Where to Find UI Design Classes

You can find UI design classes in a number of different places including colleges, professional training centers, and websites with free UI design resources. To determine which class works best for you, you’ll need to consider many factors including the type of education you’re looking for, your schedule, and your budget. This article contains information about some of the different UI design class options and where to find them.

What Is UI Design?

User interface (IU) design is the process of building the visual and interactive elements that make up a web page, app, or other type of user interface. UI Designers work to ensure that all of these elements work together to create an experience that is intuitive, enjoyable, and functional. The most common type of user interface is a graphical user interface, which is used on computers and smartphones. However, there are also other types of interfaces including voice-controlled interfaces such as Siri and Alexa.

What Can You Do With UI Design?

UI design jobs pay well and are expected to have strong growth in the future. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a federal agency that analyzes labor market statistics, predicts that over the next ten years, web development and digital design jobs will grow by 16 percent, which is significantly faster than the average U.S. job growth rate of 3 percent. It says, “Employment of web developers and digital designers is projected to grow as ecommerce continues to expand. As retail firms keep increasing their online offerings, demand for these workers is expected to grow.”

In addition to providing job security, UI design is a creative and challenging field that many people find enjoyable. UI Designers explain that every project is unique, and this means that UI design involves constant innovation, creativity, and problem-solving. Many comment that because they are continually using their creativity in different ways, they rarely get bored with what they do.

UI Design Class Options

There are a number of different places to find UI design classes including colleges, professional training centers, and websites that offer on-demand classes. You’ll also find a variety of free online learning options. Each of these options comes with its own unique advantages and disadvantages. 

Colleges

Earning a college degree is one way to get into the field of UI design. You probably won’t find any schools offering a bachelor’s degree in user interface design, however. Instead, most people pursue a design or computer science degree. While a college degree can be a valuable asset, if you want to work in UI design, you may also need to supplement your education. For instance, if you earn a degree in design, you’ll also need to learn the technical skills required for UI design, and if you earn a degree in computer science, you’ll need to learn design skills. Because of the fact that UI design requires a mix of skills, while many employers will value a college degree, they are also likely to be more interested in candidates who can actually demonstrate their UI skills, so things like work experience and having a strong portfolio are also important. 

Noble Desktop and Other Professional Training Centers

Because there is no specific college degree for UI design, and also because earning a college degree usually takes a lot of time and money, an increasing number of students are learning UI design by taking classes at professional training centers rather than colleges. Many professional training centers, like Noble Desktop, offer a variety of comprehensive UI design class options, like bootcamps and certificate courses, that are designed to give you all of the skills you’ll need to pursue a career in this field. Not only are these courses specifically designed for students who want to pursue a career in UI design, but they generally take far less time and money to complete than a college degree. When you learn at a professional training center you won’t take general education classes; instead, you’ll focus on learning the concepts and tools that you’ll actually use in a UI design job. Most certificate programs can be completed in a number of months, and bootcamps usually only take weeks to finish. Since these programs are intended to get students career-ready, they usually include career support. For example, some include one-on-one mentoring sessions where you can get help building your resume and portfolio. You might also get help preparing for interviews, or even get access to internships and professional networks. These courses are often designed for students with busy schedules and may include a variety of flexible scheduling options like weeknight and weekend classes. Many come in both in-person and live online formats and include both full-time and part-time options. 

Coursera, Udemy, and Other On-Demand Platforms

Another way to learn UI design is to take an on-demand class through a platform like Udemy, Coursera, Masterclass, or Skillshare. These sites offer courses that range from shorter options that can be finished in a few hours, to longer, more comprehensive classes. With on-demand classes, you learn at your own pace, so you have a lot of flexibility. However, compared to live classes that you take through a professional training center, on-demand classes are generally less comprehensive overall. In addition, they are prerecorded and lack a live instructor. This means you can’t get immediate feedback or answers to your questions. In addition, because the course content is pre-recorded, it also has the potential to become outdated. Another potential downside to on-demand learning is that it can be more easy to lose focus. Without the accountability of a live instructor and class, some on-demand learners find it easy to get distracted, and they may even fail to finish the course. Research shows that on-demand classes tend to have a much lower rate of completion than live classes.

Free Resources

If you want to learn UI design, you can also find many free resources online. For example, YouTube has free tutorials. Some schools also provide free resources so that students can get a better understanding of the topic before committing to a paid class. If you’re trying to learn a specific UI design application, like Figma, you’re also likely to find free resources on the website for that particular application. Free resources are a great way to get an overview of UI design, learn a specific skill, or troubleshoot a problem. However, if you’re serious about learning UI design and you want to work as a professional in this field, you’ll probably need to invest in a paid class where you can follow a comprehensive curriculum under the guidance of an expert. A class also gives you the ability to ask questions and get feedback, which can make the learning process a lot easier.

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.