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Top UX Design Certificates & Certifications in NJ

This article compares hands-on UX design certificate and certification courses available throughout New Jersey or through virtual learning. There are ten certificate programs listed below that offer a variety of choices for training in visual design and graphic design related technology and tools that should fit any individual’s purpose.

Prospective students can enroll in UX design certificate and certification courses around the state, within driving distance outside of New Jersey, or through live online options. Class duration ranges from 28 hours to several months with tuition between $2,732 and $16,900.

Noble Desktop: UX/UI Design Certificate

Key Information 

185 Madison Avenue, Third Floor, New York, New York 10016.

This 24-week part-time course is available for training inside Manhattan classrooms or live online from anywhere for $3,495.

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This course offers additional 1-on-1 mentoring outside of class as well as an opportunity to retake the course within one year. 

Lessons focus on UX (user experience) and UI (user interface) design concepts through designing apps, websites, and other products by making user interaction as effortless as possible. Training emphasizes user interface and user design as well as learning about the visual design tools required for the profession, which includes Figma, Sketch, Illustrator, and Photoshop. Upon completing this course, students will understand the role of UX Designers in creating apps, websites, and other products along with the role of UI Designers whose responsibility is designing the appearance for apps and websites.

Noble Desktop: UI Design Certificate

Key Information

185 Madison Avenue, Third Floor, New York, New York 10016

This six-week full-time course is available inside Manhattan classrooms or live online from anywhere for $3,995.

Prerequisites: Students must feel comfortable using computers. As part of this program, students will be designing a website and an app and are encouraged to arrive at the beginning of the course with a project in mind.

This course offers additional 1-on-1 mentoring outside of class as well as an opportunity to retake the course within one year.

Lessons will focus on training students in graphic design and interfacing for designing, developing, and prototyping apps and web pages. Students will learn essential professional design concepts for creating apps using tools like Figma, Photoshop, and Illustrator along with lessons on composition, typography, color, interactivity, user interface elements, and best practices for designing and testing websites and mobile apps. Upon completing this course, participants will have compiled a portfolio that displays projects for showcasing their skills to potential employers.

Flatiron School: UX/UI Product Design Bootcamp

Key Information

11 Broadway, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10004

Students can enroll in this course as a full-time in-person and live online (synchronous) 15-week bootcamp or as a part-time online on-demand (asynchronous) 40-week bootcamp that costs $16,900 for either approach with payment options available. 

Prerequisites: This course requires students to complete pre-work before starting Phase 1 to gain a working knowledge of UX and UI processes.

This bootcamp trains participants in the skills and tools needed for becoming UX Designers whether they are beginners or experienced professionals. Upon completing this course, students will have acquired skills for using generative AI as a research analysis tool for developing personas and user journeys as well as learning about essential components of the user interface process, including standard tools, best practices, and deliverables.

Noble Prog: User Experience (UX) Design Training Course

Key Information

1 Gateway Center, Newark, New Jersey 07102

This 28-hour course costs $4,107 for the in-person class or $2,732 for live online training. 

Prerequisites: No prerequisites have been listed for this course.

This course trains students on the fundamentals for learning user experience (UX) design tools and processes, including user research, personas, user stories, information architecture, visual design principles, and prototypes. Upon completing this training, participants will possess the qualified knowledge and skills needed to pass the exam for achieving the BCS certificate in nine syllabus areas.

NN/g: UX Certification

Key Information

8 The Green, Suite #14572, Dover, Delaware 19901

This 30-hour course is available for learning inside classrooms within driving distance of New Jersey as well as live online training starting at $5,600.

The NN/g (Nielsen Norman Group) UX Certification program requires taking five courses in one (1) of three (3) specialty areas (Interaction Design, Research, or Management) and passing at least five (5) courses in one of those specialty areas to achieve UX Certification. Upon completing the required five courses and passing the online exam for each course, students receive a certificate that they can display in their LinkedIn profile or portfolio site along with gaining a solid UX foundation.

Designlab: UX Academy – Learn UX/UI Design

Key Information

This course is available for live online training (virtual learning) from anywhere.

This program offers 30 weeks of part-time or 15-week of full-time training for an upfront payment of $7,249, six monthly payments totaling $7,649, or flexible long-term financing that totals between $8,091 and $$9,677.

Prerequisites: Students must have a basic level of visual design experience demonstrated through samples, possess strong English language skills, be able to commit a minimum amount of weekly time to the course, and depending on their track, have completed the prerequisites course or courses. 

This program provides UX/UI design training through comprehensive lessons and tutorials with hands-on projects, peer review sessions, and weekly 1-on-1 sessions with a mentor. Through this program, students have subject-based coursework that includes expert-developed video and written content along with hands-on exercises and portfolio projects to display work that should appeal to potential employers.

Ironhack: Remote UX/UI Design Bootcamp

Key Information

This course is available for live online training (remote learning) from anywhere.

This live online course can be taken as a two-month full-time course for $12,500 as well as a six-month part-time course for $13,000 with financing options available.

Prerequisites: This course requires no prior design experience, but solid social skills are beneficial for becoming a UX/UI Designers by being able to empathize and communicate with colleagues as well as connecting with users.

This course aims to train students in how to think like Designers through solving problems and by keeping the user in focus from lessons that include learning Figma as well as understanding the product development process. Upon completing this course, students will be able to design their own websites and applications.

General Assembly: UX Immersive

Key Information

This course is available for live online training (virtual learning) from anywhere.

This three-month live online course costs $16,450 with a variety of payment options available.

Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites listed for this program; however, students should be familiar with common tools used in graphic and web design along with knowledge in user experience (UX) concepts.

This course provides hands-on training related to UX and UI design principles for applying tactics in wireframing, prototyping, user research, and usability testing. Upon finishing this course, students will receive a signed Certificates of Completion that demonstrates skills in UX design.

Thinkful: UX/UI Design Bootcamp

Key Information

This course is available for live online training (virtual learning) from anywhere. 

Anyone interested can enroll in this live online course as a five-month full-time course that costs $14,823 or a self-paced, on-demand six-month part-time course for $12,350. Either has flexible payment options available.

Thinkful provides 1-on-1 mentorship where students get assigned a mentor who focuses on getting them hired by helping them build a profile that displays their strengths and skills. Thinkful also provides technical coaches and Thinkchat in addition to office horse through a virtual messaging platform that allows students to ask questions and get answers in real-time along with access to a Slack community.

This course provides training for becoming a UX (user experience) Designer for designing, developing, and maintaining websites and apps through lessons on wireframe prototyping, user research, information architecture, user empathy, and interactive design. Upon completing this program, students will possess skills for working as UX/UI Designers, Product Designers, and Web Designers.

HeadTrix: Web Design Certificate

Key Information

This course is available for live online training (virtual learning) from anywhere.

The cost of this live online 78-hour, six-course program (five required classes and one elective) costs $5,370 taken separately but can be reduced if the student has taken one or more of the courses required for the program or has equivalent experience in any of the categories listed to have the standard discount applied to other courses necessary to complete the certificate program.

Courses required for this program include Photoshop Level 1, Photoshop Level 2, Dreamweaver/HTML Level 1, Dreamweaver Level 2, and WordPress Level 1 along with an elective. 

The headTrix Training Certificate in Web Design program provides training for students to learn about web design, HTML, and CSS for designing and developing websites using Dreamweaver with style sheets and templates. Upon completing this course, students will have skills in web design and an understanding of front-end design and development for creating professional-looking websites.

FAQ for UX Design Certificates

People often get confused over the differences between certificate programs and certifications for training in UX design. In a nutshell, the key difference is the level of proficiency demonstrated in identifying an individual's skills. Certificate programs provide detailed technical training in a specific area while a certification verifies a high level of skill within a profession established through passing an exam.

To receive UX design certification, a candidate has to pass a proctored exam that meets the standards set for working within the profession by verifying that person’s skill level. By contrast, a UX design certificate provides training for gaining skills that contribute to working efficiently within a profession. While a certificate program is not the same as a certification, certificate training can contribute to ultimately passing a certification exam.

What is the Difference Between a Certificate and a Certification?

Ambitious Designers who would like to demonstrate their skills in UX design may choose to enroll in a certificate program or gain certification that verifies their qualifications within this particular area of web design. Certificate programs provide detailed training in areas of UX design that can take weeks or months to complete. This training typically prepares individuals with the skills they will need for finding either a new career or advancing at a current place of employment related to UX design. Several online education providers have certificate programs that cover a variety of disciplines. However, it should be noted that certificate programs are not the same as a certification, which verifies competency for skill within any specific profession that an individual usually achieves by passing an exam. While certificate programs are not the same as getting a certification, enrolling in a certificate program can help with passing a certification exam.

Should I Pursue a Certificate or a Certification?

Certifications verify that a person has passed an industry-recognized exam that confirms to potential employers that a candidate qualifies on some level for a position in question. A certification requires a candidate to pass a skills exam that demonstrates proficiency with an application like, for example, Photoshop or Figma.

Do I Need to Become Certified to Find a Job?

Becoming a UX Designer does not necessarily require any certification, but certification related to UX design can certainly help with improving chances for getting hired by potential employers. Certification can help any candidate stand out among competitors when vying for the same position.

Because UX design by itself is not typically taught in university courses, opting for user experience or user interface certifications in web design may help with persuading clients or employers. With certification, a prospective UX Designers possesses credentials for immediately working.

UX design certification verifies a high level of mastery in web design, graphic design, interactive design, psychology, and other methodologies related to this area of technology.

What Certificate Program is Right for Me?

UX design certificate programs can help aspiring UX Designers learn about conducting research, building prototypes, and using prototyping tools as well as working with graphic design programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Figma. 

Which is Better: In-Person or Online Classes

Choosing whether to enroll in an in-person or live online UX design certificate program will depend greatly on an individual’s goals or comfort level. Some people simply prefer learning inside a classroom for being able to physically interact with teachers and classmates. However, getting back out on the road after a long day at work to find a classroom somewhere in Newark or Jersey City might not be the best way to spend an evening, which would make enrolling in a virtual learning course a convenient option. Either method of training provides an effective way for learning UX design to help with either finding a new career in visual design focusing on the user experience or advancing at a current position.

Enrolling in an in-person or live online certificate program for learning UX design will require some preparation. Learning inside a classroom will mean having to get to a specific location at a certain time as well as being prepared to participate in class discussions. 

People taking online courses must have a high-speed internet connection to access and participate in their class. Students must also be able to handle basic computer functions such as booting up, logging in, and navigating an internet browser along with being familiar with web design or graphic design software.

Which is Better: Live Online or Asynchronous Classes?

Anyone considering an online certificate program for training in UX design can choose between live online or asynchronous courses. Live online courses take place in real-time with a set schedule that students and instructors have to adhere to participate at a designated time through a live stream. Asynchronous classes (on-demand courses) provide more flexibility in scheduling where students can access their material and assignments at their own convenience from any location at any time they choose during the length of the course. 

In choosing online training methods for learning skills in UX design, people can decide between live online training or the asynchronous, on-demand, approach. Live online classes let instructors and students participate and interact among themselves in real-time while asynchronous training allows individuals to access lessons and material whenever they choose.

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