If you’ve been thinking about switching careers into UX design (or adding UX skills to your toolbox), you’ve probably seen the Google UX Design Professional Certificate on Coursera. It’s one of the most well-known beginner UX programs online — and honestly, I get why people consider it. I earned the certificate back then myself.
In this post, I’ll break down:
- what the certificate is about
- how the learning is structured
- and my opinion on whether it’s “enough” to make it in UX
TL;DR: if you take it seriously and do everything thoroughly, you can learn a lot and build a portfolio that truly helps you.
What is the Google UX Design Certificate?
The Google UX Design Certificate is an online program hosted on Coursera that teaches the fundamentals of UX (User Experience) design from the ground up.
It’s aimed at beginners — meaning you don’t need prior UX knowledge (which is true). The whole idea is:
✅ learn the UX process ✅ practice real UX methods ✅ create portfolio-ready case studies ✅ understand how UX work looks in a real product team
It’s not just theory. It’s very hands-on and focuses heavily on learning by doing: sketches, wireframes, prototypes, testing, iteration, and presentation.
_Note: _A really cool new feature on Coursera learning platform is the information on how much you can earn in specific roles and how many jobs are currently available in your country.
What topics does it cover?
The course walks you through the full UX workflow, with a very “industry style” approach. Here’s the big picture:
1) UX foundations and thinking like a designer
You learn what UX actually is, what UX designers do, and how products are shaped by user goals and business goals.
2) UX Design process: empathize, define, ideate
You’ll work with typical UX research steps like:
- understanding user needs
- identifying pain points
- writing problem statements
- building personas
- creating user journey maps
- generating solution ideas
Here is where it becomes more structured and strategy-focused.
3) Wireframes → Prototypes
You go from quick sketches to:
- low-fidelity wireframes
- higher fidelity mockups
- clickable prototypes
You learn how to move step-by-step instead of jumping straight into “pretty UI”.
4) Testing and iterating (UX Research)
One of the best parts: it teaches a design mindset that’s very realistic: your first version won’t be perfect — so you test, learn, and improve.
5) High-Fidelity Designs
You build mockups and high-fidelity products using Figma, the go-to tool for UX Designers. You will become very confident with this tool throughout the program.
This is where it becomes really cool and hands-on.
6) Dynamic User Interfaces (UI)
Everything from UX design thinking framework to creating a dynamic website.
7) Building your portfolio and presenting case studies
The portfolio isn’t just “add some screenshots”. They push you to explain your thinking:
- what the problem was
- how you made decisions
- what you learned
- how you improved the design
This is what hiring teams actually want.
8) Job Search with AI
They added something new to the program. The last part will help you find you job, stay organised with your job applications and more, using AI.
AI is everywhere, so good for you that you are skilled on this topic by doing this certificate as well. You are sooo job-ready.
How is the program structured?
The certificate is divided into multiple courses (basically a series). Each part builds on the last one.
The learning format is very Coursera-style:
- short video lessons
- everything in written as well
- quizzes for theory and vocabulary
- practical exercises (real UX tasks)
- peer-reviewed assignments (sound scarier than it actually is)
- design projects that become portfolio pieces
You don’t just pass by watching videos — you have to produce work.
And the best thing is: by the end, you don’t finish with just “a certificate” — you finish with actual design projects you can show.
The whole program is self paced, so no worries if you have not that much time. The average user takes about 6 months by spending 10 hours per week. If that is not possible for you, it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is reaching the finish line.
If you are faster, even better. Especially for your purse. Start with a 7-days trial and see if the program is the right fit for you. The faster you go through the program the cheaper it is.
What I liked (and what matters)
The strongest part of this certificate is that it encourages you to create complete case studies, not just “random screens”.
If you put the work in, you’ll end up with:
- clear UX process practice
- structured thinking
- project documentation
- portfolio content you can polish later❗
Also: it teaches you a UX workflow that can be applied anywhere — even if later you move from mobile UX into web UX, accessibility, product design, or service design.
My honest opinion:
it works if you do it thoroughly
Here’s my take:
If you rush it, this becomes “just another online course”.
But if you spend time, do every assignment properly, and treat every project like a real client project, you will:
✅ learn a lot ✅ build strong UX habits ✅ create a portfolio you can be proud of ✅ get confident enough to apply for UX roles
And yes — I genuinely believe that with enough effort and consistency, you can make it as a UX designer with this certificate as your foundation.
The certificate won’t magically hand you a job. But it can absolutely give you the skills, structure, and portfolio that make a UX career realistic.
Tips to get the most out of it
If you’re considering doing the Google UX Design Certificate, here’s what I recommend:
1) Don’t aim for “finished fast”, aim for “done well”
Your portfolio benefits more from one strong case study than three rushed ones.
2) Document everything
Save:
- screenshots of drafts
- iterations
- notes from research
- test feedback
Those details turn your project into a compelling story.
3) Treat feedback seriously
Peer reviews aren’t always perfect, but they train you to:
- explain your decisions
- accept critique
- improve your design logically
4) Upgrade your final case studies later
What you produce during the course can become the “base version”. After the certificate, you can refine visuals, rewrite the case study, improve prototypes, and make it look much more professional.
Final thoughts
The Google UX Design Certificate on Coursera is a structured, beginner-friendly way to enter UX design — but it rewards effort.
If you invest the time, take each step seriously, and build your projects thoroughly, you’ll come out with:
- real UX skills
- a clear process
- a portfolio you can show
- and a path into the UX field
In my opinion:
it’s worth it — if you commit.
Image credits: Original Images and Screenshots from Coursera Website