When Laura Blazevic moved from Croatia to Norway, she saw it as a chance to reinvent herself professionally. With a background in anthropology and a lifelong curiosity about people, she turned to online studies – and found an unexpected path into a new creative field.
Moving to a new country often means more than learning a new language and adapting to a new culture. For Laura Blazevic, it also became an opportunity to explore a new professional direction.
Originally from Croatia, Laura moved to Norway in early 2024. With a master's degree in anthropology and Italian language, and experience from translation and customer service, she already had a strong and varied background.
Still, she found herself wanting to work with people-centred problems in a more practical and creative way.
A new direction in a new country
That search eventually led her to online studies at Noroff.
Laura chose to study UX Design, a programme that combines user research, problem-solving and hands-on project work. For her, it became a way to build on her interest in people, behaviour and communication.
– I had been interested in people and how they experience the world around them for a long time. UX felt like a natural next step from anthropology, because it gave me a way to use that curiosity in a creative and practical field, she says.
Laura Blazevic found her way into UX design through anthropology and a curiosity about people. Photo: Private
A natural next step
Before applying, Laura spent time researching different options and talking to former students about their experiences.
– Noroff stood out because the programme felt hands-on and relevant. I also reached out to people on LinkedIn who had studied UX Design there, and they shared very positive experiences with me. Hearing from former students helped me feel more confident that Noroff would be the right choice, she explains.
The project-based approach was especially important to her.
– I wanted to learn theory, but also work on real design processes, build projects, collaborate with others and develop practical skills. That project-based way of learning was exactly what I needed to grow into the field, she says.
An online study experience that felt connected
Although Laura studied online, the experience did not feel disconnected.
Because she lived in Oslo, she also had the opportunity to participate in several in-person activities organised by Noroff.
– Since I studied online, I learned to be independent, organised and proactive in my own learning. At the same time, because I live in Oslo, I also had the opportunity to join several in-person events at Noroff, which made the experience feel much more connected, she says.
She attended in-person lessons, company presentations, a hackathon and even a conference together with teachers and fellow students.
– Even though the study was online, I still got to meet people, build connections and feel part of a creative learning environment, she says.
For Laura, working on projects also made the design process feel more real.
– I got to experience how research leads to insights, how ideas evolve through testing and how collaboration can make a solution stronger. It also gave me more confidence in my own voice as a designer, she says.
From studies to work experience
After completing her studies, Laura secured a six-month internship at a small design studio, where she was able to apply what she had learned in a real-world setting.
One area that particularly stood out to her was accessibility and inclusive design.
– The study opened my eyes to how many digital experiences are still not as accessible as they could be, and how important it is to design with different users and needs in mind, she says.
During her internship, she got to work on an inclusive design project, which made the connection between studies and working life even clearer.
– It felt meaningful to apply what I had learned in a real project and see how small design decisions can make experiences more usable, inclusive and thoughtful, she says.
The experience also confirmed that she enjoys research-driven design.
– I see myself working with human-centred and research-driven design. I'm especially interested in the early stages of projects, where you explore the problem, understand users and define the direction before jumping into solutions, she says.
A different background can be an advantage
Looking back, Laura believes her previous experience has been an important strength.
– You don't need to come from a traditional design background. In fact, different backgrounds can be a strength in UX. Whether you come from psychology, communication, anthropology, teaching, customer service or something completely different, those experiences can help you understand people from different perspectives, she says.
Laura's path from anthropology in Croatia to UX design in Norway wasn't a straight line. But for her, it proves something important: you don't need the perfect background to start something new.
– My advice would be to stay curious, keep learning and trust that your own perspective is valuable, she says.
Interested in UX Design?
At Noroff, you can study UX Design online and build practical skills for a new career, wherever you are based. The programme combines flexibility with project-based learning, helping you develop industry-relevant skills through real design challenges.
Learn more about the UX Design programme and explore our online studies.
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