UC Riverside Bootcamp: Review, Cost, and Guide

Riverside is a vibrant community located just outside of Los Angeles, California. This Southern California city is home to a diverse culture and growing tech sector. Attending a UC Riverside coding bootcamp is a great way to learn the fundamental skills needed to start a career in tech in California’s Inland Empire region.

Most tech employment in the city relates to e-commerce and logistics, which has been a staple in the region’s technology industry for some time now. In addition to employment prospects, Riverside is also home to the University of California Riverside (UCR). This institution hosts nearly 20,000 students, along with several excellent alternative education programs.

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Recently, Trilogy Education Services collaborated with UCR Extension to develop a coding bootcamp to teach students valuable coding skills. This comprehensive program isn’t one of the newest university coding bootcamps in the region, but it already has a good reputation among students. There is also a UC Riverside bootcamp that trains students in cyber security.

In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the coding bootcamp Riverside offers, along with details on the application process, career planning services, and details on tuition costs.

UC Riverside Bootcamp Courses

Top UC Riverside Coding Bootcamps

UC Riverside’s coding bootcamps teach students skills applicable to their chosen career path. For both the cyber security and coding bootcamp, Riverside regularly updates its respective curricula to focus on in-demand technologies.

UC Riverside Coding Bootcamp

UCR’s coding bootcamp is an online, part-time program for working professionals who want to change careers or who need to update their skills for their current careers. Riverside’s coding bootcamp is taught through live online classes where students practice new skills through individual and group projects that they can use in their professional portfolios.

What you will learn at UC Riverside Coding Bootcamp:

• JavaScript. This course focuses on teaching students how to code in JavaScript, covering topics like algorithms, Big O notation, and data structures. There are optional modules for students who want to learn Python, Java, Amazon Web Services, and C#.
• Front end development. UCR’s coding bootcamp teaches students how to use HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and jQuery to design webpages. Students will also learn how to use API, AJAX, and JSON to streamline interactions between the front end and the backend of a website.
• Backend development. You’ll learn how to use MySQL and MongoDB databases, as well as Node.js, Express.js, and MERN Stack for server-side development.

UC Riverside Cybersecurity Bootcamp

UCR’s cyber security bootcamp was designed to meet the high market demand for cyber security professionals. Both full-time students and working adults can make time for this part-time program. In UC Riverside’s cyber security bootcamp, students will learn how to protect data and prepare to take several cyber security professional certification exams.

What you will learn at UC Riverside Cybersecurity Bootcamp:

• Networking Systems. Students will use packet analysis and Wireshark to build and analyze networks on Windows and Linux systems.
• Cyber Security Techniques. In this module, you’ll learn the key techniques used by cyber security professionals from secure network design and risk management to cloud security and cryptography.
• Testing Defenses. After you learn how to build up cyber security defenses, you’ll learn how to use Kali Linux, Metasploit, Hashcat, and Burp Suite in ethical hacking and penetration testing to find holes in your cyber security fortress.

UCR Bootcamp Review

UCR’s coding bootcamps have an average rating of 4.5 out of five stars from student reviews posted on Career Karma. Students liked both the course material and instructors’ teaching styles.

One student praised the “solid curriculum, which reflected technology changes as they were happening,” and another student noted that the curriculum structure also taught them “how to work in agile development.”

Students agreed that the UC Riverside bootcamp accelerated learning pace was tough. One past student said that the course “is quite rigorous for working a full-time job.” Students also felt that career services resources were “poorly communicated.”

UCR Bootcamp Cost

Coding bootcamp pricing in the continental US varies widely, but typically starts around $8,000 and rarely exceeds $20,000. With that in mind, it’s easy to see why UC Riverside’s coding bootcamp cost is a good value at $11,495 for the program.

While the initial tuition price may seem high, it’s not necessarily what you’ll pay. There are plenty of excellent scholarships for coding bootcamp students, so be sure to check them out. You should also remember that coding bootcamp graduates often increase their salaries after graduation, which explains why so many students attend UCR bootcamp programs.

Both courses at UC Riverside advertise the same all-inclusive tuition price, which means there are no hidden UCR Extension bootcamp fees. There are no expensive textbooks to purchase, as coding bootcamp curriculum is primarily paperless. This is an improvement compared to traditional programs, which often cost students thousands of dollars more in materials and fees. 

UC Riverside Bootcamp Instructors

Coding bootcamp instructors aren’t usually university professors, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be helpful. Bootcamp instructors are well-educated in their field and capable of teaching a group of around 30 students. They are willing to answer questions and guide students along, as coding can be complex, tedious, and often confusing at times.

Luckily, instructors aren’t left with the burden of an entire class. Trilogy coding bootcamps have teacher’s assistants who help pick up the slack, and students widely report success through this proven method. In fact, a UC Riverside coding bootcamp student praised the “really thoughtful and well-connected instructors who think out of the box for students.”

UCR Bootcamp Schedule

 The coding bootcamp at UC Riverside offers two part-time courses, both of which are split up into modules. These programs offer evening classes during the week, currently on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. This Trilogy Education bootcamp lasts for 24 weeks or six months.

With classes spaced out throughout the week, students have plenty of time for homework, university courses, or even a full-time job. It’s worth mentioning that this coding bootcamp isn’t reserved for university students only, as anybody can apply and attend. Both programs have four start dates per year, with a new start date every quarter.

UC Riverside bootcamps are live, online coding bootcamps, which means students must log on at a specific time to attend class. It’s imperative to attend as many classes as possible. The curriculum is intense and moves quickly, so absences can set you back significantly. Luckily, students who attend every class usually have no issue keeping up.

UCR Bootcamp Curriculum

As we mentioned earlier, the curriculum at UC Riverside’s coding bootcamp is intensive and thorough. If the full stack curriculum seems intense, don’t worry. With good time management skills, anybody can learn these programming skills within the 24-week timeframe.

For the full stack web development course, students learn a wide range of popular coding languages and web development skills. Full stack developers will learn front end web design, HTML5 web design, Node.js coding, JavaScript coding, MERN stack coding, C# coding, object-oriented coding, and much more.

Cyber security students learn a different set of skills, including Wireshark, Kali Linux, and Metasploit, along with skills needed for CompTIA Security+ and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certifications. Preparing for these professional certifications is one of the reasons why Trilogy Education cyber security courses are so popular.

UC Riverside Bootcamp on Reddit

Reddit is an excellent resource for honest opinions, and many people take to this platform to discuss the reality of coding bootcamps. However, a search for UCR coding bootcamp reviews reveals more prospective students looking for insight than answers from previous students.

One former student said the course is good for students who are “starting from zero” to get caught up on coding or cyber security topics. Commenters in the thread also noted that some employers are reluctant to accept bootcamp certificates as relevant education, but that professional certifications in IT are valued.

There isn’t much on Reddit about UC Riverside’s coding bootcamp, but there are lots of comments from past Trilogy Education students. Student success was variable depending on the location, though a common thread among all commenters was that prospective students should plan to spend over 20 hours a week reviewing the material to get the most out of the course.

UCR ExtensionUCR Extension Bootcamp Job Placement

Job placement is a major selling point for coding bootcamps, especially in this rapidly changing economy. Unfortunately, Trilogy Education Services doesn’t share job placement statistics, but UC Riverside bootcamps do have a career services team to help students with their job search with services like resume writing resources, portfolio reviews, and mock interviews.

While Trilogy career services don’t guarantee you a job, they do teach you useful strategies to be more competitive in the workforce. Your individual results will vary, but if you apply the same effort to the job search that you did during coding bootcamp, you’ll set yourself up for success in the competitive tech job market.

UC Riverside Bootcamp Admissions Process

The UC Riverside bootcamp admissions process is quick and easy. The goal of UC Riverside Extension is to make education accessible to everyone, so they don’t have restrictive requirements to enroll in a program. Enrolling is as easy as following the steps below, and all you need to qualify is a high school diploma or GED.

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Find Your Bootcamp Match

• Submit an online contact form. The first step in the application process is to submit an online contact form to get more information about the coding bootcamp Riverside offers. After you submit the form, an admissions advisor will contact you with more information 
• Attend an admissions interview. Next, you’ll receive a link to schedule a short admissions interview with an admissions officer. During this phone interview, the admissions officer will ask you about your career goals and answer any questions you have about the program.
• Fill out an application form. After the interview, the admissions department will send you a short application form. It will have questions about your education and work history, as well as your reasons for wanting to enroll in a UC Riverside bootcamp.
• Take a short assessment. Next, you’ll need to take a short, online exam. This exam doesn’t require any industry knowledge, it’s designed to assess your problem-solving skills and to make sure you are comfortable completing online assignments online.
• Sign your enrollment agreement. The last step before attending classes is to choose a payment plan and sign your enrollment agreement. You’ll also be asked to submit a deposit at this stage.

How to Prepare for UC Riverside Coding Bootcamp

UC Riverside coding bootcamps are designed for students with no background in coding, but you will have a more meaningful experience if you have some foundational skills. Find a free learn to code resource and spend a few hours a week learning the basics. You don’t need to become an expert, but a little background knowledge will help a lot.

Another way to prepare is to wrap up any personal projects you have before the course starts. Although all UC Riverside bootcamps are part-time programs, you’ll need at least 20 spare hours a week to attend class and study. Finish any big work, school, or life projects before classes start so you can focus on learning.

UC Riverside Bootcamp Payment Options

UC Riverside has a few different bootcamp payment options, but UCR Extension bootcamp financial aid options are limited. Students can get a $1,000 discount for paying in full before the start of classes, and UC Riverside graduates can get a $500 alumni discount.

Pay in Full

If you can afford it, paying the full cost of tuition before the start of your UC Riverside bootcamp is a great option. You’ll get a $1,000 discount if you can pay $1,000 when you sign your enrollment agreement and pay the rest of your tuition in full before the first day of class.

Interest-free Payment Plan

With this UCR Extension bootcamp financing option, students pay a $1,000 deposit when they sign their enrollment agreement and then pay the rest of their tuition in six equal monthly payments. Students don’t get a tuition discount, but they also don’t pay any interest with this payment plan.

Two Year Payment Plan

Another interest-free payment plan is the two-year payment plan through Trilogy partner EdAid. In this plan, students choose the amount of their initial deposit and pay the rest of their tuition costs over 24 months. This payment option is more flexible than the six-month program, but deferring costs can be risky if you don’t have a solid plan for how to pay the full cost.

Private Loans

Private loans are another way to pay for a bootcamp, but you will need to pay back the full amount of the loan plus interest. Students who are approved for a private loan through Sallie Mae for the full amount of tuition don’t need to pay a deposit when they sign their enrollment agreement. Federal student loans are not available to pay for bootcamp programs.

Is the UC Riverside Coding Bootcamp Worth It?

Yes, the UC Riverside coding bootcamp is worth it for students who already have a bachelor’s degree and are looking to change careers. Students without a bachelor’s degree will also learn a lot, but many tech careers still require a bachelor’s degree even if you have the skills to do the job.

To get the most out of your UC Riverside bootcamp experience, make sure you have 10 hours a week to devote to online classes and 20 hours a week for completing assignments and studying. Take the time to polish your bootcamp projects for your professional portfolio because examples of high-quality web development projects will help you in the job market.

UC Riverside Coding Bootcamp FAQ