Students can take courses and exams in three different areas to earn a Certified Internet Webmaster certification as a Web Development Professional.
The Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW) refers to a variety of certifications available to website design and development professionals, with the designation of Certified Internet Web Professional. There are four main areas of certification available: web fundamentals, design, development, and security. Generally, the designation of Certified Internet Webmaster is used to refer to someone who has obtained all professional certifications in each area covered, although it is not a formal designation given. Candidates interested in demonstrating to employers a third-party assessment of retained skills related to any of these four areas can complete the required courses and exams to earn the appropriate certification.
The Web Foundations area covers three main areas of the Certified Internet Webmaster certification and leads to the Web Foundations Associate certification. Areas covered include Internet Business Associate, Site Development Associate, and Network Technology Associate. Web foundations allow candidates to be certified in one area rather than all areas.
The design certification consists of two different areas that lead to the designation of Web Design Professional for Internet Certified Webmaster. The areas of specialization are design and electronic commerce. Students can also earn these certifications independently, leading to Web Design Specialist or E-Commerce Specialist.
For the development certification, students will take courses and exams in three different areas to earn a Certified Internet Webmaster certification as a Web Development Professional. This study focuses on JavaScript, Perl, and database design. Obtaining individual certification as a specialist in each coverage is also an option with this series of certifications.
The Web Security Professional designation is the fourth area covered by the Certified Internet Webmaster series. This particular certification consists of several levels that must be taken in order. There are three levels of certification available: Web Security Associate, Web Security Specialist, and Web Security Professional. You must pass the exam at each level to advance to the next.
After completing each field of study and obtaining all required professional certifications, the Internet term certified webmaster is sometimes used to refer to this person. However, recognition of the certification program through 2011 is sometimes a point of contention, particularly with some employers due to a lack of formal recognition by any accreditation body or professional organization. However, other employers, academic institutions, and government agencies have adopted the standards and will recognize the certifications offered by the CIW program.