MIS 445 - Blockchain & Crypto Technology

Organizations are increasingly deploying blockchain technology - and, in some cases, cryptocurrency infrastructure - in business, healthcare, government, regulatory, and humanitarian domains to deliver existing services in new ways and to create entirely new products and services. This course will focus on (a) demystifying blockchain and cryptocurrency by studying the technology behind Bitcoin as a foundational case, (b) examining applications of this technology across sectors, (c) understanding the Ethereum platform as a foundation for both cryptocurrency and general-purpose decentralized applications, and (d) building smart contracts on the Ethereum network using a beginner-friendly programming language called Solidity. By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to conceptualize, evaluate, and build blockchain applications in business and other domains, and to begin thinking about how financial instruments - such as tokens and stablecoins - can be built and managed on blockchain platforms. No prior programming coursework is expected. Prerequisite MIS 311. 4 credits.