Noroff Higher Vocational College offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the digital world through two central study directions: front-end development and back-end development.
For prospective students, the choice between these study programs may seem challenging, but the key lies in understanding the differences and similarities. Luckily, we have made an overview to help you navigate through the crossroads of front-end development and back-end development.
What Do You Learn About?
As the names suggest, one study direction focuses on what happens in the front, and the other on what happens behind digital platforms and systems. However, let's delve deeper into what actually sets these educations apart.
Professionals with education in front-end development are the architects behind what we see on the internet. They focus on the user interface, design, and interaction that make websites aesthetic and user-friendly. As a student in front-end development at Noroff Higher Vocational College, you will develop skills in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and learn to create responsive and user-friendly content. The study direction provides a solid foundation for those who want to design the visual part of digital experiences.
On the other hand, we have back-end developers, who are masters of the system's internal workings. They focus on server-side logic, database systems, and security. As a backend student at Noroff, you will learn programming languages such as JavaScript and C#, and gain insight into building robust and scalable server environments. The study direction is interesting for those who want to work with handling data, securing information, and optimizing the performance of digital platforms.
Who Should Study Front-end Development?
To better understand the essence of the two study programs, we spoke with two program leaders: Oliver Dipple for front-end and Frederick Johannes Botha for back-end.
- What would you say is most important to highlight about the front-end development program?
- In front-end development, one of the most important things is the combination of theory and practice. You will, among other things, gain experience and knowledge of industry-known programs like HTML, CSS, and SCSS. Additionally, you will both plan and execute a complex web project where you take with you a good understanding of all the key principles in front-end development, says Oliver.
- How would you describe a typical front-end student?
- A person who would thrive in the program will be interested in color, design, and geometry. The student will have a passion and interest in technology and systems, and be quite confident when it comes to using computers. An interest in behavior or psychology will be important, as well as a desire to challenge oneself and the boundaries of how we interact with technology.
He himself believes that the best part of the study program is all the moments of accomplishment, such as when the code "clicks."
- When JavaScript "clicks" it is an incredible feeling, like getting a letter from Hogwarts. It really is like a modern magical power, by learning some special words and combining them in the right way - you can create anything you can imagine.
Who Should Study Back-end Development?
- What do you think is important to emphasize about the back-end development program?
- I think it's important to highlight that most of the course assignments are based on real projects. The study is so industry-relevant that you also learn two of the most used languages for back-end systems, JavaScript (NodeJS) and C#.
- Can you describe a typical student who would thrive in the program?
- I think an analytical, logical, detail- and solution-oriented person will thrive in the program. If you are interested in security and programming, this would be perfect, says Frederick.
- Can you tell us about what you think is the most exciting subject you teach in the program?
- In my opinion, the most exciting subject would be REST API. In this course you will learn how to expose data from a database with endpoints to applications. Validation and authentication, making sure the data is correct and that the correct person can access the data.
Despite their unique focus, front-end and back-end development share an important, fundamental similarity. Both study directions give students a solid understanding of web development as a whole. This is achieved through collaboration in interdisciplinary teams because effective digital development requires interaction between front-end and back-end experts.
So, What Should You Choose?
The choice between front-end development and back-end development at Noroff Higher Vocational College depends on your interests and career goals. If you enjoy creative design and user experience, front-end may be your path. If you are fascinated by system architecture and data processing, back-end may be right for you. Regardless of the path you choose, Noroff Higher Vocational College will provide you with the necessary skills and experience to enter the workforce directly after completing your education.
Back-end development is offered as a one-year and two-year education through online study. Front-end development spans over two years and is offered online, as well as on campus in Bergen, Oslo og Kristiansand. Both study programs offer four start up dates per year.
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