The field of User Experience (UX) Design and Research is growing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the demand for UX designers will grow substantially over the next ten years. The starting pay for this kind of position currently ranges from $59,000 – $96,000, so it provides an excellent career path for students. UX designers work side by side with product and service developers to create the products, services, and experiences that are the hallmark of today’s modern companies. By earning this certificate, a student validates their participation in this curriculum, making it easy for hiring managers to understand the kind of classes they focused on during their undergraduate studies.
While the classes required for this certificate are part of the larger ATEC degree plan, the requirement to complete only four courses to earn the certificate means this can be a viable parallel effort for students earning any degree to also gain recognition in this field of study.
UX positions are often filled by persons with degrees in:
- Arts, Humanities, and Technology
- Arts, Technology, and Emerging Communication
- Product Management
- Marketing
- Cognitive Sciences (particularly human-computer interaction)
- Software Engineering
- Data Sciences
- Public and Nonprofit Management
Requirements and other information can be found in the University catalog.
Recommendations
A student will earn the certificate if they complete four specific courses outlined in the University catalog.
Both ATCM 3340 (Design II) and ACTM 3337 (Interaction Design I) have a prerequisite of ATCM 2302 (Design I). This prerequisite may be waived with instructor approval for enrollment in these classes. This is to accommodate students from other schools who are not ATEC majors.
It is highly recommended that students take ATCM 3340 (Design II) prior to taking the other three classes.
It is also recommended that students not take ATCM 4341 (Applied Experience Design) until they have completed the other three classes. This class requires instructor approval and students may not be allowed to take ATCM 4341 unless they complete the other classes, based on professor preference.
Contact Information
Mark McKinney
Associate Professor of Instruction
Email: Mark.McKinney@utdallas.edu
Office: ATC 3.503