As the blockchain industry matures, the prospect of launching a professional career in cryptocurrency and digital assets is becoming more and more appealing. Blockchain university courses might help you secure top crypto jobs, like being a blockchain developer or smart contract engineer. Roles like these are gaining popularity due to the innovation on display and attractive salaries.
While some blockchain fundamentals are relatively easy to pick up, it cannot be denied that advanced cryptography and computer science are complicated fields of research that require time and dedication to comprehend fully.
In this article, we’ll be going through a list of the top blockchain courses from universities worldwide.
What to Expect from a Blockchain Course
The ideal blockchain course explores this emerging technology from a variety of angles. It looks not just into the practicalities of cryptocurrency technologies and blockchain programming but also into the wider real-world context of decentralized services.
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Don’t forget that Bitcoin (BTC) and other blockchain solutions were created to give people greater control over their assets. A great crypto course not only explains blockchain technology’s applications but also delves into why we need it.
9 Best Universities to Study Blockchain & Crypto
Without further ado, let’s crack into our list of the best universities to study blockchain courses.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has topped university rankings for decades in computer science. Unsurprisingly, MIT will continue to be at the forefront of new technology, providing excellent courses in digital currency and blockchain research.
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MIT offers a wide variety of courses in cryptography, software engineering, and fintech. While the university has decent undergraduate and bachelor degree programs, MIT shines in the depth of its postgraduate and master’s degrees. These include specializations in fields like decentralized application development and blockchain strategy, as well as entrepreneurship.
Ultimately, MIT has an excellent track record of providing quality education in the tech sector. MIT professors like Silvio Macali have contributed positively to the ecosystem, creating top blockchain platforms like Algorand.
2. University of California, Berkeley
UC Berkeley is another top school for eager students looking to dive into blockchain and cryptocurrency. The university has a great reputation within the industry, thanks to its streamlined courses dedicated to blockchain fundamentals and regulatory frameworks.
Suppose you’re still on the fence about whether or not to pursue a formal education in blockchain technology. In that case, UC Berkeley shares free lectures on cryptocurrency, fintech and blockchain essentials on their dedicated YouTube channel.
3. Cornell University
Cornell University, based in New York, is another Ivy League school in the United States with a strong reputation in emerging technologies and financial services. Cornell covers all the essentials, giving undergraduate students excellent coverage across various fields in distributed ledger technology.
One of the university’s strengths is how deeply it explores potential use cases for business applications within the Web3 world. The institute is an excellent intersection for business school entrepreneurs to connect with talented developers.
The University is well-connected in the industry and was even chosen by Vitalik Buterin to host his ‘Crypto Boot Camp.’ Emin Gün Sirer spent over a decade at Cornell University as a professor before founding the Avalanche blockchain.
4. Stanford University
What list of top schools would be complete without mentioning Stanford University? Stanford offers an excellent range of degrees and programs for budding computer scientists to explore the world of blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies.
Standford University also has an entire center dedicated to blockchain research that regularly hosts conferences, seminars and workshops. The school even has courses that dissect particular niches in the blockchain industry, like how to adequately address blockchain scaling issues.
5. University of Oxford
Oxford University, one of the oldest and most prestigious schools in the English-speaking world, is unsurprisingly no slouch regarding blockchain education. Oxford offers blockchain courses that are both broad and thorough, making it a popular choice for beginners looking to take their first steps into the blockchain industry.
6. University of Zurich
Switzerland has always been at the forefront of progress and innovation in the financial sector. Fintech and blockchain technology is no different, with the University of Zurich standing out as one of the best places in Europe to learn about cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.
The University of Zurich is one of the world’s most active hubs of Blockchain research, with 62 researchers actively exploring the future of blockchain technology. While not offering any degree programs, the school offers 25 shorter blockchain courses and has published over 100 research papers, making it worthy of a place on this list.
7. University of Nicosia
Based in Cyprus, the University of Nicosia developed the world’s first master’s degree in digital currency. This specialized program offers great depth across global financial systems, banking standards, and how disruptive innovations, like cryptocurrency, can improve legacy systems. The school also has a good reputation in computer science and cryptographic algorithms.
The University of Nicosia is making education accessible and offers a great free foundation course that introduces financial technologies. The course is popular, taking in over 30,000 students from 80 different countries worldwide.
8. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Considered a world leader in Blockchain education, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University is a thriving hub for fintech and blockchain enthusiasts. The institute has published over 200 papers on blockchain research, the most of any education provider globally.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s three-year doctorate of fintech covers blockchain fundamentals, as well as computer science, supply chain, and crypto business strategy. For those who want to specialize further, the school offers 22 courses on a variety of streamlined fields in the blockchain industry.
9. National University of Singapore
Rounding out our list is none other than the National University of Singapore. With Singapore already establishing itself as a global powerhouse in the crypto industry, it makes sense that its National University would be a world leader.
The school hosts frequent blockchain conferences and seminars and various certificate programs and has a thriving community dedicated to research and entrepreneurship.
Do I Need to Go to University to Learn Blockchain Essentials?
The blockchain industry has always bucked convention. When it comes to crypto education, things are no different. In fact, the Web3 world generally values resourcefulness, creativity and passion over formalized degrees, so plenty of people can still succeed in the blockchain sector without having gone to reputed universities.
If you want to learn more about blockchain technology and all its creative applications and use cases but aren’t ready to commit to long-term study, there are still plenty of options. Sites like Coursera partner with top Universities worldwide to deliver excellent online courses that help you dip your toes in the water.
On the Flipside
- If you just want to learn about blockchain and cryptocurrency out of curiosity, there is no better way to learn than to simply try it out. Storing digital currencies in your own crypto wallet and engaging with decentralized applications give you first-hand experience on how everything works in a way that is far more relatable and accessible.
- The best part is, you don’t even have to buy crypto to try these blockchain applications. Using testnets, you can get valueless crypto for free to explore dApps and figure out how they work without risking any money.
Why You Should Care
The blockchain industry is evolving rapidly, with progressive new use cases and applications being discovered every day. With time, more and more universities are expected to start offering blockchain education. The universities included in this list are ahead of the curve and will likely retain their positions as leaders in the field.
FAQs
Yes, there are a growing number of universities worldwide that offer degrees and courses on blockchain technology and cryptocurrency.
There is an enormous variety of coding languages used in blockchain. Blockchain applications still rely on front-end languages like HTML, CSS, and Javascript. In contrast, smart contract languages like Solidity and Rust are more specialized and depend on which blockchain you’re building on. For example, solidity is the main language on Ethereum (ETH).
No, you don’t need a degree to learn blockchain. There are plenty of great resources available for free on the internet that can help you grasp the basics.
Yes, within the blockchain industry there are still plenty of roles, like marketing and business development, that don’t require any coding knowledge.
Generally speaking, a computer science degree will give you a good foundation for specializing in blockchain. Beyond that, most of the universities in this list offer excellent degrees that explore specific areas of the blockchain and fintech industry.
