UX design is a great career choice. It is very rewarding to design products that meet users needs, and also improve the bottom line of the business. UX designers are in high demand, and the salaries look very promising.
You might be thinking “This sounds great! Count me in! But how do I get started in UX? There are too many options! Should I get a degree in UX or at least a UX certificate? They are so expensive… are they worth it?!
Let’s look at some major options for getting started in UX design. And discuss pros and cons of each one.
UX Degree Programs
Just to be clear, I am talking about university degree programs here.
Until recently there were no specialized degree programs for UX design. But the field is blooming and to meet with demand and to capitalize on it some schools started offering programs in UX and Interaction design.
I really cannot comment on the quality of any programs, but based on my experience with academia what you learn in school is not always what you use and apply in your day to day job.
Getting a degree is also a long term commitment, so it is definitely not for everyone.
My personal view is this:
You don’t need a specialized degree to get into UX design
If you already have a post-secondary degree, you are probably in a good place.
UX Certificate Programs
Certificate programs seem to be much more accessible. Most of them are self-paced and don’t require long term commitment.
They seem like a good choice if you already have a degree (doesn’t’ really matter what it is), and going back to school for several years is not an option. Some are cheap, others are not.
But are they really worth it? I’d say, it depends.
Merely having a UX certificate might increase your chance of getting noticed, but probably only marginally.
In general, UX certificates are frowned upon in the industry. I am guessing the main reason is that it is too easy to get a certificate. You see, there is only so much you can learn from going through a 2-3- week video course. You might learn some basic theory of UX, and perhaps even complete a project or two, but that really is not enough to become a competent UX designer.
If you are looking for a structured learning environment where certificate is merely a reward, UX certificate program might be a good option for you.
Will you learn more than what you can by doing it on your own? Probably not, but accountability factor is big here, so if that is a factor for you, go for it.
Speaking of certificate programs, Coursera has UX design courses that you can audit for free. They do offer a optional certificate upon completion at a decent cost.
Learning UX Design on Your Own
You probably see where I am going with this.
You don’t need a degree nor a UX certificate. As a self-taught designer that had a successful career in UX design, I do advocate learning on your own. And here is why.
All the information that you need to learn UX design on your own is out there
What you need to get started in UX design is some understanding of basic concepts. That is a big part of the equation. You can get that from reading UX design books or taking free UX design courses.
The other part, and that is something that neither a degree, nor a UX certificate program can offer, is practice. Sure, there are assignments and group projects, but again not something that you can’t do on your own.
If you are interested in getting into UX Design, I highly recommend my detailed article How to Become a UX Designer.
Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about UX design, or want my opinion on any UX design programs you are considering taking.