Dec 07, 2025  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Academic Catalog-June 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Academic Catalog-June [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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UXD 3050 - Search Engine Optimization

3 lecture hours 0 lab hours 3 credits
Course Description
This class will cover components of information architecture, search algorithms and SEO-driven design, including crawlability, keywords, metadata, geographical influence, external linking, information architecture and content optimization. The course will cover how algorithms impact content internally, as well as external findability. Students will begin with a brief history of search, review technical SEO website elements necessary for search, conduct keyword research, and optimize website navigational elements and content. Students will leverage concepts in SEO-driven design in a research project focused primarily on SEO.
Prereq: COM 2001 , UXD 1001 , sophomore standing (quarter system prereq: UX 1400 or UX 1400H and GS 1002 or GS 1020H or GS 1002E)
Note: None
This course meets the following Raider Core CLO Requirement: None
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  • Articulate the history and key principles of information architecture and search algorithms
  • Explain the components of the search engine results page and strategies to achieve rankings in each area of the search engine results page
  • Describe, critically analyze, and apply best practices of SEO to a website optimization project
  • Individually and collaboratively present an SEO audit of a website aimed at improving searchability
  • Optimize website content and on-page SEO elements in a final project aimed at improving the SEO rankings for a website

Prerequisites by Topic
  • User persona
  • User journey
  • Usability
  • Prototyping
  • UX writing
  • Basic research methods
  • Ability to create and leverage an analytics strategy

Course Topics
  • Key principles of information architecture
  • Information search algorithm history and search engine results page
  • SEO tools and technical SEO definitions
  • Core web vitals and page performance
  • Keyword research, grouping and content topics
  • Auditing and reporting SEO performance
  • SEO design elements and on-page SEO
  • E-A-T and content development for SEO
  • Product SEO and structured data
  • International SEO
  • Local SEO

Coordinator
Dr. Nadya Shalamova



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