A review of University of Denver Bootcamps as a tech bootcamp

Hi, I’m Polina! Formerly, I worked as a senior digital marketing manager and now I am the marketing mentor at Pathrise. I help job-seekers prepare for their future in digital marketing. Check out my review of University of Denver Bootcamps

What does University of Denver Bootcamps do?
Who is University of Denver Bootcamps for?
What does University of Denver Bootcamps cost?
Ratings and reviews of University of Denver Bootcamps
Alternatives to University of Denver Bootcamps
How does University of Denver Bootcamps compare to Pathrise?

What does University of Denver Bootcamps do?

University of Denver Bootcamps offer full-time and part-time courses for aspiring digital marketers, UX/UI design, web developers, data analysts, and cybersecurity professionals. While no prior experience is necessary, all students must complete self-paced pre-work before starting a bootcamp. All courses are now online because of Covid-19.

Digital marketing

Their 18-week part-time digital marketing course teaches students the skills they need to become a digital marketer. The bootcamp meets two weekdays per week from 6:30pm to 9:30pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. Students participate in live lectures, hands-on assignments, team projects, and workshops. The curriculum teaches students brand strategy, brand building, lead generation, funnels, SEO, and more. Students use in-demand marketing technologies like Google Ads, Google Analytics, Facebook Ads Manager, and WordPress to put together their own marketing campaigns. Graduates leave the bootcamp with polished digital marketing portfolios they can use to impress employers and land marketing jobs.

UX/UI design

Students in the 24-week part-time UX/UI design course meet two weekdays per week from 6:30pm to 9:30pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. The course teaches students key design principles, HTML/CSS fundamentals, basic JavaScript, Adobe, Sketch, Bootstrap, Git, and more. Students prototype their own design projects with polished user interfaces, interactions, and user experiences. The program culminates in a final group design project students can add to their portfolios to help them become a UX designer.

Web dev

DU’s web development bootcamps teach people the skills they need to launch web development careers. Students in the 12-week full-time course meet Monday-Friday from 10am to 2:30pm. The 24-week part-time program meets two weekdays per week from 6:30pm to 9:30pm and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. Students are also responsible for homework and assignments outside of class time. The curriculum is the same for both the part-time and full-time courses. It features live lectures, team assignments, hands-on workshops, projects, and networking opportunities. Students learn to build full stack web apps using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Node.js, C#, and React.Js. The curriculum also includes bootstrap, ASP, Heroku, MySQL, MongoDB, and more.

Data science

The part-time data science course lasts 24 weeks and meets two weekdays per week from 6:30pm to 9:30pm, with additional Saturday classes from 10am to 2pm. Students learn to analyze and visualize data using Excel, Python, JavaScript, Tableau, SQL databases, and more. They participate in live lectures, 1-on-1 coaching sessions, hands-on workshops, group projects, and more. For their final project, students work in teams to build a data visualization application that can be added to their portfolios and help them get entry level data science jobs.

All University of Denver bootcamps include career services. Students participate in resume workshops, mock interviews, and portfolio reviews, resume workshops. Both a career director and profile coach meet 1-on-1 with students to help prepare them for the job search.

Who is University of Denver Bootcamps for?

People with little to no experience in digital marketing, UX/UI design, web dev, or data analytics who are looking to move into these fields could benefit from University of Denver Bootcamps. The program is especially helpful for people based in Denver and for those interested in a fast-paced, hands-on learning experience.

What does University of Denver Bootcamps cost? How much work is involved?

Tuition for the full-time web dev course is $11,995. All other DU courses cost $10,995. Interest-free monthly payment plans are available, but students who pay upfront get a discount. University of Denver alumni and students who register early are also eligible for a discount.

The admissions process begins with a brief written application or a quick call to the admissions office. Next, candidates have a behavioral interview over the phone. Select candidates move on to a final critical thinking and problem-solving assessment. No prior experience is required.

Ratings and reviews

University of Denver Bootcamps has received mixed to positive reviews. The program is rated 4.66/5 stars on Course Report and is included on Course Report’s best Denver bootcamps list. The top review describes the program as “a fantastic course for someone who is trying to jump into a new career.” The grad praised the course’s positive environment and personalized support, commenting “the instructors and TA’s are fantastic.” However, the grad felt that the course was demanding, warning that the bootcamp was “a very challenging environment” and “not an easy path.” They also had mixed feelings about job support, only rating the career services 3/5 stars.

Another top review appreciated the courses’ support and hands-on curriculum, saying “tutors can help flesh out the lectures” with “real-world experience.” However, the grad was disappointed that “career advisors don’t have any particular industry contacts to share” and “was still applying without much success” to jobs after graduating.

Reviewers on Reddit felt the curriculum was effective but challenging. One student commented that the courses “got my foot in the door” but “a lot of it will depend on your own initiative.” Some grads on Reddit had mixed feelings about University of Denver Bootcamps’ parent company, Trilogy. One Reddit user commented, “no one has had anything positive to say about Career Services.” The Career Karma blog rates their courses a 9/10, praising the hands-on curriculum and bootcamp’s “university reputation”, but warned that there is “no job guarantee.” Overall, students seem satisfied with the course’s hands-on curriculum and student support, though some would have liked a slower pace with more help getting a job.

Alternatives to University of Denver Bootcamps

If you decide not to enroll in University of Denver Bootcamps, there are a number of alternative courses and resources that can help you launch a career as a web developer, digital marketer, or data analyst.

The well-known bootcamp General Assembly teaches full-time, part-time, and 1-day courses on a variety of topics like UX/UI design, data science, software engineering, digital marketing, product management, and more. Read more about General Assembly in our review.
Aspiring web developers can also consider CodeX Academy, a self-paced coding bootcamp with 1-on-1 mentorship opportunities. Learn more about CodeX Academy in our review.
If you’re interested in taking an online product design bootcamp that is self-guided or instructor led, take a look at DesignerUp. Read about DesignerUp in our program review.
Aspiring designers can check out Designlab, a tech bootcamp that teaches students all the skills needed to launch a career as a UX designer. Read more about Designlab in our review.
Likewise, Avocademy and Perpetual Education are online design bootcamps that help students build up their portfolios.
Similarly, Bloc, allWomen Academy, Design Sprint School, and Memorisely have online courses in UX design and web development.
Aspiring data analysts can look into Data Science Dream Job, a self-paced program.

More alternatives

Similarly, Metis is a bootcamp with introductory data analytics courses. They also feature a project-based curriculum with both on-campus and remote options. Learn more about Metis in our review.
Or, you can consider K2 Data Science or 365 Data Science, which are part-time, online programs. If you prefer in-person classes, check out Magnimind, which has full-time and part-time data science courses.
In the same vein, FourthBrain has part-time, online machine learning courses.
Aspiring digital marketers and designers can check out GrowthX Academy, a tech bootcamp with courses in growth marketing, UX design, and sales and business development.
Similarly, Plural s ight, SDSU Bootcamp, Bootcamp Digital, Digital Creative Institute, Somerville Academy, NJIT Digital Skills Bootcamp, DeltaV Code School, and InternStreet offer tracks in digital marketing.
The full-time tech bootcamp Kenzie Academy has in-person and online courses in 2 tracks: software engineering & UX design with front-end engineering. Learn more about Kenzie Academy in our review.
The online learning platform Simplilearn offers a paid digital marketing specialist master’s program, as well as other technical courses.
UC Berkeley Bootcamp, Rice University Bootcamps, Georgia Tech Bootcamp, Pepperdine Graziadio Bootcamps, GW Bootcamps, and KU Bootcamps teach digital marketing, web dev, and data courses with both online and in-person options. Their programs are managed by the Trilogy, the same company that manages University of Denver’s bootcamps, meaning they have similar curriculums and job support.
Aspiring data analysts can check out DataCamp, which is an online resource offering over 300 courses. Courses last about 4 hours.

Even more alternatives

Similarly, Divergence Academy has part-time and full-time data science courses. Or, consider QuickStart, Nashville Software School, Codeup, One Month, Clarusway, UC San Diego Bootcamps, UC Davis Bootcamps, and Tech Talent South, which have courses in web dev and data.
Students seeking 1-on-1 mentorship and ISA options may consider Thinkful, a bootcamp that teaches courses in data science, digital marketing, and more.
Similarly, Codecademy is one of the most popular coding programs online. They provide free courses on many different programming languages. Learn more about Codecademy in our review.
edX is another popular online learning platform with university courses. Their self-paced courses come from top schools like Harvard and MIT, and even big tech companies like Microsoft. Students can choose to learn the fundamentals or dive deeper into specific topics, like digital marketing or UX design. Learn more about edX in our review.
Similarly, online educational resources Udacity and Springboard offer low-cost, self-paced courses in digital marketing, web dev, data analytics, and many other tech topics. Learn more about Udacity and Springboard in our reviews.

How does University of Denver Bootcamps compare to Pathrise?

University of Denver Bootcamps offer courses to help people start a career as a digital marketer, UX/UI designer, web developer, cybersecurity professional, or data analyst. While an interest in tech is recommended, most University of Denver Bootcamp students start from scratch. Pathrise job-seekers should already have a background in their chosen field to get the most out of the technical curriculum.

The courses offered by University of Dever Bootcamps are fast-paced and intense, with both their full-time and part-time programs requiring work outside of class. Pathrise is a flexible program with only 2-4 hours of group sessions per week and 1-on-1 sessions that can be scheduled as needed. Our curriculum is tailored to the needs of each individual fellow.

Pathrise is a career accelerator that has helped 1,000+ people land their dream job in tech. Our mentors work 1-on-1 with fellows on their resumes & portfolios, reverse recruiting and cold emails, behavioral and technical interview preparation, salary negotiation, and more. We offer an income share agreement so fellows in our program don’t pay until they get a great tech job. We never require deposits or upfront payment.

Pathrise optimizes the job search through 1-on-1 mentorship and personalized training. Fellows in our program see their interview scores double and their application responses triple,. If you are interested in working with any of our mentors to land your dream tech job faster, join Pathrise.