Develop compelling and strategic user experiences applicable to every professional field in a fast-growing digital economy. The User Experience (UX) Certificate program provides a thorough education that includes working with industry experts and learning the latest strategies, techniques, and technologies. Format: Online
The User Experience (UX) Certificate is perfect for professionals wanting to make a career change and learn in-demand skills from expert instructors. The program offers hands-on experience with UX design tools, and teaches concepts such as user empathy to understand human-centered designs. From applying these principles to creating mock UX prototypes, students will learn to flex their artistic skills while examining user interaction flows and testing end-to-end usability.
Format: 100% online. Courses are offered in online and remote formats.
Duration: This program can be completed in 4 quarters. See suggested course sequencing below the course list.
Our course curriculum is developed in cooperation with UCLA’s Department of Design Media Arts (DMA).
The program is equally conceptual and hands-on, fostering a unique approach to the intersection of art and technology.
I chose UCLA Extension because of the great reputation the program has and the caliber of graduates they produce. I was also impressed to know that each and every instructor [is] a working designer with great accomplishments. To me, that was important. I wanted to be learn from people who knew what they were talking about and cared about what they were teaching.
Click below to view the required and elective courses, if applicable, for this program.
Start any quarter. User Experience I, II, III, and IV must be taken in order. Elective courses may be taken in any quarter as long as prerequisites have been met. Prerequisites (if applicable) can be found on course pages. Move through the program at your own pace; it is not mandatory to finish the program within four quarters.
| 1st Quarter | 2nd Quarter | 3rd Quarter | 4th Quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| User Experience I: Survey DESMA X 481.99AF | User Experience II: Iteration DESMA X 479.8K | User Experience III: Applied DESMA X 489.5F | User Experience IV: Capstone DESMA X 499C |
| Elective | Elective |
What are the application requirements?
This certificate is open enrollment, meaning there is no formal application necessary and anyone can join. You do not have to show transcripts or a portfolio. After paying the $250 candidacy fee, your application will be reviewed and approved within a few days.
How does payment work?
You pay per class as you enroll each quarter. The average price of one 11-week course is $760. The entire cost of the program is estimated to be $6,500. That includes all course fees, materials and the certificate candidacy fee.
Is financial aid available?
This program is not eligible for Federal Financial Aid. Please visit the UCLA Extension Financial Aid website for more information.
How long does it take to complete the program?
It takes one year to complete the six course. User Experience I–IV must be taken during four sequential quarters. You can complete two electives during those four quarters as well. So students will either be taking one or two courses per quarter.
Is this a full time or part time program?
Due to the prerequisites for each course, this program can only be completed on a part-time basis.
When does each quarter begin and end?
Please see our Academic Calendar
Do I need to be in the certificate to begin taking classes?
No. Students are welcomed to take any of our user experience courses a la carte. The price and instruction is the same whether you are a certificate student or not. Some students may want to take a course first to make sure the program is a good fit before they decide to commit to the whole certificate. As long as you receive a grade of C or better, you can apply any completed courses to your certificate progress retroactively if you decide to join.
Can I complete this program online/remotely?
Yes. All courses are currently being offered either via Remote Instruction (live weekly Zoom lectures) or Online (asynchronous courses with prerecorded or slide lectures). We plan to continue to offer all required courses online even once in-person courses resume.
What is the philosophy of the program?
This program emphasizes strategic thinking–why you made the choices you did to solve the design problem at hand. It focuses on core UX principles like research, experimentation and iteration. No coding is required, as projects deal with UX rather than UI challenges. A design background can be helpful but is not required.
Will this program help me develop a portfolio?
Yes. Students should have one or two projects that they can develop further into professional portfolio pieces by the program’s end. Additionally, User Experience IV emphasizes cases studies that can be built out for further inclusion in a portfolio.
What career or job search assistance is available?
All of our instructors are working UX professionals with insight into the industry. Additionally, classes feature industry guest speakers who may critique work or speak to their specialty. The UCLA Extension Career Center offers job searching resources and workshops, and UCLA Extension Certificate students have access to Handshake, the UCLA Job and Internship board. However, this program does not match students with internships or industry jobs.
How do Internships work?
Students are responsible for securing their own internship placement. Once done, the department facilitates a contract between the student and employer, and awards 4.0 units of credit toward certificate progress (pending the supervisor’s review). Students work at least 10 hours per week for a minimum of 120 hours during the course of the quarter. Internships may be paid or unpaid. Currently only remote internships are being approved–check with the departments for updates on this policy. Students must have completed at least 50% of their certificate coursework to be eligible for an internship.
All courses in this program are paid for individually, unless otherwise noted. An application form is required to establish candidacy in this program. From the 'Apply Now' button, complete the online application and pay the application fee if applicable.
The U.S. Department of Education requires colleges and universities to disclose certain information for any financial aid eligible program that, “prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation”. This information includes program costs; occupations that the program prepares students to enter; occupational profiles; on time completion rate; and for the most recent award year: the number of students who have completed the program, the number of students who complete the program within the estimated duration, the job placement rate, and the median Title IV and private loan debt incurred by those who complete the program. For gainful employment information for this program, visit our Financial Aid page.
User Experience certificate candidates may earn elective credit by enrolling in a mentorship or internship.
Mentorship
DESMA X 482.14
Work one-on-one with an instructor who guides your development of a meaningful project geared toward a portfolio piece, design competition, freelance assignment, or other advanced goal.
Internship
DESMA X 479.7F
Begin the transition from student to professional designer with an internship in a real world setting.
Learn how we can help your organization meet its professional development goals and corporate training needs.
Support our many efforts to reach communities in need.
