Industry Guide ∙ 20 min read

Best Online UX Design Courses

Master the art of UX design with the best online courses, fueling your ability to create exceptional user experiences.

Denise Wilhaus, Growth Marketing ManagerMay 31, 2023

Looking to enhance your UX design skills? We've compiled a list of the top 11 online UX design courses that will equip you with the knowledge and practical skills needed to excel in the field.

Whether you're a beginner or looking to advance your expertise, these courses offer valuable insights, industry-relevant projects, and the flexibility to learn at your own pace. Discover the best online UX design courses and take your career to new heights.

Running short on time? Here's a quick overview of what we cover in this article.

TL;DR

Is UX design still relevant?

UX design is more important than ever, especially in the tech industry's quest to create digital experiences that are easy and enjoyable for users. Businesses want to design products and services that are simple and intuitive, from fintech companies like PayPal to popular video games like Fortnite.

In this "experience economy," how users “feel” is crucial. Providing seamless and enjoyable user experiences is central to a successful product.

While some worry that AI will replace human designers, the truth is that AI is a helpful tool that enhances the design process. It automates tasks, analyzes data, and gives design recommendations, freeing up designers to focus on creativity and strategy. AI-powered tools can generate designs, test usability, and create different design options automatically.

However, AI can’t replace the crucial role of designers. Their understanding of human behavior, creativity, and ability to interpret user needs remain essential for crafting meaningful experiences. Designers collaborate, make informed decisions, and use user feedback to improve their designs— all things that AI can't do.

In short, UX design is still relevant, and AI complements designers by making them more productive and providing insights. The need for UX designers will keep growing as they leverage AI to create exceptional user experiences.

What are the benefits of an online UX design course?

There are many benefits of doing an online UX design course. Let’s look at the big hitters.

Flexible

A great benefit of taking an online UX design course is the flexibility it provides. These aren’t night classes with strict schedules — you can learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world at any time. Whether you’re a digital nomad or a working professional, online courses allow you to learn where and when you want to.

Affordable

Anyone who’s ever been to university knows that degree-related expenses are only half the story — most degrees are debt-traps, and don’t arm you with useful skills for a modern economy. Then you have to relocate to another city or country. Buy materials. Commute.

Online UX design courses eliminate these overheads. Better still, many of them come packaged with payment plans and even offer financial aid.

Accessible

Let’s be honest. eLearning is what the early pioneers of the Internet envisioned. Everyone from digital nomads to the physically impaired to people in remote regions can access the best online UX design courses.

Are online UX design courses worth it?

Plenty of people (looking at you, college grads) turn their noses up at anything not certified by an Ivy League college. But a study by Career Karma found that companies like Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft love employing boot camp grads. In 2020, for example, those very companies hired 120% more boot camp grads than they did in the previous year.

If you're still unsure about the value of online UX design courses, let's delve into the reasons why they are worth considering.

Skill development

You will learn the nuts and bolts of UX design — practical hands-on skills. Wireframing. Prototyping. Usability testing. User research. These are industry-relevant skills — the sort of skills that employers are in sore need of and actively looking for.

World-leading knowledge

You’ll get the insider scoop from industry professionals. And not just any professionals — these people are industry leaders, and their courses cover the latest trends and methodologies, as well as the use of emerging technologies and design tools. These aren’t Mickey Mouse degrees. This is priceless, practical knowledge from seasoned industry pros.

Portfolio-building

This clinches the deal if you ask me. Every UX designer needs a portfolio, and online UX design courses give people a chance to build a high-quality portfolio under the tutelage of an industry leader. This is particularly useful for beginners because a well-crafted portfolio is a surefire way of securing a good job.

Networking

One thing never changes: it’s all about who you know. Many UX design courses allow you to connect and collaborate with fellow designers, but also instructors and industry professionals. These connections can prove invaluable, leading to mentorship opportunities and even job referrals.

Top 11 Online UX Design Courses

1. Google UX Design Certificate

Google UX Design Professional Certificate Course

This Google UX Design Certificate is a great option for beginners because no experience is required.

Over 6 months (at 10 hours per week) and at a meager $39 per month, you’ll learn the ins and outs of UX design — from ideation and wireframing to user research and high-fidelity prototyping.

Sadly, it doesn’t come with one-to-one mentorship — however, students can share their work with fellow students and enjoy peer-to-peer feedback and there are some big unofficial communities for this course on Discord and Facebook.

What certificate do you earn? The clue is in the name — the Google UX Design Certificate, internationally recognized by major companies. You also gain access to career resources.

Skills: Ideation, wireframing, user research, high-fidelity prototyping
Cost: $39 p/m via Coursera
Length: 6 months
Level: Beginner
Why: Cost-effective

2. Springboard UI/UX Design Bootcamp

Springboard's UI/UX Design Bootcamp

Springboard’s UX Career Track course is a game-changer for many professionals. The course takes 6 months, but it’s no stroll in the park — most students have to dedicate up to 20 hours a week.

This impressively interdisciplinary course is split into 24 units, and covers every aspect of UX design, with units including psychology and strategy. Students will also have the opportunity to work on 3 portfolio projects.

Moreover, you get one-to-one weekly calls with a mentor and at the end of the course, a 4-week externship.

Skills: Usability testing, sketch solutions, high-fidelity prototyping, iterating, user-centered design
Cost: $7,900 — 14,500 USD (pending payment plan)
Length: 6 months at 15 hours p/w
Level: Intermediate
Why: Interdisciplinary

3. Design Lab Academy

Design Lab's UX/UI Course

Get a job or your money back.

Sounds good, right? The Design Lab Academy’s intensive and comprehensive UX design course is designed to make you job-ready.

Perfect for beginners, or designers who want certification, Design Lab Academy is no easy ride. Students start with a 4-week foundation course, paired with an expert mentor — working professionals in companies like Calendly and Facebook. If you’re good enough, you join the UX Academy, where you’ll work on a range of projects and exercises, polish up your portfolio, and search for a job.

As I said, it’s no easy feat — that’s why students must either dedicate 4 months full-time to the course or 12 months part-time.

Skills: User research, color theory, typography, prototyping, information architecture
Cost: $7,249-9,677 USD
Length: 4-12 months
Level: Beginner
Why: Guaranteed job or refund

4. UX Accelerator — PeakXD

UX Accelerator Program from PeakXD

This UX Accelerator program is a popular course for web designers and people who work in UI but want to make a career change to UX.

The course ranges at $4,637, complete with one-to-one mentorship with a Senior UX Designer, peer support, and the opportunity to work on three real client projects — Oxfam and The Heart Foundation being recent ones.

Structured between 13-26 weeks, depending on how many hours a week you’re willing to dedicate, the course is taught by the likes of Tania Lang and Miranda Wee.

Upon successful completion of an exam (with an added fee) students receive a BCS industry certification (an internationally recognized qualification from the British Computer Society).

And hey, who wouldn’t love the free or discounted subscriptions to Miro, Figma, and Dovetail?

Skills: Stakeholder engagement, user research, user testing, usability testing, building empathy
Cost: $4,637
Length: 13-26 weeks
Level: Intermediate
Why: BCS qualification

5. Mento Design Academy

Mento Design Academy

The Mento Design Academy may be small, but it packs a punch that will leave you reeling.

Founded by Radu Vucea, a self-taught designer who used to teach the Springboard and DesignLab courses, this 6-month course gives you weekly one-to-one mentorship and lifetime access to learning materials and the Mento community.

Moreover, the Academy is available for the first six months after your graduation, upon which you receive a certification and a written recommendation. In that time, they will ensure you get a UX design job — or give you your money back.

Uniquely, the course is sculpted to your needs and career trajectory. Students get the chance to work on three portfolio projects that matter to them.

$4,839 upfront for six months. What’s the catch? According to former students, there is none.

Skills: UX research, UI design, Interaction design
Cost: $4,839 or $949 per month
Length: 6 months
Level: Beginner
Why: Guaranteed job or refund

6. UX Design Program — Career Foundry

UX Design Program from Career Foundry

If you’re an active US serviceman or veteran, UX Design Program from Career Foundry is the course for you — you’ll get a reduction in your fees.

Career Foundry’s UX design course is primed for beginners looking for a career change. It’s a more cost-effective alternative to the likes of Springboard, set between $7505-7,900 USD, and comes with free access to Figma and Sketch, as well as a mentor, and personal tutor.

Time flies by on this rigorous course. Indeed, you must be able to dedicate a minimum of 10 hours a week, and every exercise must be approved by your one-to-one personal tutor before you can proceed to the next chapter. Luckily, this is done quickly, in a short space of 24 hours.

As stated, this is a fast and rigorous course. Perhaps that’s why 90% of graduates get a job after graduating.

Skills: User personas. Wireframing. Prototyping. Usability testing. Information architecture. User research.
Cost: $7,505-7,900 USD
Length: 5-10 months
Level: Beginners
Why: Reduced fees for servicemen or veterans

7. UX Design — General Assembly

UX Design Course from General Assembly

The General Assembly UX Design Course is a good option for beginners looking to break into the world of UX design. It’s a bare-bones, nuts-and-bolts course that provides a hands-on (and speedy) approach to learning the ins and outs of UX design. Instructors include working professionals — senior UX designers with years of experience — so you can expect the most up-to-date, practical instruction.

The course has a particularly real-world focus. Students will design new products or modify existing ones, all the while receiving expert feedback from their mentors and real-time technical assistance.

Once you’ve graduated, you’ll be part of the global General Assembly community — a community of nearly 100,000 graduates, and welcome to the networking events and workshops to add fuel to your burgeoning career as a UX designer. Best of all, you’ll get an industry-recognized GA certificate.

Skills: Wireframing, prototyping, user research, usability testing, interaction design
Cost: $3,500
Length: 10 to 12 weeks
Level: Beginner
Why: Global network

8. Interaction Design Specialization, UC San Diego

Interaction Design Specialization on Coursera

If you’re a UX designer looking to specialize in interaction design, this interaction design specialization course will be right up your street.

Run by experienced UC San Diego professors, this is a nuts-and-bolts course that digs deep into the nitty gritty detail of interaction design — from heuristic evaluation to modules on human motor performance.

This 10-month course is offered on a Coursera subscription, so it’s cost-effective too, with a mere 3-hour weekly commitment required of students. In short, it’s perfect for those working full-time.

This is a hands-on course with real-world application. The final project includes a design challenge developed in parallel with design teams across Silicon Valley. Best of all, students receive certification from UC San Diego, one of the top 10 public universities in the USA.

Skills: Rapid prototyping, storyboarding, user research, A/B testing, heuristic evaluation, paper prototyping, human motor performance, neuro-psychology, typology, and information architecture
Cost: $39 per month
Length: 10 months
Level: Intermediate
Why: Certification from top 10 USA public university

9. Career Launcher UX Design — Harness Projects

Career Launcher UX Design from Harness Projects

Small class sizes. Real-world advanced prototyping projects. Your instructor, a former UX Manager at Google.

This 6-month Career Launch UX Design course with Harness Projects was curated with the help of psychologists and UX hiring managers. No wonder it was awarded a world-first employability rating for UX designers.

Over six months, via Zoom calls, you will go from the fundamentals of UX design into the world of advanced UX research and high-fidelity prototyping. The cherry on top has to be the free annual subscription to Figma, Askable, the Interaction Design Foundation, and LearnUX.io.

And the icing on the cake? A guaranteed job in 90 days, or a free project that can be added to your portfolio.

Skills: Survey design, user journeys, sketching, user journey mapping
Cost: AUD $9,500 upfront (around USD $6,200).
Length: 6 months
Level: Beginner
Why: The course was created with the advice of UX hiring managers

10. ProtoPie 101

ProtoPie 101 Crash Course

Rapid high-fidelity prototyping is an indispensable tool in the UX designer’s toolkit, and with ProtoPie, designers can take their prototypes to the next level. The prototyping tool allows you to create code-free, lifelike prototypes with stunning animations and complex interactions.

In the ProtoPie 101 course, students master the intricacies of the ProtoPie ecosystem, from sensor usage to crafting micro-interactions. Engage with the friendly UX designer community to discuss and explore this 6-hour, 20-lesson course together.

Completing ProtoPie 101 comes with the added benefit of a free certificate, boosting your proficiency in high-fidelity prototyping and strengthening your professional profile.

You can expand your skills further with ProtoPie School's additional free courses. For example, you can take the advanced masterclass on designing car dashboards and discover tailored learning opportunities for different levels of expertise.

Skills: Rapid high-fidelity prototyping, micro-interactions, animations, native sensors
Cost: Free
Length: 6 hours
Level: Intermediate
Why: Learn how to create rapid high-fidelity prototypes

11. DesignerUp's Product (UX/UI) Design Course

DesignerUp's Product (UX/UI) Course

DesignerUp’s Product (UX/UI) Design Course is a powerful (and surprisingly affordable!) program that teaches you how to research, design and apply product strategy and business principles to your work, to become a more skillful and mindful designer.

This interactive course is self-paced with instructor assessment and can be taken whether you’re a beginner or already experienced. It takes on average 3-6 months to complete and you’ll receive a certificate at the end.

It includes over 70 original, HD video lessons, and practical real-world exercises that guide you through building your own unique MVP from scratch with an impressive case study for your portfolio. All with the support and feedback from an active community of mindful designers.

It also includes some incredible perks such as your own product design workspace built on Notion and thousands of dollars worth of discounts to their partners like Figma, Slack, Invision, ProtoPie, and more!

Skills: User Research, User Interface Design, Information Architecture, Business Principles, Product Strategy, Mindset and Mindfulness Practices.
Cost: $497 (one-time fee, lifetime access)
Length: 3-6 months
Level: Intermediate
Why: Interdisciplinary, Affordable, Self-paced

How to start your UX career

The global economy needs more UX designers. The work of UX designers greases the wheels of this user-orientated global economy, focusing on simplifying and beautifying things for customers.

But, where to begin?

Networking and portfolio-building are essential to a UX designer, so find a course with a good mentorship program, a guaranteed job, cost-effective pricing, and the opportunity to build a sizable portfolio.

A word of advice. Check out some of the free courses on offer before you part with your beloved cash. Most of these courses don't come cheap.

Get started with your UX journey and prototyping

Take the first step towards mastering high-fidelity prototyping with ProtoPie and ProtoPie School.