Web Strategy and Development Blog

Redesigned physical therapy website: Identity and student success

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The redesigned physical therapy website recently launched as part of the academic website project. It is the latest academic website to receive a full redesign for the mobile-friendly template, a process that includes the creation of new content, design and multimedia elements.

Visual improvement

The redesigned homepage features distinct headers, brevity and a centerpiece photo showcasing a department student in action. Fresh photos give an identity to physical therapy students and faculty.

PT student in action.
A physical therapy student demonstrates techniques learned within the program.

Links on the left side of the page were also prioritized. Visitors are now one click away from high-interest department information such as curriculum and scholarships and financial aid.

Student achievements

Since 2009, the physical therapy department has held an ultimate pass rate of 100 percent. This information is highlighted in a call to action block on the home page, which links to year-by-year graduation rates – a vital recruiting tool for the department.

PT exam pass rates.
Exam pass rates a focal point for the physical therapy department.

Experience and opportunities

What, and where, will you be learning in the physical therapy department? Find out by visiting the Experience and Opportunities page, which explains your potential full-scale educational experience and the amenities of McQueary Family Health Sciences Hall.

Site credits

  • Project lead and content: Lucie Amberg, new media specialist, office of web and new media
  • Design: Abby Isackson
  • Photography: Bob Linder
  • Videography: Carter Williams
  • Editor: Nicki Donnelson
  • Implementation: Alyson Jones and Louis Freeman, with oversight from Brian Heaton

Redesigned physician assistant studies website: Academic excellence + work-life balance

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The redesigned physician assistant studies website recently launched as part of the Academic Website Project. It is the seventh academic website to receive a full redesign for the mobile-friendly website template, a process that includes the creation of new content, design and multimedia elements.

Homepage of the physician assistant studies website

Clarifying and communicating unique benefits

Early in the redesign process, we worked with the department to identify the following recruitment messages:

  • Physician assistants play a vital role in health care while also maintaining a positive work-life balance.
  • Missouri State’s physician assistant studies program allows students to finish in just 24 months — faster than many other PA programs.
  • Graduates of this program have a history of success on the physician assistant certification exam.

Emphasizing key recruitment messages

Photography throughout the site features physician assistants in action and students learning through hands-on experiences. The careers and outcomes page emphasizes the positive work-life balance associated with the profession.

The program’s efficiency, which gives it a strong recruitment advantage over programs that take longer to complete, is spotlighted on both the departmental homepage and the physician assistant program page. These pages consistently reinforce the message, “You will finish our program in just 24 months.”

The website highlights graduates’ success on the certification exam, which is required for anyone wishing to practice as a physician assistant. These pass rates have a permanent home on the exam pass rates page.

Site credits

  • Project lead and content: Lucie Amberg, new media specialist in the office of Web and new media
  • Design: Abby Isackson, graphic designer in the office of publications
  • Photography: Kevin White, senior photographer in the office of publications
  • Editor: Kevin Agee, new media specialist in the offices of communications and Web and new media
  • Implementation: Brian Heaton, content management programmer in the office of Web and new media, with Lucie Amberg and Sara Clark, director of the office of Web and new media, and student coder Louis Freeman

Mobile-friendly academic website conversions: Spring semester progress

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Campus scene with many students on mobile phonesMobile usage is growing exponentially — particularly among our largest demographics of prospective students, Millennials and Gen Z.

Last year, Google experienced two mobile milestones:

  • The mobile tipping point, in which the number of mobile searches in the U.S. surpassed searches on PCs
  • Mobilegeddon, a change to the Google search algorithm that benefits mobile-friendly websites over their non-mobile-friendly counterparts

Academic websites converting to mobile

In response to the growing need to reach our audience on mobile devices, we began the process of converting all academic department websites to a mobile-friendly format in 2015.

The conversion process is not a complete redesign. Instead, it converts each site to the mobile template and reorganizes existing content for consumption on mobile devices.

Like the academic website redesigns, conversions are funded by the provost’s office and processed on a college-by-college rotation according to the deans’ prioritization.

Websites that are converted to the mobile-friendly template will later undergo redesign, during which new content, multimedia elements and design elements will be created. This two-step process allows our office to optimize all academic websites for mobile consumption as quickly as possible.

Progress in the first half of 2016

During the first six months of this year, we published the following mobile-friendly website conversions:

Progress anticipated for the second half of 2016

An additional 14 academic websites are either currently in conversion or scheduled to begin the process before the start of the fall semester. We expect all of these conversions to be published during the first half of the fall semester.

Missouri State seeks full stack developer/engineer

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Apply now

Missouri State University is accepting applications for a full stack developer/engineer.

Responsibilities

  • Serves as technical lead to guide web applications through the full stack of development
  • Manages projects, develops web and mobile applications
  • Integrates and configures external platforms
  • Maintains the core web template architecture
  • Oversees the student programmer team

Select projects

Website views
Web performance, build tools, source control and continuous deployment
Search website
Top-level applications including Missouri State homepage, search, map and master calendar
MSU Mobile
Mobile applications and websites
Welcome Center panels
Special projects

Application instructions

Starting salary range: $61,574-80,399 annually. Pay grade: 36.

Reimbursement for out of the area relocation expenses is negotiable.

Group health insurance, life insurance, retirement, tuition waivers, wellness programs and professional development opportunities. Learn more about benefits.

Visit the complete job posting

Desired skills and experience

Education

A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience as described in the Job Family 3 Knowledge Equivalencies Chart is required; a bachelor’s degree in an information technology field is preferred.

Experience

  • At least two years of technology project management experience is required.
  • At least three years of experience programming websites is required with fluency exhibited in at least one Web application framework (ASP.NET MVC, Rails, Grails) and one object-oriented programming language (ASP.NET C#, Ruby, Groovy).
  • Proficiency in modern Web languages, including Javascript Application Development, HTML and CSS is required.
  • Experience in the design and programming of applications in a team-oriented environment is required.
  • Experience working with mobile development tools (iOS, Android, etc.) is required.
  • Work experience in higher education is preferred.

Skills

  • The ability to effectively manage multiple, complex web-based projects concurrently is required.
  • Effective interpersonal and organizational skills are required.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills are required.
  • Strong and current application design and architecture skills, including an understanding of web security principles, are required.
  • An understanding of accessibility issues related to users with disabilities is preferred.
  • The ability to maintain confidentiality in regard to information processed, stored, or accessed by the systems is required.
  • The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required.

Effort

Extended periods of time working at a computer workstation are required.

Other

The twenty-four hour scope of university operations requires this position to be available evenings, nights, and weekends to respond to calls regarding questions or problems with the university’s website.

Successful candidates must be committed to working with diverse student and community populations. Employment will require a criminal background check at university expense.

EO/AA/M/F/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity EMPLOYER AND INSTITUTION

Redesigned biology website: Diverse programs in a mobile-friendly format

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The redesigned biology website recently launched as part of the Academic Website Project. It is the fifth academic website to receive a full redesign for the mobile-friendly template, a process that includes the creation of new content, design and multimedia elements.

Clarifying programs and resources

The biology department is home to a diverse range of programs and research centers. Given the options and opportunities for prospective students, providing clarity became a focus of the redesign.

Each program now has its own sub-section on the website, where information regarding that program is gathered.

The department’s research centers — meaningful recruitment tools — are highlighted in a prominent section of the website’s homepage. The Facilities and Resources page then features expanded descriptions of each center.

The research centers of the biology department, as featured on the homepage

Photo and description of the Gulf Coast Research Lab, as depicted on the facilities and resources page

Using video resources

This redesign included the creation of one new video, which highlights the department’s emphasis on research:

In addition, we were able to leverage videos that were created for other purposes. For example, the following video of a biology alumnus became a valuable addition to the Careers and Outcomes page for the Master of Science in Biology.

Site credits

  • Project lead and content: Lucie Amberg, new media specialist in the office of Web and new media
  • Design: Veronica Adinegara, senior graphic designer in the office of publications
  • Photography: Kevin White, senior photographer in photo services
  • Videography: Sara Silkwood, videographer in photo services
  • Editor: Nicki Donnelson, public relations specialist in University communications
  • Implementation: Brian Heaton, content management programmer in the office of Web and new media, with Lucie Amberg and Sara Clark, director of the office of Web and new media, and student coder Max Orlando