Bachelor of Arts in User Experience Design
Request InfoLearn UX Design in a Christ-Centered Community
Every app you use, every web-page you visit, every piece of tech you own, has an interface that was created by a team of user experience design professionals. Northwest University is one of the few schools in the Pacific Northwest to offer a degree program focused on the design of how we, as users, interact with the software and devices around us. If you love design and technology, we encourage you to come join us in this exciting degree program—we believe that our graduates will design the break-through apps and products of tomorrow.
Why UX Design at Northwest University?
Creative students will choose our program because of its interdisciplinary nature combining art, design, psychology, and engineering. Those interested in tech will love it because of the unlimited career opportunities with technology companies around the world. UX Design students will take classes in art and design, psychology, human factors, and engineering and get the experience of working in local companies on real projects. And all of this in the context of a faith-based curriculum.
A Message from the Creative Director
The UX Design major is perfect for creative students who also enjoy cutting edge technology. Our students will start by learning the practical and artistic applications of design thinking, and then dive into various forms of human centered design—visual communication, interaction design, and industrial design. Throughout the program, students will feel at home in the Creatio Design Studio and enjoy working outside the university on real-world projects and UX challenges. The fact is that there are only a small number of universities across the country that provide a degree program with the breadth and depth that NU allows you to pursue. As a result, I can tell you from my personal experience that graduates of the Northwest University UX Design program will be in great demand.
Craig Chapman
Director of the Creatio Center
When you graduate with your BA in UX Design, you will be able to:
- Apply the iterative approach of “design thinking” methods to solve problems, develop solutions, and design user experiences.
- Design robust, intuitive, attractive and functionally effective user interfaces for a variety of types of devices.
- Implement device interfaces using development tools, programming languages, application programs, interfaces (APIs), and customized techniques and/or interface tools.
- Analyze user requirements for devices, including applications for persons with special needs.
- Evaluate, test, and certify the user interface in terms of functionality and usability for devices.
- Conduct research to develop new ways for humans to interact with devices based on their needs, culture, and experiences.
- Utilize industry standard tools and techniques (or create new ones) to design, prototype, and evaluate user interfaces.
- Adapt and/or translate a user interface from one locale to another, based on language, culture, and legal requirements.
- Relate Christian faith to a technology career involving creativity, artistic expression, and human interaction.
Looking to Transfer?
Complete Your Degree at NU
You’ve spent time completing general education requirements, perhaps at several colleges. Now NU is ready to work with you to complete your degree. Audio Production major-specific classes begin this Fall and upper-division courses will roll out as appropriate based on enrollment, but your journey to NU isn’t delayed as you get started on your Christian Formation courses. NU also offers enriching minors to add value to your already valuable degree!
- Business Administration
- Communication
- Management
- Marketing
- Media Ministry
Check out the Transfer Guide to see how your previous courses will transfer and Request an Unofficial Review from your Admissions Counselor.
Common Career Paths
The User Experience Design industry is growing rapidly. Respected companies in Seattle and across the United States are paying salaries starting at 90k+ per year to UX Designers. Our graduates will have all the skills and training necessary for any of the careers below:
- User Experience/Interface Designer
- User Experience/Interface Researcher
- User Interface Testing Engineer
- Application Designer & Developer
- Web Developer
- UX Localization Engineer
- UX or Application Program Manager
- Game Designer
- Creative Director
- Web Designer/Developer
- Digital Graphic Designer
- Entrepreneur
- Mobile Application Developer
We’re in Good Company
We are neighbors to some of the most successful companies of the 21stcentury, including Microsoft, Google, Boeing, and Amazon. These game-changing corporations are great places to intern or work once you graduate. It’s no wonder why our home, Kirkland, was voted by Money Magazine as the fifth best place to live in the U.S.
View Course Descriptions
You can explore program details and course descriptions for this program in our academic catalog.
