The best UX certification courses for professional growth

A user experience (UX) design career can be lucrative, but competition is stiff. Having a UX design certificate can be a huge benefit to you in your job search. With so many courses and programs available, it can be tricky to know which programs to choose, especially if you don’t know where to start.

In this article, we’ll tell you how the main types of programs differ and present you with some of the most respected certifications in the field.

A UX certification is an official recognition that you understand UX design concepts. While you may have the knowledge without the certificate, having one makes it easier to demonstrate that to potential clients or employers.

But that’s not the only benefit of having a certificate:

• Enhanced credibility: the certificate proves your commitment to the field of UX.

• Up-to-date knowledge: when you study in a certificate program, you’ll be exposed to the latest trends, tools, and best practices.

• Portfolio development: during your journey to certification, you’ll work on many projects that you can put in your portfolio to showcase your skills.

• Competitive edge: certification sets you apart from non-certified candidates in a competitive job market.

• Structured learning: with self-study, it can be difficult to know what you don’t know. A program’s structured approach leaves no gaps unfilled.

• Confidence boost: completing a certification validates your skills and knowledge, increasing your confidence in your UX design abilities.

You can get various levels of certification for UX design depending on your goals and aspirations.

Beginner-friendly bootcamp

If you’re new to UX design, you’ll likely want to start with a beginner-friendly bootcamp. These are intensive programs that cover the basics you’ll need to know to launch your career.

As the name suggests, you can complete a beginner-friendly bootcamp in a relatively short time frame.

During the training, you’ll learn the key concepts, tools, and methodologies used in the UX design field. You’ll experience hands-on, project-based training designed to get up to speed quickly.

UX design certification

The UX design certification takes things a step beyond a simple bootcamp.

During these training sessions, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of the underlying principles of UX design. This includes refining your skills in wireframing and prototyping. You’ll also delve deeper into the intricacies of usability testing to ensure your final designs perform optimally.

Completing this certification will show employers you’ve moved beyond the basics to obtain a professional level of competence.

UX specialty certification

This level is where you can really differentiate yourself from the competition. These certifications focus on a specific area within the UX field. Think of it like the difference between a specialist and a general practitioner in the medical field. Specialties can include information architecture, interaction design, UX research, and more.

Gaining this certification requires deep knowledge and experience in your chosen specialty. You’ll prepare to take on leadership roles in particular aspects of the field.

Google: UX Design certificate

This is an online program offered by Google through Coursera.

During the program, you’ll learn UX fundamentals, including the basics of research, wireframing, prototyping, and design systems.

Google has designed the course to be beginner-friendly and job-oriented. You’ll complete several hands-on projects during the course to include in your portfolio.

You can expect to finish the course in around six months when you study for 10 hours per week.

Springboard: UX Career Track

This program is an online, mentor-led bootcamp that focuses on UX design fundamentals and career preparation.

In addition to the basics of user research, wireframing, and prototyping, the curriculum teaches design thinking. During the course, you’ll work on real-world projects and get one-to-one mentorship from industry professionals.

Designlab: UX Academy

This intensive online training program seeks to combine the best of self-paced learning and mentor support. It offers comprehensive coverage of UX design, including a focus on visual design.

During the course, you’ll receive critiques of your work from mentors and peers, allowing you to find your weaknesses and improve on them.

The full-time version of the course takes 15 weeks. A part-time option extends that to 28 weeks.

General Assembly: UX Design Bootcamp

This is a full-time, intensive, online 12-week program. The curriculum covers the entire UX design process, starting with UX research and ending with final presentations.

During your training, you’ll build a portfolio with real-world projects. Collaboration with classmates will help you learn what working on UX projects is like.

The program’s job-focused approach includes counseling to help you begin your new career.

Nielsen Norman Group: UX Certification

This certification program comes from Jakob Nielsen and Don Norman, two pioneers in the field.

It’s a flexible program that allows you to choose the courses to take based on your needs and interests. To gain certification, you must attend five full-day courses within 24 months and pass exams for each.

Available courses range from fundamental UX principles to specialized areas like mobile UX and persuasion design.

Human Factors International: Certified Usability Analyst (CUA) and Certified User Experience Analyst (CXA)

This two-tier certification program focuses on both usability and user experience for a well-rounded education.

The CUA course provides the foundation, and you build on it with the CXA course.

Both courses require you to complete coursework and pass an exam. The certifications are well-respected in the industry and will help in your job search.

Flatiron School: UX/UI design course

The Flatiron School’s UX/UI design course’s curriculum covers user research, information architecture, visual design, and front-end development basics.

Whether you decide to study online or on campus, you’ll get hands-on experience with real-world projects. When you’re finished, you’ll have access to career coaching and job search support.

The course takes 15 weeks full-time or 30 weeks part-time.

IronHack: UX/UI Design Bootcamp

This intensive bootcamp is available in person and online. The full-time version of the course takes nine weeks, while the part-time option extends to 24 weeks.

The coursework covers UX research, UI design, and basic coding skills. You’ll learn practical skills through project-based learning, rounding it out with a final capstone project.

Bentley University: UX Certificate

This is a professional certificate program provided by the Human Factors in Information Design program at Bentley University.

To gain your certificate, you’ll need to pass four graduate-level courses covering UX research, design, and strategy. The program can be completed online or on campus and typically takes 8–12 months.

Bentley University’s strong reputation in UX education makes this a valuable certificate.

CareerFoundry: UX Design

CareerFoundry’s UX Design course is an online, mentor-led program for learning UX fundamentals, UX design, and UX management.

The program offers a job guarantee, making it a great option for those looking to change careers. You’ll receive mentorship from both a tutor and an industry expert to cover a range of needs. The program takes 5–10 months to complete, depending on the pace you choose.

MIT Professional and Executive Learning: Human-Computer Interaction for User Experience Design

This specialized program by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology focuses on the intersection of psychology, computer science, and design in UX.

You’ll learn how cognitive psychology principles impact design choices as well as more general interaction design and usability skills.

This program is for people with some UX expertise who want to extend that with deeper knowledge of theoretical foundations.

It’s cliché, but you can only get out of something what you put into it. When taking your courses, don’t just focus on getting good grades. Instead, actively engage with the material and learn to apply those skills in the real world. Don’t just memorize for exams; strive to understand concepts deeply.

A certification course is also an excellent opportunity to build a portfolio. Take advantage of this opportunity. Keep your portfolio up-to-date with the projects you work on in the program. As you learn new skills, you may even want to update the items within your portfolio to demonstrate them.

Remember, certification is the starting line, not the finish line. You should also be seeking to extend your knowledge and stay in the know about new developments in the field. This will keep you competitive and ahead of the curve when it comes to interviews.

UX designers are needed throughout the tech industry and beyond wherever user-friendly interfaces are required. When you complete your design certification, you’ll be eligible for a number of entry-level positions like UX designer, UI designer, or product designer.

As you gain experience, you’ll be able to get jobs as a senior UX designer or lead designer. With a specialist certification, you can go even deeper into the field. These certifications open the door for a job as a UX researcher, information architect, or interaction designer.

You can also find opportunities in adjacent fields. Content strategists, product managers, and other positions can benefit from UX knowledge even when they don’t work directly within the field. Having a UX certification on your resume can give you the boost you need to land those jobs.