UX Certifications and Bootcamps: Your 2024 Guide

User experience (UX) designers take a user-first approach to product development. As more businesses recognise the benefits of keeping their customers front and centre, the demand for professionals with UX skills continues to grow. 

If you’re interested in landing an entry-level UX design job, you may wonder how to build these in-demand skills and gain experience. More advanced UX designers, on the other hand, may be looking for ways to validate their skills to potential employers. UX certification programmes and bootcamps provide an opportunity to meet both needs.

10 UX certifications and bootcamp options

Let’s take a closer look at ten common certifications, certificates, and bootcamps to consider. Afterwards, we'll discuss evaluating a certification programme to match your career goals.

1. Google UX Design Professional Certificate

By completing the Google UX Design Professional Certificate, available through Coursera, you can equip yourself with the job-ready skills you’ll need for an entry-level role in UX design. This beginner-friendly programme lets you learn at your own pace from professional UX designers at Google as you build a foundation in UX principles, best practices, research methods, and tools like Figma and Adobe XD. 

Throughout the course, you’ll be able to build a portfolio that includes high-fidelity mockups, case study reports, and interactive prototypes for three projects. You can share your information with top employers hiring UX professionals upon completion.

• 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 

• Length: Approximately nine months (six hours per week)

Tip: Start exploring the course materials for free when you audit the courses. If you decide you want to earn the Certificate, you can upgrade at any time.

2. NN/g UX Certification

Don Norman coined the term “user experience” while working at Apple in the 1990s. He co-founded the Nielsen Norman Group, a UX research and consulting firm, with the ‘Guru of Usable Web Pages’ Jakob Nielsen. 

Become UX Certified by taking five courses from any NN/g UX Conference and passing an exam for each course. Pre-COVID, these conferences were held in person at destinations around the globe. They’re conducted live virtually with online breakout rooms and other interactive elements. 

Advanced certification options from NN/g include Speciality Recognition (pass at least five courses in a single specialty area) and UX Master Certification (complete UX Certification and pass an additional 10 courses).

You can choose between one and seven courses at each conference and only pay for the courses you register for. That means you can complete your certification in one conference or spread it out over multiple conferences. You’ll have 35 days after each course to pass the exam.

• 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)

Tip: To better understand whether NN/g certification is a good fit, try one of their hour-long, on-demand seminars.

3. HFI Certified Usability or User Experience Analyst

You can achieve two levels of certification from Human Factors International (HFI): Certified Usability Analyst (CUA) for those new to the career or Certified User Experience Analyst (CXA) for more advanced UX professionals who have already passed the CUA. 

Official HFI training programmes for CUA and CXA include four courses over 10 days. While attending training isn’t required for certification exams, enrolees have an in-person option (during non-pandemic times) and a live online option. 

Active UX consultants teach the courses, which include interactive individual and group exercises, exercise books, and study guides.

• 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

4. General Assembly UX Design Immersive

You can take this beginner-friendly full-time bootcamp at one of General Assembly’s more than 30 campuses worldwide (paused for now) or online. There’s no exam, so you’ll get a signed certificate of completion for finishing the course.

Throughout the 12-week programme, you’ll cover various interface and visual design topics through live lectures, one-on-one instructor check-ins, project toolkits, and interactive collaboration. At the end of the course, you’ll team up with other students to complete a capstone project throughout a three-week sprint. You’ll also spend time preparing for a job search. The course includes resume reviews, interview prep, and whiteboarding practice.

• 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

Tip: General Assembly also offers part-time and on-demand options for learning UX design.

5. CareerFoundry Certified UX Designer

This fully online programme from CareerFoundry is designed for beginners looking to make a career change. Students choose a speciality—voice design, advanced UI skills, or frontend development—and complete a project-based curriculum. Coursework is presented as pre-recorded videos and reading materials.

Tuition includes day-to-day guidance from a tutor and written, video, and phone feedback on portfolio pieces from an industry expert. The programme also includes a job guarantee for students who meet specific requirements, including location or the ability to relocate. The 1:1 career support is available for all students.

• Who it's for: Beginners looking for a flexible online-only programme that allows them to focus on one specific area of UX design and who want personalised 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

Tip: If you’re considering CareerFoundry, take their free six-day short course to get a feel for their materials and see if it might be a good fit.

6. Interaction Design Foundation

The Interaction Design Foundation (IDF), one of the world’s largest online design schools, offers a variety of online courses and bootcamps for those looking to transition to a UX career. Choose from full-time six- to nine-week bootcamps in topics like UX Fundamentals, Introduction to Design Thinking, or Get a New Job in UX Design. Each includes one-on-one coaching, guided project work, and the chance to build a portfolio.

Suppose you’re looking to develop specific skills. In that case, IDF also offers self-paced courses on usability, data visualisation, human-computer interaction, accessibility design, and designing for augmented and virtual reality. Each course comes with a certificate of completion.

• 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 $2,592 for bootcamps

• Length: Six to nine weeks for bootcamps (40 hours per week); 15 to 18 hours per course 

7. Bentley University UX Certificate Programme

Several universities have started offering graduate certificates in UX, and Bentley University runs one of the most well-established programmes. Earning a certificate means completing nine courses: three required courses (Human Factors and the User Experience, Usability Testing, Managing a User Experience Group) and six other courses.

Each course is held online or in person over two days, followed by a portfolio assignment that you’ll have two weeks to complete. Courses take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays—something to consider if you work or have other scheduling obligations. 

• Who it's for: Beginners and professionals who want the backing of a respected university certification programme 

• Cost: $1,500 per course ($13,500 for full certificate)

• Length: Nine two-day sessions plus 45 to 63 hours to complete assignments (five to seven hours per course) completed in as little as one year

8. The School of UX

The London-based School of UX hosts a range of single-day classes and five-day intensives that can be broken down into day-long modules and taken at your own pace. Modules in the intensive programme include UX Design, UI Design, Wireframing, Prototyping, and Career Advice. Each day consists of a live question-and-answer session with a professional designer.

While courses are typically held in person in London, everything has been moved to Zoom during the pandemic. Learners in India should consider the time zone difference, as everything is conducted live.

• Who it's for: Beginners who want a crash course in UX design followed by personalised mentoring

• Cost: £798 ($1,109 at time of writing); individual courses start at £159 each

• Length: Five days (flexibly spaced)

9. DesignLab UX Academy

The complete UX Academy Journey from DesignLab comprises three sections. The UX Academy Foundations segment is designed to introduce students to the world of UX. The Academy itself includes 480 hours of coursework and projects. Everything is online and on-demand, aside from mentoring sessions and group critiques that must be scheduled.

Students who complete the UX Academy will have four projects for their portfolios and have access to the Career Services module for six months.  Students are paired with a career coach to practice interview skills and polish their portfolios during this time. 

• Who it's for: Beginners who want to gain a firm footing in UX design with the option of additional training 

• Cost: Beginning at $7,249 if you pay upfront

• Length: Up to 36 weeks (plus six months of Career Services)

10. Springboard UX Design Bootcamp

With Springboard, you can choose between a UX or a UI/UX Design career track. Programmes last six months and allow you to study when and where you want. Tuition includes weekly one-on-one mentorship calls, three portfolio projects, and the chance to collaborate with an honest company for four weeks.

Completing the course unlocks career support and a six-month job guarantee for eligible students. You’ll also have lifetime access to the course materials (including updates) and the online community.

Springboard recently released a four-week Introduction to Design option geared towards those trying to decide whether a career in UX is a good fit.

• Who it's for: Beginners who want a job guarantee from their certification programme

• Cost: From $7,900 for the UX track and $11,900 for the UI/UX track

• Length: Six to nine months (15 to 20 hours a week)

Is getting UX certified worth it?

LinkedIn ranked UX among the most in-demand technical skills in 2023 [1]. LinkedIn also reported that India’s UX design field is' set for explosive growth’ [2].

Job salary

Working as a UX professional can also be a financially rewarding career; the following are the average annual salaries in the industry. 

*All India salary information is sourced from Payscale as of March 2024.

• UX designer: ₹6,06,059

• UI developer: ₹5,93,429 

• UX researcher: ₹9,10,173

Benefits of getting UX certified

Unlike in nursing or law—industries with established licensing and certification requirements—you don’t necessarily need a certification to get a job in UX. By earning the proper accreditation, however, you can: 

• Build essential UX skills

• Develop your portfolio

• Gain experience in the industry

• Validate your skills to potential employers (in some cases)   

If you're looking for a structured way to build a foundation in UX design skills, develop some projects for your UX portfolio, and stand apart from other UX designers as a job applicant, then a certificate programme or bootcamp could be a good fit. It's also an excellent way to start building your network within the industry.

Choosing the proper UX certification: Things to consider

Search for UX certifications and bootcamps, and you’ll notice many options. Universities, industry associations, and private companies offer certification programmes and bootcamps that can vary significantly in cost and quality. 

As you research and evaluate whether a UX certification or bootcamp is a worthwhile investment for your career, consider the following:

• Your goals: If you’re new to UX, you might choose a comprehensive certificate programme or bootcamp to start learning the skills, tools, and techniques of the trade. If you’re already established in the industry, you may opt for an advanced certification to hone a particular skill or keep up with trends and technology. 

• Scope: UX is a broad term. If you have a more specific interest, you’ll find programmes on UX design, user interface (UI) design, user research, UX management, and design thinking. Look for programmes that align with the area of UX you’re most interested in.

• Cost: Prices for UX programmes can vary from several hundred to more than ten thousand dollars. Remember, cost and quality don’t always correlate. 

• Online vs. in-person: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the certifications in our list were only available through in-person events. For now, you can complete any of them online. If you choose to pursue a programme online, consider whether the programme was designed for online learning or adapted due to circumstances. 

• Full-time vs. part-time: In a full-time programme, you can move through the material more quickly than a part-time option. However, a part-time programme could make it easier to continue working and managing other life obligations. 

• Fixed schedule vs. self-paced: Self-paced certification courses allow for greater flexibility—a bonus if you work or have a busy schedule. For some learners, following a fixed schedule makes it easier to stay on track. 

• Projects or portfolio: Your portfolio shows potential employers what you can do, and it’s often among the most important elements of your application. Choose a program with hands-on project work to get certified to build your portfolio. 

• Teachers and mentors: Research who’s teaching the programme and their standing in the UX industry. If you want professional feedback on your work as you progress, look for programmes that include regular one-on-one mentorship calls.

• Job guarantee: Some certification programmes and bootcamps offer job guarantees. For example, if you don’t get a job within six months, you’ll be reimbursed for some or all of your tuition. You may need to meet set requirements, so read the fine print.  

• What is validated?: Some courses will give you a certification for attending. Others require an exam or portfolio review to evaluate your skills. Think about what you want your training to communicate to hiring managers.

Alternatives to Certification

UX design certifications and bootcamps represent just one way to learn the art and science of UX design. If you're comfortable learning independently and managing time to develop new skills and complete UX passion projects, you could save money using free resources, books, and blogs.

Whether you’re just getting started in UX/UI design or are a seasoned professional looking to develop new skills, familiarise yourself with other learning options. 

Free resources

You don’t have to spend a dime to learn about UX. Do some searching, and you’ll find blogs, podcasts, webinars, and design communities, many of which are free. These resources are a great option to supplement your studies or to build your own UX curriculum if you enjoy learning independently.

Portfolio projects

Your portfolio is a visual representation of your skills. Develop one, and you’ll uncover new talents and (hopefully) impress future employers with your work. A portfolio project could be a UX redesign you do for a friend or family member or some volunteer work for a school or non-profit. 

Coursera also offers Guided Projects designed to be completed in less than two hours. Build an e-commerce dashboard in Figma, learn the basics of customer journey mapping in Miro, or discover How to use Pastel in UX Design. Each project has a split-screen video so you can follow along as you work and access all necessary software.  

Individual courses

With an individual UX design course, you can evaluate whether UX design might be a good fit or focus on developing a particular skill. Many of the organisations we listed above offer individual courses. 

You’ll also find a wide selection of options from top universities on Coursera. Get an Introduction to User Experience Design from Georgia Tech, learn about UX Research at Scale from the University of Michigan, or dive into Web Design Strategy with the California Institute of the Arts.

Degrees

Many UX designers have at least a bachelor’s degree. While having a degree in a UX-related field might not always be required,  it helps when it comes time to apply for jobs. Some universities have started to offer degree programmes in interaction design or user experience design, but programmes in computer science, graphic design, or information architecture often cover overlapping skills. The Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science from the University of London, available online through Coursera, features UX as a possible focus area.