Overview

In this course, you will learn how to design and build a simple multi-page website using HTML. Through interactive, guided lab activities on Coursera, you will create web pages with clear structure and navigation, using headings, text, images and links to organise content effectively. You will explore how HTML and other markup languages shape the structure and meaning of web content, and why semantic markup is essential for accessibility and good web design. Using browser developer tools, you will examine the Document Object Model (DOM) and see how changes to HTML affect what appears in the browser. The course also introduces advanced HTML features such as forms, tables, embedded media and metadata. By applying these in hands-on labs, you will develop practical skills for creating accessible, usable and standards-compliant websites. By the end of this course you will be able to: 1. Design and implement multi-page, accessible websites using semantic HTML and forms, tables, and media. 2. Explain the evolution of markup languages and the role of hypertext in web architecture.

Syllabus

Build a web page

In this module, you will develop a foundational understanding of how web pages are structured and interconnected through hyperlinks. You will learn to create a basic web page using HTML, applying essential elements such as headings, paragraphs, and images to organise and present content effectively. Building on this, you will extend your work into a simple multi-page website, incorporating links to enable navigation. Alongside the practical skills, you will explore the concept and history of markup languages, gaining insight into why HTML exists and how it shapes the web. By the end of the week, you will have produced a functioning website and received feedback on your code to support further improvement.

Hyperlinks and semantic HTML

This week, you will build on your HTML skills by creating a multi-page website with working hyperlinks, learning how these links form the backbone of the web. You’ll explore the concept of hypertext and why it matters, then move on to identifying common elements found in real-world websites. From there, you’ll learn what makes HTML well-formed, valid, and semantic, and why these qualities are essential for accessibility, maintainability, and ethical web design. Through guided labs, you’ll add semantic elements to your pages and validate your code to ensure it meets standards. Alongside the practical work, you’ll reflect on the relevance of hypertext today and consider why good markup is important for both users and developers. By the end of the week, you’ll have a structured, standards-compliant website and a deeper understanding of the principles that underpin modern web development.

The data structure underneath a web page and how to manipulate it

This week you will explore the Document Object Model (DOM), which represents the structure of a web page as a tree of elements. You will learn how HTML forms this tree and how multiple pages together create the “forest” of the web. Through videos and guided activities, you will use visualisation tools to examine DOM structures and understand how elements relate to one another. You will also practise interacting with the DOM using browser developer tools, gaining hands-on experience in inspecting and modifying page content dynamically. By the end, you will be able to interpret DOM trees, connect them to the underlying HTML, and apply these skills to analyse and manipulate real-world websites.

Let's learn some more tags: forms, tables and media

This week focuses on advanced HTML features that make websites richer and more accessible. You’ll learn how to create forms for user input, build tables for structured data, and embed media such as audio, video, and iframes. You’ll also explore metadata for SEO and usability, and add semantic elements like and ARIA attributes. Through guided labs and practice quizzes, you’ll apply these techniques to enhance your site and understand why they matter for professional, standards-compliant web design.