Northlight Academy

Online school of digital craft

Learn a craft,
not just tools.

Small cohorts, working mentors and briefs that look like real projects. Every course ends with a portfolio piece you can actually show.

See the plans How it works

12weeks per program
8students in a cohort
2mentor reviews every week
1portfolio piece per course

Courses

Three tracks, one habit: shipping

UX Foundations

Research, interviews, flows and prototypes. You will run a full discovery cycle on a live brief and defend the decisions.

  • 6 modules, 2 live sessions a week
  • Mentor feedback on every assignment
  • Final: tested prototype + case study

UI & Visual Design

Type, color, layout and design systems. Weekly critique sessions, the way studios do them, with notes you keep forever.

  • 6 modules with studio-style critiques
  • Design system built from scratch
  • Final: polished product screen set

Product Analytics

Metrics, experiments and honest dashboards. Learn to answer product questions with data instead of opinions.

  • 6 modules, SQL from the first week
  • Real datasets, real messy cases
  • Final: experiment plan + readout

The program

Twelve weeks, no filler

01

Weeks 1–3 · Foundations

Core methods and vocabulary, first small briefs, and the habit of showing work early.

02

Weeks 4–7 · Practice

Two larger briefs with real constraints: deadlines, stakeholders, trade-offs and reviews.

03

Weeks 8–10 · Team project

Cross-track teams ship one product slice together — design and analytics side by side.

04

Weeks 11–12 · Portfolio

Case studies, a final review with mentors and a plan for what you do after the course.

Pricing

Simple plans, honest terms

Self-paced

$290 one-time

  • All course materials
  • Assignments with auto-checks
  • Community access for 12 months
Choose Self-paced

Career

$1,290 full program

  • Everything in Mentored
  • Two tracks in one program
  • Interview practice and feedback
Choose Career

FAQ

Questions we hear most

Do I need a design or tech background?

No. The first three weeks build the shared foundation. Students arrive from marketing, support, journalism and engineering.

How much time does the course take?

Plan for 6–8 hours a week: two live sessions and the rest is your own schedule.

What if I fall behind?

Materials stay available for 12 months and cohorts run continuously. You can pause and rejoin the next round.

Are the certificates worth anything?

Honestly, the portfolio piece matters more. The certificate simply records what you built and who reviewed it.

Start with the next cohort

Applications for the autumn round are open — eight seats per cohort, mentors included.

View the plans