Coursera

Blockchain Basics (Coursera)

Offered by University at Buffalo, The State University of New York,

This first course of the Blockchain specialization provides a broad overview of the essential concepts of blockchain technology – by initially exploring the Bitcoin protocol followed by the Ethereum protocol – to lay the foundation necessary for developing applications and programming. You will be equipped with the knowledge needed to create nodes on your personal Ethereum blockchain, create accounts, unlock accounts, mine, transact, transfer Ethers, and check balances.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, an immutable distributed ledger and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This course enables you to explain basic components of a blockchain (transaction, block, block header, and the chain) its operations (verification, validation, and consensus model) underlying algorithms, and essentials of trust (hard fork and soft fork). Content includes the hashing and cryptography foundations indispensable to blockchain programming, which is the focus of two subsequent specialization courses, Smart Contracts and Decentralized Applications (Dapps). You will work on a virtual machine image, specifically created for this course, to build an Ethereum test chain and operate on the chain. This hands-on activity will help you understand the workings of a blockchain, its transactions, blocks and mining.
Course 1 of 4 in the Blockchain Specialization.

What you will Learn

A learner will be able to recognize foundational concepts of blockchain, and apply these program concepts on the blockchain.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Blockchain Defined
We will introduce and define blockchain, explain the structure and operational aspects of Bitcoin blockchain, and compare different types of blockchains.

WEEK 2
Ethereum Blockchain
We will discuss the innovation of the Ethereum blockchain, review its protocol, and explore the payment model for code execution.

WEEK 3
Algorithms & Techniques
We will discuss the concept of asymmetric key encryption, define the concept of hashing, and explain techniques that use algorithms to manage the integrity of transactions and blocks in blockchain.

WEEK 4
Trust Essentials
We will define elements of trust in blockchain and discuss the Consensus protocol.

Go to Class

MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Coursera

ConsenSys Academy

Blockchain: Foundations and Use Cases (Coursera)

Security & Networking

This course is the definitive introduction to blockchain for both the developer and non-developer audience. Beyond the technology, this course will introduce you to some of the philosophy behind decentralization and why there is so much excitement around it. During the first three modules, you'll be introduced to blockchain and the technology behind it. In module four, we'll go beyond bitcoin and delve deeper into a next-generation blockchain called Ethereum to introduce you to what modern blockchains can do.

Oct 19th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Security Bitcoin Blockchain

Coursera

University of Maryland, College Park

Usable Security (Coursera)

Security & Networking

This course focuses on how to design and build secure systems with a human-centric focus. We will look at basic principles of human-computer interaction, and apply these insights to the design of secure systems with the goal of developing security measures that respect human performance and their goals within a system.

Nov 2nd 2026

5-12 Weeks

Cryptography Security Cybersecurity

Coursera

University of Leeds

How to Get Into Blockchain (Coursera)

Security & Networking

Blockchain technologies, the driving force behind cryptocurrencies, have the potential to revolutionise the exchange of value, ownership and transactions by providing trust, security and transparency. The blockchain industry is booming and it's projected to grow so if you are looking for a lucrative career path, then a specialisation in blockchain technologies is one of the best tech career moves. This online course teaches you how to navigate the fascinating world of blockchain technologies.

Oct 26th 2026

2 Weeks

Security Banking Blockchain

Coursera

Microsoft

Cybersecurity Threat Vectors and Mitigation (Coursera)

Security & Networking

This course provides a comprehensive overview of threat vectors and the strategies for mitigating them, and aims to equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to safeguard against cyber threats. You’ll gain a deep understanding of the threat vectors used by attackers, discover encryption techniques, and explore different compliance concepts.

Oct 19th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Cryptography Encryption Information Security

Coursera

Stanford University

Cryptography I (Coursera)

Security & Networking

Cryptography is an indispensable tool for protecting information in computer systems. In this course you will learn the inner workings of cryptographic systems and how to correctly use them in real-world applications. The course begins with a detailed discussion of how two parties who have a shared secret key can communicate securely when a powerful adversary eavesdrops and tampers with traffic.

Oct 19th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Cryptography Security Encryption

Coursera

What is the Metaverse? (Coursera)

CS: Design & Product

The metaverse isn’t just for gamers or developers, it will be for everyone. In this free course from the experts at Meta, you’ll learn what the metaverse is, what it means for our world today and into the future, and the opportunities it presents for both professionals and businesses. Understand the metaverse fundamentals. Experts will guide you through a broad range of topics spanning the metaverse ecosystem, from communication and collaboration to NFTs and cryptocurrency, from avatars and devices to platforms and game engines. You’ll learn about augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), extended reality, NFTs, blockchain, web3, cryptocurrency, and more.

Oct 26th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Augmented Reality Cryptocurrency AR

Coursera

Intel Corporation

Intel® Network Academy - Network Transformation 102 (Coursera)

Security & Networking

Welcome to the Intel® Network Academy – a comprehensive training program on network transformation. In this program, we will be covering the topic areas of software defined infrastructure (SDI) network functions virtualization (NFV), software-defined networking (SDN) and beyond. Network Transformation 102 covers topics such as VNF Operations & Development, Cryptography, and Hyperscan technology, students will dive into the benefits of Intel hardware and software and explore how to accelerate compute-intensive operations with Intel® QuickAssist Technology (Intel® QAT).

Oct 26th 2026

4 Weeks

Cryptography Networks SDN

Coursera

Universidad Austral

Legal Tech and the Digital Transformation of Law (Coursera)

Management & Leadership Business

The digital revolution changed the way we communicate and trade. Now, it is coming into the world of law. This program will give you a broad overview of the main trends that are affecting the legal industry: the birth of the legal tech market and the application of technology in law; the role of artificial intelligence in the automation of the work of lawyers; blockchain technology and its impact on the way we sign and execute contracts; initiatives to ensure access to justice through virtual courts and robot judges.

Nov 2nd 2026

5-12 Weeks

Artificial Intelligence Law Justice

Coursera

The University of Sydney

Blockchain Scalability and its Foundations in Distributed Systems (Coursera)

CS: Information & Technology

Blockchain promises to disrupt industries once it will be efficient at large scale. In this course, you will learn how to make blockchain scale. You will learn about the foundational problem of distributed computing, consensus, that is key to create blocks securely. By illustrating limitations of mainstream blockchains, this course will indicate how to improve the technology in terms of security and efficiency. In particular, this course will help you: understand security vulnerabilities of mainstream blockchains; design consensus algorithms that tolerate attacks, and; design scalable blockchain systems.

Oct 26th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Algorithms Networks Computer Science

Coursera

Universidad Austral

La Disrupción del Blockchain (Coursera)

Economics & Finance Business

Muchas personas ya conocen al bitcoin, la moneda digital que en pocos años pasó de valer unos pocos centavos a miles de dólares. Pero esto es sólo la punta del iceberg de un fenómeno mucho más grande. El blockchain, la tecnología en la que se basa el bitcoin, tiene el potencial de disrumpir los negocios, las finanzas, las leyes y hasta los gobiernos.

Oct 26th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Finance Bitcoin Cryptocurrency

Coursera

Pohang University of Science and Technology - POSTECH

Introduction to Blockchain (Coursera)

CS: Software Engineering CS: Information & Technology

Before diving into an in-depth study of blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies, this course can provide high-level explanations and practical examples that can be easily understood and applied by individuals who do not have a blockchain background. These explanations will relate to blockchain and cryptocurrency concepts and how they can be utilized in real-world scenarios.

Oct 19th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Bitcoin Cryptocurrency Blockchain

Coursera

INSEAD

Blockchain in Financial Services: Strategic Action Plan (Coursera)

Security & Networking

In this fourth and final course of the specialization, you will synthesize your learning into a Strategic Action Plan. The goals of this course are twofold: One, it’s for you to identify a specific need or problem within the financial services industry that can potentially be solved using blockchain technology. Two, it’s for you to investigate possible solutions to this problem, and to develop a strategic plan for how these solutions might be executed.

Oct 19th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Strategy Positioning Business Model