How Long Do UI Design Courses Take?

When you’re looking at UI design classes, one of the factors that you’ll want to consider is how long they take to finish. There are a variety of different types of classes, including shorter options that only take a day or two to complete, and longer courses that take weeks, or even months, to finish. In most cases, longer classes are more expensive, but they are also more comprehensive. Keep reading for information about some of the most common types of UI design classes and how long they are.

What Is UI Design?

A user interface (UI) is the point where a user interacts with a digital product or technology. UI design involves creating an interface that is both aesthetically pleasing and easy to use. UI Designers use a variety of different elements including layout, icons and graphics, colors and typography, and navigation. They frequently use applications like Figma for prototyping and testing. 

What Can You Do With UI Design?

UI design-related jobs pay well and are expected to experience strong growth over the next decade, making them a good career choice. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks and analyzes labor market data, “Overall employment of web developers and digital designers is projected to grow 16 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.” It says, “About 19,000 openings for web developers and digital designers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.” A UI Designer earns between $89,000 and $91,000 per year, on average.

The field of UI design also allows a high level of flexibility and independence. While a UI Designer can work for a specific company, it is also relatively common to work as a freelancer in this field. According to BLS, 13 percent of Web and Digital Interface Designers are self-employed. As a freelancer, a UI Designer has the freedom to pick whatever projects they want, work from wherever they choose, and set their own hours. For many, this makes UI design a good job option.

Types of Classes

UI design classes come in many different lengths. The shortest option is an introductory class, which will cover a limited number of skills and only take a day or two to complete. There are also short advanced courses that focus on a narrow range of skills. Bootcamps and certificate courses are longer and more comprehensive than introductory classes--typically taking weeks or months--and are popular among students who want to prepare for a career in UI design. An even longer option is a college degree, which takes years to complete, but will leave you with a well-rounded UI education. Another type of class is the on-demand option, where learning is self-paced and the course length will vary depending on how quickly--or slowly--you choose to work through the material. Finally, the length of a UI class will depend on whether you enroll in a full-time or part-time program, with part-time classes taking significantly longer to complete.

Introductory Classes

The shortest type of UI class is usually an introductory class. Most introductory options take only a day or two. They are designed for beginners, so they don’t have prerequisites, and they start with basic UI information before moving on to more complex topics. An introductory class might take you to an intermediate level. It definitely won’t get you to an advanced level. It can be a good option if you want to learn the fundamentals of UI design without committing too much time or money. If you want to work professionally in the field of UI design, an introductory class will not cover everything you need to know, but it can be a good starting point. If you decide you’re serious about this field, you can then sign up for a more advanced and comprehensive course.

Advanced Courses

If you already know something about UI design and you’re looking to add more skills to your resume, or you want to learn a specific new skill, an advanced class can be a good option. There are advanced classes that focus on a limited number of skills--similar to introductory courses, but at an advanced level--and only take a day or two to complete. Most have prerequisites.

Bootcamps and Certificate Programs

If you want to get a comprehensive UI design education, and you’re willing to spend a bit more time doing so, a bootcamp or certificate program might be a good option for you. These types of courses cover a wide range of skills. Most are designed for beginners and take students up to an advanced level. They are intended to give students all the knowledge and tools that they’ll need in a professional UI design career and to do so in a relatively short amount of time. Most bootcamps and certificate programs take a number of weeks or months to complete. Many come in both full-time and part-time options, with the part-time courses taking longer. These types of classes often include career support, such as help building a resume and portfolio, and advice about searching and interviewing for a job.

Degree Programs

One of the longest ways to learn UI design is to enroll in a college degree program. When you earn a degree, you’ll get a comprehensive education, but you’ll need to spend a lot of time and money doing so. In addition, most college programs have numerous admission requirements, which can include standardized test scores, a minimum high school GPA, an essay, and letters of recommendation. Colleges also typically run on a quarter or semester system, so if you want to attend one, you need to plan in advance so that you won’t miss important deadlines. While college degrees have traditionally been valued by employers, in recent years, a growing number of employers report that they have become less focused on degrees and more focused on finding employees who have demonstrable skills and experience, making bootcamps a viable alternative to learning UI design in college.

On-Demand Classes

An on-demand class is made up of pre-recorded lectures and exercises that you work through at your own pace. Some on-demand classes do have deadlines, but the length of time it takes to complete this type of class also depends on how quickly--or slowly--you choose to work. This freedom to set your own pace is one thing that makes on-demand classes popular. In addition, since there is no live instructor, these classes are often cheaper. A downside is that since there is no live instructor, you won’t be able to get immediate feedback or answers to your questions. Depending on how good you are at working independently, you may also find it more difficult to stay on track with an on-demand class.

Part-Time or Full-Time?

When you’re trying to figure out how long a UI class will take, you also need to think about whether you plan to learn full-time or part-time, since that choice will significantly impact your total learning time. In most cases, you can complete a full-time class a lot more quickly than a part-time one. Some people also like a full-time schedule because they can focus all of their attention on what they are learning. However, full-time learning doesn’t work for everyone. Part-time programs take longer, but they do have some unique advantages. For instance, when you learn part-time you can spread out your tuition costs, and you’ll also have more time to absorb the new information that you’re receiving. 

Learn UI Design with Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop is based in New York City and offers a number of different UI design-related classes, with both short courses that can help you quickly master the basics, and longer, more comprehensive programs that are intended to prepare you for a career in this field. Its classes can be taken in person at its Manhattan facility or in a live online format. Noble Desktop is licensed by the New York State Education Department. All courses include a certificate of completion and the option of a free retake within one year.

One of Noble’s most popular UI design classes is the UI Design Certificate, which is a multi-week course where you’ll learn about composition, typography, color, interactivity, user interface elements, best practices, and all the other things you’ll need to understand in order to work in UI design. You’ll learn to retouch photos in Photoshop, use Adobe Illustrator’s drawing tools to create graphics, icons, and logos, and create UI designs and prototypes using Figma. You’ll also create a portfolio of website and app designs that you can show to potential employers or clients. This class also comes with eight one-on-one mentoring sessions that you can use to work on challenging concepts, review your portfolio, or receive professional advice about applying and interviewing for jobs.

Noble Desktop also offers a UX & UI Design Certificate. This course covers the fundamentals of both UI and UX design. You’ll learn how to conduct user research and testing. You’ll also learn to design digital products and build clickable prototypes using Figma. In addition, as part of the class, you’ll work on projects that you can include in your design portfolio. The class comes with six one-on-one mentoring sessions.

Another option is the Web Design Certificate, which includes instruction in UI design. In this class, you’ll learn to use Figma for designing UI, you’ll build websites with WordPress, and you’ll work on a variety of coding skills. You’ll also learn how to use Git to track changes in your code and to collaborate with other developers, JavaScript for animation and interaction, and Bootstrap for building layouts. Eight one-on-one mentoring sessions are included.

Noble Desktop also offers classes in Figma, which is a popular UI design tool. The Figma Bootcamp takes a number of days to complete. In this bootcamp, you’ll learn a variety of Figma skills including optimizing designs for mobile, tablet, and desktop screens, extracting image assets, designing on grids, and sharing designs with clients. You’ll also learn to create animations and build interactive prototypes. In addition, the class covers components, and working with team libraries.

Another Figma option is the Figma Masterclass, which will take you from a beginner to an advanced level. In this class, you’ll learn to create UI and UX designs for websites and apps, designing layouts that are optimized for various devices. You’ll also learn to build interactive prototypes, make animations, use components, work with team libraries, and use conditionals.