Do you need a UX designer degree? [Guide 2023] (2023)

UX Designer is a very popular job these days.And that popularity continues to grow: CNN reported that the number of UX design jobs is expected to increase by 18% by 2028.

Indeed has named the role of User Experience Designer one of the 25 Best Jobs for the JobWork-life balance,and a study ofGrupo Nielsen Normanfound that UX designers really love what they do.

So it's no wonder people wonder andBecoming a UX Designer:and if they need a UX designer qualification.

As a dynamic and creative discipline that is constantly growing and changing, there is no clear consensus on what qualifications are required to work in this field. Before considering a career in UX design, many assume that any career with the word "designer" in the title requires an art school degree.

However, few UX designers have studied UX in college. Instead, they come from a wide variety of backgrounds, from psychology and marketing to project management and finance.

In this article, we're going to break down the qualifications you need to become a UX designer. This is what we will cover:

1. Do I need a degree to become a UX designer?
2. How do I get to UX design?
3. How do I know if I have the skills to be a good UX designer?
4. How will studying for a UX design qualification help me?
5. Where doesn't a UX skill help?
6. How do I know if UX design is right for me?
7. final thoughts

Prepare? Let's dive in!

1. Do I need a degree to become a UX designer?

It's a common misconception that technology-related qualifications or a strong technical background are a prerequisite for a job in this field. Many assume that employers don't give a damn about a candidate without a relevant degree in UX design.

The truth is, you don't need a college degree to enter the world of technology. In fact, many people who have changed careers have found thatUser-Experience-Bootcampsthey are an effective and valuable way to start your career and require no UX design training.

2. How do I get to the UX design?

If you are really determined, you canLearn to design UX yourselfRead UX blogs and books, listen to podcasts, or learn on the job. It really depends on how much relevant experience you have and whether you could prove your skills in a job interview without having a UX Designer qualification to back it up.

In the video below, professional UX designer Maureen Herben outlines the steps you need to take to get started in UX design, based on her own career change experience:

you can also take oneFree UX short coursefind oneUX Certification Programthat fully immerses you in the world of UX.

However, if you are an average procrastinator, you will likely benefit from a course with a structured learning environment, where you have a set amount of time to complete it, and most importantly, regular contact with a mentor or tutor.

Having a mentor not only gives you the knowledge and experience of a seasoned professional, but also helps keep you motivated and motivated during those inevitable moments when you question or doubt yourself and your decision to become a designer. UX to remain responsible.

There are also many different options in terms of the structured course. The General Assembly is probably the most famous. Vendors like Akendi offer short, week-long classroom courses, but it's pretty hard to learn everything there is to know about UX in a week.

Then of course there are thoseUX Design Program CareerFoundry, which gives you the best of both worlds: you have the convenience of studying at home plus frequent video calls with a mentor. read thisArticlefor a deeper dive into the many options you have for structured online UX design training.

3. How do I know if I have the skills to be a good UX designer?

oSkills Required for UXthey are really diverse. Most people are surprised that user experience design is less about being the stereotypical creative type and more about soft skills like communication, organization, and critical thinking.

Of course, you must have the ability to conduct user research, visualize user journeys, and wireframing (and more process and UX-specific technical skills), but it's more important to have skills like empathy, enthusiasm, time management, and negotiation skills. It's also crucial to have a strong understanding of how businesses work, especially the ability to ask the right questions to get answers about what the client is trying to achieve.

But the most important character trait of all isgreat interest in problem solving.

CareerFoundry was created to solve a problem experienced by its founder, Raffaela Rein. She wanted to get out of banking and go into technology, but she couldn't find a degree that suited her needs. UX expert Sarah Doody also recommends looking for problems in your everyday life to improve your problem-solving skills.

4. How will studying for a UX Design qualification help me?

A degree in UX design or another advanced qualification offers many benefits, such as:

• Learn the key concepts and elements of the UX design process. You don't know what you don't know, so a structured training program provides direction and guidance from people with years of UX experience and a good understanding of what you need to know as a UX beginner.
• A UX design program gives you a great network of people to surround yourself with, for example, your mentor, tutor, colleagues, and career changers. I'm still in touch with Sophie, my CareerFoundry mentor, who was fantastic at introducing me to others in the UX industry. She put me in touch with her old boss when I moved to New Zealand and she also keeps me up to date with interesting UX reading.
• A good UX design program will help you build a strong professional portfolio. Portfolios are a requirement for most UX interviews, so a project-based program gives you time and guidance while you'rebuild and refine your UX portfolio.
• While there are likely few jobs that require UX design training, a program will help you land your first interview if you don't have work experience. Once you have a few years of UX experience, you'll find that people are no longer concerned that you have a UX design qualification.

5. Where doesn't a UX design qualification help?

The main thing a UX design qualification won't help you with is feeling like you know it all. You won't wake up the day after completing the course and suddenly feel like you know everything: a UX designer will never know everything, and imposter syndrome is a common reality among new UXers.

Keep in mind that the role of a UX designer is constantly evolving and actually depends on how well you keep up with new technologies and trends and continually engage with UX advancements.

Think of qualification as the starting point of an exciting journey of UX discovery, and as you gain experience, you'll become increasingly confident. Much of your skill will come with experience, but that doesn't mean you can't speed up the process by learning from the experiences of others.

If you want to learn more about what being a UX designer means in practice, read my blog post onwhat a UX designer really does.

6. How do I know if UX design is right for me?

It's a common theme in UX design, but before you make any decisions, do your research! This will help you decide if this is definitely your career path.

Here are some good ways to test the waters before making a decision:

• Join CareerFoundry for freesix day email short course- Get a hands-on introduction to UX and a taste of what the complete UX design program looks like.
• Start reading (or keep reading): There's a lot of knowledge about career transitions and UX here on the CareerFoundry blog.
• Check out social media: Twitter and Medium are great for finding the latest UX articles, and UX pros like Nick Babich and Sarah Doody have great weekly newsletters with handpicked articles. Sarah's newsletters also include helpful questions to help you think like a UX designer.
• Talk to people in the UX industryand go to networking events. Moneythis blog post about networking in UX designfor more tips.

It can also help to brainstorm with other designers! If you don't already have one in your network, connect with UX designers on LinkedIn and find out.Lessons learned after breaking into the field. And if you're an aspiring UXer in your 40s, 50s, 60s or older and you're worried that age is an issue, here's something for you:Are you too old to start a career in UX?(Spoiler alert: the answer is no.)

7. Final Thoughts

UX design is clearly an exciting and rewarding career, with many different avenues to enter the field. and there are certainly no hard and fast requirements for training UX designers.

Finding the right career path can seem daunting, but with so many options available today, there is sure to be one that fits your needs.

If you'd like to learn more about a career in UX design, check out these articles:

• This is how you become a UX designer
• What salary do I earn as a UX designer?
• What is the UX design process?
• 5 Tips for Creating a Great UX Writing Portfolio