Writing for the web is very different from almost any other style of writing, with the possible exception of journalism. A class in writing for the web will prepare you for web design by teaching you how to pare down your text to the essentials. Web page text needs to be short enough to be scanned, while retaining the unique information that will attract viewers to your page.
Consider taking a course in grammar, as well; if you are being paid to design web pages, you should be able to create a grammatically-correct and spell-checked document that will not reflect poorly upon you or your client.
Most web-writing classes will include some sort of design element, but it will not provide much opportunity for practical application. An additional design-specific class should be considered. Web pages are as much slaves to fashion as any other designed item; web design classes should focus on both classic and current designs. Design courses can also teach you layout techniques that maximize the readability of your web page.
An art class is optional, but recommended; if you find that you are more logical than artistic, an art class can help you access or develop your artistic side. You need to be able to use your imagination when you design, and an art class can help to develop your creativity.
Graphic arts courses, specifically those that address electronic document design, are very important courses in web design training. These classes can include color theory, training on design programs, such as Quark, Adobe and Corel design suites, typography and layout instruction.
Color choice can convey as much information as any text on a web page, and color theory will allow you to understand which colors work together, and which colors make text easier to read.
Graphic Designers should be well-schooled in the use of various design suites; therefore, taking an electronic document design course is well-advised. Familiarity with multiple design suites adds to a designer's flexibility and marketability.
Typography will teach you to choose and combine fonts for maximum readability and impact. In web design, all the elements of a page work together. If a single element is lacking in some way, the entire document can be rendered useless.
There are many pieces of software that will allow you to design a web page with minimal effort and little to no programming knowledge. But if you find yourself in a situation where the page you have created does not display correctly, knowledge of web programming languages can help you to isolate and correct the problem.
HTML is the most common programming language associated with web pages. An HTML programming class should give you a good understanding of how web pages are accessed and created, and will also be a good stepping-off point if you decide to continue and learn a specialized web programming language.
While it may not seem like a vital part of a web design curriculum, it is important for a designer to know about the various laws that govern the Internet. A web designer should be clear on the laws of fair use and public domain in order to avoid any litigation on the part of the creator or owner of data appropriated by the designer.
It is possible to save some time and money by seeking out courses that combine multiple elements of web design. Where the English department of a college might offer a "Writing for the Web" course that focuses specifically on writing for the web, an equivalent class in the Graphic Arts department may include lectures on web-writing, typography and layout.
Classes that focus on web programming and training on design software will often include elements of layout or web writing; final projects usually include a fully-realized web page, which is a good opportunity for designers to incorporate skills and knowledge from other courses.