CIW Master designer Course HELP!

Discussion in 'CIW Certifications' started by super-rikay, Apr 10, 2008.

  1. super-rikay

    super-rikay Bit Poster

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    hi there, this is my first post. ive just finished college and im looking to do the Master designer course. ive phoned both computeach and Advent and ther course costs around £4700. i was wondering was there any other way i could do this course and the examinations by some how buying the course materials learning them my self and then taking the exams without computeach or advents 'help'

    i owuld really appreciate some help on this as i have no idea where to start or to look for books and then to do the exams. thanks Ricky
     
  2. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Hi and welcome to CF!

    Yes - read the many posts here about how to do this yourself without laying out a huge amount of money!

    Note that having CIW will not automatically get you a job. You need a *good* portfolio that you can show to prospective employers.

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  3. super-rikay

    super-rikay Bit Poster

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    thanks for your quick reply harry, i understand about the portfolio, i need to learn the skills to become a web designer and i was wondering if this course would suit me. i'd say i can use photoshop to a highstandard and also have some basic knowledge of dreamweaver. i dont really want to pay £4700 to do this course if i can get the study materials for alot less and then just pay for the exams seperate. what would you reccomend? should i buy the course materials without the help of advent or computeach?

    i just found this cd on ebay would this help me?

    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Master-CIW-De...oryZ3133QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

    thanks i appreciate your help
     
  4. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    As far as I understand it you don't need a 'course' to get these certs. Basically 'all' you need is to take and pass the various exams.

    Now, obviously, to do this you must have the knowledge. There are plenty of books available on the Foundations part, for example.

    The CDs you mention are mock-exam questions. I'd suggest you investigate those when you are closer to taking the exam.

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  5. super-rikay

    super-rikay Bit Poster

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    ok thanks for yor help harry, much appreciated. would some one be able to post a link to the monst recent exams offered by the CIW for this course and il try to find books or similar reading material on them. thanks
     
  6. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    OK - your first lesson is about something called 'Google'! :p

    A most amazing search engine. It came up with this as the first non-sponsored link.

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  7. super-rikay

    super-rikay Bit Poster

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    :D haha thanks harry
     
  8. super-rikay

    super-rikay Bit Poster

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  9. BosonMichael
    Honorary Member Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Looks to me that eBay link probably offers braindumps, which are illegal collections of test questions from the real exam - using them can get you decertified for life. Did some digging and saw this on one of their product pages:

     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  10. BosonMichael
    Honorary Member Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    UCertify is known for their unethical behavior. The decision is up to you... but I'd recommend avoiding them.

    You shouldn't shoot for the "cheap stuff". Typically, you get what you pay for, and sometimes not that. If you want high-quality stuff, make an investment in your career and buy high-quality stuff. It's far better to have one product that absolutely does the job rather than three bad ones that don't.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  11. super-rikay

    super-rikay Bit Poster

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  12. BosonMichael
    Honorary Member Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  13. Mitzs
    Honorary Member

    Mitzs Ducktape Goddess

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    Try this

    http://www.amazon.com/CIW-E-Commerce-Design-Study-CD-ROM/dp/0782140823/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207846679&sr=8-1

    And this

    http://www.amazon.com/CIW-Internetw...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207846679&sr=8-2

    Now both these books say from 02, but I don't know anything about the exams. If they been updated then you will need newer books. Just make sure what you work with is updated material for that exam. Sybex makes pretty good books though. Just google around and search though amazon. I got the adobe web premium suite myself and am doing self studying. I will be going for the adobe certs myself.
     
    Certifications: Microcomputers and network specialist.
    WIP: Adobe DW, PS
  14. thecatsmother

    thecatsmother Byte Poster

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    This is the official source for all the CIW training materials for self-study in UK. It comes to £900, including exam fees.

    The Amazon books are out of date (the current exams are version 5), and the Ucertify material is only practice questions and explanations of the answers. If you don't understand how it all fits together, that's not much use to you. It might get you through the exam, but you won't actually understand the material. I have some of the Ucertify stuff, but it's very much used as an additional study resource, not a replacement for proper study.

    Hope that helps.
     
    WIP: CIW Website Design Manager
  15. dmarsh
    Honorary Member 500 Likes Award

    dmarsh Petabyte Poster

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    No need to pay silly prices loads stuff like this about...

    http://www.w3schools.com/

    After all where better to look for how the webs built than on the web ?
     
  16. neutralhills

    neutralhills Kilobyte Poster

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    If ever there was a value-less cert, the CIW is it. It sure isn't worth spending thousands and thousands of $$$ or pounds on. The same goes for Photoshop certification (unless you're teaching it, in which case it's justifiable).
     
    Certifications: Lots.
    WIP: Upgrading MS certs
  17. super-rikay

    super-rikay Bit Poster

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    thanks for yo help all, i think im more confused now though, is there any other courses out there that would benefit me better than doing this course? id say im fairly good on photoshop and i know a little bit about html and i can use dreamweaver a bit. thanks for the info on the £900 course looks alot better than spending £4700, but if theres any other courses out there that would benefit me better could some one please reccomend them to me thanks alot once again!
     
  18. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Why do a course at all? Why not just buy a bunch of books and also use the 'net to supplement them?

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  19. super-rikay

    super-rikay Bit Poster

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    i would have thought if i did a course it would have shown that i have knowledge of web design but from reading around i have read that maybe just learning the skills and making a portfolio would be a better option. would you reccomend i just learn the skills hbroomhall? thanks for taking your time to help me
     
  20. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    The thing that might show your knowledge would be the CIW cert - but you don't need to do a course to get one, as I've said before.

    The portfolio would be even better - you would show that you can design and build sites and that it isn't just book-learning.

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+

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