A comprehensive, research-driven curriculum covering blockchain technology from first principles to real-world application. By Week 6, you will understand how distributed systems, cryptography, consensus, DeFi, Web3, and tokenomics work — and have a portfolio of published research and a deployed blockchain application.
Highlights
Portfolio Project — Blockchain Technology Research Brief
Write a 700-word technical brief answering: how does a blockchain prevent a bad actor from rewriting transaction history? Must explain hash chaining, the cost of rewriting proof of work, and the 51% attack threshold. Published as a Google Doc or Notion page with a shareable link.
Portfolio Project — Ethereum Transaction Deep Dive
Select five real Ethereum transactions from Etherscan — an ETH transfer, a token transfer, a DEX swap, an NFT mint, and a contract deployment. For each, document what happened, what contract was called, how much gas was used and why, and what events were emitted. Published as a Notion page or Google Doc with annotated screenshots.
Portfolio Project — Consensus & Scaling Technical Comparison
Write a structured 900-word comparison of Ethereum (PoS), Solana (PoH), and one rollup of your choice. Cover consensus mechanism, throughput, finality time, security model, and one real incident from each chain's history. Published as a Notion page or Google Doc with clear headings.
Portfolio Project — DeFi Protocol Analysis & Tokenomics Design
Two parts: analyse one live DeFi protocol (Aave, Uniswap, Curve, or similar) — how it works, its tokenomics, who benefits, and its risks (min. 500 words). Then design the tokenomics for a fictional protocol of your own: token purpose, supply, distribution schedule, and one incentive mechanism. Includes at least one original diagram.
Portfolio Project — Blockchain Security Post-Mortem
Select one major blockchain exploit from the past three years. Write a structured 800-word post-mortem: what the protocol was, the sequence of events, the technical vulnerability exploited, how much was lost, and what every developer should learn from it. Published as a Notion page, Medium article, or Google Doc.
Choose one of two tracks based on your goals.
Track A — Research Paper
A 1,200–1,500 word paper on a blockchain topic of your choice — protocol analysis, tokenomics critique, Layer 1 comparison, DeFi post-mortem, or regional adoption study. Must include on-chain data, three cited primary sources, and one original diagram.
Track B — Deployed dApp
A complete decentralised application — a voting system, crowdfunding contract, token-gated page, or simple DeFi tool. Requires a deployed and verified smart contract on Sepolia testnet, a connected frontend with MetaMask wallet integration, and a written explanation of every design decision.
Both tracks require:
| Week | Project | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Blockchain Technology Research Brief | Published Technical Explainer |
| Week 2 | Ethereum Transaction Deep Dive | Published On-Chain Analysis |
| Week 3 | Consensus & Scaling Comparison | Published Technical Comparison |
| Week 4 | DeFi Protocol Analysis + Tokenomics Design | Published Analysis & Original Design |
| Week 5 | Security Post-Mortem | Published Exploit Analysis |
| Week 6 | Research Paper or Deployed dApp | Published Paper or Live dApp |
You finish the course with six published pieces of blockchain research, a GitHub profile with real on-chain work, and a deep, honest understanding of how blockchain technology works — and where it actually adds value.
Every week begins with how the technology actually works before discussing what it might enable. Students who understand the fundamentals are equipped to think clearly about every blockchain claim they will ever encounter.
This course does not present blockchain as an unqualified good. The Trilemma, the history of exploits, and the real barriers to adoption are taught alongside the genuine breakthroughs. Graduates can distinguish what is real from what is marketing.
All six projects are published to a live URL. Building a public record of blockchain analysis and technical writing is how researchers and developers in this space build credibility and get hired.
Choose a research paper or a deployed dApp based on where you want to go — analytical roles or technical engineering roles. Both tracks require rigour and both produce real, shareable work.