New UW College of Business Blockchain Course to Aid Business Opportunities

A new on-campus course in blockchain technology at the University of Wyoming will be offered this spring semester through the College of Business Department of Accounting and Finance.

With Wyoming enacting numerous blockchain-enabling laws to bring capital, jobs and revenue into the state, the course reflects the college’s support of Wyoming’s economic development by providing high-value business education and world-class research relevant to the state, says David Sprott, dean of the College of Business.

The three-credit hour undergraduate course, titled “Business Application of Blockchain and Fintech,” will provide an understanding of the implications and business opportunities associated with how blockchain and digital assets are affecting global industries.

The course is for students in various fields interested in the new technology who will analyze the factors and principles that control the planning, structuring, financing and managing of a blockchain-based company. To attract a wide range of students, the only prerequisite for students interested in enrolling in the course is a sophomore class standing.

The curriculum was developed with the expertise of 1990 UW alumna Caitlin Long, a 22-year Wall Street veteran and an expert in bitcoin and blockchain technology. She helped drive Wyoming’s trailblazing 2018 blockchain legislation as a co-founder of the Wyoming Blockchain Coalition, along with Steven Lupien, founder and interim president of American Certified Brands LLC, which incorporates blockchain technology to facilitate a supply chain in agricultural businesses.

Topics and projects through the new UW course will focus on understanding how blockchain could change the way citizens think about money, disrupt traditional financial institutions and eliminate costly intermediaries, says Nicole Choi, chair of the Department of Accounting and Finance.

“It also aims to uncover business opportunities that bring value to society, shrink the settlement time of financial contracts and transform the landscape of legal contracts,” Choi says. “Students should leave the course with a comprehensive understanding of the global competitive landscape and core concepts of how blockchain can impact a company's future.”

The course is specifically intended for a nontechnical audience with limited knowledge of blockchain technology, she adds.

“The blockchain revolution is here, and this course will prepare blockchain beginners with a better understanding of how this cutting-edge technology will affect day-to-day operations,” Sprott says. “This promises to be a course where great ideas from finance, technology and policy will come together and provide students with an exceptional opportunity to be at the forefront of new frontiers in blockchain.”

Blockchain is poised to have a significant impact on industries worldwide, Choi adds.

“This is a great opportunity to learn more about one of the hottest topics from the best in the industry,” she says.

For enrollment details and more information about the course, email the UW Department of Accounting and Finance at acct-fin@uwyo.edu.