Short Courses: BlockChain, Cryptocurrency & FinTech

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Featured Short Term Courses: Blockchain

University of Oxford – GetSmarter

The University of Oxford offers a short online program: Oxford Blockchain Strategy. The program provides students with an understanding of blockchain and its effects on business strategy. The 100 percent online program is provided in collaboration with GetSmarter, an online education provider.

This program is taught by Nir Vulkan, an associate professor of business economics, and David Shrier, a futurist, author, and associate fellow of the Said Business School at the University of Oxford. In addition, the program also includes video lectures and interviews by various other thought leaders and experts in the industry.

​The program is ideal for those in a managerial, executive, or directorial position. Also, the frameworks provided in the program can be valuable to corporate professionals in technology and innovation, as well as anyone with an interest in blockchain technology.

The program is broken down into various interactive elements including infographics, videos, and e-learning activities. Students get a chance to collaborate with peers via discussion forums. The curriculum includes an orientation as well as six other modules.

Some of the topics students explore include the basics of blockchain, the impact of blockchain in different industries, and the way blockchain has helped shaped payments in today’s world. Students also get a glimpse of how blockchain is transforming business enterprises and other trends it has given rise to.

At the end of the program, students will be awarded a certificate of attendance from Said Business School, University of Oxford.

  • Location: Oxford, England
  • Accreditation: Privy Council
  • Format: Online
  • Cost: £2,350
  • Program length: Six weeks; 12 to 15 hours per week

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management – GetSmarter

The MIT Sloan School of Management offers a short online course titled, “Blockchain Technologies: Business Innovation and Application,” in collaboration with GetSmarter. The course is a part of the technology, operations, and value chain management certificate track. Christian Catalini, an associate professor of technological innovation, entrepreneurship, and strategic management at MIT Sloan School of Management, is the lead tutor for the course. The program is ideal for professionals who wish to gain an in-depth understanding of blockchain technologies.

The course content includes videos, study notes, as well as discussion forums for students to collaborate. Spread over six modules, the course serves as an excellent primer to blockchain technology and its uses. Students are introduced to blockchain technology and can learn about its applications, as well as how to use blockchain to raise funds and launch new ventures.

Students also get a good overview of the future of blockchain and artificial intelligence. On completion of the course, students will get a certificate from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

  • Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
  • Format: Online
  • Cost: $3,500
  • Program length: Six weeks; five to eight hours per week

Featured Short Term Courses: Cryptocurrency

London School of Economics and Political Science – GetSmarter

The London School of Economics and Political Science offers the online certificate course, “Cryptocurrency and Disruption.” The course helps students gain a solid understanding of the technology behind cryptocurrency. The course is delivered in collaboration with GetSmarter. The program is ideal for anyone interested in cryptocurrency and wishes to understand the impact of cryptocurrencies and blockchain-based technologies on business, society, and the economy.

The course has been designed by Dr. Carsten Sorensen, an associate professor of information systems and innovation at the London School of Economics and Political Science, while Dr Enrico Rossi is the head tutor for the course.

​The course is delivered via video lectures, e-learning activities, infographics, and study notes. It also includes discussion forums encouraging collaboration. There are six modules in all. While initial modules introduce students to cryptocurrencies and blockchain, the rest of the modules focus on the differences between currencies, the elements of cryptocurrency mining, and market analysis for cryptocurrencies.

At the end of the course, students have a good understanding of how cryptocurrency works, the technology behind it, and how cryptocurrency affects business and traditional markets.

The course has been certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and on completion, students will receive a certificate of competence from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

  • Location: London, England
  • Accreditation: Privy Council
  • Format: Online
  • Cost: £1,900
  • Program length: Six weeks; eight to ten hours per week

Princeton University – Coursera

Princeton University offers the online course “Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies” in collaboration with Coursera. The course is taught by Arvind Narayanan, an associate professor of computer science at Princeton. The coursework is ideal for software developers looking to work in blockchain, as well as anyone with an inclination to learn more about cryptocurrencies.

The syllabus is spread over 11 weeks of study. In the first week, students are introduced to the building blocks of cryptocurrency. Next, they learn about bitcoin transactions, the bitcoin network, and bitcoin mining. They also examine the privacy concerns related to bitcoin and the regulatory frameworks surrounding it. Finally, students take a look at other alternative cryptocurrencies and the future of bitcoin.

At the end of the course, students will have a thorough understanding of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, and be able to utilize the lessons learnt in their own projects and initiatives.

  • Location: Princeton, New Jersey
  • Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  • Format: Online
  • Cost: Free
  • Program length: 11 weeks; four hours per week

Featured Short Term Courses: FinTech

Harvard University – GetSmarter

Harvard University offers an online short course titled “Fintech” in collaboration with GetSmarter. The course examines real life challenges as well as upcoming developments in financial technology. The instructors for the course are professor Lauren Cohen, who teaches business administration, and professor Christopher Malloy, who teaches financial management.

​The program is ideal for business decision-makers, financial professionals, and senior management professionals wanting to interpret and respond to the transformed financial services industry. Students who wish to understand financial innovation and strategy in the field can also take up the course.

The coursework includes video lectures, infographics, case studies, course notes, and other e-learning activities. The curriculum is divided into six modules and includes another two weeks for orientation and conclusion of the course. The modules introduce students to the restructuring of the payments industry, the role of artificial intelligence in finance, automation, and fintech. One of the modules also touches upon blockchain and cryptocurrencies.

Through the course, students learn the crucial role of financial technology across various businesses and industries. They also learn about innovations in the world of finance and the regulatory frameworks governing the field.

  • Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education
  • Format: Online
  • Cost: $3,600
  • Program length: Six weeks; eight to ten hours per week

University of Oxford – GetSmarter

The University of Oxford offers the “Oxford Fintech Short Programme” in collaboration with GetSmarter, an online education provider. The program helps students identify innovation opportunities in finance. Those looking to launch new ventures in finance using technology will find much value in the course. The program is taught by Nir Vulkan, an associate professor of business economics and David Shrier, an associate fellow. What’s more, students also have the opportunity to learn from global experts and pioneers, through video lectures and interviews. They also get a chance to interact with their classmates in small groups.

The short online program covers a wide range of topics such as crowdfunding, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and computing. The coursework comprises eight modules. It also includes an orientation where students are introduced to the course and welcomed to their online campus. The first module introduces students to the current landscape of financial technology and the latest developments in the field. Subsequent modules take a look at the future of money, the various tools for financial innovation, financial regulation, and real estate innovation.

Students learn how to develop path breaking technologies in the financial sector, get a peek into upcoming trends in financial regulation and innovation, and also get a better understanding of money in general. On completion of the program, students receive a certificate from the University of Oxford.

  • Location: Oxford, England
  • Accreditation: Privy Council
  • Format: Online
  • Cost: £2,650
  • Program length: Eight weeks; seven to ten hours per week

Duke University – Coursera

Duke University offers the open online course “FinTech Law and Policy” through Coursera. The course explores the policies and frameworks governing cryptocurrencies, bitcoins, and other financial technology in the U.S. Led by Lee Reiners, an executive director at Duke University, the program is ideal for working professionals in the financial services industry.

The course comprises five modules. At first, students learn about the relationship between traditional finance institutions and emerging financial technology. Next, they are introduced to the concepts of cryptocurrency, initial coin offerings, and fintech lending. The final module teaches students about the frameworks surrounding the payment systems in the USA.

The coursework provides students with a complete overview of financial technology in the US, including it’s regulators, vulnerabilities, and challenges. The course is a valuable resource for professionals in finance. Graduates receive a certificate which can be added to their professional profiles online.

  • Location: Durham, North Carolina
  • Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
  • Format: Online
  • Cost: Varies
  • Program length: Five weeks

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology – Coursera

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology offers the short course “FinTech Foundations and Overview.” A part of the fintech: finance industry transformation and regulation specialization, it is offered in collaboration with Coursera. The instructor for the course is Dr. Theodore H. K. Clark, an associate professor of information systems, business statistics, and operations management at the Hong Kong University of Science Technology. Anyone wishing to develop skills in fintech can derive value from the course.

The coursework has been divided into four modules. The first module touches upon the meaning of fintech, while the second module examines the applications of fintech across different industries. The final two modules delve into the technological aspect of fintech and the challenges that fintech helps solve.

Through the course, students get a chance to examine the present and future of financial technology, learn about cryptocurrencies, big data, and analytics, as well as global trends in fintech. The course also provides students with a certificate of completion, that they can add to their resume.

  • Location: Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
  • Accreditation: Education Bureau
  • Format: Online
  • Cost: Free, verified certificate available at added cost
  • Program length: Four weeks

University of Cape Town – Coursera

The University of Cape Town offers a short course titled “Financial Regulation in Emerging Markets and the Rise of Fintech Companies.” The primary focus of the course is on regulations around fintech in emerging economies such as China and South Africa.

Offered in collaboration with Coursera, the course is taught by Co-Pierre Georg, an associate professor with AIFMRM, the African Institute of Financial Markets and Risk Management at the University of Cape Town. There are no special prerequisites to the course and it can be taken by anyone with an interest in finance.

The course comprises four weekly lessons. The curriculum covers topics such as financial crises, regulations following financial crises, the laws around fintech in emerging markets, and the rise of financial technology services.

Students gain a clear understanding of the financial crises in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as well as the regulations that govern the banking systems. They also examine how financial technology regulations are different in emerging economies as compared to industrialized ones, and the developments in fintech in these markets. At the end of the course, students will also receive a certificate.

  • Location: Cape Town, South Africa
  • Accreditation: Department of Higher Education and Training, South Africa
  • Format: Online
  • Cost: Free, verified certificate available at added cost
  • Program length: Four weeks

The University of Hong Kong – edX

The University of Hong Kong offers the open online course “Introduction to FinTech” as a part of the fintech professional certificate program. It is offered in collaboration with edX, an online course provider. The faculty for the course includes renowned practitioners and academics in finance, international business, technology, and law. The program is ideal for those working in finance, technology, regulation, or fintech.

The course curriculum consists of six modules. The first module examines the evolution of financial technology over the years and introduces students to the regulations governing it. Next, students are introduced to the concepts of cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and their benefits. The course also provides students with an overview of financial innovation, financial regulation, and the role of data in finance. The last module takes a look at the future of fintech and the latest trends in the field.

All in all, the course makes students well-equipped to understand the latest developments in fintech, its regulatory frameworks, and how it impacts different markets and economies. Students who complete the course receive the “Certified FinTech Professional” qualification through the Global Academy of Finance and Management (GAFM).

  • Location: Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
  • Accreditation: Education Bureau
  • Format: Online
  • Cost: $357.30 USD for the entire program (“Fintech Professional Certificate Program”)
  • Program length: Six weeks; one to three hours per week