When it comes to learning UI design<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0certifications come in all shapes and sizes, so it\u2019s important to do your research and make sure that you\u2019re training with a reputable provider.<\/p>\n Not sure where to start? If you’re brand new to the field, try some of these free UI design courses<\/span><\/a>\u00a0first.<\/p>\n Then, to formalize your learning, check out our round-up of the best nine UI design certification programs on the market right now<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The CareerFoundry UI Design Program at a glance:<\/p>\n The CareerFoundry UI Design Program is ideal for anyone looking to start a new career as a UI designer.<\/p>\n Built for beginners, the hands-on curriculum will take you through all the skills, tools, and processes necessary to work in the field\u2014with no prior knowledge or experience needed. The course is taught entirely online, allowing you to fit your studies around work and other commitments. If you\u2019re still deciding whether or not UI design is the right field for you, try out this free introductory short course<\/a>.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve enrolled, you\u2019ll be given access to the CareerFoundry online learning platform. You\u2019ll also be assigned a personal tutor and a one-to-one mentor\u2014both industry experts who will guide you through the learning process.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll access all the course content via the online platform, reading through the material and completing practical exercises. These are submitted to, and marked by, your tutor. You\u2019ll also work on larger UI projects which go into your portfolio.<\/p>\n Throughout the course, you\u2019ll have regular video calls with your mentor. There\u2019s no final exam or assessment, but you do need to have each exercise approved in order to progress to the next chapter.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll graduate with a UI design certification and a professional portfolio. Here’s a guide so that you can learn more about how the program works<\/a>.<\/p>\n The program is flexibly paced, which means you can study according to your own schedule\u2014however, you will be held to certain milestones in order to keep you on track, as well as an overall finish date.<\/p>\n If you dedicate around 30 hours per week, you can expect to finish the program within four and a half months. For a less intense schedule, you can dedicate around 15 hours per week and finish within nine months.<\/p>\n The complete CareerFoundry UI Design Program starts from $7,900, but the cost of the tuition is dependent on your location and is competitively priced. A range of flexible payment options include paying upfront or getting a small course discount. <\/span>Contact CareerFoundry to find out your local pricing and if there are any partial scholarships available.<\/span><\/p>\n The program is also covered by a job guarantee; if you don\u2019t get a job within six months of completion, you could be eligible for a full refund.<\/p>\n The Interaction Design Foundation course at a glance:<\/p>\n This short, seven-week course provides an introduction to UI design patterns, focusing on how to choose the right patterns in order to enhance the user experience of an interface.<\/p>\n With that in mind, this course is best suited to those who already have some knowledge of what UI design is<\/a> and the principles behind it. It won\u2019t prepare you for a career change into UI, but it will give you a good taster of the kind of work that UI designers do\u2014ideal if you just want to dip your toes in.<\/p>\n This is a self-paced, fully online course with no deadlines. The syllabus is divided into seven lessons, covering topics such as page structure, fluid navigation, social aspects of UI design, and dark patterns<\/a>.<\/p>\n A new lesson is released each week, and you can work through each component at your own pace. Once you\u2019ve completed all lessons, you can download your course certificate.<\/p>\n The course takes approximately 18 hours to complete, spread out over seven weeks. However, you can spend as much time as you like on each lesson\u2014there are no deadlines, and you won\u2019t lose access to the content.<\/p>\n The UI design course is free for members of the Interaction Design Foundation. Membership costs around $16 USD per month for individual members and around $195 USD per month for company membership. Once you\u2019re a member, you can take as many courses as you like.<\/p>\n The Learn UI Design video course at a glance:<\/p>\n Run by Seattle-based designer Erik Kennedy, this video-based program is ideal for beginners looking to gain a practical introduction to the field.<\/p>\n For those who prefer to watch and learn, this is a great alternative to some of the more theory-heavy offerings on the market. It\u2019s a strong contender if you\u2019re looking for complete flexibility and independent learning at a relatively low price point.<\/p>\n The course is broken down into seven units, comprising a total of 48 video-based lessons which you\u2019ll access through the web app. You can work through each unit lesson by lesson, or simply choose which topics interest you the most\u2014it\u2019s entirely up to you.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll also have access to downloadable exercises, printable cheat sheets, and the community Slack channel. The most expensive plan comes with five one-on-one coaching sessions, while the cheaper options will see you taking a more independent approach.<\/p>\n The video content amounts to 24 hours in total, and the course is paced entirely flexibly with no fixed end date. Once you\u2019ve signed up, you\u2019ll have lifetime access to all the course materials.<\/p>\n The basic plan costs $995 USD, giving you access to all the video lessons, downloads, and assignments. The full access plan costs $1,495 USD and also includes access to the Slack channel. The 1-on-1 coaching plan, complete with five coaching sessions, costs $2,495 USD.<\/p>\n The Springboard UI\/UX Career Track at a glance:<\/p>\n The Springboard course is geared toward those who want to learn both UI and UX design.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t need any professional experience to take the course\u2014although you will need to pass an evaluation of baseline visual skills, analytical thinking, and the ability to empathize with users.<\/p>\n The course is entirely online and flexibly paced, making it a good option if you plan on working and studying at the same time. If you\u2019re not sure what the difference is between UX and UI design<\/a> (and which one you\u2019d like to learn), it\u2019s worth doing some research before committing to the course.<\/p>\n The UX\/UI career track takes place entirely online, with weekly support from a mentor. The curriculum is split into 35 units, covering topics such as design thinking<\/a>, sketching and wireframing, style guides, and design elements.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll work on mini projects throughout, as well as larger portfolio projects. You\u2019ll also complete a 40-hour industry design project, consolidating all the UX and UI skills you\u2019ve learned in the course.<\/p>\n The course takes nine months to complete, with most students dedicating 15-20 hours per week.<\/p>\n At $11,900\u201319,755 USD, this is one of the more expensive offerings on the market. If you\u2019re able to pay upfront, you\u2019ll get a 17% discount.<\/p>\n Springboard also offers a job guarantee, so you may be eligible for a refund if you don\u2019t find a job after the course.<\/p>\n The Designlab UI short course at a glance:<\/p>\n This four-week course is for mid-level designers who already have some design experience and now want to hone their UI skills.<\/p>\n Based entirely online and spanning the course of a month, this is a good option if you want to move through the fundamentals of visual design relatively quickly.<\/p>\n With the help of a professional mentor, you\u2019ll work your way through a series of key UI design topics, starting with the origins of UI in week one and finishing with prototyping and design handoffs in week four. Throughout the course, you\u2019ll work on your own project, ending up with a high-fidelity prototype and a certificate of completion.<\/p>\n The course takes four weeks to complete, at a pace of around 15-20 hours per week.<\/p>\n The standard price of the course is $499 USD; however, you\u2019ll find that Designlab often runs discounts and offers.<\/p>\n The CIW certification at a glance:<\/p>\n The CIW certification is a self-study kit that prepares you to take the CIW User Interface Designer exam.<\/p>\n It’s geared towards web designers, internet consultants, IT professionals, marketers, web and graphic designers, and business professionals\u2014essentially anyone already working in the tech industry who wants to add UI design to their repertoire.<\/p>\n The self-study kit contains everything you need to prepare for the exam, allowing you to work completely flexibly, online, at your own pace. And, at just under $1000 USD, it\u2019s one of the most affordable options available.<\/p>\n The CIW self-study kit contains an official curriculum coursebook, an online pre-assessment which will give you an idea of what to expect from the final exam, online videos to complement the coursebook, interactive online exercises, online labs for practicing your skills hands-on, and practice exams.<\/p>\n Topics range from an introduction to UI design right through to color, typography, navigation, and even publishing and maintaining a website. Once you\u2019ve worked through all the materials, you can sit the exam either online (via video) or at one of their worldwide testing centers.<\/p>\n There is little guidance as to how long the CIW course takes to complete; it is completely flexible and independent, so it\u2019s up to you how many hours you put in each week.<\/p>\n The self-study kit costs $843 USD, and the exam costs $150 USD.<\/p>\n The General Assembly course at a glance:<\/p>\n This is a beginner-friendly program with no prerequisites, although it does say on the website that many students have prior experience with tools such as Photoshop, Sketch, and Figma.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking to learn the fundamentals of UI design and work on your first practical design project without committing to long-term study, this eight-week course offers a relatively affordable option to do so.<\/p>\n Unlike most online courses, the General Assembly program takes place on set days and times. You\u2019ll study two hours per day, two days a week, with lessons taking place via the remote classroom.<\/p>\n With guidance and feedback from an instructor, you\u2019ll tackle topics such as typography<\/a>, color, and layout, as well as all the essential tools used by UI designers. You\u2019ll graduate with a portfolio project and a signed certificate of completion.<\/p>\n The course takes eight weeks to complete at a rate of four hours per week.<\/p>\n The course costs $2,800 USD in total, but you\u2019ll get a $250 discount if you can pay in full upfront. General Assembly also offers a range of flexible financing options, such as interest-free loans, monthly installments, and employer sponsorships.<\/p>\n The UI design certificate program at a glance:<\/p>\n This eight-week program is described as a \u201ccareer accelerator\u201d which will give you the hands-on experience needed to work in the field of UI.<\/p>\n However, it\u2019s not suitable for complete beginners; the program is largely tailored to creative professionals such as graphic designers who want to move into app and web design.<\/p>\n In order to enroll, you\u2019ll need proficiency in design software (such as Adobe Creative Suite) as well as knowledge of fundamentals such as typography and layout.<\/p>\n The course is taught entirely online, every Tuesday and Thursday from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm. It\u2019s a Synchronous and Collaborative Remote Experiential Learning\u2122 certificate program, which means that students attend remote lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in real time.<\/p>\n The curriculum also focuses heavily on project-based learning, encouraging you to actively explore real-world problems and work on your own portfolio. Topics covered include the UI design workflow, UI design tools, designing for usability, micro-interactions, and presentation skills.<\/p>\n The course takes eight weeks to complete, comprising four hours of remote classroom instruction each week.<\/p>\n Tuition costs between $2,430 and $2,700 USD.<\/p>\n The Ironhack course at a glance:<\/p>\n The Ironhack bootcamp combines both UX and UI design, making it most suitable for those who want to learn both.<\/p>\n There are no entry requirements, so this is a good option if you\u2019re new to design\u2014whether you want to start a new career as a designer or simply add UI design to your current skill set.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that the course requires in-person attendance, so you\u2019ll need to be able to commit to a certain schedule. And, as the most expensive option on our list, this may not be feasible for those on a tighter budget.<\/p>\n The course requires in-person attendance on either a part-time or full-time basis at one of Ironhack\u2019s many international campuses. The curriculum is divided into four modules, starting with the prework component which introduces the basics of design thinking and interaction design over 40 hours of online study.<\/p>\n Modules 1, 2, and 3 are taught in person, focusing on user experience design, user interface design, and implementation respectively. As well as learning key design principles and techniques, students also benefit from career coaching and help with building a professional portfolio.<\/p>\n The full-time program takes nine weeks to complete at a pace of 40 hours per week, with classes typically running Monday-Friday from 9am to 6pm. The part-time program takes 24 weeks to complete at a pace of ten hours per week.<\/p>\n The course costs around $12,500 USD, with various scholarships and discounts available.<\/p>\n That just about concludes our round-up of the best UI design certification programs. Hopefully, you\u2019ve been able to pick out a few options that meet your needs in terms of budget, flexibility, and skill level.<\/p>\n So what now? If you\u2019ve narrowed it down to a few favorites, it\u2019s time to conduct some more in-depth research.<\/p>\n Where possible, read student testimonials and independent reviews, speak to someone from the course provider to ask any questions you might have, and learn as much as you can about what the curriculum covers.<\/p>\n Discover more about how to get started in UI design with the useful information in this video:<\/p>\n\n
1. CareerFoundry UI Design Program<\/a><\/h2>\n
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2. Interaction Design Foundation UI Design Course<\/a><\/h2>\n
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3. Learn UI Design Video Course<\/a><\/h2>\n
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4. Springboard UI\/UX Career Track<\/a><\/h2>\n
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5. Designlab UI Design Short Course<\/a><\/h2>\n
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6. CIW User Interface Designer Certification<\/a><\/h2>\n
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7. General Assembly Visual Design Course<\/a><\/h2>\n
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8. FIT NYC UI Design Certificate Program<\/a><\/h2>\n
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9. Ironhack UX\/UI Design Bootcamp<\/a><\/h2>\n
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