Question 1

What is the refund policy?

Accepted Answer

If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.

Question 2

Can I just enroll in a single course?

Accepted Answer

Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.

Question 3

Is financial aid available?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Question 4

Can I take the course for free?

Accepted Answer

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free. If you cannot afford the fee, you can apply for financial aid.

Question 5

Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?

Accepted Answer

This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.

Question 6

How long does it take to complete the Specialization?

Accepted Answer

There are three courses in the specialization: UI and UX, Rapid Prototyping, and M2M & IoT Protocols - each will take 4 to 5 calendar weeks, not including the final exam.

Question 7

What background knowledge is necessary?

Accepted Answer

You should be comfortable in programming and basic computer architecture. The two classes with programming assignments use Python and Node.JS, but if you are an experienced C programmer that hasn't used these languages (as with many on campus students), the languages are easy to pick up and use. We do not teach Python or Node.JS in the class, but we do include some references and examples.

Question 8

Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?

Accepted Answer

It is recommended (but not required) to take the Rapid Prototyping course before the M2M & IoT Protocols course, as the programming examples will build on themselves more naturally.

Question 9

Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?

Accepted Answer

Optionally, the three courses can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder's Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree and related certificate programs.

Question 10

What will I be able to do upon completing the Specialization?

Accepted Answer

The courses ideally support your own development of interfaces from embedded devices to people, systems, and other devices. Interfaces you'll be able to create include physical device controls, interactive graphic UIs, APIs and messaging interfaces, and connections to mobile, web, and cloud based systems. You'll get some experience with common UX design techniques, UI tools like Qt and HTML, and developing Python and Node.JS to make message-based connections to Amazon Web Services, a typical IoT cloud framework.

Embedded Interface Design Specialization

Course Features

Course Description

Module 1: UX and Interface Design for Embedded Systems

Module 2: Rapid Prototyping of Embedded Interface Designs

Course FAQs