroom as an expert and mentor.
Join an active ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) club that holds events most months and performs well in programming competitions.

Pack your bags!

Art and computer science faculty lead off-campus study programs over Jan Term and full semesters. Explore art and see significant museum collections in various countries in Europe or in Chicago. Or study computer science and work on projects in countries such as England, Wales, Ireland, India, China, Malaysia and Singapore.