Blockchain in Business (Online): Beyond the Hype

Understand the Opportunities and Challenges of Blockchain Technology

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Course Dates

STARTS ON

TBD

Course Duration

DURATION

6 weeks, online
4-6 hours per week

Course Fee
Course Fee

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Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies - Hype or Harbinger of Opportunities?

Not everyone is a believer in the promise of blockchain. But even naysayers can’t deny there is a considerable amount of investment in this area – and no one wants to be left behind.

$20 Billion

The global blockchain technology market is estimated to accumulate $20 billion in revenue by 2024.

Source: Cision

30% Savings

Blockchain can reduce 30% of banks’ infrastructure costs, or $12 billion.

Source: CoinJournal

71% of Leaders

who are actively using blockchain believe it plays a key role in advancing the technology.

Source: SAP

Cut Through the Hype

Blockchain and cryptocurrencies claim the headlines in the media, leaving business leaders with the challenge of distinguishing between what’s hype versus what has the power to transform an entire industry. The Blockchain in Business (Online): Beyond the Hype program allows you to break through the mystery, offering a practical understanding of blockchain by examining both its opportunities and challenges.

Over the course of this program, you will learn how cryptocurrencies work and how the underlying blockchain technology could impact your organization and industry. You’ll delve into the history, evolution, and real-world applications of blockchain with an eye towards how these technologies influence executive decision making.

Key Takeaways

  • Identify and describe the key components of blockchain technology
  • Determine whether cryptocurrencies count as money and act on that knowledge
  • Explain how governance works across different blockchain applications
  • Critically evaluate blockchain governance structures to ensure all stakeholders are represented appropriately for participating in blockchains, whether permissionless or permissioned
  • List possible future applications of blockchain technology
  • Apply business use case outcomes to your own business to see if it is ready for blockchain

For full details of the curriculum, please download the brochure.

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Program Topics

Module 1:

Technical Foundations: Distributed Consensus, Hash Functions, and Cryptography

Learn the foundations of blockchain, including distributed systems, hash functions, and cryptography; includes learning the origin story of the blockchain and building a blockchain with its inventors.

Module 2:

What is Money? Introduction to Bitcoin

Gain a historical view of money, exploring its traditional place in society and how conventional markets and bitcoin compare.

Module 3:

How Bitcoin Uses Blockchain: Intro to Blockchain and Transaction Fees

Explore conceptual precursors to blockchain and discover how “mining” works, along with identifying the vulnerabilities in Bitcoin’s blockchain

Module 4:

Ethereum, Smart Contracts, and Tokens

Discover the programmable Ethereum ledger system, smart contracts, tokens, decentralized applications, and trustless computing.

Module 5:

Applications of Blockchain: Governance Challenges, Opportunities, and Incentives & Permissioned Enterprise Blockchains (IBM)

Examine the complex issues that surround governance with blockchains including an examination of IBM’s work in permissioned enterprise blockchains.

Module 6:

Blockchain for the Executive Decision Maker and the Future of Blockchain

Gain a “big picture” perspective of blockchain tailored for the executive decision-maker and gain insights from Scott W. Stornetta on where blockchain will be in five to ten years.

Module 1:

Technical Foundations: Distributed Consensus, Hash Functions, and Cryptography

Learn the foundations of blockchain, including distributed systems, hash functions, and cryptography; includes learning the origin story of the blockchain and building a blockchain with its inventors.

Module 4:

Ethereum, Smart Contracts, and Tokens

Discover the programmable Ethereum ledger system, smart contracts, tokens, decentralized applications, and trustless computing.

Module 2:

What is Money? Introduction to Bitcoin

Gain a historical view of money, exploring its traditional place in society and how conventional markets and bitcoin compare.

Module 5:

Applications of Blockchain: Governance Challenges, Opportunities, and Incentives & Permissioned Enterprise Blockchains (IBM)

Examine the complex issues that surround governance with blockchains including an examination of IBM’s work in permissioned enterprise blockchains.

Module 3:

How Bitcoin Uses Blockchain: Intro to Blockchain and Transaction Fees

Explore conceptual precursors to blockchain and discover how “mining” works, along with identifying the vulnerabilities in Bitcoin’s blockchain

Module 6:

Blockchain for the Executive Decision Maker and the Future of Blockchain

Gain a “big picture” perspective of blockchain tailored for the executive decision-maker and gain insights from Scott W. Stornetta on where blockchain will be in five to ten years.

Who is this Program For?

The Blockchain in Business (Online): Beyond the Hype program is ideal for participants from a wide range of industries and backgrounds, including:

  • Professionals and c-suite executives in traditional companies poised to implement strategic change
  • Entrepreneurs seeking to harness opportunities with blockchain and cryptocurrencies
  • Corporate attorneys and risk officers needing to understand the regulatory implications surrounding these technologies
  • Marketing, research and development, business consultants, and innovation enablers seeking to harness blockchain and cryptocurrency opportunities

Representative job titles may include:

  • Founder, CEO, COO
  • Manager, Director, Vice President
  • Attorney, In-House Counsel
  • Compliance Officer, Risk Officer
  • Marketing Manager, Director of Marketing, Director of Research, Director of R&D
  • Strategy Consultant

Program Highlights

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Live Faculty Teaching Sessions

Guest Speakers: Inventors of Blockchain, IBM

Bite-Sized Learning

Dedicated Program Support Team

Real-World Application

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Simulation

Peer Learning and Feedback

Grading and Evaluation

Company Examples

Learn about the opportunities and challenges behind blockchain and cryptocurrencies through real-world examples from companies that include IBM, Yugen Partners, and the Prysm Group.

Image of IBM Brand Logo
Image of Yugen Partners Brand Logo
Image of Prysm Group Partners Brand Logo

Application Exercises

The program includes multiple opportunities to apply the concepts learned. You will:

  • See how hash functions work in practice by using one to create your own outputs.
  • Simulate the creation of your own blockchain.
  • Perform a critical analysis of a cryptocurrency of your choice as a capstone project.

Participant Testimonials

Dimitrios Salampasis

The blend of contemporary content provided by the guest speakers and the detailed feedback on assignments given by Carmen was really good. I really enjoyed the weekly discussions and the high-caliber contributions from the participants. Thank you.

— Dimitrios Salampasis, Lecturer, FinTech Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Swinburne University of Technology

Benjamin Gorman

It was extremely beneficial to hear industry experts come and teach their knowledge of each module in the webinars. That along with the faculty explaining these examples and introducing the concepts both visually and auditorily was helpful.

— Benjamin Gorman, Artist Representation / Agent, Buchwald

Featured Guest Speakers Include:

Faculty Member Scott W. Stornetta

Scott W. Stornetta

Chief Scientist, Yugen Partners; widely regarded as the co-creator of the first blockchain

Faculty Member Cathy Barrera

Cathy Barrera

PhD, Partner and Founding Economist, Prysm Group

Faculty Member Stuart Haber

Stuart Haber

President, Stuart Haber Crypto, LLC; widely regarded as the co-creator of the first blockchain

Faculty Member Sharon LaDay

Sharon LaDay

Blockchain Ecosystem Leader, IBM

Faculty Member Omid Malekan

Omid Malekan

Explainer-in-Chief; Author of The Story of the Blockchain: A Beginner’s Guide to the Technology That Nobody Understands

Faculty

Faculty Member Gur Huberman, Faculty Director

Gur Huberman, Faculty Director

Robert G. Kirby Professor of Behavioral Finance

Gur Huberman has taught at Columbia Business School since 1989. Prior to that, he taught at Tel Aviv University and at the University of Chicago. Between 1993 and 1995, he was Vice President at JP Morgan Investment Management responsible for research on quantitative equity trading... More info

Certificate

Example image of certificate that will be awarded after successful completion of this program

Certificate

Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate of participation from Columbia Business School Executive Education and one day towards a Certificate in Business Excellence.

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Your verified digital certificate will be issued in your legal name and emailed to you, at no additional cost, upon completion of the program, as per the stipulated requirements. All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of the Columbia Business School Executive Education.

FAQs

  • How do I know if this program is right for me?

    After reviewing the information on the program landing page, we recommend you submit the short form above to gain access to the program brochure, which includes more in-depth information. If you still have questions on whether this program is a good fit for you, please email learner.success@emeritus.org, and a dedicated program advisor will follow-up with you very shortly.


    Are there any prerequisites for this program?

    Some programs do have prerequisites, particularly the more technical ones. This information will be noted on the program landing page, as well as in the program brochure. If you are uncertain about program prerequisites and your capabilities, please email us at the ID mentioned above.


    Note that, unless otherwise stated on the program web page, all programs are taught in English and proficiency in English is required.


    What is the typical class profile?

    More than 50 percent of our participants are from outside the United States. Class profiles vary from one cohort to the next, but, generally, our online certificates draw a highly diverse audience in terms of professional experience, industry, and geography — leading to a very rich peer learning and networking experience.


    What other dates will this program be offered in the future?

    Check back to this program web page or email us to inquire if future program dates or the timeline for future offerings have been confirmed yet.

  • How much time is required each week?

    Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page.


    How will my time be spent?

    We have designed this program to fit into your current working life as efficiently as possible. Time will be spent among a variety of activities including:



    • Engaging with recorded video lectures from faculty
    • Attending webinars and office hours, as per the specific program schedule
    • Reading or engaging with examples of core topics
    • Completing knowledge checks/quizzes and required activities
    • Engaging in moderated discussion groups with your peers
    • Completing your final project, if required

    The program is designed to be highly interactive while also allowing time for self-reflection and to demonstrate an understanding of the core topics through various active learning exercises. Please email us if you need further clarification on program activities.


    What is it like to learn online with the learning collaborator, Emeritus?

    More than 300,000 learners across 200 countries have chosen to advance their skills with Emeritus and its educational learning partners. In fact, 90 percent of the respondents of a recent survey across all our programs said that their learning outcomes were met or exceeded.

    All the contents of the course would be made available to students at the commencement of the course. However, to ensure the program delivers the desired learning outcomes the students may appoint Emeritus to manage the delivery of the program in a cohort-based manner the cost of which is already included in the overall course fee of the course.

    A dedicated program support team is available 24/5 (Monday to Friday) to answer questions about the learning platform, technical issues, or anything else that may affect your learning experience.


    How do I interact with other program participants?

    Peer learning adds substantially to the overall learning experience and is an important part of the program. You can connect and communicate with other participants through our learning platform.

  • What are the requirements to earn the certificate?

    Each program includes an estimated learner effort per week, so you can gauge what will be required before you enroll. This is referenced at the top of the program landing page under the Duration section, as well as in the program brochure, which you can obtain by submitting the short form at the top of this web page. All programs are designed to fit into your working life.

    This program is scored as a pass or no-pass; participants must complete the required activities to pass and obtain the certificate of completion. Some programs include a final project submission or other assignments to obtain passing status. This information will be noted in the program brochure. Please email us if you need further clarification on any specific program requirements.


    What type of certificate will I receive?

    Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a smart digital certificate. The smart digital certificate can be shared with friends, family, schools, or potential employers. You can use it on your cover letter, resume, and/or display it on your LinkedIn profile.
    The digital certificate will be sent approximately two weeks after the program, once grading is complete.


    Can I get the hard copy of the certificate?

    No, only verified digital certificates will be issued upon successful completion. This allows you to share your credentials on social platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.


    Do I receive alumni status after completing this program?

    No, there is no alumni status granted for this program. In some cases, there are credits that count toward a higher level of certification. This information will be clearly noted in the program brochure.


    How long will I have access to the learning materials?

    You will have access to the online learning platform and all the videos and program materials for 12 months following the program start date. Access to the learning platform is restricted to registered participants per the terms of agreement.

  • What equipment or technical requirements are there for this program?

    Participants will need the latest version of their preferred browser to access the learning platform. In addition, Microsoft Office and a PDF viewer are required to access documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDF files, and transcripts.


    Do I need to be online to access the program content?

    Yes, the learning platform is accessed via the internet, and video content is not available for download. However, you can download files of video transcripts, assignment templates, readings, etc. For maximum flexibility, you can access program content from a desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile device.

    Video lectures must be streamed via the internet, and any livestream webinars and office hours will require an internet connection. However, these sessions are always recorded, so you may view them later.

  • Can I still register if the registration deadline has passed?

    Yes, you can register up until seven days past the published start date of the program without missing any of the core program material or learnings.


    What is the program fee, and what forms of payment do you accept?

    The program fee is noted at the top of this program web page and usually referenced in the program brochure as well.

    • Flexible payment options are available (see details below as well as at the top of this program web page next to FEE).
    • Tuition assistance is available for participants who qualify. Please email learner.success@emeritus.org.

    What if I don’t have a credit card? Is there another method of payment accepted?

    Yes, you can do the bank remittance in the program currency via wire transfer or debit card. Please contact your program advisor, or email us for details.


    I was not able to use the discount code provided. Can you help?

    Yes! Please email us with the details of the program you are interested in, and we will assist you.


    How can I obtain an invoice for payment?

    Please email us your invoicing requirements and the specific program you’re interested in enrolling in.


    Is there an option to make flexible payments for this program?

    Yes, the flexible payment option allows a participant to pay the program fee in installments. This option is made available on the payment page and should be selected before submitting the payment.


    How can I obtain a W9 form?

    Please connect with us via email for assistance.

  • What is the policy on refunds and withdrawals?

    You may request a full refund within seven days of your payment or 14 days after the published start date of the program, whichever comes later. If your enrollment had previously been deferred, you will not be entitled to a refund. Partial (or pro-rated) refunds are not offered. All withdrawal and refund requests should be sent to admissions@emeritus.org.



    What is the policy on deferrals?

    After the published start date of the program, you have until the midpoint of the program to request to defer to a future cohort of the same program. A deferral request must be submitted along with a specified reason and explanation. Cohort changes may be made only once per enrollment and are subject to availability of other cohorts scheduled at our discretion. This will not be applicable for deferrals within the refund period, and the limit of one deferral per enrollment remains. All deferral requests should be sent to admissions@emeritus.org.

Didn't find what you were looking for? Write to us at learner.success@emeritus.org or Schedule a call with one of our Academic Advisors or call us at +1 315 387 4431 (US) / +44 203 838 0836 (UK) / +65 3163 9288 (SG)

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