Leading Blockchain Courses for Business Professionals
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Blockchain seems to be the talk of the town lately. From every business newspaper to tech journal, the possibility of not finding the mention of blockchain is extremely rare. With the increase in the popularity of blockchain, more and more people are looking forward to carving a career in this revolutionary industry. 

However, finding the right material to learn about this upcoming tech becomes daunting due to the lack of awareness regarding the availability of well-structured courses. It becomes even more difficult for non-tech professionals interested in equipping themselves with fundamentals and real-world implications of blockchain instead of technical expertise. We’ve compiled a list of leading blockchain courses to assist non-tech professionals in their blockchain course selection.

1. Blockchain: Foundation and Use Cases – Consensys 

Consensys is no ordinary name in the blockchain world. In fact, it is one of the earliest and most reputed organizations involved in the Ethereum ecosystem. One of the main mottos of Consensys is to create wide-scale awareness about blockchain and how it can be used to revolutionize the world. 

The course is a great head start for professionals struggling to grasp the ideology behind blockchain. It not only covers all the business and technical aspects of decentralized distributed tech but also the philosophical principles behind it. 

Course Content:

  • Blockchain Foundation: History, Introduction to distributed ledgers, Need for decentralization
  • Explaining the Technical Side: Public key cryptography, Hash functions, Nodes, Blocks, Network
  • Blockchain in Use: Public and private blockchains, Consensus mechanisms, Limitations and implications of blockchain
  • Exploring Ecosystems: Cryptocurrency, Bitcoin and Ethereum, Smart Contracts, Wallets, Decentralized apps, Real-world use cases

Level: Beginners to Intermediate. 

Duration: 10 hours

Cost: €85 (approximately)

Who should take this course: Anyone interested in learning about blockchain technology from scratch.

2. Blockchain Technologies: Business Innovation and Application

MIT needs no introduction, and the online courses offered by MIT live up to the same reputation. Very popular among business professionals and executives, it is probably the only course one needs to truly understand the application of blockchain technology in a business context. 

This short online program is divided into six modules, covered over the span of six weeks. Students are expected to dedicate approx. 5-8 hours every week. The learning path is very well-organized and presented interactively. Upon completion, the students will also be awarded a certificate of completion from the MIT Sloan School of Management, which will definitely help them to stand out from their peers. 

Course Content:

  • Introduction to Blockchain and Bitcoin: Blockchain-based solutions for businesses, Double spending and bitcoin
  • Blockchain and Costless Verification: Finding solutions to the last mile problem
  • Cryptoeconomics and Tokens: Cost and benefit of utilizing tokens for a business
  • The Future of Blockchain, AI and Privacy: Evaluation and Solutions

Level: Beginners to Intermediate.

Duration: 6 weeks (6-8 hours/week)

Cost: €2990 (approximately)

Who should take this course: Anyone interested in blockchain can pursue the course, but it is best tailored for business executives and professionals.

3. Cryptocurrency and Blockchain: An Introduction to Digital Currencies

Offered by the University of Pennsylvania, the course aims at equipping investors and traders with complete know-how of trading cryptocurrencies. The course begins with highlighting the basics of blockchain and cryptocurrencies and then focuses on explaining Crypto as an asset class. 

This program is apt for investors looking to incorporate cryptocurrency in their investment portfolio, traditional traders confused about the mechanisms supporting Bitcoin, and anyone curious to learn about the implications of adopting Bitcoin as an alternative currency. The course explains cryptocurrencies by focusing on the first and most popular crypto coin, Bitcoin.

Course Content:

  • Introduction to Cryptocurrency: Methodology behind Bitcoin, Role of centralized intermediaries, Reason for the rise of Bitcoin as cash-alternative, Price mechanism of Bitcoin
  • Structure of Bitcoin: Problems solved by decentralized currency, Digital signatures, Proof of work, Mining, Currency supply
  • Crypto as an Asset: Risk and returns to Bitcoin, Modern portfolio theories, Asset allocation and Risk assessment in crypto
  • Exploring blockchain Use cases: Crypto finance, Blockchain in business and Investment via real-world examples

Level: Beginner. 

Duration: 4-5 hours

Cost: €80 (approximately)

Who should take this course: Although no prerequisites are required, some general knowledge of finance would be beneficial.

4. The Basics of Blockchain: Ethereum, Bitcoin, & More

Another exceptional course for beginners, it is co-authored by the famous blockchain Ted Talk speaker, Bettina Warburg. The program aims to provide the students with the knowledge of the connection linking blockchain, business, and economy. Starting with the same blockchain fundamentals as mentioned in the previous courses, this particular program’s main focus is to guide the students toward clearly understanding how blockchain works in real-life conditions.

Course Content:

  • Blockchain Overview: What is blockchain?, Registry of transactions, Explaining peer-to-peer, Traits of blockchain
  • Economics of Blockchain: Economic history of uncertainties and financial intermediates, Internet adoption, Blockchain eliminating the middlemen, Smart Contracts
  • The technology of Blockchain: Emergence of Bitcoin and Ethereum, web 3.0, Imagining decentralized economies.
  • Business of Blockchain: Studying use cases of blockchain in business (asset tracking, supply chain, provenance, etc.).

Level: Beginner. 

Duration: 4 hours

Cost: €10 (approximately)

Who should take this course: Most suited for business students and professionals keen on gaining an in-depth understanding of the impact of blockchain on business.

5. Introduction to DeFi – Decentralized Finance Course – 101 Blockchains

There is one word sweeping the crypto world, DeFi. But what actually is DeFi? DeFi in simple terms refers to Decentralized Finance, a whole branch of financial products and services being offered in the decentralized crypto space as an alternative to centralized financial services and products. 

This is an excellent course offered by Blockchain 101 for blockchain and Crypto enthusiasts who’d like to further explore this field. The learners will get the opportunity to go into the depths of yield farming, staking, pool mining, DEX, dapps, stablecoins, and many other phenomena which comprise the DeFi ecosystem. 

Course Content:

  • Introduction to DeFi: Highlighting all the components comprising DeFi.
  • Purpose and scope of DeFi: Explaining the need for DeFi
  • The DeFi ecosystem: Main features, Tools, and Processes
  • The DeFi use cases and Risks: Risk assessment 

Level: Intermediary. 

Duration: 1 week

Cost: €169 (approximately)

Who should take this course: Candidates who have fluency over basic blockchain principles with a focus on Ethereum.

6. How Entrepreneurs in Emerging Markets can master the Blockchain Technology

Another one of the most highly rated blockchain courses on Coursera, this particular course deals with blockchain applications outside the finance and wider business world. Almost all the courses which have been covered in this article deal with the financial or business implications of blockchain. But this program also addresses one of the most controversial topics of the tech world, privacy.

The majority of the things that go on the Internet can be denoted as data. Consequently, data is regarded as the gold of the 21st century. The lack of freedom that users face while dealing with their own data possess a big threat to their privacy. It is widely believed that this issue of privacy on the web can be effectively addressed with the adoption of Web 3.0. Web 3.0, often called the decentralized web or internet of blockchains, strives to facilitate users with the power to control their data.

Course Content:

  • Cryptographic foundation: Current financial landscape, Blockchain as a means to transform financial system, Proof of stake, Hash functions, Merkle trees
  • Understanding Blockchain: Double-entry bookkeeping, Distributed ledgers, Blockchain in accounting, Blockchain disrupting banking.
  • Artificial Intelligence: Overview, Artificial intelligence in banks, Supervised and unsupervised learning
  • Preparing your business for web 3.0 revolution: What is web 3.0, Case study of the non-financial application of blockchain

Level: Beginner 

Duration: 10 hours

Cost: €35 (approximately)

Who should take this course: Appropriate for entrepreneurs who wish to find solutions for their complex business needs via blockchain

7. Blockchain Theory 101

Among the most recommended blockchain courses on Udemy, Blockchain Theory 101 tops the list. It is a comprehensive training guide covering all the aspects of blockchain, from basic theory to practical considerations.

There are a total number of 8 sections divided into short 22 sections, with each section focusing on a different topic. The length of the course is no more than 2 hours, hence it is suitable for people who want to have a quick grasp of the most important  elements of blockchain technology.

Course Content:

  • Introduction and Technical Aspects of Blockchain: Theory, Impact, Smart Networks, Crypto, Wallets, Mining.
  • Blockchain Applications: ICO, Bitcoin, Smart assets, Financial services, Governance
  • Blockchain Implementations: Decision making, Ethereum, Smart Contracts
  • Consensus Algorithm and Practical examples: Proof of work, Proof of stake, Byzantine fault tolerance, Trading Bitcoin

Level: Beginner

Duration: 1.5 hours

Cost: Free

Who should take the course: Anyone interested in learning about all the aspects of blockchain in a limited time frame

8. Blockchain Revolution Specialization

This specialization offered by INSEAD consists of four courses. It is your one spot to learn all about blockchain. Since the course consists of multiple modules, the content is as comprehensive as it can get. 

The specialization first introduces the learner to blockchain technology; what it is, how it works, why it is revolutionary, and what problems it solves. The second and third course covers blockchain in a more practical sense, explaining how blockchain can reshape our world by revolutionizing trade and transactions, and then shedding light on mainstream implications of the distributed tech on business. The final course allows the learners to evaluate their knowledge by asking them to provide a blockchain-based solution for the problem that may exist in their industry.

Course Content:

  • Introduction to Blockchain Technologies: Foundation, Key concepts, Challenges, Key players
  • Transacting on the Blockchain: Centralization of power, Decentralization, Crypto, New identity models
  • Blockchain and Business – Applications and Implications: New financial business models, How blockchain will disrupt various functions in major industries
  • Blockchain Opportunity Analysis: Use-cases, Evaluation, Peer-reviewed projects

Level: Beginner

Duration: 5 months (4 hours/week)

Cost: €85 (approximately)

Who should take this course: Though the specialization is appropriate for anyone seeking extensive knowledge of blockchain. It is most suited for professionals or entrepreneurs willing to acquire expertise in distributed ledger technology.

Conclusion

There are plenty of amazing courses available online according to different needs and requirements of business professionals. One can even audit the majority of these courses for free if certification is not something that one is after. Now, go ahead and make the best out of these excellent resources. Good luck in your journey of becoming a blockchain pro!