Free UX Design Course
Dive into UX design with our free starter course. Transform your creative ideas into user-friendly solutions.
UX design is a vital part of the product development process and an absolute necessity for designing experiences that keep users happy. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the UX design industry to grow 13% faster than average over the next decade, and the median wage is currently at $92,750. With over 19,000 new job openings projected every year, there’s really no better time to kick off your UX career.
However, even when there are lots of jobs available, getting hired is never a walk in the park. Opting for a UX certification is one of the best ways to enhance your profile and stand out. Certificates add credibility to your resume and validate your skills. We’ve curated a list of the best UX design certifications to help simplify the decision-making process for you.
Table of Contents
UX Design Certifications
Here are our top recommendations for UX design certifications, covering everything from curriculum overviews to support and prerequisites.
About Our Criteria
To assess the best UX certifications, we used a point system to score a list of criteria as a 1 or 0. (More on that below.) We then averaged out the publicly available reviews of all the bootcamps featured before finally adding these up to come up with a final score.
To be included:
- Must have at least 1 rating
- Must disclose price on the website
- Must be at least four weeks long
Springboard
The UX Design Bootcamp from Springboard, also known as the UX Career Track, is designed to take beginner-level students and transform them into job-ready graduates.
If you take this course, you’ll complete two capstone projects that involve identifying a user problem, carrying out competitor research, building a prototype, and conducting usability testing. These projects provide valuable practical experience and they can serve as portfolio projects when you start applying for jobs.
You’ll also get the opportunity to work remotely with an external company on a project. This experience is designed to let you see what it’s like to work with different stakeholders and produce results that meet their needs.
During all of these projects and the other studies you do throughout the course, you’ll be guided by your personal mentor. This experienced UX designer will be someone currently working in the industry who can help you with specific problems or give you insight into the career.
The course covers topics such as:
- Design thinking
- Design-based research methods
- User interviews
- Empathy maps, personas, etc
- Sketch
- Adobe XD
- Usability testing
- Wireframing
- Prototyping
Best for
This bootcamp is perfect for anyone who’s interested in an accelerated path into the UX industry. It’s also great for anyone who prefers more structured learning with an active community and 1-to-1 interactions to help keep themselves accountable. The externship is a great practical experience to use on resumes and a rare feature for online courses.
How to get it
To be accepted onto the UX Design Bootcamp, you’ll need to have either a degree in a subject related to UX design and its skills or a year of professional experience (in any field). You also need an aptitude for problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills. If you’re a complete beginner to both UX design and professional work, you can start from scratch with the UI/UX Design Bootcamp.
Google UX Design Professional Certificate
The Google UX Design Professional Certificate is a beginner-level course you can progress through at your own pace. Once you’ve completed it, you’ll earn a certificate you can list on your resume. The course includes hands-on projects that you can use to build a professional UX portfolio. Other skills covered in the course include:
- User research
- Conducting interviews
- Usability testing
- Wireframes and mockups
- Figma
Best for
Because this is a beginner course, it’s best suited for people who haven’t studied UX design before or need to brush up on the basics. Although it’s designed to be self-paced, it’s best for motivated self-studiers who can handle the 10-hour-per-week workload without falling behind.
How to get it
To get this certificate, simply sign up for Coursera and enroll in the course. There aren’t any prerequisites or tests, and the course is recommended for complete beginners. You can view everything in the course for free, or sign up to Coursera+ for extra perks. Paid students will also earn college credit that can be used for certain online degree programs.
Nielsen Norman Group UX Certificate
The Nielsen Norman Group is the people who first coined the term “User Experience” and pushed for dedicated UX designers in the product development process. This makes them a trusted voice in the UX industry, and a perfect organization to earn a certification from. They offer over 50 courses, each with an exam at the end. Taking five courses and passing the exams gets you a certification, and taking 15 courses and passing the exams gets you a Master certification. Courses include:
- UX basic training
- Analytics and user experience
- Becoming a UX strategist
- Information architecture
- Mobile user experience
- ResearchOps: scaling user research
- Survey design and execution
Best for
These courses and certifications are perfect for people who are applying for UX designer jobs without any previous professional experience. With validation from a well-known organization like NN/g, it won’t matter if you haven’t worked as a UX designer before—employers will know that you’ve invested in your education and that your skills meet the NN/g standard.
How to get it
To earn one of these certifications, start by choosing your curriculum from the 50 available courses. You may know exactly what you want to study already, but there are also recommendations for anyone who isn’t sure. If you choose three courses from the same specialty area, you’ll get a Specialty added to your certification. Once you’ve chosen, you can attend the live training courses whenever you want to. The only rule is that you take exams within 35 days of completing the corresponding course.
Human-Computer Interaction for User Experience Design
This course is designed to teach students about the principles of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and how to apply them to UX design. As a student, you’ll have access to the latest research on this subject from eight experts from the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). The focus is on future-facing user interaction techniques such as AR, VR, and speech recognition. On completion of the course, you’ll receive an official MIT xPRO digital certificate to list on your resume. The curriculum covers a range of topics, including:
- Social and cultural aspects of HCI
- Eye-tracking and gaze-following technologies
- Speech recognition
- HCI-UX design integration
- Rapid prototyping
Best for
The course is aimed at both UX designers and people who are considering entering the field of UX design or HCI. Since the course is designed for professionals, it focuses on bite-sized modules and flexibility so you can handle it alongside work and family obligations. There is also some support available during the course, as each student will have access to a Success Advisor who can help you manage your time or answer any course-related queries.
How to get it
This course is available to anyone who wants to take it, there are no prerequisites or tests. All you need to do is register, make a profile, pay the fee, and confirm your start date.
Bentley University UX Certificate Program
Courses offered by Bentley University can be taken online or in person, individually or as part of a certificate. Every course is delivered over two full days of live classes and ends with a portfolio assignment that students have two weeks to complete individually. To pass a course successfully, your assignment must receive a C grade or higher. If you want to earn a UX certificate, you’ll need to pass nine courses altogether. There are three compulsory courses you need to take, and the rest you can choose freely. Courses include:
- Usability testing
- Conversational design
- Human factors and the user experience
- Leading a UX team
- Content strategy
- User experience for mobile devices
- Prototyping the user experience
Best for
These courses require you to attend two 9 am-5 pm live classes each, so if you’re aiming to earn the certificate, that’s 18 days of classes. The classes are held on pre-determined days, so this course is better suited for people who can easily adjust their schedules to accommodate this. Because it’s all live, you’ll also need a camera, a microphone, and a quiet place with a good internet connection.
How to get it
These courses are open to everyone without any application process or prerequisites. Each course has a limited number of seats, so if you want to participate, you’ll need to register and pay the fee while there’s still space. Once you’ve purchased your seat, you’ll be sent all the information you need to attend on the day.
CareerFoundry
CareerFoundry’s UX Design course is offered in both full-time and flexible schedules, and it’s split into three sections: UX fundamentals, UX immersion, and UX specialization. The course has a special focus on utilizing AI tools throughout the UX design process, helping newcomers to the field stay on top of quickly evolving trends. Every student is also assigned a 1-on-1 career specialist and a mentor to support you throughout the course. Topics covered in the curriculum include:
- Design thinking
- User research
- User personas
- Wireframing and prototyping
- Usability testing
- End-to-end design
- UI for UX designers
- Frontend development for designers
Best for
While the schedule is flexible, the course does include live classes and calls with your mentor and careers specialist, so you need to be able to commit to some scheduled hours. If you’re new to job searching, CareerFoundry’s optional Job Preparation Course could be useful for you, as it teaches everything from writing resumes and compiling portfolios to creating cover letters and preparing for job interviews.
How to get it
The course is designed for beginners so you don’t need to complete any other courses before applying. All you need is motivation to learn, an interest in UX, good English skills, and a computer which you can join classes and conference calls with.
Human Factors International (HFI)
HFI has been in the UX design business since 1981, and they have three main certifications available: Certified Usability Analyst (CUA), Certified User Experience Analyst (CXA), and Certified Digital Persuasion Analyst (CDPA). The CUA course is delivered over 10 days as live online classes. The classes are taught by HFI instructors and have a maximum of 24 participants. Some of the topics covered in this course include:
- Researching customers
- Creating design artifacts
- Designing navigation
- Designing for inclusiveness
- Conducting usability testing
Best for
The CUA course is designed to be beginner-friendly and begins with a two-day foundations course to build a solid foundation in UX design. Of course, if you want to take this course, you’ll need to be able to dedicate 10 full days to the online classes, plus time to independently prepare for the exam, and time to take the exam.
How to get it
HFI courses are available to everyone, whether you’re a complete beginner or a trained professional, and there’s no need to take a test or go through an application process. Because the courses have limited spots, you’ll need to register in advance for one of the upcoming schedules. After you’ve taken the live training classes, you’ll be able to sit the exam to earn your certification. And don’t worry, if you fail the first time, you can retake it at no extra cost if you do it within six months.
Benefits of Earning a Certification in UX Design
- Improved employability: UX design certifications are great for boosting your employability, whether you’re going for your first entry-level job or landing a more senior role.
- Proven skills: With a certification, hiring managers aren’t left wondering whether you really know your stuff or not—the certification tells them exactly what you’re capable of and to what standard. This even helps boost the credibility of the rest of your resume too.
- New skills and techniques: Most certifications go hand-in-hand with a training course and are designed to enhance your current skills. You’re not just paying to prove what you can do, you’re learning new, in-demand skills at the same time.
- Valuable teachings: When it comes to a creative, innovative field like UX design, attending a class taught by an industry legend can really give you an advantage. There are no universal right answers when it comes to UX design, but experts have more successful strategies to share than a textbook does!
Making the Most out of a Certification
To get the most out of a UX design certification, you need to understand what kinds of certifications there are, what the curriculum involves, and what kind of jobs you can get with a certification. Let’s have a look at these topics in detail.
Certification path: what’s the normal roadmap?
When it comes to certifications, you often need to learn the basics before taking an exam. Some courses try to encompass everything, but it’s always better to learn from multiple sources—and multiple certifications are better than one!
What should you expect to learn?
UX design is a very creative field but professionals still approach every project with structured designing and planning methods that help them iterate ideas and develop the best solution. Many certifications aim to help you master this process, so they teach you topics such as:
- User-centered design: While other departments might have other priorities, for UX designers, the users’ needs are the no.1 focus. Learning about user-centered design will teach you exactly what this means and how you can achieve it.
- Iterative design: Constant and continuous improvement is the key to perfecting your designs. Learning to seek new solutions, make changes, and accept feedback is a big part of mastering iterative design.
- Design thinking: This is a human-centered approach to problem-solving that involves understanding the needs of users and generating creative solutions.
- Communication and collaboration: Learn how to effectively communicate and advocate for your design ideas with stakeholders, developers, and other departments.
- UX tools and techniques: Tools such as Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD are all essential during the designing and prototyping process.
What kind of jobs can you land after a design certification?
A UX design certification can open up various job opportunities in the field of user experience design and related areas. Here are just some roles you can pursue with a UX design certification and the skills you learn from it:
Pros and cons of pursuing a UX certification
To decide whether a certification is worth it for you, you need to assess whether the pros outweigh the cons. Overall, any certification’s worth depends on your goals and current situation.
Pros:
- Credibility: Alongside education and professional experience, certifications are another way of adding credibility to your resume and showcasing your commitment to the field.
- Skill boost: Most certifications aren’t just exams, they’re also courses where you’ll learn new skills and get access to useful resources.
- Community and networking: Certifications often connect you with communities and networks that will help you get to know people in the industry and foster career opportunities.
Cons:
- Cost: Certifications can be expensive, with prices ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.
- Time commitment: Many certification courses will require you to attend classes at certain times and meet deadlines for the entire duration of the course—and that could be days, weeks, or even multiple months.
- Not a guarantee: Certifications can enhance your credibility and open doors, but there’s no guarantee that certifications alone will get you the job you want.
UX Course vs. Bootcamp vs. Certification
FAQs About Design Certifications
Here are the most important things you need to know about UX design certifications.
Are UX design certifications worth it?
If you’re trying to break into the UX design industry without a college degree or relevant professional experience, certifications are certainly worth it. Whatever education path you choose, industry-recognized certifications will prove to employers that you’ve successfully acquired the right skills at the right level. Of course, it’s important to find the right certification for your situation—make sure it’s as relevant to the role you want as possible, and at the right level for you to pass.
What is the best certification for UX design?
If we assume you’ve already completed your basic education and you’re in the market for a well-recognized certification that will boost your resume, the Nielsen Norman Group is a sure winner. They are one of the biggest names in UX design, and they offer certifications with specialties so you can stand out even more.
Can I land a job with just a UX certification?
Certifications are just one part of a much bigger picture. To land a job, you’ll need to get educated through college, bootcamps, or self-study and diligently practice your skills until they’re good enough to get you hired. You’ll also need to put together a portfolio of personal projects that show off your skills and show that you understand what employers need. This is everything you need to be able to do the job of UX designer—the primary job of certifications, however, is to help get your foot in the door. Certifications help make sure recruiters don’t overlook your resume and instead help convince them that you’re worth an interview. So, yes, a UX certification will help you land a job!
Since you’re here…
Interested in a career in UX design? Rise to the top of the CV pile when you enroll in our UX Bootcamp. Or, take a look at our student reviews and test out our free UX course to get a feel for our style and results. TL;DR: average starting salaries for our students = $85,440. Let’s do this.
![How To Become a UX Designer in San Francisco [2023 Guide]](https://www.springboard.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/how-to-become-a-ux-designer-in-san-francisco-2023-guide.jpg)
