Columbia Engineering UX/UI Boot Camp

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Classes begin quarterly

Online UX/UI Design Boot Camp in NYC

Learn UX/UI Design in 24 Weeks

With more than 4.66 billion active internet users worldwide, it’s become increasingly important for companies and organizations across industries to have a digital presence that customers and users can easily access and navigate. As a result, terms like responsive design and user-friendliness have gone from buzzwords to complete areas of focus, with individuals and teams responsible for building engaging digital experiences.

User Experience Researchers and UI Designers bring the skills and expertise employers are looking for. Their ability to transform a business through optimized interfaces and seamless user experiences can help organizations engage better with customers, enhance their digital footprint, and even save them large amounts of money.

  • Get hands-on training and instruction in high-demand UX/UI design methodology, user-centric design research, design thinking, visual prototyping and wireframing, interface design, storyboarding, visual design theory, web prototyping with HTML and CSS, interaction design with JavaScript and more.*
  • Maintain your work or college schedule by studying part-time, only three days a week, with convenient evening hours.
  • Apply what you’ve learned toward building a comprehensive portfolio of projects ranging from AI sketches to mobile-responsive web layouts.
  • Tap into our wide range of career-planning services to help you succeed in the field.
Three individuals examining colorful sticky notes on a wall, engaged in a collaborative brainstorming session.

What You Will Receive at Columbia Engineering UX/UI Boot Camp

  • Attend engaging classes where you’ll gain experience with a host of popular tools and methods used by modern UX/UI professionals, leveraging research practices and industry design tools to build compelling web pages and user experiences.
  • Work through technical roadblocks and coursework challenges with assistance from a tutor network that’s available to provide help when you need it.
  • Employ real-world practices to gain the technical and soft skills necessary to stand out in the fields of user experience research and user interface design.
  • You’ll be able to prepare for a new technical role with confidence thanks to a dedicated career services team offering portfolio reviews, resume and social media profile support, career content and practice interview sessions, 1:1 career coaching, soft skills training, and more.
  • Discover what employers are really looking for and get the chance to speak with local industry professionals through quarterly virtual Tech Talks.
  • After you successfully complete the boot camp, you’ll receive an Award of Completion from Columbia Engineering to demonstrate your new skills to future employers.

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In-Demand UX/UI Design Skills You’ll Learn

Through this engaging, part-time boot camp, you’ll develop the skills and confidence to join the ranks of industry-shaping creative professionals. The curriculum covers*:

User-Centered Design Research:

  • Qualitative and Quantitative Research Practices
  • Information Architecture and User Flows
  • User Need Identification
  • User Experience Interviewing
  • Persona Creation
  • Brainstorming and Synthesis

Visual Prototyping and Wireframing:

  • Figma
  • Sketching and Ideation
  • Storytelling
  • Storyboarding
  • Journey Mapping
  • Interactive Prototyping
  • Usability Testing

User Interface Development:

  • UI Grids and Composition
  • Color Theory
  • Heuristic Evaluation
  • Typography
  • Interaction Design and Iconography

Web Prototyping:

  • HTML/CSS
  • GitHub
  • Bootstrap
  • JavaScript
*The material covered is subject to change. Our academic team adjusts to the market demand.

Paying for the UX/UI Boot Camp

At Columbia Engineering UX/UI Boot Camp, we know flexibility is important. That’s why we offer a part-time format with convenient evening classes, allowing you to gain new UX/UI design skills while maintaining your daytime work schedule.

To help provide payment flexibility, you can make use of our six-month, interest-free payment plan and split the cost of your tuition into monthly installments with 0% interest during your time in the boot camp. You can also apply for approval to pay your tuition over an extended time period with our 24-month, interest-free payment plan option through EdAid.

How to Apply

  1. Form Submission. Fill out our boot camp interest form with a few of your key details so we can contact you.
  2. Admissions Interview and Application. Discuss boot camp details, get answers to any questions, and talk through your goals with a member of our admissions team. Next, fill out a short form to help us get to know you and your reasons for applying to the course.
  3. Assessment. Demonstrate your logic-based and problem-solving skills through a multiple-choice critical thinking assessment (no prior industry experience required). If you pass, you’ll be officially admitted into the boot camp program and can move forward with enrollment.
  4. Financial Options, Deposit, and Enrollment Agreement. Once you’ve been accepted into the boot camp (congratulations!), admissions can help you determine the financial option that best fits your needs. After approving your payment, pay your deposit and sign your enrollment agreement to secure your spot in the course.

Start Your Journey. Prepare to start your exciting boot camp journey — begin the course pre-work and get ready to learn.

Job Outcomes

By the end of the boot camp, you will be able to qualify for a number of user experience and interface design roles, including:

UX Researcher:

A user experience (UX) researcher has a strong understanding of how people think and interact with their digital devices, and they bring that knowledge to their work to humanize an organization’s design thinking process. Individuals in this role are typically expected to collaborate across a variety of teams to develop a clear research plan, develop surveys and conduct interviews, and assist in overall strategy, leveraging their working knowledge of cognitive science, sociological, and psychological concepts. The user personas developed as a result of the work of UX researchers enable the design team to develop products that consumers actually enjoy using.

UX Designer:

Once a UX researcher has completed their task of conducting the initial user analysis and delivering their insights to external stakeholders, it’s up to the UX designer to apply those insights to developing the product. This often starts with determining the product’s information architecture followed by designing wireframes and prototypes, conducting user testing, and finalizing the product. Functionality, accessibility, and enjoyability are the top concerns of any UX designer — however it’s equally important that they align user needs with the larger goals of their organization, so having a foundation of business knowledge can help aspiring UX designers achieve professional success.

UI Designer:

While a UX designer is tasked with defining what a product should do to facilitate a positive user experience, a user interface (UI) designer is concerned with how the user will interact with the product itself. UI designers leverage psychological principles to guide product users through an app or website in a way that feels intuitive — even if the user is seemingly unaware of them. This is facilitated through strategic decisions from color and pattern choices to button placement and spacing of visual elements that elicit specific behaviors without explicit instructions. Individuals with strong design skills and experience with prototyping tools make great candidates for UI roles, however it’s just as crucial to hone soft skills like communication, collaboration, and empathy.

Information Architect:

Think of an information architect as a builder, and a website or application as a house: before you can lay the foundation, you need to understand the end goals and determine a plan of action based on user needs and behaviors. An information architect (IA) has a solid understanding of company and user goals and develops a strategy that achieves both. To accomplish this, professionals in this role must be highly organized — after all, they are responsible for connecting content in a meaningful, easy-to-use manner — and analytical. They should also have a good understanding of IA principles to maintain their organization’s competitive advantage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your safety is our priority. Currently, our UX/UI Boot Camp in New York City is being held via our tried and tested virtual classroom experience. Call us at (646) 870-1598 for more information on how to apply, or visit our Online Experience page to learn more about the transition.

No experience is required. While having some technical experience can help, our pre-course tutorials will get you up to speed to start learning on Day 1.

No, applicants do not need to be Columbia students. The UX/UI Boot Camp is offered through Columbia Engineering.

Below are some funding options for you to choose from. Please note that funding should be approved before you begin the process:

  • Full Tuition, Interest-Free Payment Plan: A deposit is required to secure your seat in the class. The rest of the tuition will be split into six equal monthly payments.
  • 24-Month Interest-Free Payment Plan: Once approved, you’ll pay your deposit and split the remaining tuition over 24 monthly installments with zero interest.

Please contact us to get details on tuition cost and any available loan options.

While UX and UI both focus on the user, the roles can differ greatly when it comes to specific responsibilities required in each. UX, or user experience, is concerned with building a product that works in the way that is intuitive to the user, conducting user research and testing components to deliver an intended solution. UI, or user interface, on the other hand, determines the ultimate look and feel of the experience as defined by the UX designer. These professionals are responsible for the digital interfaces that make a product experience feel seamless.

Schedule and Dates

Part-Time Schedule

  • 24-week course
  • Classes held three weekdays from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Currently Enrolling:

Coding Boot Camp:

  • Part-Time: January 27, 2025
  • Full-Time: March 10, 2025

Data Analytics Boot Camp:

  • Part-Time: February 24, 2025

UX/UI Boot Camp:

  • Part-Time: March 10, 2025

Cybersecurity Boot Camp:

  • Part-Time: February 24, 2025

Digital Marketing Boot Camp:

  • Part-Time: March 24, 2025

AI Boot Camp:

  • Part-Time: March 24, 2025

UX/UI Curriculum

In today’s digital landscape, employers across industries are looking for innovators and creative thinkers with the skills to transform business through imaginative interfaces and engaging user experiences.

At Columbia Engineering UX/UI Boot Camp, you’ll learn both the theory and tools used by modern designers, employing user-centric design and a wealth of creative tools to build dynamic experiences.

Through immersive hands-on experience, you will not only learn the fundamental skills for UX research/UI design, but also demonstrate those skills on complex projects that bolster your portfolio.

UX/UI Part-Time

Learning Module: The “U” Of UX/UI

Description:

The common theme throughout this course is that we will be designing with users in mind. That being said, how do we know who our user is? What do they do? How do they act? Those are the questions we will strive to answer in this module as we dig into popular research techniques and methodologies.

What You Will Learn:

  • UX / Design Thinking
  • User Centered Design Research
  • Empathy & Users
  • UX Interviewing
  • Insight Synthesis
  • Persona Creation
  • Decision Mapping
  • Prototyping
  • User Testing

Learning Module: Interface Design

Description:

Interfaces need to be both engaging and intuitive in order to craft solid user experiences. Over the course of these few weeks, we will cover many of the necessary skills, technologies, and frameworks designers should know in order to make immersive applications.

What You Will Learn:

  • User Interaction
  • User Interface & Affordance
  • Invision
  • Project Management & Tools
  • User Centered Design
  • Accessibility & Usability
  • UI Patterns & Libraries
  • Figma

Learning Module: Visual Design Theory

Description:

While an interface that functions is a distinct necessity, an interface that draws the eye of its user is just as important. During this module, we will cover color theory, iconography, typography, and the many other crucial aspects of visual design that modern UI/UX developers need to provide a high-class, hands-on experience.

What You Will Learn:

  • Typography
  • Heuristics, Usability & UI Iterations
  • Continuity & Branding in UX & UI
  • Iconography

Learning Module: Web Prototyping and Interaction Design

Description:

What good is a solid interface if no one can use it? You will learn how to apply all of the knowledge you’ve acquired to create live applications on the web as full-fledged visual prototypes. Next, you will apply JavaScript to your creation to incorporate more complex user interactions.

What You Will Learn:

  • HTML
  • CSS
  • GitHub
  • Bootstrap
  • JavaScript

Learning Module: Final Project

Description:

You will work in small groups to leverage the software, skills, and techniques learned throughout the course in this final project to showcase to the world what you’ve achieved.

What You Will Learn:

  • Dreaming up something fantastic and pushing the bounds of what is reasonable and achievable

UX/UI: An Industry Snapshot

Are UX Bootcamps Worth It?

In short, yes! For learners eager to upskill or change careers quickly without enrolling in a formal degree program, a UX/UI boot camp can help you gain the foundational skills needed to break into this in-demand industry. Employers also value boot camp learners — a survey of 1,000 HR managers and technical recruiters at U.S. companies revealed that the majority of employers have hired boot camp learners and would do it again.

Are UX Designers in Demand?

According to LinkedIn, UX design ranks in the top 10 most in-demand skills valued by employers, making it an attractive career path for anyone with an eye for design and an interest in human behavior. As organizations expand their digital footprints and compete for search rankings, the demand for UX professionals will continue to increase.

How Much Do UX Designers Make?

A number of factors can affect an individual’s salary including: professional experience, knowledge of in-demand skills, educational background, company size, and location. That said, the annual salary for web developers and digital interface designers can range from $39,550 on the lower end to $142,080 on the higher end. Median annual salary for those based in New York is comparable to the national median — around $73,000. Since a number of different industries hire UX designers, your salary will also depend on your employer and whether you are on an hourly, part-time, or full-time contract.

Are There Good Job Opportunities For UX Designers in NYC?

Job prospects are promising for aspiring UX designers in New York City and the greater metropolitan area. As of March 2021, there were over 1,000 job postings for user experience designer roles on Glassdoor, many of which offer remote working opportunities. Additionally, UX designers are in demand across a variety of industries, spanning companies like Spotify, Salesforce, Bloomberg, Peloton, and more.

Can You Become a UX Designer With No Experience?

While obtaining a technical role without prior professional experience has its challenges, it’s not impossible. Attending a UX/UI boot camp is a great way to hone the skills employers want while giving you the opportunity to practice those skills through hands-on exercises and portfolio projects. At Columbia Engineering UX/UI Boot Camp, you’ll also receive dedicated career planning assistance to help you become employer competitive and enter the workforce.

What UX/UI Design Skills Are Employers Looking For?

As with many technical roles, the day-to-day responsibilities of a UX designer will vary slightly depending on company and location. That said, there are a variety of skills and tools every aspiring UX designer should feel comfortable using. Typical qualifications found on job postings listed on Glassdoor include experience with HTML and CSS, problem-solving skills, understanding of design strategy, and proficiency with visual design programs.

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