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Build a Career in UI/UX Design

UX Academy combines rigorous, cutting-edge curriculum with expert, 1-on-1 mentorship to help you build the skills you need to launch a career in UX design.

Transform Your Career with UX Academy

UX designers create the digital experiences that touch billions of people, and the field of UX is expected to see strong growth over the next decade. UX Academy will teach you the complete design process and help you create a unique portfolio that stands out from the crowd.

A Learning Path for All Levels

Most students begin with our 4-8 week UX Academy Foundations, where you'll learn UI basics and get comfortable with tools like Figma. Experienced visual designers can apply directly to our main UX Academy.

Supported and Structured

Complete online, asynchronous lessons, then meet 1-on-1 with your expert design mentor to get unblocked and ask questions. As part of Designlab, you'll also join a vibrant online community where you can collaborate, network, and make friends.

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Next Session
Mar 19, 2024 6:00 PM
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1900+
Confirmed Graduate
Hires
4.77/5.00
Stars, Across 1600+
Reviews
305,000+
1-on-1 Mentor Sessions
Completed
NEW

UX Academy Foundations: Now With AI Content

Explore the latest frontiers of design and integrate AI tools into your design process to generate ideas, create imagery, guide typography choices, and more!

Experience the Power of Quality 1:1 Mentorship

All UX Academy students are matched with a 1-on-1 design mentor who will provide feedback, answer questions, and help you stay motivated. Our mentors are all working designers who have been thoroughly vetted for both design expertise and strong communication skills.

Three Steps to Transform Your Career

For most, UX Academy is a three step process. You start by enrolling in UX Academy Foundations where you'll learn essential UI skills. From there, you'll move on to the core UX Academy program where you'll become proficient in the complete UX design process and build a unique portfolio to showcase your skills. As a final step, you'll enter Career Services where you'll get matched with a career coach that will help you get hired.

Illustration of hand pointing down
1 BUILD YOUR FOUNDATION

Your Journey Starts Here

UX Academy Foundations is a 4-8 week introductory course for aspiring designers that covers design principles, visual design, and UI design. You’ll work 1:1 with a professional design mentor and finish the course with all the skills necessary to move on to UX Academy.

UX ACADEMY
FOUNDATIONS

No experience needed

Made for beginners
8 Mentor Sessions
1:1 video calls with your design mentor
Fully online
Project-based curriculum
Hands-on projects
To learn by doing
Duration
4-8 Weeks
10-20 hours/week
4-8 WEEKS

UX Academy Foundations Curriculum

Spend 10-20 hours/week to complete the course within the 8 week deadline. You’ll get 8 mentor sessions and 1 Group Crit. Finally, apply all the skills you’ve learned throughout the course during the final project.

CURRICULUM
UNIT 1
VISUAL DESIGN BASICS
Begin with an introduction to the UI/UX practice, some of the tools and processes you’ll use in this course–and beyond–and the fundamental principles you’ll use to shape your design work.
UNIT 2
UI FUNDAMENTALS
Build on your understanding of the fundamental principles of visual and UI design by learning about grouping, composition, and usability.
UNIT 3
IMAGES, ICONS, & ELEMENTS
Learn how your design choices around photography, icons, and illustrations impact your work's overall visual language. Get familiar with the key components of a user interface and learn the importance of design patterns in creating consistent and usable digital products.
UNIT 4
COLOR & TYPOGRAPHY
Learn the practicalities of working with color and type and get the opportunity to apply what you've learned.
UNIT 5
Interaction and Input
In this unit, you’ll learn more about form design and gain practical experience creating your first multi-step form.
UNIT 6
RESPONSIVE DESIGN
Learn how to design responsively (for desktop, tablet, mobile, and smartwatch) and what you’ll need to consider when moving between devices.
UNIT 7
final design challenge
Bring together everything you’ve learned throughout Foundations and all the feedback you’ve gotten along the way.
UNIT 8
INTRO TO UX DESIGN (OPTIONAL)
This unit is an optional primer for key UX terms, processes, and roles you'll continue to discover should you continue your journey into UX Design.

Learn key visual and UI design skills—from typography to colors and layouts, and practice applying them in realistic situations. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to take your ideas from initial concept to full web page and mobile screen designs.

Gain experience working collaboratively with a professional designer through 1:1 mentor sessions. Incorporate your mentor's written and verbal feedback into your work, and hear an insider's perspective on the field of UX/ product designer.

Practice and experiment with the industry’s latest tools. From learning about vector shapes and pen tools to laying out a full webpage, you’ll complete Foundations with a solid understanding of how to use industry-standard design tools like Figma.

What Students Say About UX Academy Foundations

CAROLINE HOFFMAN
FOUNDATIONS STUDENT

"Loved this program - totally doable with a full-time job, and teaches all the basics of UX/UI. I think it is a great starting point as it gives you all needed skills to continue learning after the program is over! Love the one-on-one mentoring, too."

TESSA MACE
FOUNDATIONS STUDENT

"My mentor was absolutely amazing! She gave great feedback and really helped me beyond just foundational learning. Once I understood the basics, she encouraged me to start thinking about higher level design thinking. She was extremely patient and very knowledgable!"

FRANCIS BASSEY
FOUNDATIONS STUDENT

"The experience was fantastic. The curriculum was very well rounded and provided me with the fundamentals of design. The projects were challenging and well prepared. The mentorship experience was really great—interacting with someone that’s actively working on the fields as a designer was very helpful."

MATT KLINGER
FOUNDATIONS STUDENT

"The course was well structured and the projects were fun and helpful in learning Figma. My favorite aspect was being paired with a mentor who works in the industry where I could get feedback, learn best practices, and ask all questions related to UX/UI design and careers in the industry."

CHRISTINA LIU
FOUNDATIONS STUDENT

"I liked how all the information in the course was developed by Designlab, meaning I was paying for unique material. I also really appreciated the mentor program. It really helps to have real feedback from a real professional."

ANTONIA STERIAN
FOUNDATIONS STUDENT

"I had zero experience with design before the course and having completed it now, I can confidently say I have a good grasp on design basics. My mentor is an amazing teacher. She is supportive, helpful and caring. Our sessions were always productive and she even took the time to walk me through past projects, explain workflows, and share frameworks."

Student Projects

In the last unit of UX Academy Foundations, you'll work on a 10-hour, final design challenge to apply everything you've learned in the course. With the support of your mentor, you'll get this project to a standard in which it's ready to use for entry into UX Academy.

Rachel Olson Wayfair Project
rachel olson 
Jessica Ordonez
Natasha Jarrett's Wayfarer Project
Natasha Jarrett 
2ENTER THE ACADEMY

Learn the Skills Needed to Get Hired

With help and guidance from your mentor, you’ll work through over 490 hours of UX/UI design lessons and projects that will prepare you for a career in UX or product design. You’ll complete over 100 realistic, hands-on exercises, and build a standout portfolio with four creative capstone projects.

UX ACADEMY

Fully online
Project-based curriculum
26 Mentor Sessions
1:1 video calls with your design mentor
Build your portfolio
To land your dream job
Group Crits
To practice your soft skills
Duration
PART-TIME
30 Weeks
20 hours/week
FULL-TIME
15 Weeks
40 hours/week
SELF-PACED
Up to 18 Months
Flexible hours/week
ready to try something new?
Apply to UX Academy
Next COHORT
Mar 18, 2024

UX AcademyAt a Glance

Full Time: WEEKS 1-7Part Time: weeks 1-15

UX Design essentials

Learn UX/UI design through comprehensive lessons and tutorials with hands-on projects, peer review sessions, and weekly 1:1 sessions with your professional mentor.

CURRICULUM
Module 1
Design is...
Gain a foundational understanding about the field of UX and UI design.
Module 2
USER RESEARCH
Learn how to conduct and synthesize user research into actionable insights.
Module 3
IDEATION TO PRIORITISATION
Learn how to decide on a viable product idea based on your user research.
Module 4
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
Learn how to organize and structure content through navigational design and sitemap diagramming.
Module 5
INTERACTION DESIGN
Develop user flows that align with usability and accessibility best practices.
Module 6
USER INTERFACE DESIGN
Learn the basics of branding, typography, color theory, and iconography.
Module 7
PROTOTYPING AND TESTING
Wrap up your first major design project by testing and iterating.
Module 8
MOBILE - FIRST PAGE
Apply the principles of mobile-first design to create a fully responsive web page.
Full Time: weeks 8-15Part Time: WEEKS 16-30

PORTFOLIO AND PROFESSIONAL CAREER PREP

Create a unique and high-quality portfolio with four capstone UX design projects based on real-world scenarios.

CURRICULUM
Module 1
PERSONAL BRAND & PORTFOLIO SETUP
Phase 2 starts with setting up your portfolio and personal brand. After each Capstone, you‘ll add a case study of the project to your portfolio and continue polishing it, so you can submit your portfolio for graduation at the end of the phase.
Modules 2-4
CAPSTONES
You'll create 3 Capstone projects for your portfolio. Capstone project briefs are open-ended, so that every student develops a completely unique portfolio that stands out. You’ll create portfolio deliverables, write case studies, and put it all together with your own online portfolio. After this, you’ll create a cover letter and resume, polish your online presence, and put together an action plan for your job search.
Module 5
UX ACADEMY GRADUATION
In this final module, you can reflect on your journey through UX Academy and finally, submit your portfolio for review.

Get Ready to Graduate!

Your portfolio will be reviewed by our panel of experienced design hiring managers. Once approved, you’ll officially graduate from UX Academy and can head to Career Services for real support in finding your dream job.

Illustration of hand pointing right

Explore the Full UX Academy Syllabus

Build a Portfolio as Unique as you are

Graduate from UX Academy with an outstanding portfolio that aligns perfectly with your career goals and helps you look great to potential employers. The knowledge and skills you learned in the program will be integral in creating a portfolio of 4 unique projects that will showcase your range as a designer as well as your process and solutions.

Jane Noh Designed It
View Portfolio
Eric Gendron Designed It
View Portfolio
FLorinda sgueglia Designed It
View Portfolio
Group
Crits

Meet with your peers weekly to get and give feedback on course projects, and hone your skills in this practice that is common across many top employers.

Real
Mentors

Through weekly 1:1 video calls, you’ll get insightful feedback from a Mentor committed to helping you master the hard and soft skills you need to succeed as a UX Designer.

Unique
Projects

Work through structured portfolio projects that can be tailored to align with your goals and interests to help ensure a diverse portfolio that’s true to you.

The UX Academy Application Process

Review Prerequisites

Read info about program requirements for UX Academy.

Apply to UX Academy

Submit your design portfolio or complete our Design Challenge.

Skills Assessment

We’ll review your application and reply within 4 business days.

Enroll in UX Academy

Once accepted, enroll in UX Academy to save your spot in the next cohort.

If you’re not accepted into the Academy, don’t worry. You can enroll in Foundations to quickly build the design skills you need to ace your UX Academy application. Even better, all Foundations students will receive a $500 credit off their UX Academy tuition.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT UX ACADEMY
Explore Our Community
Read About Our Alumni
3GET SUPPORT, GET HIRED

Put Your
Skills to Work

Get real support by working 1:1 with a career coach with direct experience working and hiring in your chosen field. They’ll assist with every aspect of your job search—from writing and revising your resume and cover letters, to negotiating and maximizing your job offers. Career Services is included in your UX Academy tuition, and limited to graduates.

Career Services

A full curriculum
To help you network & interview practice
Up to 26 sessions
1:1 video calls with a Career Coach
Track your job search

With Huntr
Lifetime access
To Designlab’s global network
Community support
Through group sessions with a Coach facilitator
Career
Coaching

Receive up to 26 coaching sessions with one of our experienced career coaches who can assist with everything from resumes and interview prep to networking and salary negotiations. Our coaches have direct experience with the UI/ UX Design job market as hiring managers or a demonstrated track record of helping others secure roles at top companies.

Peer
Support

Collaborate and celebrate (once you land your new job) with your peers on our Discord server with channels specific to job-seekers. Meet with your peers in sessions facilitated by a career coach to discuss important career-focused topics like interviewing, application materials, and presentations.

Job
Tracking

Track your job search with free access to Huntr. Keep track of all the job opportunities you’ve found and applications you’ve submitted, and share progress with your career coach. The Career Services team also curates a reviewed and approved list of job opportunities that are added to Huntr weekly.

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Explore the Full ux academy Syllabus

Recent
Graduate Hires

UX Academy Graduates Have Accepted Roles in:

61%
25%
5%
9%
Register for an open house webinar
REgister
Next Session
Mar 19, 2024 6:00 PM
Talk with admissions
BOOK A CALL

Plan Your Timeline

A new cohort of UX Academy Foundations and UX Academy start each month. Map out your journey below and estimate your graduation date depending on how much time you can dedicate to your coursework. Need even more time? Learn about our self-paced option.

When do you plan to start the Foundations course?
Enroll in the cohort by [application due date].
How fast do you plan on completing Foundations?
Plan to work 20 hours a week.
Once accepted to UX Academy, will you be part-time or full-time?
Plan to work 20 hours a week.
YOUR TIMELINE
UX Academy Foundations begins
[Cohort start date]
UX Academy Foundations ends
[Cohort end date]
UX Academy starts
[Bootcamp start date]
UX Academy ends
[Bootcamp end date]

Multiple Ways to Pay

UX ACADEMY TUITION

6 monthly payments
Course Deposit
$399
Monthly Payments
$1,291 / month
Total Cost
$8,149
Upfront payment
SAVE $400
Course Deposit
$399
One-Time Payment
$7,350
Total Cost
$7,749
Flexible long-term financing
Course Deposit
$399
Monthly Payment
$234 - $271 / month
Total Cost
$8,682 -$10,383

Learn the Foundations Free When You Go on to UX Academy

When you start with UX Academy Foundations, you can transfer the entire $499 cost of the course as credit toward your UX Academy Tuition – effectively making your Foundations tuition free.

Enroll

No application fees. Choose your preferred payment plan after receiving your acceptance letter. Tuition fees are charged on course start dates.

Showcase Your Skills

In addition to leaving UX Academy with a standout portfolio and new skillset, all graduates also receive a digital certificate you can add to your website or Linkedin account.

Our Students, Alumni, and Mentors Work at Top Companies Around the World

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