Blockchain technology amalgamates technical tools, economic mechanisms, and system design patterns. It facilitates the construction of information systems with novel combinations of robustness, decentralization, privacy, cost, and flexibility. Beyond their initial use in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, blockchains have become a promising and powerful technology in business, financial services, law, and other areas. This course covers blockchain technology in a comprehensive, systematic, and interdisciplinary way. It surveys major approaches, variants, and applications of blockchains in these areas. Beyond a solid grasp of the principles, the course aims to build familiarity with practice through numerous case studies and hands-on projects. To facilitate its interdisciplinary perspective, this course will be open to two categories of students: students with Computer Science background (graduate or advanced undergraduate), and graduate students with a substantial Business or Law background and a working knowledge of computer programming. Projects will be done in heterogeneous teams combining these categories, and will center on devising and analyzing sample applications of blockchain technology, including both prototype implementations and analysis of its business/legal implications. Topics covered: disentangling ¿blockchain¿; cryptographic prerequisites; assets and their representations; on-chain programming; state consensus; deployments; decentralized applications (Dapps/Web3); protocol governance; protocol revenue and business models; market structure; privacy and authorization; regulation.

Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the MyBU Student Portal for the most up-to-date course information.