A viable UX syllabus made entirely from LinkedIn Learning courses
Want to learn UX cheaply? Here’s how…
Is it possible to get the same lecture content from LinkedIn Learning as it is from a university or bootcamp syllabus? Yes, and from instructors who are very well qualified to teach the practicalities. In fact, several universities use parts of this content already in their degree courses.
With the number of great UX courses on LinkedIn Learning, I wondered whether it was possible to get the taught part of a full academic-equivalent UX training entirely from the Learning Library. So, for the fun of it I put together a list of courses that I think fit the bill.
It’s pretty impressive. I think that the breadth and depth of content is at least equal to if not better than many academic taught courses. The monthly cost of subscribing to LinkedIn Learning (less than a dollar a day) is way lower than any university or bootcamp courses. It also gives you access to premium LinkedIn features that can help you as you transition into a UX career.
I added some homework assignments to make sure you truly think about the content. Each piece of homework is designed to advance your thinking about a career in UX or give you a chance to practice the skills you learn.
Employers want practical experience, so I created opportunities for you to undertake projects. The projects build on one another until at the end of the course you will have the content you need to create a project portfolio that you can share with employers. The projects can be undertaken on your own, or preferably as part of a study group.
To help you translate this learning into a job, I have rounded out the syllabus with a career-specific section, and a list of resources to use for feedback and assistance as you look for a new role.
Who is this approach for?
This approach suits self-starters who feel confident in maintaining their own learning momentum, and who (preferably) have access to experienced UX professionals when they need occasional assistance. You’ll also need to create your own practical projects to gain hands-on experience. For some of these projects it would help to partner with people in other related disciplines so that you gain an understanding of the trade-offs you have to make between perfect UX designs and implementable products.
Want to learn more? Check out the syllabus, read the FAQs, learn about the course instructors.
If you don’t think this approach is for you, see my list of some alternatives that offer a more structured approach and the costs associated with those alternatives. That article also lists the qualities you should look for in any course.