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Before enrolling in an online UX/UI or human systems engineering program, prospective candidates must consider several factors to know if it is the best option.
First, applicants must have a complete understanding of the campus visitation requirements. Some schools offering online programs might ask students to attend an on-campus orientation, while others may ask for attendance for on-campus intensives at regular intervals, like once per semester, or once per year. Still, others may ask that students present their capstone projects on campus.
Second, while online programs can be an attractive option for those with time limitations, this might not be the best choice for everyone else. For example, students who do not perform well without support from professors or their peers inside the classroom, or outside the classroom in group study sessions, might find it difficult to cope in such an environment.
Finally, while there's ample flexibility in an online program in the way students structure their learning, it also requires discipline and planning to be able to keep up with assignments and coursework.
Read on to find out more about online UX/UI and human systems engineering programs.
Arizona State University offers an online bachelor of science program in human systems engineering. Students in this program will learn to creatively solve technology problems across various disciplines and industries.
Linking psychology with engineering, this human systems engineering program will help students explore the science of human performance and apply this understanding to design technology solutions across several domains. These domains include learning design, product usability, workplace and hospital safety, and sports performance.
Made up of 120 credits, the program includes courses such as applied biology of human behavior; applied social science; human systems integration; statistics for human systems research; human-computer interaction; qualitative research methods; perceptual systems; experimental methods for human systems research; and applied cognitive science.
Notably, ASU also offers an online bachelor of science program in technical communication with a user experience (UX) concentration. Emphasizing technical communication, This user experience bachelor’s degree concentration incorporates relevant context from fields like graphic information technology and human systems engineering.
The curriculum of this program includes courses such as fundamentals of writing for digital media; principles of web authoring; human-computer interaction; user experience; introduction to human systems engineering; and information design and usability.
An online bachelor of science program in design for user experience offered by Lesley University provides students with a solid foundation in graphic design principles and teaches them to understand the human experience at the center of the design process.
Featuring an interdisciplinary curriculum, the program prepares students for applying and implementing all aspects of the UX design process, from wire-framing to user testing and concept delivery. Graduates will learn to research, design, conceptualize, and prototype user experiences and interfaces for digital interactions.
Comprising 120 credits, the program includes courses such as the language of design; user experience research methods; sketching for interactive design; typography; information architecture; elements of interface; UX design business practices; and design thinking.
Graduates of the program will be ready to take up roles such as UX researchers, UI/UX designers, web developers, software developers, mobile game designers, product managers, mobile app designers, interactive designers, graphic designers, and environment designers.
Maryville University offers an online bachelor of fine arts degree in digital media providing students with the required skills and knowledge needed to become highly valued visual communicators. Students completing this program will be able to apply both artistic and technical skills to create a final product. Graduates can apply these skills to designing brand websites and logos, creating immersive augmented reality experiences, developing user-friendly websites, and much more. They will learn to use modern digital and industry-leading tools to help organizations in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors.
Consisting of 128 credits, the program includes courses such as motion graphics; principles of game design; introduction to digital media; digital illustration; digital photography; UX/UI design; typography, grid, and hierarchy; and digital illustration.
Graduates will be able to in various settings such as graphic and interactive design, print production, advertising, branding, and marketing, motion graphics, user experience and user interface (UX/UI) design, app, web, and software development, and video game production. They will be able to take up roles such as user interface (UI) designers, user experience (UX) designers, motion graphics designers, interaction designers, web designers, digital media designers, and graphic designers, to name a few.
Kent State University’s online master of science program in user experience design provides students with the essential skills and expertise through in-depth practical experience and training. Designed for busy working professionals, this online program empowers students to get to the heart of problems and build creative solutions.
Students will learn the methodology, reasoning, and process behind UX techniques and tools. Graduates will be prepared to thrive in diverse careers such as user experience designers, user researchers, user interface designers, information architects, and UX/UI managers.
Admission requirements to the program include a completed online application, a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.0, three letters of recommendation, a $45 application fee, official transcripts, a current resume, and a goal statement. GRE or GMAT scores are not required for admission.
The program’s 36-credit curriculum includes courses such as user experience design principles and concepts; user experience design in practice; information architecture; principles of interaction; researching the user experience; usability; accessibility evaluation and universal design; knowledge organization structures, systems, and services; and interaction in practice.
Academy of Art University’s School of Interaction and UI/UX Design offers several programs in UI/UX design, providing students with a comprehensive education in essential principles of modern design. Students will learn about UX and visual designing principles, web designing, motion graphics, and the latest technology and software.
The programs offered by the university include an associate of arts (AA) degree, which is made up of 66 credits, a bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree (132 credits), a master of arts (MA) degree (36 credits), and a master of fine arts (MFA) degree (63 credits).
As part of these programs, students will delve into topics such as design technology: digital publishing tools; freshman symposium: artistic resilience; design technology: visual design tools; digital photography; ideation techniques; composition for the artist; user experience; visual design; web design; motion graphics; designing careers; and human-centered design, among others.
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Rutgers University offers an online MBS (master of business and science) degree with a concentration on user experience design (UXD), educating and equipping students with advanced training in the techniques and tools necessary for designing and developing user-friendly, accessible, and engaging interfaces for mobile apps, websites, and more.
The program consists of 43 credits, including courses such as an introduction to user experience design; visual design for user experience; information architecture for user experience design; contextual inquiry; a user experience design practicum; mobile app development from concept to market; and fundamentals of analytics and discovery informatics. In addition to the 43 required credits in business and science, students must also attend twelve colloquium events to qualify for graduation.
On successful completion of the program, graduates can take up roles such as information architects, user researchers, usability analysts, UX designers, visual designers, and interaction designers.
CareerFoundry (Certificate)
CareerFoundry, an online education platform, offers an online UX design certificate program that can be completed in six months by studying 30 to 40 hours per week or up to ten months by studying 15 to 20 hours per week. Available entirely online, the program will allow students to work with expert mentors and build an impressive portfolio out of the real-world projects they complete.
As part of the program, students will delve into topics such as introduction to UX & design thinking; user research; usability testing; wireframing & prototyping; information architecture; voice user interface design; UI for UX designers; frontend development for designers; and user personas.
Notably, CareerFoundry also offers a fully online UI design certificate program which can be completed in five to nine months. Career Foundry claims that 97% of its alumni get a UX design job within 180 days of graduation at top companies such as Google, Amazon, and Apple.
Jonathan Fahnestock, MFA - Maryville University
Jonathan Fahnestock is an associate dean, program director of graphic & interactive design, director of design & visual art programs, and an associate professor of graphic and interactive design at the Maryville University of Saint Louis. His teaching practice focuses on the technical, theoretical, and aesthetic aspects of interactive design within various specialties and mediums. These include usability, graphical user interface design, web design, motion, interactive instructional media, and interactive application development and scripting.
Before joining Maryville University, Fahnestock acquired extensive professional experience as an art director, multimedia specialist, and graphic designer in the marketing, e-Learning, and advertising industries. He teaches or has taught courses such as digital illustration; digital video and audio; interactive applications; interactive design capstone; motion graphics; and web design.
Fahnestock has received several awards, including the Innovation Excellence Award, Ivan Sutherland Award, and the IDEC 2016 Media Award. He completed his MFA in computer graphics design from Rochester Institute of Technology and a BFA in graphic design from Westminster College.
Rupananda Misra, EdD - Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Dr. Rupananda Misra is the director and faculty member of the master of business and science program’s user experience design (UXD) concentration. Being a skilled educator and having specialized expertise in educational technology and health informatics, Dr. Misra shapes the program’s curriculum and advises students within the MBS program’s computer & information sciences track, particularly within information technology, social media & networking, and user experience design concentrations.
He holds a doctorate in media, learning technologies design, and communications from Teachers College at Columbia University and has completed a master of science program in communication from Fort Hays State University. His passion is providing innovative design solutions to complex healthcare challenges., while the focus of his research is understanding how healthcare providers, patients, and the public use healthcare tools and interact with health information.
Jennifer P. Teves, PhD - Kent State University
Currently serving as the principal product researcher for user experience and accessibility at Target Corporation, Dr. Jennifer P. Teves is also a member of the UX Philippines Board. Before she joined Target Corporation, she worked at Veritas Technologies as a principal UX researcher for enterprise backup and recovery solutions. She was also a UX researcher at Honeywell International, for nearly four years, where she worked on building automation solutions and led global research efforts.
At Kent State University's School of Information, she has been working as a part-time faculty member of the UXD program since January 2018. Her research efforts are focused on multi-sensory user interactions and inclusive design. She completed her PhD in experimental psychology from Wichita State University, an MS in experimental psychology from the University of Louisiana-Monroe, and a BS in psychology from Assumption College in Manila, Philippines.
Farheen Gani has researched a wide array of topics related to engineering since 2018. She has written about electrical and computer engineering programs, structural engineering programs, mechanical engineer salaries, environmental engineering programs, and many other subfields of engineering. She writes about healthcare, technology, education, and marketing. Her work has appeared on websites such as Tech in Asia and Foundr, as well as top SaaS blogs such as Zapier and InVision. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter (@FarheenGani).
Human-centered design, sometimes also called human-computer interaction or engineering psychology, teaches the importance of prioritizing the needs, desires, and behaviors of people when building technology. Professionals in this discipline are usually called user experience (UX) practitioners.
User experience and user interface (UX/UI) design sits at the crossroads between people and technology. UX/UI designers research, test, and develop different ways of interacting with websites, apps, and physical devices. The more people interact with technology, the more UX/UI skills are in demand.
User experience refers to how a person feels and behaves when using a system, service, or product. The UX discipline is vast, including a variety of professionals who focus on making experiences that are valuable and accessible to people.
