Applied User Experience Design

Credential:: Micro-Credential
Program length:: 12 weeks
Location:: Online
International applicants:: Not Accepted
Faculty:: Centre for Continuing Education and Professional Studies

Credit credentials

A credit credential includes courses with post-secondary credit applied.

These credits will be used towards your specific program and may be accepted towards a credential at SAIT or a different post-secondary institution.

The credit credentials include a bachelor's degree, applied degree, diploma, certificate and post-diploma certificate.

Bachelor Degree

SAIT has bachelor's degree programs in business, construction, and hospitality and tourism management.

Bachelor's degrees are generally four-year programs, but you have up to 10 academic years to complete your courses.

Applied Degree

SAIT's full-time applied degree programs involve one year of study through classes and lab work followed by one year of directed studies in a workplace setting. This builds on the completion of a recognized two-year diploma, which you must have to be admitted to an applied degree program.

You then have seven academic years to finish your applied degree, starting from the day you begin the first course in that program.

Diploma

At SAIT, over 40 full-time diploma programs cover a broad range of areas, from aircraft maintenance to travel and tourism.

Most diploma programs are completed in two years, though you can take up to seven academic years to complete the requirements.

Certificate

SAIT has several certificate programs in the sciences, health and trades.

These programs provide the essential skills to start a career but are shorter in length than SAIT's diploma programs - usually a year or less. However, you have up to five years to complete your program.

Post-Diploma Certificate

These programs build on skills developed through a diploma or degree program and combine classroom instruction with a workplace practicum.

They are often completed in a year or less.

Journeyperson

A certified journeyperson is recognized as a qualified and skilled person in a trade and is entitled to the wages and benefits associated with that trade. You must complete all apprenticeship periods and pass the exams to earn a journeyperson designation.

Non-credit credentials

A non-credit credential comprises courses and programs designed for professional or personal development.

Because these do not have post-secondary credits attached, they cannot be used towards any of the credentials above. We also cannot guarantee an external institute will accept these courses or credentials for transfer credit.

SAIT's non-credit certificates of achievement and completion are offered through Continuing Education and Professional Studies.

Certificate of Achievement

Certificates of achievement recognize the completion of a program that includes a formal evaluation of performance and a minimum of 144 (required and elective) course hours.

Certificates of achievement typically develop broader, complex skill sets. As of July 1, 2022, you have up to three years to complete the certificate. If you began these programs before July 1, 2022, you still have five calendar years to complete the program from when you began the first course.

Certificate of Completion

Certificates of completion recognize the completion of a program that includes a formal evaluation of performance and a minimum of 30 to a maximum of 143 course hours.

These certificates are shorter in duration than certificates of achievement and offer a focused education program. As of July 1, 2022, you have up to three years to complete the certificate. If you began before July 1, 2022, you will have five calendar years to complete the program from when you began the first course.

Professional Certificate

Program certificates recognize completion of a program that includes the formal evaluation of performance, and that is a minimum of one year in length.

These certificates have program-specific admission requirements.

Micro-credential

A micro-credential recognizes the completion of a non-credit course that includes a formal performance evaluation and verifies you have demonstrated specific competencies.

Micro-credentials focus on the mastery of specific skills. You receive a digital, shareable badge upon completing a SAIT micro-credential (SAITMicro).

Overview

Want to build and launch innovative products that provide users with a delightful digital experience? User experience (UX) design is an emerging and in-demand role in Alberta — now is the perfect time to upskill or discover new career opportunities.

Through hands-on, experiential learning, you’ll discover what it’s like to work on a product team by collaborating on a capstone project with real-world clients. Graduates will leave with a diverse portfolio, showcasing digital skills and design stories to employers.

User experience is becoming more important than ever as companies realize that creating an accessible and positive user experience for their products and services is vital for organizational success and gaining a competitive advantage in a highly competitive marketplace. This is reflected in Alberta's current demand for user experience designers in almost every industry – media, telecom, insurance, healthcare, financial services, transportation, retail, education, government and more.

An emerging role in technical teams, UX designers work as part of a team with product managers and technical resources to create delightful experiences.

In this immersive 12-week program, you will use design thinking and apply your UX skills by working directly with a product manager and a software development team — in an agile setting — to build a technical product that solves real problems for a real client.

Graduates of this program will come away with a foundation in UX design and the ability to add immediate value, with an in-depth understanding of the role of UX and the collaborative nature of working within a product team.

On this podcast episode, we talk to Senior UX Designer, Emilie Mazurek, to explore the importance of user experience (UX) design — and the key role that UX designers play on teams across almost all industries. As organizations invest in UX designers, this conversation highlights the significance of embracing innovative technologies and a growth mindset.

Listen now

This bootcamp will help you develop the following skills:

UX foundations:

design fundamentals
psychology fundamentals
understanding user vs. business needs
human-centred design
problem framing and prioritization techniques
finding and reporting insights
UX research and documentation
viable solutions (people, business and tech)
User Interface (UI) design fundamentals.

Technical:

UX/UI tools
preventing scope creep and improving focus
solution techniques
story mapping
prototyping
design systems for the product
usability testing
validating and reframing insights.

Essential:

communications for high-performing teams
Lumina
agile mindset and methods.

This program is eligible for a mico-credential.

Learn more about SAITMicro >

Career support

Becoming a UX designer is an attainable goal.

If you're looking for work, our career services team will help you find a job, interview and position yourself as a key team member.

We’ll provide:

awareness of potential roles and opportunities and additional skills needed to pursue other complementary/specialized roles.
strategies and tactics to search for and connect with relevant employment opportunities.
resume writing, interviewing, and personal branding.
creation of a unique digital portfolio of work demonstrating skills in program competencies.
networking through guest speakers, panel discussions, industry events and industry projects.
opportunities to connect with local organizations with mature UX practices and local experts with experience in the field.

Our team of Talent and Career Specialists will work with you to find the right program and help you through the application process.

To begin, connect with us, and an advisor will contact you within the next business day.

Registration requirements

This program is best suited to applicants with the following skills and mindset:

early to mid-career worker with some professional experience
digitally literate, comfortable with technology
growth mindset
comfortable working cross-functionally and presenting information to many teams

While not required, this program is particularly suited to people with a background in advertising, communications, marketing, web or app development, customer service or hospitality.

Proof of English proficiency is required.

No coding or programming experience is needed.

Available intakes

Spring 2024

Start dates: May 4, 2024
Enrolment deadline: May 2, 2024

Costs

2023/24 tuition and fees

The Applied User Experience Design Bootcamp course fee is $3,750.

Funding may be available to SAIT alumni or students with financial barriers. Please contact conedadvising@sait.ca to learn more about funding options.

Fees

Your fees are calculated based on the number of course credits you take per semester (approximately 16 weeks of study). In most cases, your fee is determined based on whether you're taking more or less than nine (9) course credits (more than nine credits in a semester are considered full-time studies.)

Fees are adjusted for programs with start dates outside the typical 15-week program.

2024/25 fees per semester

Fees are subject to change without notice.

A breakdown of mandatory fees based on whether you are taking less than or more than nine credits per semester
SAIT fees	Less than 9 credits/semester	9 or more credits/semester
Campus athletic and recreation fee: supports the provision of recreation and fitness facilities, movement classes, wellness programs, events, intermural activities, varsity sports programs, and a variety of initiatives offered throughout the academic year. Exemptions to recreation fees are made in some circumstances.	$51.50	$103
Student support fee: supports services and resources to help you succeed throughout your academic career, including Career Advancement Services and Student Development and Counselling.	$53.75	$107.50
Student technology fee: supports improvements to cybersecurity to protect student and institutional information, access to learning material outside the classroom, and technology to enhance your experience.	$53.75	$107.50
UPass: provides you with unlimited access to Calgary Transit. Additional eligibility requirements apply to obtain a UPass.	n/a	$165
Saitsa fees
Saitsa fee: supports the student-led, non-profit organization representing students. Fees support the operation of various student services, activities, and programming. Saitsa fees are paid per credit to a maximum amount of $146 per semester.	$16.23/credit	$146 maximum
Health and dental plan: provides access to thousands of dollars in coverage for prescription medication, dental treatments, paramedical services, and multiple other benefits. Health and dental fees are charged per semester to an annual maximum amount of $172 for health and $158 for dental. Find more details at saitsa.com/benefits. In most cases, your fees are quoted based on paying for a full year of health and dental coverage. International students are charged these fees regardless of course load. Domestic students with existing health and dental coverage may opt-out.	n/a	$91 for health $84 for dental

Delivery

This program is offered part-time evenings and weekends — allowing you to continue your job search or learn while working.

Classes run on Tuesday evening, Thursday evening, every other Wednesday evening and Saturday morning.

This is a 12-week immersive, hands-on program:

There will be about four to six hours per week of self-learning, combined with nine hours of in-class theory and hands-on project work.
Includes project work where you consolidate your knowledge and skillsets to complete a project with a product manager.
You'll build a unique, rich and differentiated professional UX design portfolio to showcase your capabilities, mindset, and skillsets in research, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and collaboration.