In a world where cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology enable direct peer-to-peer transactions and transcend traditional financial norms, more people want to learn about them to keep up with the times.
Universities around the world are starting to offer cryptocurrency-related courses to accommodate this new paradigm. Due to the growing demand, many of the world’s best universities offer cryptocurrency related courses.
There has been a lot of hype around cryptocurrencies – mainly due to their disruptive potential – and the rise of crypto education has strongly coincided with this. According to a 2022 Study.com survey, about two-thirds of cryptocurrency-savvy American parents and college students thought the subject should be taught in schools as mandatory.
A recent poll performed by Grayscale Investments in conjunction with The Harris Poll revealed that approximately 53% of Americans see cryptocurrencies as the future of finance.
Such positive perspectives regarding cryptocurrencies have given confidence to the introduction of related courses in higher education institutions.
Why more and more people are looking for crypto education
The decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies and the ease of acquisition have attracted speculative traders and long-term investors.
However, investing in digital currencies carries significant risk, and more and more investors are trying to educate themselves before jumping into a new asset class.
Some entrepreneurs and business executives who want to learn more about cryptocurrencies to transform their business have turned to crypto education, especially the latest cryptocurrency-based revenue generation models.
Companies are also increasing the demand for crypto education. In recent years, several blue-chip firms such as IBM, Oracle, Cisco, Amazon, and Google have actively sought crypto- or blockchain-oriented employees to help develop innovative blockchain products. This has increased the demand for related courses. Some companies have gone a step further and partnership with institutions offering courses to further crypto and blockchain research and support related programs.
Mary Lacity, Distinguished Professor of Information Systems at the Sam M. Walton College of Business, told Cointelegraph that corporate companies were among the early drivers of this trend.
“The initial request to launch these programs came from our industry partners, including Walmart, JB Hunt, Tyson Foods, ArcBest and IBM,” Lacity said.
The professor emphasized that the growing corporate clientele initially prompted the institution to focus on private blockchain courses. Still, the curriculum has since been revamped to cover public blockchains due to changing market dynamics.
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“Our students are interested in the possibilities of creating their own decentralized applications,” she said.
As for the future of crypto education, Lacity said demand is strong and likely to remain so for the foreseeable future.
What do cryptocurrencies cover?
Cryptocurrency courses usually cover fundamental areas that cryptocurrency users and investors struggle to understand, such as the basics of blockchain technology.
Understanding how blockchain systems work and their advantages and disadvantages is an integral part of understanding cryptocurrencies. Some cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), are inherently deflationary, with mechanisms limiting supply and increasing the difficulty of mining. This in turn creates scarcity, increasing BTC’s value and purchasing power over time.
Cryptocurrencies that lack such characteristics have limited upside price potential due to oversupply. Details like these help students, especially investors, make more informed decisions when researching cryptocurrencies.
Cryptocurrency education also helps students understand the risks associated with investing in cryptocurrencies, such as extreme volatility and the factors that trigger it, such as regulatory changes and negative market sentiment.
Cryptocurrency courses designed for beginners usually cover the basics such as acquiring and transacting with cryptocurrencies. Programs typically teach students about cryptocurrency mining, regulation, taxation, security measures when using custodial and non-custodial wallets, and how to detect fraud.
More advanced cryptocurrency risk management courses typically include risk management strategies and technical analysis. These courses help students understand the deeper mechanics of the crypto market and how to avoid significant losses.
Many major universities have introduced cryptocurrency related courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced. Some programs have been integrated across departments to allow students from other majors to join.
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is among the best public universities in Singapore, ranked No. 11 in the QS World University Rankings 2023. The university has a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses related to crypto and blockchain.
Among its most unique programs is the Blockchain Commercial Applications course, which examines blockchain functions and its commercial use cases. The course is designed for business professionals who want to integrate technology into their businesses to improve transparency and efficiency.
The course covers topics such as distributed ledgers and smart contracts, blockchain resources and architecture, and commercial blockchain applications.
The university also has a crypto-centric one courses covering token design, economics and crypto philosophy.
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York. The institution has a wide range of courses related to cryptocurrencies for both beginners and advanced students. The Introduction to Blockchains, Cryptocurrencies and Smart Contracts course is among the most notable courses aimed at engineering students.
Its outline examines the inner workings of cryptocurrencies, such as the use of digital signatures to verify transactions. The course also has modules that cover cryptographic concepts such as zero-knowledge proofs and smart contracts.
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is a government-funded university in Hung Hom, Hong Kong. The institution offers a wide range of tertiary courses as well as crypto and blockchain related programs.
It is among the most advanced courses offers is a Master of Science in Blockchain technology. Designed for students who are already well-versed in crypto and blockchain technology, the course teaches students how to analyze, create and implement blockchain technologies in a way that supports fintech services.
University of Nicosia
The University of Nicosia in Nicosia, Cyprus offers unique cryptocurrency courses. Among the most remarkable programs for advanced students is a Master of Science in Blockchain and Digital Currency. The goal of the program is to help students become digital currency and blockchain professionals.
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The course syllabus covers a variety of subjects, including blockchain systems and architectures, digital currency programming, security of cryptographic systems, blockchain law and regulation, and token economics.
EU Business School
EU Business School is a private business school founded in 1973 with many campuses around the world. Its campuses in Geneva, Munich, Montreux and Barcelona, among others, offer cryptocurrency-related courses. One of the most prominent courses offered by the institution is the MBA in Blockchain Management.
This course looks at various use cases of blockchain technology and how it can help solve many of the problems facing society today, such as transparency and fair trade. It also allows students to review some technical and fundamental aspects of technology.
The future of crypto education
People looking to get involved in the crypto industry are increasingly seeking out crypto education, which is likely to increase the spectrum of courses and the number of institutions offering them.
Some crypto companies are also starting to work with educational institutions that offer crypto courses to improve research and work with qualified students. This trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future due to synergistic benefits.
