Hi, I’m Polina! Formerly, I worked as a senior digital marketing manager and now I am a marketing mentor at Pathrise. I help job-seekers prepare for their future in digital marketing. Check out my review of SDSU Bootcamp.
- What does SDSU Bootcamp do?
- Who is SDSU Bootcamp for?
- What does SDSU Bootcamp cost?
- Ratings and reviews of SDSU Bootcamp
- Alternatives to SDSU Bootcamp
- How does SDSU Bootcamp compare to Pathrise?
What does SDSU Bootcamp do?
SDSU Bootcamp is a new San Diego State University online learning program created in collaboration with HackerU. They offer online courses to help people become a digital marketer or cybersecurity professional.
Their flagship digital marketing course teaches students the skills they need to land an entry level job in outbound or inbound marketing. The 400-hour self-paced program is split up into 2 courses. First, students participate in a 20-hour introductory class. Then, they do a full 380+ hour course. Students take the introductory course before moving onto the full program, though they don’t have to move on if they’re not satisfied. Classes feature instructor-led lectures, assignments, and projects that can be added to student’s professional portfolios. Instructors also host Q&A sessions where students can get clarification and feedback.
The comprehensive curriculum covers search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), e-commerce, content writing, and social media marketing. The course also touches on marketing-related skills such as UX/UI design, data visualization, basic data analysis, and even web development. Students work hands-on with in-demand marketing tools like Facebook, Google Ads, and WordPress.
All students meet with the career services team to prepare for the job search. In the final 10 hours of the program, students participate in career coaching sessions, professional networking workshops, interview training, and networking events. Students also get 1-on-1 consultations to optimize their LinkedIn profiles, portfolios, and resumes for the job search.
Who is SDSU Bootcamp for?
People who want to start a new career in digital marketing could benefit from SDSU’s bootcamp. The comprehensive curriculum could be a good match for students who want to learn the ropes of content writing, UX/UI design, and even data analytics so they graduate with a wide range of career choices. People looking to work in San Diego might be a good fit as the curriculum is tailored to the local market and the SDSU name may stand out. The program is totally remote and flexible, making it a good choice for learners with a full-time job.
What does SDSU Bootcamp cost? How much work is involved?
Tuition for the entire 400-hour flagship digital marketing program is $15,000. The 20-hour introductory course is $500 and included in this price. While the introductory course is mandatory, students can enroll in this 20-hour course first to get a taste of the SDSU Bootcamp before committing to the whole program.
Although students still have to fill out an application form and speak to an admissions advisor, the program does not have any formal interview or placement test. SDSU admits applicants on a rolling basis and no prior experience is necessary.
Ratings and reviews
As a relatively new program, SDSU Bootcamp does not have too many online reviews. However, they have recently been listed among Course Report’s top 35 content marketing bootcamps. Some Redditors were skeptical of the cost, concerned tuition was “a big chunk of change” for a program with no job guarantee. However, other Redditors were impressed with the parent company behind the bootcamp, HackerU. One company requested to interview students for marketing roles in a recent Facebook post. SDSU’s website also hosts positive reviews.
Alternatives to SDSU Bootcamp
If you choose not to enroll in SDSU Bootcamp, there are many alternative programs and courses that can help you launch a digital marketing career.
- The popular bootcamps General Assembly has a track in digital marketing. Their courses are project-based, with students graduating with polished portfolios to help them get a job. Their program features thousands of hiring partners, lots of 1-on-1 support, and a job placement rate of 91.4%. Read more about General Assembly in our review.
- Another online bootcamp with a comprehensive curriculum is GrowthX Academy. They offer courses for people who are interested in digital marketing, business development, product management, and UX design.
- Students seeking a comprehensive curriculum can check out Tradecraft. They teach courses in growth marketing, sales, product design, and more. Their 12-week program helps people land a job at a high-growth startup, focusing on the most fundamental entry level skills students can use to impress employers. Likewise, GreenFig, Jelly Academy, and Loyola University Digital Skills Bootcamp teach marketing and sales courses.
- Similarly, Noble Desktop is a tech bootcamp that helps students learn skills they need to land a digital marketing job. Their live instructor-led program offers lots of opportunities for hands-on practice with real marketing tools.
More alternatives
- People looking for online learning experiences can check out Digital Creative Institute, School16, Highway Education, and InternStreet. These tech bootcamps both have tracks in digital marketing with a comprehensive curriculum and lots of hands-on learning.
- The UC Berkeley Bootcamp, University of Denver Bootcamps, UC Davis Bootcamps, and Vanderbilt Bootcamps all offer part-time digital marketing courses. Their programs feature a hands-on curriculum, portfolio projects, 1-on-1 coaching, and university-branded certificates.
- Another self-paced, online learning platform is Udemy. They have 100K+ video courses in digital marketing, tech sales, software engineering, UX design, and more. Students only pay around $10 per class and get lifetime access.
- Students seeking free digital marketing courses can also check out QuickSprout, Copyblogger, Facebook Blueprint, and SEMRush Academy.
- The massive online learning platform edX hosts marketing courses from top universities like Harvard and MIT as well as big tech companies like Microsoft. Learn more about edX in our review.
- Similarly, Coursera hosts thousands of courses in a huge variety of tech topics, including digital marketing and sales. They often collaborate with universities and top tech companies like Google to keep their curricula practical and in-demand.
- The online learning platform Udacity also offers courses on a variety of tech subjects, including digital marketing. Students in Udacity’s nanodegree programs work 1-on-1 with mentors while working on projects they can put in their marketing portfolios. Read more about Udacity in our review.
How does SDSU Bootcamp compare to Pathrise?
SDSU Bootcamp is an online program that teaches people the skills they need to start a new career in digital marketing. Their curriculum caters to beginners and most students start with no marketing experience. Fellows in the Pathrise program should already have a background in their chosen field so they get the most out of our technical interview curriculum.
Pathrise is a career accelerator that helps students and professionals land their dream job in tech. Our experienced mentors have already helped 900+ people land great jobs by working with fellows at each phase of the job search, including perfecting their resumes and LinkedIn profiles, building their portfolios, preparing for technical and behavioral interviews, salary negotiation, and much more. With our guidance, fellows in our program usually land a job in just 3-5 months.
Our program is tailored to each fellow in the program and features a flexible schedule. Fellows only have 2-4 hours of group sessions per week and can schedule 1-on-1s as needed. The Pathrise income share agreement (ISA) means that fellows don’t pay anything until they land a job they love and start working.
Pathrise optimizes the job search through 1-on-1 mentoring. With our tips and guidance, fellows have seen their interview scores double and their response rates triple. If you are interested in working with any of our mentors to land your dream job, join Pathrise.
Apply today.
