User Experience: UX designers are responsible for a user's overall experience as they interact with every aspect of a product or service, such as an app or multi-step form.
User Interface: UI designers are responsible for determining the visual elements (e.g. menus, buttons, icons, etc.) that a person uses to interact with a product or service.
UI/UX designers are the architects of digital experiences, blending empathy-driven research with cutting-edge design principles to create products that are both user-friendly and visually stunning. Their creative and technical skills are essential to the success of any website, app, or software.
As the demand for exceptional digital experiences continues to grow, UI/UX designers are in demand. They enjoy rewarding careers with competitive salaries and the opportunity to work on innovative projects that shape the future of technology.
The Gonzaga University UI/UX Design Bootcamp, in partnership with Springboard, is your gateway to a fulfilling career in design. Through a comprehensive curriculum and hands-on projects, you'll learn the core principles, tools, and best practices to excel in the industry.
Our flexible, 100% online format allows you to learn at your own pace, while regular personalized 1:1 mentorship sessions provide expert guidance and support. Additionally, our optional career services will help you build a strong professional network and land your dream job.
Discover how the Gonzaga University UI/UX Design Bootcamp can empower you to create extraordinary digital experiences.
There are a variety of different paths you can take when beginning your career in the design industry. Your chosen career path depends on your varied goals and interests, including choosing if you want to be more of a generalist or specialist or if you want to work for an agency or be a freelancer. Compensation can vary based on industry, years experience, and more, but some common job titles and average salaries in Washington include:
The UI/UX Design Bootcamp is designed for you to successfully land your first UI/UX design job. You’ll be guided through hands-on assignments like UI practice exercises that replicate the work that designers conduct on a daily basis. These projects are an invaluable addition to your portfolio and will help you demonstrate your ability to work end-to-end through a design project to potential employers. Preview some of the curriculum units below:
Explore the landscape of design tools and gain an understanding of how to use them
Learn the essential elements of Sketch, Adobe XD, or Figma and practice using one of these tools
Incorporate learnings from user tests and iterate on your designs as you transition into digital wireframes
Develop an understanding of the importance of designing for edge cases
Begin considering transitions between screens
Learn about the importance of accessibility and the value of inclusive design
Understand the fundamentals of accessibility, the WCAG guidelines, and how to perform a basic accessibility audit
Understand the fundamentals of grids.
Learn techniques to design high fidelity mockups of screens using your design tool of choice
Learn how to facilitate critiques to quickly get and incorporate feedback as you build your designs
Examine best practices to consider when communicating with other designers and stakeholders as you create high fidelity mockups
You'll complete one required Capstone project and have the option to complete three more portfolio projects, including a design sprint—where you will rapidly cycle through the entire design process in one week. You'll also have the opportunity to be matched with a real company to complete a 40-hour industry design project. View a description of the portfolio projects below:
This is a multi-month, end-to-end design project that includes each phase of the design process and will help you sharpen your new UX and UI skills you’ll learn throughout the course.
This is a Google Ventures-style design sprint that will allow you experience working on a complete project in a short (1 week!) timeframe.
This is another end-to-end project that incorporates each stage of the design process. You’ll apply all of the methods you’ve learned from the course while working with real-world constraints.
This is a ~4-week real-world project. You will be partnered with a company and use your design skills to help the company tackle a business problem. While working on this project, you’ll apply all of your course learnings and hone your professional and collaborative skills:
Identify a customer problem to solve.
Conduct competitive research.
Sketch, design, and build a prototype.
Perform usability testing and identify improvements.
While you’re learning online, you'll have the confidence of having a full support team behind you. Your support team includes:
Student advisors: Call upon your student advisor for questions regarding accountability, time management, or anything else that comes up throughout the course.
A dedicated industry mentor: Receive feedback on projects, discuss blockers, refine your career strategy, and remain accountable. Plus, get extra help from other mentors as needed.
Online community: Start discussions with your fellow peers about the work you're doing and receive feedback.
1:1 career coaching sessions within the optional career units will hold you accountable for your job search.
Do you have an eye for design? Do you like to make things beautiful, organized, and user-friendly? If so, this program is right for you!
Prerequisites
All backgrounds are welcome as long as you can demonstrate strong visual skills, creativity, and clear communication.
UX Stands for User Experience. According to prolific designer Don Norman,
"User experience encompasses all aspects of the end user's interaction with the company, its services, and its products."
UI stands for User Interaction: It focuses on the aesthetics or the look of the product a user interacts with.
UX designers are responsible for a user's overall experience as they interact with every aspect of a product or service, such as an app or multi-step form.
UI designers are responsible for determining the visual elements (e.g. menus, buttons, icons, etc.) that a person uses to interact with a product or service.
You’ll need a mix of design skills we’ll teach you, such as wireframing and prototyping, as well as a strong research acumen. You’ll also need a set of soft skills that you can develop over time, such as empathy (understanding users’ pain points), the ability to communicate with internal and external stakeholders, and collaboration across all parts of the company.
There are a variety of jobs that you can take based on your interests and career goals. The above listings in the Careers section are some of the most common titles (UX Designer, UI Designer, Motion Designer, UX Researcher, and Information Architect).
As you move up in your career, you’ll find more advanced specialties or ones that require technical proficiencies, such as coding::
UX Strategist
UX Architect
UX Product Manager
UX Analyst
UX/UI Engineer
UX/UI Developer
Product Designer
In 9 months, our bootcamp will equip you with the technical skills you’ll need to build an impressive UI/UX portfolio and launch a successful career in UI/UX design. If you are motivated to power through the material at a faster pace, we allow you to study on your own time and finish the course earlier.
Compensation can vary based on industry, years of experience, and more. In Washington, Indeed reports the average salaries of $122,635 for UX designers and $99,542 for UI designers.
Yes, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that jobs will grow 8% over the next 10 years, faster than the average for all occupations.
Yes, Gonzaga partners with Springboard, an industry-driven education company that prepares learners for high-growth careers, to offer the UI/UX Design Bootcamp. These courses are designed, administered and led by Springboard, and the curriculum has been vetted and approved by Gonzaga University School of Engineering and Applied Science.
After successfully completing a bootcamp, you’ll receive an official Certificate from Gonzaga University and verification of continuing education credits.
Speak to our enrollment team by completing an application, email Carolina, our enrollment advisor, or explore more frequently asked questions.
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