The University of Wyoming is scooping up honors for its blockchain education program. SucessfulStudent.org, which is a website operated by educators, data scientists and academics, has ranked UW second among the top five cryptocurrency and blockchain programs in the nation.
What is blockchain? Tech Guide explains it like this:
“Unlike traditional forms of currency, such as the U.S. dollar, cryptocurrencies are traded via a decentralized network where every transaction is recorded in a digital ledger. Each transaction or piece of data recorded becomes a “block.” This decentralized system is known as the “blockchain.” The blockchain is where currency and other financial assets are shared and recorded. The blockchain is different from a typical database, specifically in how it stores and shares information across a distributed network. The blockchain stores information and data via cryptography.”
UW began offering an undergraduate minor degree in blockchain in 2021. UW students work on real-world problems while enrolled in the program. Steve Lupien, the Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation director, says when students enroll in the program, they choose a problem to solve using blockchain. That’s what they work on as they work toward their minor degree.
So which students will likely sign up for the Blockchain minor? Students from the College of Business; College of Engineering and Physical Sciences; College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources; College of Law; and School of Energy Resources. All share the same space in the Blockchain Center. The program also works with the state’s community colleges.
Lupien says the minor is designed around 15 hours of required and elective courses. Students learn about various blockchain systems, digital assets and cryptocurrencies; understand how this technology is used to solve real-world problems; recognize how blockchain technology disrupts legacy systems; and comprehend the competitive applications and opportunities of blockchain in various industries.
