BUDT 753

The mission of this graduate course is to create a strong business and technical foundation for Blockchain. The course starts with an in-depth discussion of the business inefficiencies that the Blockchain technology has the potential to address. This is followed by reviewing the computer science fundamentals related to cryptology, distributed computing, and peer-to-peer architectures that Blockchain systems rely on. The course then provides a comprehensive understanding of Bitcoin including its limitations, and the work that has been done to date to address these limitations. Alternate Blockchain implementations such as Ethereum and Hyperledger are discussed with a focus on smart contracts. The course will also cover potential business applications in Finance, Healthcare, Supply Chain, and Arts/Media/Entertainment. Students will be exposed to current research problems and research efforts in progress. The course will include several programming assignments, student led discussions based on readings and cases, and a final project to conceptualize a Blockchain application.