MICA was able to provide a litany of resources, including the library and other resources for alumni that would help you find a job, once you are out into the field so that's something that's going to benefit me personally. Being able to develop my personal and professional network through my peers, my professors remain in contact with them through slack.
Bachelor of Design in User Experience Design
Bachelor of Design in User Experience Design
A Professional UX Design Degree Built for Real-World Digital Practice
The Bachelor of Design in User Experience Design at Maryland Institute College of Art is a 120-credit professional degree that prepares students for a career in designing compelling, inclusive, and research-informed digital products and experiences. Through a studio-driven, project-based curriculum, students apply design thinking, systems thinking, and human-centered methodologies to complex user and organizational challenges across mobile and web environments.
Design Like a Professional UX Team
You'll learn how to ask smart questions, run user research, and turn what you discover into real design solutions. Using industry-standard tools, you'll create interactive prototypes you can test, refine, and improve—just like UX teams do in the field. Throughout the program, accessibility, universal design, and ethical practice are built into every project, so you're designing thoughtful, inclusive experiences for real people and real-world situations.
100% ONLINE
Study from anywhere with flexible online learning built for people who want a strong design education with clear outcomes – whether you're starting fresh, switching careers, or finishing a degree.
Flexible Start Dates
Start dates in fall, spring, or summer.
Portfolio-Ready From Day One
Build real UX case studies — not classroom exercises. Graduate with a professional portfolio that demonstrates strategy, research, and execution.
Earn 120 Credits
Focused curriculum for practical application. Designed to help you advance your career.
Capstone with Real-World Impact
Complete a comprehensive UX project that showcases your ability to solve complex product challenges.
WHY CHOOSE
THE BACHELOR OF DESIGN IN USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN?
Industry-Aligned, Professional Focus
This UX Design Bachelor's Program is explicitly aligned with contemporary digital product practice. Coursework emphasizes applied design strategy, research, interaction design, and product workflows. Graduates develop the UX skills employers value and are well prepared to enter UX and digital product roles.
Faculty Who Are UX Leaders and Industry Experts
The curriculum was developed in collaboration with UX leaders from major organizations across the digital product landscape, ensuring alignment with current industry needs and expectations. Faculty bring hands-on experience into the classroom, guiding students through real-world projects, sharing practical insights from their own careers, and mentoring them on the standards, tools, and emerging technologies shaping UX and product design today.
Studio-Driven, Portfolio-Focused Learning
Students build a strong body of portfolio-ready work throughout the program. From research plans and wireframes to high-fidelity prototypes and evaluative testing, each course contributes substantial work that reflects their growth and skill development. Graduates leave with projects that clearly demonstrate what they designed, why they designed it, and the thinking behind their decisions.
Flexible Online Format Designed for Career Mobility
The Bachelor of Design in UX Design is fully online to expand access for adults completing degrees and individuals seeking to become a UX designer without stepping away from work or personal commitments. The asynchronous structure offers flexibility while preserving the rigor, critique, and collaborative learning essential to professional UX education.
Potential Career Pathways
Graduates with a BDes in User Experience Design will be prepared for roles such as:
UX Designer / Junior UX Designer
UI Designer / Junior Product Designer
Junior Interaction Designer
UX Research Assistant
Junior UX Analyst
Information Architecture / Content Design Support
Design Operations / Project Coordination
Product Design Associate / Associate Product Designer
Success Stories
Hear from our graduates who are transforming their careers
The biggest support I had throughout the program came from my fellow cohorts. I feel so lucky to have met these industry professionals. The projects we worked on together have been some of my favorite things I have created.
MICA's curriculum felt like the right place to validate my skills, expand my thinking, and push me toward the next level of strategy, analytics, and problem-solving required in today's evolving design landscape.
My professors at MICA were gracious with their time and gave direct and honest feedback on my work.
This has been such a valuable and enjoyable experience. I never expected my cohort to become such a family and be so willing to help each other along the way.
Several instructors throughout my MPS experience elevated my abilities in understanding users, expanded my design skills, enhanced my storytelling capabilities and sharpened the rational behind my decisions.
Bachelor of Design in User Experience Design
A Professional UX Design Degree Built for Real-World Digital Practice
Delivered in a fully asynchronous modality, this flexible online UX program supports working adults, career changers, and transfer students. The program culminates in a portfolio-ready capstone project that demonstrates technical fluency, strategic thinking, and the ability to communicate design rationale with clarity and confidence.