Design Management Online Courses 2025: Top Platforms, Colleges, Eligibility & Job Opportunities

Design Management online courses are short-duration courses (1–6 weeks) that combine creativity and strategic thinking, helping learners to manage design management processes across multiple industries, including fashion, architecture, and digital media. The courses focus on design strategy, innovation, branding, and user experience. There are several platforms offering beginner and advanced online courses in India, including Emeritus and Coursera.
The course fees start from ₹1,000 and range up to ₹1,50,000, depending on the certification level and the organisation offering the course. There are also several websites offering beginner-friendly and advanced free courses with a certificate or audit-type option to study.
The good news is that there are little to no eligibility criteria; all you need is to have graduated or be a professional in any stream, with an interest in design and management. Entry-level jobs in design strategy and creative direction offer salaries in the ₹5–10 lakh per annum range, while experienced professionals can earn up to ₹25 lakh per annum, especially in branding, UX, and innovation leadership roles.
Keep reading this expert guide to explore the best Design Management Online Courses, compare Free vs Paid options, and unleash your creative leadership.
Design Management Online Courses: Quick Highlights
The table below shows the quick highlights of the Design Management Online Courses.
Feature | Details |
Course Duration | 2 weeks to 6 months (based on specialization and level) |
Key Topics Covered | Design thinking, project management, branding, UX strategy, innovation |
Top Platforms | TimesPro, IIT Delhi, IIT Roorkee, Coursera, CollegeDekho |
Course Fees | ₹1,000 to ₹1,50,000 |
Free Courses Available | Yes, via Coursera audit mode |
Eligibility | Open to graduates; creative or business background preferred |
Certification | Available in both free and paid formats; industry-recognized |
Entry-Level Salary | ₹5–10 lakhs per annum |
Experienced Salary | ₹15–25+ lakhs per annum |
Benefits | Career growth in UX, branding, product design, and creative leadership |
Free vs Paid | Free covers theory; Paid includes live projects, mentorship, and certification |
Best Design Management Online Courses
Design Management Online Courses combine creativity and strategic leadership through managing design projects, teams, and innovation across industries. Great for aspiring design leaders, entrepreneurs, and brand strategists. Below is is list of the Best Design Management Online Courses:
TimesPro Design Management Online Courses
Course Name | Institution | Duration | Fee |
Certificate Programme in Design Thinking for User Experience | 6 Months | ₹1,50,000 + Taxes | |
Think, Design, Create: Certificate Programme in UI/UX | 6 Months | ₹1,45,000 + Taxes |
Coursera Design Management Online Courses
Course Name | Institution | Duration | Fee | Ratings |
Design Thinking for Innovation | University of Virginia | 5 Weeks | Free (Certificate ₹1,699) | 4.8 |
Brand Management | London Business School | 4 Weeks | ₹3,499 | 4.7 |
Creative Problem Solving | University of Minnesota | 6 Weeks | ₹1,699 | 4.6 |
Leadership and Emotional Intelligence | Indian School of Business | 4 Weeks | ₹1,699 | 4.7 |
Udemy Design Management Online Courses
Course Name | Trainer Name | Duration | Fee | Ratings (Out of 5) |
UX Strategy Fundamentals | Joe Natoli | 4 Hours | ₹799 | 4.7 |
Strategic Design Management | Creative Academy Experts | 2 Hours | ₹699 | 4.5 |
Design Leadership & Innovation | SuperDesign Team | 5 Hours | ₹689 | 4.5 |
edX Design Management Online Courses
Course Name | Trainer Name | Duration | Fee |
Design Thinking and Innovation | Rochester Institute of Technology (RITx) | 6 Weeks | $249 |
Innovation Through Design: Think, Make, Break, Repeat | University of Sydney | 6 Weeks | $199 |
Managing the Organization | University of Illinois | 4 Weeks | $149 |
Top Indian Colleges for Design Management Online Courses
Discover the best online and distance learning institutions in India that deliver Distance Learning in Design Management for creative thinkers and strategists. This course will incorporate innovation, leadership, and design strategy into programming to make you more valuable in today’s creative economy.
Course Name | University/Institution | Duration | Fee |
Certificate Programme in Design Thinking for User Experience | IIT Delhi (via TimesPro) | 6 Months | ₹1,50,000 + Taxes |
Certificate Programme in UI/UX Design: Think, Design, Create | IIT Roorkee (via TimesPro) | 6 Months | ₹1,45,000 + Taxes |
MBA in Design Management | S.P. Mandali's WeSchool, Mumbai | 2 Years | ₹12,04,000 |
PGDM in Design Thinking and Innovation | SOIL Institute of Management, Gurgaon | 2 Years | ₹15,33,226 |
MBA in Design Strategy | MIT Institute of Design, Pune | 2 Years | ₹6,15,000 |
M.Des in Strategic Design Management | Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bengaluru | 2 Years | ₹22,09,000 |
PG Diploma in Design Management | Renaissance University, Indore | 1 Year | ₹3,60,000 |
Design Thinking for Innovation (Online) | University of Virginia (Coursera) | 5 Weeks | Free (Certificate ₹1,699) |
Brand Management: Aligning Business, Brand and Behaviour (Online) | London Business School (Coursera) | 4 Weeks | ₹3,499 |
Free Design Management Online Courses
Below is the table that shows some of the popular platforms offering high-quality, Design Management Online Courses for free.
Course Name | Duration | Trainer | Description |
Design Thinking for Innovation | 5 Weeks | University of Virginia (Coursera) | Covers design thinking principles, user-centric innovation, and creative problem solving |
Innovation Through Design: Think, Make, Break, Repeat | 1–3 Months | University of Sydney (Coursera) | Explores human-centered design, prototyping, and iterative innovation |
Foundations of UX Design | 1–4 Weeks | Google (Coursera) | Introduces design thinking, wireframing, and user research fundamentals |
Strategic Design Management | 2 Hours | Creative Academy Experts (Udemy) | Covers design strategy, branding, and project leadership |
Design Thinking Fundamentals | 1 Hour | NPTEL (IIT Bombay) | Explains design thinking stages and applications in business and education |
Free Design Management Online Courses With Certificate
This is a list of free online design management courses from well-known organisations, including Coursera, NPTEL, and Udemy, which may or may not offer a free certificate of completion. Each of these courses is offered for free for you to follow and study; certification may be free or not.
Course Name | Duration | Description |
Design Thinking for Innovation | 5 Weeks | Free to audit; certificate available with fee |
Foundations of UX Design | 1–4 Weeks | Free to audit; certificate available with a fee |
Design Thinking Fundamentals (NPTEL) | 1 Hour | Free course with an AICTE-approved certificate |
Strategic Design Management (Udemy) | 2 Hours | Free course; certificate available with upgrade |
Eligibility Criteria for Best Design Management Online Courses
Below is a list of the eligibility criteria for Design Management Online Courses:
- UG Courses: Class 12 pass (50%+ preferred)
- PG Courses: Bachelor’s degree in any stream
- Diploma/Certificate: Class 10 or 12; no strict requirements
Why Learn Design Management Online Courses in 2025?
Design Management online courses in 2025 equip creative leaders with strategic thinking and innovation skills to elevate their professional practice. Design Management online courses in 2025 tend to offer flexibility and career-forward learning to prosper in design-centric industries. Look at the list below to know Why Learn Design Management Online Courses in 2025.
- Eager Employers: Companies are looking for designers in management to spark new ideas for innovation
- Career Growth: The near-exploding demand for UX Lead, Brand Manager, and Creative Director
- Learning On Your Schedule: You set the timeframe and location. And you will be awarded an industry-recognized certification.
- Future-ready Skills: Value of design thinking, understanding strategy, and leadership for modern business challenges
Job Opportunities After Completing Design Management Online Courses
The table below is a brief mapping of the major job opportunities, average salary potential, and common recruiters for Design Management Online Courses in India (2025).
Job Role | Average Salary (INR/year) | Top Recruiters |
UX/UI Design Manager | ₹8–15 LPA | Google, Infosys, TCS, Accenture |
Brand Strategist | ₹6–12 LPA | Ogilvy, Wieden+Kennedy, Flipkart, Tata Elxsi |
Product Designer | ₹7–14 LPA | Swiggy, Zomato, Paytm, Microsoft |
Design Thinking Consultant | ₹10–18 LPA | Deloitte, EY, Cognizant, IBM |
Creative Director | ₹12–25 LPA | Dentsu, Leo Burnett, BYJU’S, Amazon |
Innovation Manager | ₹10–20 LPA | Mahindra, Titan, Godrej Innovation Lab |
Visual Experience Lead | ₹6–11 LPA | Adobe, Zoho, Myntra, Razorpay |
Frequently Asked Questions
Ques: What are the best online courses in design management available in India?
Ans: Some of the best online design management courses in India include IIT Delhi's Certificate Programme in Design Thinking (with TimesPro), Coursera’s Design Thinking for Innovation, and edX’s Design Thinking and Innovation offered by RIT, courses which integrate design leadership with business strategy.
Ques: Which platforms offer top-rated design management online courses in 2024?
Ans: As of 2024, Coursera, TimesPro, Udemy, and edX are the best-rated platforms. Popular courses included Brand Management (London Business School) and Creative Problem Solving (University of Minnesota) which were rated the highest by learners around the world.
Ques: How do Coursera design management courses compare with Udemy design management courses?
Ans: Coursera offers institution-specific programs that are accredited by universities and offer structure with some form of a certification from the likes of the University of Virginia. Udemy, on the other hand, is more affordable, offers short-term, and is not structured learning with expert practitioners leading the courses. If you want to dive deep into something Coursera is better, if you want a flexible and affordable option Udemy is the better choice.
Ques: Are there any design management online courses from Harvard?
Ans: Harvard does not offer a specific program for Design Management; however, it offers design thinking and innovation leadership courses through edX and Harvard Online, which may address the necessary skills needed for design management.
Ques: What is typically included in an online design management curriculum?
Ans: A typical online design management curriculum will include design thinking, UX strategy, project leadership, branding, creative innovation, and managing cross disciplinary teams. More advanced courses might also include lessons on business models and positioning in the marketplace.