Best Bachelor's UX Design Degree Programs in Tennessee
Lipscomb University — Nashville, TN
Key Distinction: Lipscomb integrates classical design literacy with UX methodology, producing designers strong in both visual communication and user-centered problem-solving.
Hakia Insight: Lipscomb's integration of classical design literacy (composition, hierarchy, typography) with UX methodology is rare at the bachelor's level—most programs skip the visual foundation—which gives graduates a legible advantage when competing for senior designer roles that require both craft and systems thinking.
At the bachelor's level, lipscomb's design program distinguishes itself through a rigorous, project-intensive curriculum that combines classical design principles with modern digital tools and methodologies. Rather than following a linear progression from theory to practice, students engage with capstone-style projects beginning in sophomore year, developing portfolios of substantial work while still in school. The program emphasizes visual communication literacy—understanding typography, color theory, composition, and information hierarchy—as foundational to UX design, not separate from it. This focus produces designers who can articulate design rationale through both visual and verbal communication, a competitive advantage in collaborative environments. Lipscomb's Nashville base and strong relationships with local creative agencies and tech companies facilitate internships and project collaborations where students work on actual brand and product challenges. The curriculum includes dedicated coursework in interaction design, usability testing, and design research, ensuring students graduate with both aesthetic sensibility and methodological rigor. Faculty are active practitioners and mentors, often bringing current client work or challenges into the classroom. Graduates frequently land positions at design-forward companies, creative agencies, and in-house design teams, with particular strength in visual design roles that value strong foundational design thinking alongside UX knowledge.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in UX Design — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in UX Design — 4 years, online
Location Advantages: Nashville creative agency and tech company partnerships
Belmont University — Nashville, TN
Key Distinction: Belmont combines UX design with product strategy and business fundamentals, positioning graduates for accelerated career growth into design leadership and product roles.
Hakia Insight: Belmont's explicit pairing of UX with product strategy and business fundamentals fast-tracks graduates into product management and design leadership tracks, a career acceleration that most undergraduate programs leave to chance or MBA programs.
At the bachelor's level, belmont's UX design education sits at the intersection of technology, business, and creative strategy—a positioning that reflects the university's strength in preparing designers for leadership roles, not just execution. The program integrates product strategy, business acumen, and consumer psychology alongside interaction design and prototyping, equipping graduates to speak fluently with product managers, stakeholders, and executives. This business-fluent approach opens doors for faster career advancement; many Belmont UX graduates move into product management, design leadership, or startup founding roles within five years. The Nashville location provides unusual access to a thriving music and entertainment tech sector alongside traditional corporate and startup communities, exposing students to design challenges across content platforms, mobile apps, and digital media. Partnerships with local tech companies and agencies offer internship and project-based learning opportunities where students tackle real product challenges. Faculty include practitioners with experience at scaled companies and early-stage ventures, bringing diverse perspectives on how design evolves as organizations grow. Belmont's network extends across Tennessee's business community, facilitating connections that often translate into post-graduation opportunities.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in UX Design — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in UX Design — 4 years, online
Location Advantages: Nashville tech, music, and entertainment sector ecosystemAccess to regional startup and corporate networks
Johnson University — Knoxville, TN
Hakia Insight: Johnson & Wales compresses a traditional four-year program into three years while keeping client projects real from semester one and culminating in portfolio pieces directly pitched to industry—a structure that eliminates the typical senior-year scramble to build 'real' work.
Johnson & Wales University's Design program offers a 3-year bachelor's degree with real-world client projects from day one, culminating in a 6-credit internship and capstone portfolio showcased to industry professionals. Students work across three focus areas with external partners and community organizations, ensuring portfolio-ready outcomes in every course.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in UX Design — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in UX Design — 4 years, online
Location Advantages:
Maryville College — Maryville, TN
Hakia Insight: Maryville's 98% job placement rate within six months of graduation reflects its personalized learning model and specialized tracks, but the real story is how its Computer Science umbrella gives UX students access to faculty and peer networks across data, systems, and product roles.
At the bachelor's level, maryville's Computer Science program offers specialized tracks including User Experience along with a personalized learning approach that has achieved 98% job placement within six months. The program is available in both online and on-campus formats with corresponding certificate programs for each specialization track.
Programs Offered
- Bachelor of Science in UX Design — 4 years, on-campus
- Bachelor of Arts in UX Design — 4 years, online
Accreditations and Certifications
- The Higher Learning Commission
Location Advantages:
King University — Bristol, TN
Key Distinction: King University offers comprehensive UX Design programs preparing students for careers in technology.
Hakia Insight: King University's Bristol location positions students between Appalachian regional tech growth and proximity to emerging digital-first nonprofits, creating internship and networking opportunities that larger urban programs often overlook.
King University offers UX Design programs in Bristol, TN. As a private institution, it provides accessible education pathways for students in the region.
Union University — Jackson, TN
Key Distinction: Union University offers comprehensive UX Design programs preparing students for careers in technology.
Hakia Insight: Union University's Jackson placement puts students near Tennessee's healthcare systems and state government digital transformation initiatives, sectors where UX research and accessibility expertise command premium salaries.
Union University offers UX Design programs in Jackson, TN. As a private institution, it provides accessible education pathways for students in the region.
Freed-Hardeman University — Henderson, TN
Key Distinction: Freed-Hardeman University offers comprehensive UX Design programs preparing students for careers in technology.
Hakia Insight: Freed-Hardeman's Henderson location serves students seeking UX education without major-city tuition while maintaining connections to regional manufacturing and industrial design sectors that increasingly value human-centered design.
Freed-Hardeman University offers UX Design programs in Henderson, TN. As a private institution, it provides accessible education pathways for students in the region.
Trevecca Nazarene University — Nashville, TN
Key Distinction: Trevecca Nazarene University offers comprehensive UX Design programs preparing students for careers in technology.
Hakia Insight: Trevecca's Nashville location provides direct access to the city's established creative agency cluster and music-tech ecosystem, where UX designers regularly command roles across entertainment, publishing, and streaming platforms.
Trevecca Nazarene University offers UX Design programs in Nashville, TN. As a private institution, it provides accessible education pathways for students in the region.
Best Master's UX Design Degree Programs in Tennessee
East Tennessee State University — Johnson City, TN
Key Distinction: ETSU emphasizes research-driven design methodology and user validation, producing designers equipped for complex, evidence-based problem-solving in healthcare, industrial, and enterprise sectors.
Hakia Insight: ETSU's emphasis on research-driven methodology and user validation differentiates it at the master's level—most programs teach tools, but ETSU's connection to healthcare and industrial design sectors means students practice evidence-based decision-making in high-stakes, regulated environments from day one.
At the master's level, ETSU's design program builds from strong foundational visual and interaction design coursework while emphasizing the research and testing phase that separates mediocre UX from genuinely user-centered design. Students learn to conduct usability testing, gather qualitative and quantitative data, and iterate based on evidence rather than assumption—skills that many entry-level designers lack and employers desperately need. The curriculum threads user research throughout, rather than isolating it in a single semester, so students internalize user-centered thinking as a design habit. The program benefits from ETSU's location in Johnson City and connections to East Tennessee's healthcare, industrial, and education sectors, creating opportunities for students to apply design thinking to complex domain problems. Faculty bring experience from diverse fields—healthcare IT, enterprise software, and consumer digital products—providing mentorship across different design contexts. Graduates are well-positioned for user researcher roles, interaction designer positions, and design-adjacent product roles that value deep user understanding. The affordability of studying at ETSU, combined with strong placement outcomes in regional and remote design positions, makes the program particularly valuable for students seeking ROI on their education.
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: Healthcare sector opportunities in East TennesseeConnection to industrial and enterprise design challenges
