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    • Instructional Design

    Instructional Design Courses

    Instructional design courses can help you learn how to create effective learning experiences using educational theory, technology, and learner-centered strategies.

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    Find the Best Instructional Design Course for Your Goals

    • Status: Free
      Free
      C

      Coursera Project Network

      Create and Design Digital Products using Canva

      Skills you'll gain: Canva (Software), Design, Digital Design, Design Elements And Principles, Product Design, Color Theory, Intellectual Property, Product Promotion, E-Commerce, Digital Assets, Marketing Materials

      4.4
      Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.2K reviews

      Advanced · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      I

      IBM

      Data Engineering Foundations

      Skills you'll gain: SQL, Web Scraping, Database Design, MySQL, Data Transformation, Data Store, Extract, Transform, Load, IBM DB2, Relational Databases, Data Architecture, Jupyter, Data Pipelines, Big Data, Data Warehousing, Data Governance, Databases, Stored Procedure, Data Manipulation, Automation, Python Programming

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      56K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      G

      Google

      Build Dynamic User Interfaces (UI) for Websites

      Skills you'll gain: Responsive Web Design, Information Architecture, User Experience Design, Web Design, Design Reviews, Usability Testing, Wireframing, User Research, User Centered Design, User Interface (UI) Design, Mockups, Prototyping, Figma (Design Software)

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      3.7K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      C

      California Institute of the Arts

      Fundamentals of Graphic Design

      Skills you'll gain: Typography, Design Elements And Principles, Graphic Design, Visual Design, Design Software, Logo Design, Digital Design, Color Theory, Photo Editing, Adobe Creative Cloud, Creativity

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      18K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Colorado Boulder

      Graphic Design

      Skills you'll gain: Graphic Design, Graphic and Visual Design, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Design, Visual Design, Typography, Adobe InDesign, Design Reviews, Adobe Photoshop, Design Elements And Principles, Peer Review, Color Theory, Editing, Creativity

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      3.3K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • C

      Coursera Instructor Network

      User Interface Design: Principles, Prototyping, Practices

      Skills you'll gain: Prototyping, User Interface (UI) Design, Usability, User Research, Interactive Design, UI Components, User Centered Design, Mockups, Graphic and Visual Design Software, Design Thinking, Design Elements And Principles, Typography, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      33 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of Virginia

      Design Thinking for Innovation

      Skills you'll gain: Design Thinking, Creative Problem-Solving, Ideation, Innovation, Creativity, Strategic Thinking, Market Opportunities, Human Centered Design, Storytelling, User Research, Business Modeling, Collaboration

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      9K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • C

      California Institute of the Arts

      The Language of Design: Form and Meaning

      Skills you'll gain: Design Reviews, Design, Graphic Design, Design Elements And Principles, Visual Design, Peer Review, Typography, Creative Design

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      887 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      C

      California Institute of the Arts

      Visual Elements of User Interface Design

      Skills you'll gain: User Interface (UI) Design, Graphic and Visual Design, Web Design, Design Elements And Principles, Human Computer Interaction, Responsive Web Design, Typography, UI Components, Information Architecture, Interaction Design, User Experience Design

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      6.3K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • C

      Coursera Instructor Network

      UX Design: Research, Prototyping, Accessible Interactions

      Skills you'll gain: User Research, User Interface (UI) Design, Prototyping, Usability, Figma (Design Software), Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, User Experience Design, User Centered Design, Mockups, Usability Testing, Persona (User Experience)

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      24 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      U

      University of California San Diego

      Human-Centered Design: an Introduction

      Skills you'll gain: Interaction Design, Usability, Human Centered Design, Mockups, Storyboarding, User Experience Design, Design Thinking, Prototyping, User Research, Creativity, Interviewing Skills

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      2.8K reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free Trial
      Free Trial
      C

      California Institute of the Arts

      UX Design Fundamentals

      Skills you'll gain: User Experience Design, User Interface (UI) Design, User Centered Design, Interaction Design, Prototyping, Wireframing, User Research, Human Computer Interaction, User Flows, Mockups, Information Architecture, Ideation

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      2.2K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    Searches related to instructional design

    instructional design foundations and applications
    instructional and curriculum design
    1234…388

    In summary, here are 10 of our most popular instructional design courses

    • Create and Design Digital Products using Canva: Coursera Project Network
    • Data Engineering Foundations: IBM
    • Build Dynamic User Interfaces (UI) for Websites: Google
    • Fundamentals of Graphic Design: California Institute of the Arts
    • Graphic Design: University of Colorado Boulder
    • User Interface Design: Principles, Prototyping, Practices: Coursera Instructor Network
    • Design Thinking for Innovation: University of Virginia
    • The Language of Design: Form and Meaning: California Institute of the Arts
    • Visual Elements of User Interface Design: California Institute of the Arts
    • UX Design: Research, Prototyping, Accessible Interactions: Coursera Instructor Network

    Why Learn Instructional Design?

    Instructional design focuses on developing educational content and experiences that help people learn effectively—whether in classrooms, online platforms, or workplace training. It blends learning science, curriculum development, and digital tools to support meaningful outcomes. Learning instructional design can prepare you to create engaging learning solutions across education, business, and nonprofit sectors.

    Skills you can learn in Business Essentials

    Analytics (37)
    Presentation (33)
    Modeling (29)
    Business Analytics (27)
    Language (26)
    Microsoft Excel (26)
    Writing (26)
    Speech (18)
    Plan (17)
    Business Communication (16)
    Decision-making (16)
    Leadership (15)

    Frequently Asked Questions about Instructional Design

    Top courses include Instructional Design Foundations and Applications from the University of Illinois and An Introduction to Learning Experience Design (LXD) from the University of Michigan as well. These programs cover learning theory, course planning, digital pedagogy, and technology tools for designing engaging learning experiences.‎

    Yes. Many instructional design courses offer a free audit option. You can access video lectures and readings at no cost. If you want to complete assessments or earn a certificate, you’ll need to upgrade or apply for financial aid.‎

    You’ll learn how to design learning objectives, structure courses, select appropriate media and tools, and evaluate learning outcomes. Many courses also include frameworks like ADDIE, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).‎

    Not necessarily. While experience in education or training can be helpful, many courses are beginner-friendly and provide a strong foundation for anyone interested in creating effective learning experiences.‎

    Yes. Instructional design is a growing field across education, corporate training, government, and nonprofits. Coursera courses can help you build job-ready skills, create a portfolio of work, and earn certificates that demonstrate your ability to design engaging and effective learning materials.‎

    This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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