10 Best UX Design Certification Programs | A Complete Guide
It's no secret that the demand for UX designers continues to grow. However, employers will look for those with an official UX qualification for employers to tell the difference between a self-taught or uncertified designer and one who has obtained a UX certification. If you're unsure whether you want to work in the UX field, a free UX design micro-course is an excellent way to find out. This course will give you a general introduction to the field and will help you determine whether it's right for you.
However, if you've taken your time and are still interested in UX design, then I'm sure you'll be curious about certification programs. These programs are just what you need as a self-taught designer! They'll teach you everything you'll need to know about the field and how to succeed in it.
Of course, if you are currently working as a UX designer and have managed to become experienced without the help of any formal instruction, then maybe certification isn't the best option for you. If you're thinking about starting a career as a UX professional or looking to grow your skills and knowledge, this article may be of interest to you.
There are benefits to earning a UX certification. Certifications can offer a deeper understanding of the field, introducing you to new tools, best practices, and emerging trends. They also offer a chance to develop your skills with projects. The field of UX is fertile ground for people with a wide variety of skill sets. There are many different educational opportunities for people who want to build their human-centered design skills, and most come at different price points. A formal UX master's degree may be the right choice for some. Others may not need that level of education but can learn more through certification programs.
You could spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on certification programs on improving your UX designer career, but not all are worth the investment. To get to the best courses quicker, we've organized our selections in order from part-time courses and short-term courses to immersive programs, followed by full-time/long-term courses. To help you decide which course is right for you, I'll give you a short overview of the courses.
Here Are 10 Best UX Design Certification Programs:
1. Interaction Design Foundation
The Interaction Design Foundation (IDF) is one of the world's most prominent online design schools. And with a variety of courses in disciplines like UX Fundamentals, data visualization, and augmented and virtual reality design offered at the self-paced level or in shorter-term (6- to 9-week) boot camps, it's no wonder IDF is one of the most popular design schools for those looking for a career change.
IDF's certificates of completion are evidence that your hard work has paid off. A certificate from IDF indicates that you have learned the skills necessary to be a UX designer. This medium may help you get a new job or land an interview with local companies.
- Who it's for: Beginners and professionals who want several course options when building their UX design training
- Cost: $16 per month (paid yearly) for access to all courses; $1,182 to $2,192 for boot camps
- Length: Six to nine weeks for Bootcamp (40 hours per week); 15 to 18 hours per course
2. Google UX Design Professional Certificate
Nowadays, people are looking for any way to get a competitive edge. Luckily for them, Google has announced a new program that will train newcomers in the art of UX design. With this program, you can equip yourself with job-ready skills in UX design. It's beginner-friendly and lets you learn at your own pace.
Throughout the course, you'll learn from professional designers at Google as you build a foundation in UX principles and best practices. You'll also learn research methods, tools like Figma, and interactive prototypes. At the end of the program, you'll have the opportunity to showcase your work through a portfolio and apply for jobs at some of the top companies hiring UX professionals.
- Who it's for: Beginners with no prior UX design experience who want to learn from professionals at one of the world's leading tech companies
- Cost: $39 per month (via a Coursera subscription)
- Length: Approximately nine months (six hours per week)
3. Nielsen Norman Group UX Certification
Want to start a successful career in UX/UI design? Get the NN/g UX Certificate! It will give you credibility and help you win projects.
The NN/g UX Certificate is an exam-based credential that will give you the skills and credibility needed to thrive in the UX/UI industry. You must attend at least five NN/g live UX courses to get the certificate. You will also need to pass exams after each course, so all parts of the certificate have been completed.
You can choose how you'd like to take the courses. There is no deadline, and the credit hours earned do not expire. The most popular ways to attend a course are by registering for a UX Conference or a UX Series of classes. You can attend all at once or over some time. There is no timeframe for the certification, but it doesn't matter when you finish the series.
No matter what level of UX training you're looking for, there's a certification for that. Depending on the number and type of courses you take, you can get a standard UX Certification, Specialty Recognition, or a UX Master Certification.
- Who it's for: Beginners looking to learn about UX design fundamentals and professionals seeking advanced certification options
- Cost: $3200 in tuition for five courses (if you register early for all courses at once), plus $400 in exam fees ($80 per exam)
- Length: Flexible (as little as five full days)
4. CareerFoundry UI Design Program
CareerFoundry's UX Design Program is an all-inclusive course that teaches students all the skills and processes to become successful UX designers. It is best for beginners who don't have any design or tech experience but want to become experts. If this is your first introduction to UX design, try their free UX Design Short Course to decide if it's the right career choice.
In this course, you'll learn from experts and build an impressive portfolio with real-world projects. With feedback from a personal mentor and tailored coaching from Career Services, the program is guaranteed to develop your skills in no time. The dual mentorship model accommodates you by pairing you with one tutor and one mentor to get all the support you need.
- Who it's for: Beginners looking for a flexible online-only program that allows them to focus on one specific area of UX design and who want personalized mentor resources
- Cost: $7,505 if you pay upfront
- Length: Six months at 30-40 hours per week or 10 months at 15-20 hours per week
5. General Assembly UX Design Immersive
General Assembly is offering a beginner-friendly course called The Product Manager's Toolkit. General Assembly can attend this full-time Bootcamp at one of General Assembly's more than 30 campuses worldwide or online. There is no need to take any exams to get a signed certificate of completion for finishing the course.
This course starts with a live lecture to teach you how to design professionally. Throughout the 12-week course, you'll learn about the interface and visual design through live lectures and interactive collaboration. You'll complete a capstone project alongside your peers at the end of the course, preparing you for your new career.
The course includes resume reviews, interview prep, and whiteboarding practice, which are invaluable tools to help you succeed in your new career.
- Who it's for: Beginners who want a concentrated, immersive training experience without the pressure of an exam
- Cost: $14,950 (can be paid all at once or in three installments)
- Length: Full-time for 12 weeks
6. Springboard UX Career Track
Springboard is the world's most comprehensive UX platform to help engineers, creators, and business leaders launch their careers in design. The program features 350+ hours of video tutorials, in-depth articles, industry-relevant coursework, and hands-on design projects.
You can master the entire UX Design Process from start to finish or build your skill set in specific areas like User Research, Information Design, Design Research, Interaction Design, Visual Design, and Prototyping.
Springboard features a world-class curriculum focusing on building expertise in critical areas like Visual Design or Prototyping. You will get real-world experience doing design projects for Fortune 500 companies and receive unlimited 1:1 mentorship with experienced designers who have been in your shoes.
The Springboard Employment-Focused UX Design course features industry design projects and mock interviews, giving you the most comprehensive training possible. You also can choose your specialization, whether it is a UX or UI/UX Design career track. You can choose which track you want for your education because everyone has different interests and goals.
- Who it's for: Beginners who want a job guarantee from their certification program
- Cost: From $6,900 for UX track and $10,000 for UI/UX track
- Length: Six to nine months (15 to 20 hours a week)
7. Human Factors International CXA Certification
The Human Factors International certifications are for people at different stages of their UX careers. The Certified Usability Analyst (CUA) certification is for people new to the profession who want to become usability engineers. The Certified User Experience Analyst (CXA) is for UX professionals who already have experience in the industry.
Being HFI certified doesn't require training, but it is recommended. There are four courses held over ten days, so there are many different ways to attend. Enrolling in a course and getting certified is a beautiful way for people to learn about hygiene and get the best information out there.
Active UX consultants are instructors who create courses and instructional materials for new UX designers. These courses, which entail interactive exercises that engage both group and individual study, come with exercise books and guides so that an experienced instructor guides your design process.
- Who it's for: Beginners seeking entry-level knowledge or professionals who want advanced training
- Cost (US): $5,860 for training and exam ($800 for CUA exam only, $850 for CXA exam only)
- Length: 10 days for training, 2.5 hours for exam
8. DesignLab UX Academy
DesignLab is proud to offer UX Academy a complete UX course that covers the basics and helps students master the art of UX. This three-part program begins with a foundation module. It covers all aspects of the world of UX, such as design theory and best practices, user research methods, prototyping techniques, and other vital areas.
Next is the Academy, which includes 480 hours of coursework and projects. It's all online and on-demand, with one exception: mentoring sessions and group critiques will need to be scheduled.
As a student who completes the UX Academy, you will be able to complete four projects and have access to Career Services for six months. Students will work closely with their coach to fine-tune their interview skills and update their portfolios with more than just the four projects.
- Who it's for: Beginners who want to gain a firm footing in UX design with the option of additional pieces of training
- Cost: Beginning at $6,249 if you pay upfront
- Length: Up to 36 weeks (plus six months of Career Services)
9. User Experience Design Courses by Udemy
This course is perfect for anyone who doesn't want to spend a lot of time or money on an in-depth course. However, they still want exposure to UX, hands-on experience, and a portfolio within just a few weeks. The goal is to help those who don't have the time or funds for more intensive courses get a solid introduction and skill set.
- Who it's for: Beginners who want to gain a firm footing in UX design with the option of additional pieces of training
- Cost: The estimated cost is $194.99; however, sometimes Udemy has special deals, so watch the page for discounts
- Length: This is a 12-hour self-paced course. Most students complete the course in about two to three weeks
10. Flatiron School UX/UI Design Course
If you have the talent and passion for design, the Product Design program from Flatiron School is a great fit. The 3- or 6-month program covers fundamental UX/UI skills and the entire product design process. It also offers individual career coaching, a vast employer network including an alumni database, and a proven job-search framework to help you start your career in UX design.
The program features a supportive learning community, experienced UX/UI designers who mentor and support you throughout the learning process, two projects per quarter, and feedback for all assignments. Then, with your new skills and experience, you can take the following steps on your own: apply for a Product Design job online or approach companies directly to find out about potential opportunities.
The school offers two options. You can choose to take the program full-time or set your own pace with the flexible program. The live program is best for students who learn best in a structured, disciplined environment and love interacting with others. On the other hand, the flexible program is perfect for people who have tight schedules and need to work their way through on their own time and at their speed.
- Who it's for: Beginners who want to gain a firm footing in UX design with the option of additional pieces of training
- Cost: $16,900 for either live or flexible program
- Length: 15 weeks (9 hours a day, M–F), or 20-60 weeks (learn at your own pace)
After a long and arduous search, you've narrowed it down to a few handy options. The next step is to do some more in-depth research. This guide recommends ten of the best program offerings in UX design certification. But before making your final decision, you should consider what you're looking for in this credential. This guide shows you exactly what to look for in a design certification when making your choice.
Wrap-up
In this guide, we’ve focused on ten of the best Best UX design certification programs. Here you have learned what you should look for in UX Design Certification exactly to ensure you get the best value for money.
If you have confined it down to a few possible options, it would be better to conduct more in-depth research before making a final decision. You will find more related articles on our site. Let us know what else is holding you back. We would be happy to assist you or provide an outsider’s perspective.