The first course of CalArts' UI/UX specialisation, focused on the visual side of interface design — typography, colour, layout and imagery. It is a design-school introduction to making interfaces look right, useful on its own for anyone who wants stronger visual UI skills.
Good for: Beginners who want to strengthen the visual side of UI design.
Less suitable if: You want the full UX process, or you already design interfaces.
Requirements: None; part of a wider specialisation.
Realistic time: About 14 hours; two to three weeks part-time.
About this course
Most UI courses teach you which Figma panel does what. This CalArts course does the opposite: it teaches the visual design principles — typography, color theory, Gestalt grouping, layout grids — that make an interface look intentional rather than assembled. It's tool-agnostic, which means the skills transfer whether you end up in Figma, Sketch, or anything that replaces them.
What you'll learn
Apply typography principles to interface design
Use color theory deliberately in UI work
Apply Gestalt grouping principles to layout decisions
Build visual hierarchy that guides user attention
Critique interface designs using design-fundamentals vocabulary
This course includes
14h
On-demand video
Yes
Certificate
Yes
Mobile access
English
Language
What it costs
Free to audit on Coursera; the certificate needs a subscription (about $49 a month), with financial aid available.
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Issued through Coursera with the California Institute of the Arts, as part of its UI/UX specialisation.
Instructor
CI
Coursera Instructor Network
Coursera instructor
210K+ learners8 courses4.7 instructor rating
Delivered through CalArts (California Institute of the Arts) on Coursera, drawing on the design faculty's studio-based teaching approach to visual communication.