CSA 220 - Blockchain Fundamentals

(3 credits)

The blockchain is an undeniably ingenious invention, the brainchild of a person or group of people known by the pseudonym, Satoshi Nakamoto. Since its inception, it has evolved into something greater, and the main question every single person is asking is: What is Blockchain? By allowing digital information in the form of a ledger to be distributed but not copied, blockchain technology has created the backbone of a new type of internet. Originally devised for the digital currency (Bitcoin), a variety of other fields are trying to understand and employ this transformative technology. In this course, students learn the basics of blockchain technology and the properties that make it so unique. Although major elements of the blockchain are based on complex mathematical concepts such as cryptography and algorithms, this course deliberately does NOT use any mathematical notations or formulae, and avoids any unnecessary complexity. It is designed to be non-technical and offers crucial, timely, and relevant information that would appeal to a variety of majors and professions such as business, health care, criminal justice, finance, accounting, management, mathematics, and computer science, or anybody interested in learning more about the crypto-currency craze. As a final project, students will create a sports betting distributed application. Prerequisite(s): CSA 101 and CPSC 140. Fall (alternate years).