Top 10 Online Short Courses About the Blockchain 

Acquiring new skills is the best investment you could make when seeking professional growth. Nowadays, employers tend to hire employees with little knowledge about many things rather than those with a laser focus on just one or two skills. 

Blockchain is not a thing of the future–it is the present. Universities around the world are increasingly directing their focus on teaching blockchain and related fields as we get closer to realizing a fully decentralized world.

A degree can be a lucrative professional development opportunity, but not everyone is ready to engage in a long educational commitment due to a busy schedule. A blockchain certificate still teaches the fundamental concepts and frameworks of the industry, without having to spend years to do so. 

Blockchain Strategy Program (University of Oxford)

This short course focuses on developing an understanding of how cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology work and shape modern-day business operations. Primarily, it exposes learners to the opportunities and challenges related to the industry and encourages a more critical approach to learning about disruptive technology.

Aside from this, the economical, technical, political, and environmental implications of blockchain technology will be discussed in detail. This program is for students striving to have a deeper understanding of decentralized technology without going too technical.

Cryptocurrency and Ledgers Certificate (Cornell University)

For beginners wanting to gain easy-to-understand information about cryptocurrency and how it works, this introductory course to a four-part eCornell blockchain course is the one to take. It is a two-week program that only requires three to five hours of effort a week.

The certificate aims to build theoretical crypto knowledge from scratch, including how Bitcoin facilitates peer-to-peer transactions. It is a continuing program layered with other short courses namely Cryptography Essentials, Blockchain Fundamentals, and Applications of Blockchain Technology.

Blockchain Fundamentals (Cornell University)

This program is the third milestone in eCornell’s four-part blockchain course. It will dig deep into how consensus mechanisms are devised to work on cryptocurrency protocols like Bitcoin. It is a good introduction to understanding blockchain, tackling only the essential details of the technology’s real-world application.

Blockchain: Disruptive Technology (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

MIT’s eight-week online program on Blockchain: Disruptive Technology explores how the technology increased the transparency and efficiency of business transactions over the years. 

It is tailored to serve executives and entry-level positions alike since it provides a targeted understanding of the fundamentals and applications of blockchain in creating transformative business projects.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers a dynamic range of short courses to help students stay relevant in the fast-changing 21st-century job market.

Blockchain Security and Privacy (Singapore University of Social Sciences)

Transactions made on public ledgers are characterized by transparency. However, there has been a growing problem with frequent security breaches over the years. 

Blockchain Security and Privacy offered by the Singapore University of Social Sciences is more structured compared to any other short courses in the field. It is a six-month program focusing on leveraging information security knowledge in devising secured frameworks to protect blockchain operations.

In this course, students will learn about cryptographic and other protection techniques related to data integrity and confidentiality. It aims to help learners think of innovative offensive approaches that can counter threats in the decentralized system.

Economics of Blockchain and Digital Assets (University of Pennsylvania)

The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania’s program aims to bring together like-minded professionals eager to learn about the blockchain and digital assets industry.

In this six-week course, students will be able to identify the real-world usage of cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and central bank digital currencies. Moreover, there will be a comparative study on the cost and benefits of blockchain versus mainstream technologies available to us today. There will also be a discussion on the regulations that apply to the digital assets economy and blockchain-related services.

Introduction to Blockchain and Bitcoin (Harvard University)

Of course, one of the premier Ivy League schools will not miss the opportunity to be on blockchain learning’s pedestal.

The Introduction to Blockchain and Bitcoin is under the Harvard Extension School, promoting mathematical, computational, and foundational knowledge about the blockchain and related fields. It provides a deep understanding of how the decentralized monetary system works in the context of the consensus mechanisms such as the Proof-of-Work model that Bitcoin employs. 

Consequently, there will be a focused discussion on Bitcoin and its role as a global digital payment currency. Degree credits will be given to course finishers. 

Cryptocurrency and Disruption (London School of Economics)

LSE’s specialization course on Cryptocurrency and Disruption suits those interested in crypto-assets and their structures, including how they trade on exchanges, are stored in hard and soft wallets, and do initial coin offerings.

One of Cryptocurrency and Disruption’s learning targets is getting students familiar with crypto terminologies and taxonomy. It also encourages an improved way of thinking about cryptocurrency markets and their role in the future of money.

Earning a certificate from a reputable university like LSE will ensure you get ahead of the stiff competition in the information technology industry.

Deep Dive into Blockchain (University of Zürich)

The University of Zurich International Summer School’s Deep Dive into the Blockchain immerses learners deeper into decentralized technology. For students looking for a non-committal learning pace, this program will cover the potential, framework, and practical application of blockchain in just three weeks. 

Despite its fully-online nature, activities are delivered in a highly interactive and hands-on way to help facilitate a smoother flow of understanding on otherwise complicated topics like a programming language. 

Back-End and Blockchain Development (York University)

This short online course offered by York University is the first blockchain-related course offered by a Canadian university. Industry executives with first-hand experience in blockchain technology devised this 9-course program.

This post-graduate certificate will not only capacitate learners about cryptography and data structures. It will also give them enough exposure to become consultants on implementing blockchain technology to optimize business operations. 

The primary beneficiaries of this program are professionals and executives in the field of blockchain development, blockchain engineering, and software development for blockchain technologies.