Whether you are a business leader, trying to understand how the rapidly developing blockchain technology will affect your industry, or whether you are an experienced developer new to blockchain, various educators and instructors have assembled some helpful and accessible online courses for you. The number of courses will certainly grow along with the blockchain industry. Here are descriptions of several courses to consider, from intro level to intermediate developer level, to help you get started.

Introductory Courses

Blockchain and Bitcoin Fundamentals

Created by George Levy, this best-selling course has taught nearly 29,000 students the key concepts of blockchain and bitcoin. This course is designed to help students quickly gain working knowledge of blockchain. Students will come away with familiarity with blockchain technology, understand key concepts and be able to use these in business discussions, and understand how bitcoin works. This lifetime access course includes 2.5 total pre-recorded video hours, along with supplemental resources. Videos have been updated to include a discussion of bitcoin cash and hard forks. Students will receive a certificate upon completion. Users have rated this course 4.7 out of 5.

Blockchain Technology: A Guide to the Blockchain Ecosystem

Taught by Ravinder Deol, a Certified Bitcoin Professional, this course is designed to give a detailed overview of how the blockchain ecosystem works. Students will learn the significance of blockchain technology and its application to many industries. Designed with the lay business leader in mind, one section focuses on how blockchain technology operates, while another section is devoted to how smart contracts work. The course, which has taught nearly 1,400 students, includes lifetime access to one hour total of video lectures across 18 lessons, with a final quiz to recap learning. Students receive a certificate upon completion. For continued learning, the instructor posts blockchain-related updates for students. Users have rated this course 3.8 out of 5.

Intermediate Developer Courses

Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies

This course provides an understanding of how bitcoin works at a technical level. Arvind Narayanan, the course instructor, is Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Princeton University and a specialist in the security and stability of cryptocurrencies. Students will be able to understand issues of security and anonymity of bitcoin as well as price and regulation. The course provides conceptual foundations for those who want to engineer secure software and incorporate bitcoin concepts into their projects. Students will learn from pre-recorded videos, quizzes, projects, and peer discussions. Syllabus topics include How Bitcoin Achieves Decentralization, Mechanics of Bitcoin, Bitcoin and Anonymity, Community, Politics, and Regulation, Bitcoin as a Platform, Altcoins and the Cryptocurrency System, among other topics. Users have rated this course 4.7 out of 5.

IBM Blockchain Foundation for Developers

This intermediate-level course, offered by the IBM Blockchain Foundation for Developers, is designed for software developers who are new to blockchain. The course is taught by Ant Cole (WW Blockchain Enablement, IBM Blockchain) and Dave Gorman (Global Blockchain Labs Engagement, IBM Industry Platform). Students will learn about the architecture of a blockchain network and the developer’s role in creating blockchain applications. Additionally, students will learn to use the IBM Hyperledger Composer and receive hands-on experience with a sample Hyperledger Fabric network. The course, which features pre-recorded videos, quizzes, and student online discussion, lasts 6 weeks and requires 2 hours of study per week. Successful completion of quizzes and a final exam will lead to a certificate. Users have rated this course 4.4 out of 5.

Ethereum Developer Masterclass: Build Real World Projects

This course offers step-by-step instruction for building complex, real-world dApps on the blockchain. Created by Thomas Wiesner, Ravinder Deol, and B21 Block, this course has taught more than 5,500 students. Students will learn the details of the Ethereum Development Ecosystem and create and launch their own Initial Coin Offering on the Ethereum Blockchain. The course teaches advanced topics so students need some familiarity with Web Development, Solidity, and Ethereum. This lifetime-accessible course includes 10 hours of pre-recorded video in addition to 19 articles. Users have rated this course 4.3 out of 5.

By Janet Eriksson, BIG Writer