Best Bachelor's UX Design Degree Programs in Missouri
Washington University in St Louis — Saint Louis, MO
Key Distinction: WashU's Sam Fox School trains designers with graduate-level rigor and theory, emphasizing design research and systems thinking, positioning graduates for senior designer and design leadership tracks.
Hakia Insight: WashU's Ix3 lab and Health Communication Design Studio give undergraduates access to funded research projects—a privilege typically reserved for grad students elsewhere—meaning portfolios often include peer-reviewed design interventions rather than coursework projects.
At the bachelor's level, washington University's design and UX programs are anchored in the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, where students engage with design at a graduate-school level of rigor even at the undergraduate stage. The curriculum is intensive and design-theory informed, pushing students beyond interface design toward systemic thinking about how design shapes human behavior, social systems, and organizational change. WashU emphasizes design research and prototyping, with access to high-end fabrication labs and digital tools, plus opportunities to work on interdisciplinary projects across engineering, business, and architecture schools. Faculty are accomplished designers and researchers with exhibition records and industry prominence, and the program's reputation attracts internships and entry-level offers from top-tier tech companies, design consultancies, and innovative startups. Graduates often move into mid-level designer roles or join prestigious design firms like IDEO or frog, emerging with both portfolio strength and research skills that distinguish them in competitive hiring.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in UX Design — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in UX Design — 4 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- Interaction, Innovation, and Impact Lab (Ix3)
- Health Communication Design Studio
- Office for Socially Engaged Practice
- Digital Solutions Studio
- Neuroinformatics Research Group
Industry Partners
- YouTube (employer)
- WashU Medicine (partner)
- WashU Institute of Public Health (partner)
- WashU McKelvey Engineering (collaborator)
- Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship (partner)
- Barnes-Jewish Hospital (partner)
- St. Louis County Department of Health (partner)
- St. Louis City Department of Health (partner)
- Pulitzer Arts Foundation (partner)
- American Lung Association (sponsor)
- NIH Community Engagement Alliance (sponsor)
Notable Faculty
- Jonathan Hanahan — HCI and emerging technology design
- Ian Bogost — Computer science and arts integration
- Bei Hu — Human-computer interaction
- Caitlin Kelleher — Computer Science & Engineering
- Penina Acayo Laker — Health communication design
- Christopher Dingwall — Creative practice for social change
Accreditations and Certifications
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design
Location Advantages: Access to St. Louis's growing tech sector and regional design studiosProximity to major tech company offices and design consultancies
Lindenwood University — Saint Charles, MO
Key Distinction: Lindenwood prioritizes applied design studio work and regional industry partnerships, positioning students for immediate employment in the St. Louis tech market with a portfolio of client-driven projects.
Hakia Insight: Lindenwood's emphasis on client-driven studio projects means its graduates enter the St. Louis market with portfolios built on actual commissions, not hypothetical briefs, a tangible credibility signal that accelerates first-job placement.
At the bachelor's level, lindenwood's UX design program emphasizes practical, project-based learning within a design-focused curriculum that bridges digital and physical user experience. Students engage with real-world client work through the university's design studio partnerships, where they tackle problems for local and regional companies while building portfolio pieces that matter. The program particularly strengthens in interaction design fundamentals and usability testing methodologies, with faculty who bring agency and in-house design experience. What sets this program apart is its accessibility to St. Louis's growing tech ecosystem without the competitive intensity of larger research universities—you get mentorship, hands-on work, and direct connections to regional employers in fintech, healthcare tech, and digital marketing agencies. Graduates often move into junior UX designer roles or UX researcher positions at mid-market companies, with many staying in the St. Louis area where their network becomes immediately valuable.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in UX Design — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in UX Design — 4 years, online
Location Advantages: Proximity to St. Louis tech startups and regional design agenciesGateway to Midwest tech employment
University of Missouri-Columbia — Columbia, MO
Key Distinction: Mizzou's program uniquely roots UX design in HCI research and engineering fundamentals, preparing graduates for research-driven UX roles at major tech companies or careers in UX research.
Hakia Insight: Mizzou's HCI Laboratory and information science faculty embed UX design within a computer science research identity, positioning graduates for specialized roles in UX research or emerging tech (XR, accessibility) that design-only programs rarely prepare for.
At the bachelor's level, mizzou's UX design education emerges from a strong computer science and information technology foundation, making it particularly well-suited for students who want to understand the engineering side of user experience. The program emphasizes human-computer interaction research methods, usability engineering, and data-driven design validation—a technical rigor that appeals to companies building complex products where design decisions must be backed by evidence. Faculty conduct active research in HCI and accessibility, offering motivated students pathways into graduate research or UX research careers. Within a large R1 research university, UX students benefit from cross-disciplinary collaboration with cognitive science, psychology, and engineering departments, plus internship pipelines into tech companies that recruit heavily from Mizzou's engineering and CS programs. The curriculum balances design thinking with statistical literacy and research methodology, preparing graduates for either practitioner roles in established tech companies or research-focused positions.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in UX Design — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in UX Design — 4 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory
- Information Experience Laboratory
- Technology to Enhance Learning Lab
- WeMake — Design & Learn Lab
- Adroit Studios
- Digitization Station
Industry Partners
- KOPN Community Radio (collaborator)
- Associated Press (partner)
Career Outcomes
Median Salary: $NaN.
Notable Faculty
- Dr. Xinhao Xu — Learning technologies and XR-based learning environments
- Dr. Danielle Oprean — Information science
- Dr. Sarah Buchanan — Information science
- Dr. Denice Adkins — Library and Information Science
- Dr. Jenny Bossaller — Library and Information Science
Admissions
GPA Requirement: 3.0 minimum on last 60 undergraduate credit hours. Application Deadline: Multiple deadlines: May 1 (summer), July 1 (fall), Sept 1 (fall 8-week), Dec 1 (spring), Feb 1 (spring 8-week).
Accreditations and Certifications
- Higher Learning Commission
Location Advantages: R1 research university with strong CS recruiting pipelineAccess to HCI research community and academic conferences
Missouri State University-Springfield — Springfield, MO
Key Distinction: Missouri State provides accessible, project-based UX education rooted in visual communication, developing portfolio-ready graduates for junior designer roles at competitive cost.
Hakia Insight: Missouri State's roots in visual communication mean UX graduates understand design systems and brand application at a depth most programs don't teach, an advantage for designers moving into product roles at companies that value visual coherence.
At the bachelor's level, missouri State's design program offers UX education within a strong visual communication and graphic design tradition, making it accessible and project-rich for students building foundational skills. The program emphasizes real-world application through student organizations, client work, and local partnerships with Springfield-area businesses and nonprofits—creating a low-stakes environment to learn design process, user research basics, and prototyping. Faculty maintain active freelance or consulting practices, bringing current industry knowledge about design tools and workflows. While not positioned as a research or design-theory intensive program, Missouri State excels at producing work-ready graduates with solid portfolios and practical experience in design thinking, user testing, and iterative design. Students often transition into junior designer or design coordinator roles at regional and national companies, with the program's affordability and project-based approach appealing to those who prefer hands-on learning over theory.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in UX Design — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in UX Design — 4 years, online
Location Advantages: Affordable Midwest location with growing regional tech interestStrong connections to Springfield business community
Webster University — Saint Louis, MO
Key Distinction: Webster's UX education is grounded in communication theory and behavioral psychology, producing strategically-minded designers suited for consulting, enterprise UX, and cross-cultural design challenges.
Hakia Insight: Webster's curriculum grounded in psychology and communication theory produces designers trained to articulate *why* designs work to stakeholders—a consulting and enterprise UX superpower that technical design programs often overlook.
At the bachelor's level, webster's design program takes a liberal arts approach to UX, integrating psychology, communication, and visual design into a curriculum that treats user experience as fundamentally interdisciplinary. Rather than training pure interaction designers, Webster develops designers who understand human behavior, organizational context, and strategic communication—a perspective increasingly valuable in service design, enterprise UX, and design thinking consulting. The program benefits from Webster's global network (with campuses worldwide) and emphasis on cross-cultural design considerations, especially relevant for students interested in international tech companies or global design practices. Faculty blend design education with humanities expertise, creating an environment where design critique draws on communication theory and social science. Graduates from this program often transition into roles that require both design and strategic thinking: UX strategist, design consultant, or product designer at companies valuing research-informed approaches.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in UX Design — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in UX Design — 4 years, online
Location Advantages: St. Louis location with access to regional tech and corporate design teamsGlobal Webster network enabling international design exposure
Maryville University of Saint Louis — Saint Louis, MO
Key Distinction: Maryville's UX Design education integrates technical computer science foundations with creative design principles through project-based learning and real-world experience via the METAL internship lab.
Hakia Insight: Maryville's METAL lab bridges computer science and design through live projects, and with Dr. Maurya's AI and machine learning focus embedded in the curriculum, graduates can architect AI-informed user experiences—a skill gap at most design-first programs.
At the bachelor's level, maryville University's UX Design program is delivered through the College of Arts and Sciences as part of a comprehensive digital media education framework. The program is available through multiple pathways including a User Experience track within the Computer Science degree, an online UX/UI certificate, and components within the Digital Media programs. The Computer Science program offers 6 specialized tracks including User Experience, emphasizing multidisciplinary design of computer technology and human-computer interaction. Students explore app development, principles of design, and front-end web design through project-based learning. The program is supported by METAL (Maryville Emerging Technology Application Lab), an experiential internship opportunity where students gain hands-on experience developing and deploying technology solutions. The university maintains a 98% career outcomes rate with an average class size of 14 students. The College of Arts and Sciences is led by Interim Dean Jason Telford, PhD, with Jonathan Fahnestock, MFA serving as Associate Dean for Design & Visual Arts. All on-campus undergraduate students receive an iPad with access to over 200 apps, and the university was named an Apple Distinguished School three times. The program integrates with Maryville's revolutionary personalized learning approach, where students work with life coaches and utilize learning diagnostics for individualized education paths.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in UX Design — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in UX Design — 4 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
- METAL (Maryville Emerging Technology Application Lab)
Notable Faculty
- Dr. Akanksha Maurya — Computer science, AI, programming, deep learning, machine learning, computer vision
Accreditations and Certifications
- Higher Learning Commission - HLC
Location Advantages:
University of Missouri-Kansas City — Kansas City, MO
Key Distinction: The program uniquely combines traditional studio art with digital design and emphasizes design thinking methodology through interdisciplinary problem-solving approaches.
Hakia Insight: UMKC's Student Design Lab and Antonio Byrd's work in coding education create an unusual pathway: students emerge with both traditional studio critique rigor and programming literacy, positioning them for technical product design or civic tech roles.
At the bachelor's level, the University of Missouri-Kansas City does not offer a specific UX design program, but instead provides related education through its Bachelor of Arts in Media, Art and Design degree housed within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. This interdisciplinary 36-credit program, established to analyze interconnections between visual perception and thinking, combines traditional studio art with digital design and media studies. The program focuses on four key learning outcomes: analyzing visual culture connections, interpreting through interdisciplinary lenses, using visual communication tools, and applying design thinking to creative work and problem solving. Core requirements include Foundation Digital Design (ART 114), Design Thinking and Research (ART 266), and Ways of Seeing (ART-HIST 320WI). Students can specialize through 15 hours of elective coursework, with relevant options including Interactive Media Design (ART 327), Graphic Design and Typography courses (ART 337-338), Digital Video and Motion Design (ART 310), and 3D Modeling and Animation (ART 340). The program emphasizes hands-on learning through the Student Design Lab (ART 439) and Creative Project Development (ART 488), offering real-world client work and professional practices preparation. While not specifically UX-focused, the curriculum provides foundational skills in user experience through design thinking methodology, visual communication, and interactive media design components.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in UX Design — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in UX Design — 4 years, online
Research Labs and Institutes
Notable Faculty
- Antonio Byrd — Computer programming education and racially marginalized communities in coding
Location Advantages:
Drury University — Springfield, MO
Key Distinction: Drury University offers comprehensive UX Design programs preparing students for careers in technology.
Hakia Insight: Drury University's Springfield location positions graduates in a lower-cost talent market where regional tech employers actively recruit, giving Drury students a geographic arbitrage advantage in salary negotiation.
Drury University offers UX Design programs in Springfield, MO. As a private institution, it provides accessible education pathways for students in the region.
College of the Ozarks — Point Lookout, MO
Key Distinction: College of the Ozarks offers comprehensive UX Design programs preparing students for careers in technology.
Hakia Insight: College of the Ozarks' rural Missouri location offers affordable tuition with proximity to Springfield's growing tech sector, a value proposition for students prioritizing cost containment without sacrificing regional career access.
College of the Ozarks offers UX Design programs in Point Lookout, MO. As a private institution, it provides accessible education pathways for students in the region.
Northwest Missouri State University — Maryville, MO
Key Distinction: Northwest Missouri State University offers comprehensive UX Design programs preparing students for careers in technology.
Hakia Insight: Northwest Missouri State's public university structure and regional focus create strong employment pipelines with Kansas City and St. Louis tech companies that actively recruit from in-state universities.
Northwest Missouri State University offers UX Design programs in Maryville, MO. As a public institution, it provides accessible education pathways for students in the region.
Best Master's UX Design Degree Programs in Missouri
Lindenwood University — Saint Charles, MO
Key Distinction: Lindenwood prioritizes applied design studio work and regional industry partnerships, positioning students for immediate employment in the St. Louis tech market with a portfolio of client-driven projects.
Hakia Insight: Lindenwood's master's program compresses studio-driven, client-facing work into an accelerated timeline for professionals, a model that trades breadth for velocity—ideal for mid-career designers pivoting to leadership roles in the St. Louis startup market.
At the master's level, lindenwood's UX design program emphasizes practical, project-based learning within a design-focused curriculum that bridges digital and physical user experience. Students engage with real-world client work through the university's design studio partnerships, where they tackle problems for local and regional companies while building portfolio pieces that matter. The program particularly strengthens in interaction design fundamentals and usability testing methodologies, with faculty who bring agency and in-house design experience. What sets this program apart is its accessibility to St. Louis's growing tech ecosystem without the competitive intensity of larger research universities—you get mentorship, hands-on work, and direct connections to regional employers in fintech, healthcare tech, and digital marketing agencies. Graduates often move into junior UX designer roles or UX researcher positions at mid-market companies, with many staying in the St. Louis area where their network becomes immediately valuable.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in UX Design — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in UX Design — 1-2 years, online
Location Advantages: Proximity to St. Louis tech startups and regional design agenciesGateway to Midwest tech employment
Missouri State University-Springfield — Springfield, MO
Key Distinction: Missouri State provides accessible, project-based UX education rooted in visual communication, developing portfolio-ready graduates for junior designer roles at competitive cost.
Hakia Insight: Missouri State's master's program inherits decades of visual communication rigor—meaning graduates emerge with print-to-digital literacy that many pure UX programs skip, a hidden advantage when designing across channels for regional companies.
At the master's level, missouri State's design program offers UX education within a strong visual communication and graphic design tradition, making it accessible and project-rich for students building foundational skills. The program emphasizes real-world application through student organizations, client work, and local partnerships with Springfield-area businesses and nonprofits—creating a low-stakes environment to learn design process, user research basics, and prototyping. Faculty maintain active freelance or consulting practices, bringing current industry knowledge about design tools and workflows. While not positioned as a research or design-theory intensive program, Missouri State excels at producing work-ready graduates with solid portfolios and practical experience in design thinking, user testing, and iterative design. Students often transition into junior designer or design coordinator roles at regional and national companies, with the program's affordability and project-based approach appealing to those who prefer hands-on learning over theory.
Programs Offered
- Master of Science in UX Design — 1-2 years, on-campus
- Master of Arts in UX Design — 1-2 years, online
Location Advantages: Affordable Midwest location with growing regional tech interestStrong connections to Springfield business community
