Blockchain Specialization

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Blockchain Specialization

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4 course series

Get in-depth knowledge of a subject

4.3

(174 reviews)

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 month at 10 hours a week

Earn a career credential

Share your expertise with employers

4 course series

Get in-depth knowledge of a subject

4.3

(174 reviews)

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

1 month at 10 hours a week

Earn a career credential

Share your expertise with employers

What you'll learn

Gain a fundamental understanding of blockchain technology and its components. Learn how such applications as cryptofinance makes use of the blockchain for decentralized, peer-to-peer transaction processing. Apply your knowledge of blockchain technology to enhance your trust and confidence in cryptocurrency trading and other situations where the blockchain is used.

Applied Learning Project

Throughout this course, you'll have opportunities for hands-on practice involving such blockchain elements as cryptography, hashing, and the assembly of blocks. You'll also have a chance to propose new uses of blockchain technologies for industries other than finance. The creative skills you'll learn and practice in this course will be useful both when using blockchain applications and when exploring new opportunities for applying blockchain concepts.

The courses in this specialization requires the purchase of two books for the completion of assignments:

Drescher, D. (2017). Blockchain Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction in 25 Steps. (ISBN-13: 978-1484226032)

Antonoupoulos, A. M. (2017). The Internet of Money, Volume Two. (ISBN-13: 978-1947910065)

What’s included

Shareable certificate

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Taught in English

9 practice exercises

Advance your subject-matter expertise

Learn in-demand skills from university and industry experts
Master a subject or tool with hands-on projects
Develop a deep understanding of key concepts
Earn a career certificate from University of California, Irvine

Specialization - 4 course series

The Blockchain

Course 19 hours4.1 (173 ratings)View course

What you'll learn

Begin your exploration of blockchain technologies with a look at fundamental blockchain concepts along with an application in which blockchain technology plays a critical role — cryptofinance. This course also introduces distributed digital systems in terms of software and network architecture, and shows how these systems underlie the functionality of the blockchain. In this and the following courses in the specialization you'll have a chance for hands-on-practice to cement your learning.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Blockchain

Category: Cryptography

Category: Digital Assets

Category: System Requirements

Category: Software Architecture

Category: Distributed Computing

Category: Data Integrity

Category: Business Transformation

Category: Transaction Processing

Category: FinTech

Category: Emerging Technologies

Cryptography and Hashing Overview

Course 29 hours4.6 (50 ratings)View course

What you'll learn

Continue learning about blockchain technology by diving into the nature of ownership and how the blockchain is one way to approach decentralized transaction handling. This course also demystifies cryptography and hashing, which are critical for authenticating users and guaranteeing transaction privacy.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Blockchain

Category: Encryption

Category: Data Integrity

Category: Authentications

Category: Cryptography

Category: Transaction Processing

Category: Data Security

Category: Emerging Technologies

Category: Distributed Computing

The Merkle Tree and Cryptocurrencies

Course 38 hours4.8 (26 ratings)View course

What you'll learn

Apply what you have learned about cryptography and hashing in previous blockchain to the Merkle Tree, which underlies the process of adding new blocks — representing new transactions — to the blockchain. This course also introduces the concepts of proof of work and proof of stake, which play an important part in ensuring the integrity of the blockchain.

Skills you'll gain

Category: Blockchain

Category: Network Security

Category: Data Integrity

Category: Verification And Validation

Category: Encryption

Category: Cryptography

Category: Transaction Processing

Category: Data Structures

The Blockchain System

Course 412 hours4.2 (39 ratings)View course

What you'll learn

Learn how the blockchain authenticates transactions and distributes data to peers — nodes connected to the network. This course shows you how multiple versions of a blockchain are reconciled into one, discusses blockchain limitations, and delves into organizational applications of blockchain technology.