8 Best UX Design Courses for Aspiring and Practicing UX Designers
Discover the pros, cons, and unique offerings of each UX course and find the perfect fit for your UX Design journey.
Which Course is Best for YOU?
In the fast-growing world of UX Design, the demand for competent and creative designers has never been higher.
Whether you are just beginning your journey or are an experienced professional looking to sharpen your skills, this blog post will guide you through the 8 best UX Design courses in 2024.
🔸 Focusing on their key highlights, curriculum, and the unique value they offer.
Let’s dive in 🚀
Online UX Design Courses for Beginners and Professionals from IxDF
With 168,195 graduates, the Interaction Design Foundation is the biggest online design school globally, founded in 2002.
They boast the world’s biggest and most authoritative library of open-source UX Design literature with such noted authors as Don Norman and Clayton Christensen.
It covers a wide range of topics for beginners to advanced-level designers.
✅ Pros:
- Amazing instructors like Don Norman
- Largest online UX education platform
- Monthly flat fee
❌ Cons:
- Can be more theoretical than practical
- Self-paced and requires commitment
🎁 Get 3 months for free
UX Design Institute’s Professional Diploma in UX Design
Next on the list is the Professional Diploma in UX Design from the UX Design Institute.
This course is globally recognised, allowing aspiring and practising UX Designers to learn from industry experts.
It provides a comprehensive overview of the UX Design field, covering everything from user research and usability testing to interaction design.
✅ Pros:
- Globally recognised, adding value to your resume
- Comprehensive coverage of UX Design principles
- Real-world case studies for practical learning
❌ Cons:
- More expensive than some other options (prices range from > €950)
- Requires a significant time commitment (> 6 months)
Interaction Design Specialization (UCSD) — Coursera
Coursera’s Interaction Design Specialization, offered by the University of California San Diego, is another excellent course for UX Designers.
This course focuses on understanding user needs and creating interactive designs that enhance user satisfaction.
The hands-on projects and peer-reviewed assignments allow students to gain practical experience.
✅ Pros:
- Taught by industry experts from the University of California San Diego
- Focuses on practical, hands-on projects
- Offers a flexible learning schedule
❌ Cons:
- Does not provide one-on-one mentorship
- Requires a subscription to Coursera Plus for full access (up to a total of $600 for > 6 months)
User Experience Design Immersive — General Assembly
The UX Design Immersive Online Course by General Assembly offers a full-time, immersive experience for those serious about making a career in UX Design.
It covers all aspects of UX Design, from user research and prototyping to user testing and iterating on design solutions.
With its real-world projects and one-on-one mentorship, this course provides a comprehensive learning experience.
✅ Pros:
- Immersive, full-time learning experience
- One-on-one mentorship and real-world projects
- Covers a wide range of UX Design principles
❌ Cons:
- Requires a significant time commitment (> 6 months)
- Higher price point
UX Playbook
UXPlaybook — our product, is an educational platform tailored for UX Designers aiming to fast-track their career.
We offer six comprehensive playbooks, designed to simplify UX education and help designers navigate their career path efficiently.
Our courses are particularly useful for those self-taught or just starting out in the field, as they provide step-by-step guides to facilitate learning and growth.
Courses detail:
- UX Portfolio Playbook: Helps designers get hired by providing ready-to-use templates, guides, and more.
- 7-Day UX Job-Hunting Challenge: This challenge is designed to help designers apply to 10 jobs within a week, complete with a polished resume, cover letter, and portfolio.
- UX Interviews Masterclass: Including 17 micro-video lessons aimed at helping designers ace their interviews and stand out among the competition.
- UX Playbook: Provides step-by-step guides to learn UX design without the need for expensive online courses or bootcamps.
- UX Growth Playbook: Helps designers hack their UX career growth and build their dream UX career with goals that are truly meaningful to them.
- UX Management Playbook: Helps Design managers boost the happiness and productivity of a UX team and help build a great design team culture within an organization.
✅ Pros:
- Equipped with UX industry best practices, relevant examples, and full guides, and designed for visual thinkers
- Includes ready-to-use templates for various tasks
- Onboarding is made easy with clear videos, avoiding confusion and saving time for learners
❌ Cons:
- Less time commitment but extensive focus required
- Can be more helpful for entry-level to mid-level Designers
Udemy’s User Experience Design Essentials — Adobe XD UI UX Design
For those looking to master Adobe XD, Udemy’s User Experience Design Essentials — Adobe XD UI UX Design course is a perfect choice.
The course is hands-on, offering numerous exercises to help you master Adobe XD’s tools and functionalities. It also covers key principles of UX Design, making it a well-rounded course for both beginners and experienced designers.
✅ Pros:
- Focuses on mastering Adobe XD
- Includes hands-on exercises for practical learning
- Accessible price point
❌ Cons:
- Does not provide a comprehensive overview of UX Design
- Quality of course depends on individual instructors
edX’s MicroMasters Program in UX Design and Evaluation
The MicroMasters Program in UX Design and Evaluation from edX is an advanced-level course, offering a series of graduate-level courses for UX professionals.
It focuses on the application of UX Design in real-world scenarios, helping students master evaluation techniques and design strategies.
✅ Pros:
- Graduate-level courses for advanced learning
- Focuses on real-world application of UX Design
- Offers a pathway to a Master’s degree
❌ Cons:
- Requires a significant time commitment
- Some prior knowledge of UX Design is necessary (not suitable for beginners)
UX Certification — Nielsen Norman Group
This program allows UX Designers to choose from a variety of courses based on their needs and preferences.
Upon completion, students are awarded a UX Certification, signifying their expertise in the field.
✅ Pros:
- Offers a variety of courses to choose from
- Provides a UX Certification upon completion
- Taught by industry-leading experts
❌ Cons:
- More expensive than some other options
- Some courses may require travel
Key takeaways
Top 7 UX Design courses mentioned:
- Online UX Design Courses for Beginners and Professionals from IxDF
- UX Design Institute’s Professional Diploma in UX Design
- Interaction Design Specialization (UCSD) — Coursera
- User Experience Design Immersive — General Assembly
- UX Playbook
- Udemy’s User Experience Design Essentials — Adobe XD UI UX Design
- edX’s MicroMasters Program in UX Design and Evaluation
- UX Certification — Nielsen Norman Group
Investing in a UX Design course is a significant step towards advancing your skills and knowledge in this competitive field.
We hope this guide to the best UX Design courses in 2024 has been helpful.
Remember, the best course is one that fits your needs, goals, and current skill level.
Happy learning!
See you in next article ✌️
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Hey 👋 I’m Chris, the Founder of UX Playbook.
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