Simplilearn and Virginia Tech launch professional certificate in UX/UI Design with Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence is changing the way digital products are created, and anyone working in design already feels it every day. Knowing how to use traditional tools is no longer enough. The market wants professionals who can combine creativity with the power of AI, and that combination is becoming an increasingly sought-after differentiator in hiring processes, freelance projects, and even within companies where these professionals already work.
It was within this landscape that Simplilearn and Virginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education announced a partnership to launch the Professional Certificate Program in AI-Powered UX/UI Design. A program designed for people looking to break into the field and also for experienced designers who need to level up their skills. 🎯
And the timing could not be better. The global UX services market is expected to jump from $6.4 billion in 2025 to nearly $55 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual rate of 36%. That number says a lot about the moment we are living in. Companies across every industry are investing heavily in user experience, and the demand for qualified professionals is growing right alongside the market. Digital upskilling integrated with AI has gone from being an optional differentiator to a real requirement in the industry. 🚀
What the program is and why Virginia Tech is involved
Virginia Tech is one of the most respected technology universities in the United States. With more than 280 undergraduate and graduate programs, a student body of over 38,000, and annual research investments exceeding $650 million, the institution carries decades of contribution to fields like computing, engineering, and systems design. Having its name attached to a professional certificate focused on UX/UI Design with an emphasis on Artificial Intelligence is not a small detail. It is a clear signal that the academic world recognizes that education in this area needs to evolve fast, and that AI is already a structural part of that evolution.
The program was developed in partnership with Simplilearn, a global digital education platform founded in 2010 and part of the Blackstone portfolio. The company has already impacted more than 15 million professionals across over 150 countries, offering more than 1,500 live classes per month. Together, the two institutions created a curriculum that blends solid design fundamentals with practical applications of AI-based tools. The program follows an applied, hands-on approach, covering design thinking, UX research, prototyping, usability testing, and human-computer interaction. It also aligns with emerging technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality, and AI-driven design workflows.
The goal is clear: prepare professionals for a market that is already operating with these technologies at the center of the creative process.
Course structure and tools covered
The program introduces students to more than 25 widely used design tools in the industry, including Figma, Miro, Maze, Whimsical, and Uizard. Throughout the course, participants work on more than 10 substantial projects with the goal of building a portfolio that is ready for the job market. The modules ensure hands-on exposure to over 10 generative AI tools geared toward research, ideation, and prototyping.
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Beyond the projects, the learning experience includes more than 75 interactive activities, discussions, demonstrations, and case studies designed to reflect how design teams actually work in professional environments. This means that a professional coming out of the program will not just know the concept of a user journey or understand information architecture in theory. They will know how to apply these methodologies with the support of technologies that automate parts of the process and free up time for what really matters: thinking about user experience strategically.
The program also includes six months of free access to Figma Education Premium, encouraging students to create interactive prototypes, collaborate seamlessly, and work with professional design systems. This kind of access makes a real difference in training, since Figma has established itself as the industry-standard tool for interface design. 💡
Hands-on learning with 80% practical focus
One of the standout features of the program is that roughly 80% of the learning experience is hands-on. Students can choose from multiple project options, such as developing a detailed case study, creating the interface for an e-commerce app or website, or designing the interface for a financial market application, using any of the 25-plus design tools covered in the program.
The learning journey is comprehensive and includes multiple projects per module, an Agentic AI workshop, an academic masterclass led by Virginia Tech instructors, and a full capstone project. Students are encouraged to design intelligent, human-centered digital products across mobile, web, and immersive platforms.
AI-assisted user research
Another strong point of the curriculum is its focus on AI-assisted user research. Modern tools can already process large volumes of behavioral data, identify usage patterns, and even suggest interface improvements based on real data. The Virginia Tech and Simplilearn program teaches students to work with these kinds of resources critically, meaning they learn to interpret results and make design decisions that actually make sense for the product context and the end user.
The prototyping and testing side has also gained a new layer with AI. The program includes content on how to use intelligent tools to simulate interactions, generate layout variations, and run A/B tests more efficiently. This approach turns the idea validation process into something much faster and evidence-based, which is exactly what the market expects from professionals working in UX/UI Design today.
What the leaders behind the program are saying
Kashyap Dalal, co-founder and COO of Simplilearn, emphasized that design is becoming more complex than ever and that there is a clear need for professionals to gain expertise in the latest tools that are reshaping and supercharging design work. According to Dalal, the partnership with Virginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education provides access to the most in-demand tools in the design landscape while accommodating projects ideal for learning. He reinforced that the goal is to ensure professionals graduate as industry-ready designers with more than 10 UX projects ready to build a professional portfolio.
Shelly Jobst, director of Virginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education, noted that the institution believes in collaborations that bring together the best of both worlds: academic depth and rigor combined with market relevance and hands-on learning. According to Jobst, features like the Agentic AI workshop strengthen the program by giving UX/UI designers the skills and confidence to use AI as a collaborative design partner while maintaining human-centered and ethical design principles. The goal is to encourage designers to confidently integrate AI into real workflows and create product experiences with impact.
Why digital upskilling in this area makes so much sense right now
The projected growth for the UX/UI Design market is not an isolated phenomenon. It is directly connected to the accelerated digitization of services across every sector of the economy, from healthcare to retail, from fintechs to education platforms. Every new digital product that hits the market needs someone thinking about user experience, and the more sophisticated the product, the higher the level of digital upskilling required for the people designing it.
Artificial Intelligence entered this picture as a tool that expands what a designer can accomplish on their own. A professional who knows how to work with AI can produce more, test hypotheses faster, and make decisions based on data that previously would have taken weeks to collect and analyze. This does not replace the human eye, empathy with the user, or the creativity that defines great design. On the contrary, it frees the professional to focus on exactly those things while AI handles the more mechanical and repetitive tasks in the process.
This is precisely where programs like the one from Virginia Tech and Simplilearn become genuinely relevant. They are not just teaching tools. They are training a new generation of professionals who understand the role of AI within the design process and know how to use it intelligently, ethically, and in a results-oriented way. In a market expected to reach nearly $55 billion in less than a decade, holding a professional certificate with this focus is a concrete step toward real opportunities. 🎓
Certification, benefits, and professional recognition
Upon completing the program, students receive a joint digital badge from Virginia Tech and Simplilearn, along with a downloadable certificate of completion. Participants also gain access to the Virginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education alumni community on LinkedIn, which expands networking opportunities with professionals and recruiters from companies around the world.
Another noteworthy benefit is access to Simplilearn Job Assist Plus, a resource that helps graduates gain visibility with companies that are actively hiring. In a scenario where the UX/UI market is growing rapidly, having this kind of support can make a real difference when it comes to finding opportunities aligned with newly acquired skills.
The learning experience was designed to fit into the routine of people who are already working. Sessions are recorded, and the Simplilearn LMS platform is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This allows students to study at their own pace, balancing the course with work and other commitments. 📱
Who can benefit from the program
The program was designed to serve different professional profiles, and that is one of the things that makes it interesting. Candidates must be at least 18 years old and hold a high school diploma or equivalent. The enrollment process is straightforward and consists of three steps: submitting an online application, going through the admissions panel review, and, if selected, completing the program fee payment to secure a spot.
Those just starting out in design who want to enter a market already transformed by AI will find a solid foundation in the course that already incorporates the most current tools and methodologies. There is no need to learn the old way first and then try to adapt to the new way. Learning starts from where the market is right now.
On the other hand, designers with years of experience who realize their skills need updating will also find a structured path for that transition in the program. It is not about abandoning accumulated knowledge but about expanding it with new competencies that increase delivery capacity and professional relevance in today’s market. Continuous digital upskilling is, today, part of what truly defines a senior professional.
Product managers, developers who want a better understanding of the design side, and even entrepreneurs building their own digital products can also benefit from the content. Understanding how Artificial Intelligence fits into the UX/UI Design process is a competitive advantage for anyone making decisions about digital products, regardless of their title or the industry they work in. 🙌
Full program content
The course works as a complete, end-to-end learning experience. It covers UX/UI fundamentals, design thinking, research, visual design, prototyping, usability testing, human-computer interaction, augmented reality, virtual reality, and AI-driven design workflows. All of this through practical tools, real-world case studies, and live sessions led by industry experts.
The combination of Virginia Tech’s academic depth with Simplilearn’s practical experience and global scale results in a program that delivers not just knowledge but training that is applicable from the very first project. In an industry where UX/UI has moved beyond being just a design function and has become a business priority, having this kind of preparation makes an increasingly meaningful difference in any professional’s career path.
The market is growing, the tools are evolving, and professionals who understand how Artificial Intelligence connects to UX/UI Design will come out ahead. The professional certificate from Virginia Tech and Simplilearn is one of the most structured and recognized ways to make that transition with consistency.
