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Blockchain 101 Certificate - Part 1

Nikhil Vadgama, Paolo Tasca, Jiahua Xu, Walter Hernandez, Stefan Craß, Radhakrishna Dasari, Tim Weingärtner, Philipp Sandner, Masud Sultan, Manuel Klein, Silvan Andermatt, Giacomo Vella, Horst Treiblmaier, Reza Nourmohammadi, Marcel Harmann, Keith Carter, Vinzenz Treytl, Silvan Sperl, Juan Ignacio Ibañez, Charles Kerrigan, Chris DePow, and Sebastian Ko

The blockchain market has changed how organisations share and transact data and value, and individuals perceive data ownership and transparency towards suppliers. New corporate ecosystems and collaborations push innovators to experiment with new business models. At the same time, regulators define boundaries and frameworks for applying this new technology. However, the industry lacks professionals with well-founded knowledge and experience to apply blockchain technology in the right context. The Blockchain 101 Certificate – Part 1 addresses this gap with a holistic, 12h certification programme developed with leading academic and industry players. See full 24h professional certification program on this page: Blockchain 101 Professional Certificate.

The Blockchain 101 – Part 1 Certificate has been designed for professionals with backgrounds in enterprise, healthcare, public services, utilities, and supply chain, in all functions and at all levels of responsibility.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

**what you will learn:
** the blockchain 101 certificate comprises of two parts, which are made up of three macro-modules, aligned with the esteemed charterholder programs offered by dec institute (exam syllabus, study booklet, practice questions and tests). these 3 macro-modules consist of the following modules
Technology:
In this section, we explore the following topics, including blockchain history, blockchain principles, databases, ledgers & dlts, cryptography, consensus mechanisms, blockchain architectures, distributed file systems, token standards & minting, blockchain technology stack, smart contracts, cryptocurrencies, tokens, blockchain protocols, wallets and custody, privacy, scalability, interoperability, decentralized applications, decentralized autonomous organization, oracles, and attacks.
Business & economics:
In this section, we explore the following topics, including blockchain and the internet, innovation, disruption & adoption principles, blockchain ecosystems, blockchain economics, tokenisation in business, digital asset business models, decentralized applications in business, blockchain governance in business and daos, blockchain and sustainability, application areas in traditional financial services, decentralised finance (defi), application areas in non-financial service sectors, application areas of non-fungible-tokens (nfts), supply chain and self sovereign identity (ssi).

Legal & regulatory:
In this section, we explore the following topics, including legal and regulatory treatment of cryptoassets, legal & regulatory standing of blockchain technology, legal status of smart contracts, challenges of regulating dlt, competition law and antitrust, blockchain and regtech and gdpr & other data regulations.
After completing the blockchain 101 certificate, candidates interested to proceed with dec’s professional development path, are invited to register for the
examination at pearsonvue through the website of
, where they can download and study additional preparatory material (mandatory reading: study booklet cba®️ level 1), which will be required to successfully pass the examination and obtain the cba®️ i professional designation and membership status at dec. for experienced blockchain professionals, there is also the opportunity to earn the level 2 charterholder status, unlocking addition career benefits and opportunities.

**what you will learn:
** the blockchain 101 certificate comprises of two parts, which are made up of three macro-modules, aligned with the esteemed charterholder programs offered by dec institute (exam syllabus, study booklet, practice questions and tests). these 3 macro-modules consist of the following modules
Technology:
In this section, we explore the following topics, including blockchain history, blockchain principles, databases, ledgers & dlts, cryptography, consensus mechanisms, blockchain architectures, distributed file systems, token standards & minting, blockchain technology stack, smart contracts, cryptocurrencies, tokens, blockchain protocols, wallets and custody, privacy, scalability, interoperability, decentralized applications, decentralized autonomous organization, oracles, and attacks.
Business & economics:
In this section, we explore the following topics, including blockchain and the internet, innovation, disruption & adoption principles, blockchain ecosystems, blockchain economics, tokenisation in business, digital asset business models, decentralized applications in business, blockchain governance in business and daos, blockchain and sustainability, application areas in traditional financial services, decentralised finance (defi), application areas in non-financial service sectors, application areas of non-fungible-tokens (nfts), supply chain and self sovereign identity (ssi).
Legal & regulatory:
In this section, we explore the following topics, including legal and regulatory treatment of cryptoassets, legal & regulatory standing of blockchain technology, legal status of smart contracts, challenges of regulating dlt, competition law and antitrust, blockchain and regtech and gdpr & other data regulations.
After completing the blockchain 101 certificate, candidates interested to proceed with dec’s professional development path, are invited to register for the
examination at pearsonvue through the website of
, where they can download and study additional preparatory material (mandatory reading: study booklet cba®️ level 1), which will be required to successfully pass the examination and obtain the cba®️ i professional designation and membership status at dec. for experienced blockchain professionals, there is also the opportunity to earn the level 2 charterholder status, unlocking addition career benefits and opportunities.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Industry leaders developed this certificate program, including academics and thought leaders Philipp Sandner, Silvan Sperl, Paolo Tasca, and Nikhil Vadgama

This is a holistic program designed to help you understand blockchain technology, business and economics, and legal and regulatory frameworks

Aligns with DEC Institute's esteemed professional development programs, leading to the CBA® I certification

Suitable for professionals in various domains, including business, healthcare, public services, and supply chain

Addresses industry use cases of blockchain technology in areas like digital asset management, decentralized finance, and supply chain

While it offers a comprehensive overview of blockchain technology, it may require learners to already have a foundational understanding of technology concepts

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Reviews summary

Comprehensive blockchain foundation for professionals

According to students, this 'Blockchain 101 Certificate - Part 1' course provides a solid theoretical foundation and is an excellent introduction to blockchain technology for professionals. Learners praise the clear, concise lectures and knowledgeable instructors who explain complex topics like cryptography and consensus mechanisms in simple terms. The legal and regulatory module is frequently highlighted as particularly insightful. While it covers a broad range of topics and is highly relevant for business professionals, some note a lack of hands-on labs or practical application. A few learners also found the content dense or rushed, suggesting a need for more interactive elements. Overall, it serves as a strong starting point, especially for those pursuing the DEC Institute's CBA®️ certification.

Prepares learners for the DEC Institute's CBA®️ Level 1 exam.

"It does lay a good groundwork for the CBA®️ Level 1 exam."

"This course has indeed helped me prepare for the DEC Institute exam materials."

Course content is highly applicable to business and regulatory contexts.

"As a business professional, this course demystified blockchain. The business and economics section was highly relevant to my work."

"The legal and regulatory module was surprisingly insightful and well-presented."

"Highly recommend for anyone looking to understand the broader implications of blockchain."

Instructors effectively simplify complex blockchain concepts for learners.

"I especially appreciated how the instructors explained complex topics in simple terms. Truly a solid foundation!"

"The explanations of consensus mechanisms and cryptography were particularly strong."

"The instructors were knowledgeable and presented the material clearly."

Provides a clear, comprehensive understanding of core blockchain concepts.

"This course is an excellent introduction to blockchain technology. The lectures are clear, concise, and easy to follow, even for someone with no prior tech background."

"Very comprehensive for a '101' course. It covers a lot of ground quickly, making it a great starting point for professionals."

"Solid foundational knowledge. The breadth of topics is impressive for 'Part 1'. It does lay a good groundwork for the CBA®️ Level 1 exam."

Some learners find the content dense, impacting engagement.

"The course content is good, but sometimes it felt a bit rushed. I think some parts, especially on DeFi, could use more depth."

"Content is okay, but it's very dense. It needs more visual aids and interactive elements to break up the long lectures."

"Some parts were quite dry. Not what I expected for professional development."

Focuses on theory with limited hands-on or practical application elements.

"A good overview, but I was hoping for more hands-on labs. While the theoretical concepts were well-explained, applying them was left mostly to self-study."

"It's definitely a theoretical overview, not very practical for immediate application unless you seek out additional resources."

"The course felt too academic and lacked practical examples. I found it hard to connect the theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Blockchain 101 Certificate - Part 1 with these activities:

Review blockchain fundamentals

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Reinforce foundational blockchain concepts, ensuring familiarity with core ideas.

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Read an introductory blockchain guide
Explore online resources and tutorials
Review glossary terms and definitions

Join a blockchain study group

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Connect with peers, discuss concepts, and reinforce learning through collaborative study.

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Find or create a blockchain study group
Meet regularly to discuss course material
Share knowledge, insights, and resources

Solve cryptography problems

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Strengthen understanding of cryptographic principles by applying them to practical problems.

Browse courses on Cryptography

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Practice solving encryption and decryption algorithms
Implement cryptographic techniques in code

Four other activities

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Connect with blockchain professionals

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Seek guidance and support from experienced professionals in the blockchain field.

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Identify potential mentors through online platforms and industry events
Reach out to mentors and request mentorship
Build a mutually beneficial relationship based on guidance and knowledge exchange

Attend a blockchain workshop

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Gain insights from experts, engage in discussions, and stay updated with industry trends.

Browse courses on Blockchain

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Find and register for a relevant blockchain workshop
Attend the workshop and actively participate in sessions

Follow blockchain development tutorials

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Gain hands-on experience in blockchain development, solidifying theoretical knowledge.

Browse courses on Blockchain Development

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Find tutorials on blockchain frameworks and tools
Build simple blockchain applications
Deploy and test smart contracts

Write a blockchain use case analysis

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Deepen understanding of blockchain's potential by exploring specific use cases and their implications.

Browse courses on Blockchain Use Cases

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Identify a potential use case for blockchain
Research and analyze the use case
Write a detailed report outlining the analysis

Career center

Learners who complete Blockchain 101 Certificate - Part 1 will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We've selected 50 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Blockchain 101 Certificate - Part 1.

Blockchain Revolution

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Is written by two of the most well-respected thought leaders in the blockchain space and provides a comprehensive overview of the technology and its potential applications across a variety of industries.

Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology Behind...

Paperback

Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology Behind...

Paperback

(Español) La revolución blockchain [The Blockchain Revolution]