Overview
Blockchain is a rapidly growing technology with the potential to disrupt traditional practices across a wide range of industries. The lack of technical Blockchain skills is of national and international concern as it is a significant inhibitor to Blockchain adoption in companies across key industries including manufacturing, supply-chain, health, food, finance and the public sector.
With its roots in Bitcoin and crypto currencies, Blockchain technology provides a distributed non-repudiable ledger. It works on decentralised platforms and offers significant advantages for business operations in terms of transparency, elimination of third parties, cost reduction, micropayments, cryptographic security, and permanent transactions. Blockchain enhances the speed and transparency of transactions along complex supply chains while reducing costs. It optimises back and middle business processes and transactions, augmenting security, reporting and regulatory and compliance profiles.
IDA Ireland’s Blockchain strategy aims to promote Ireland as a European location for Blockchain developments and in 2018, the Minister for Finance published a discussion paper examining the potential of virtual currencies and Blockchain technology. Working with Blockchain Ireland, the Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet has identified the skills gap for software developers with the requisite Blockchain knowledge and development skills and is co-funding this new MSc as a direct response to this need.
Who Should Apply
The course is aimed at IT professionals in employment in Republic of Ireland registered companies. To qualify for direct entry they must have a Level 8 Honours Degree (2.2) or higher in Computer Science, Computing, Computer Applications or a related discipline. Applicants without these entry requirements (e.g., Level 7 degree or lower than an Honours 2.2 in a Level 8 degree) may be considered if they can demonstrate previously obtained competence equivalent to the entry requirements.
How the course is delivered
This course is delivered asynchronously using the Futurelearn platform, which means that the method of teaching is very different to teaching face to face in a classroom.
All the course materials will be online for the students to work through at their own pace. These course materials will be very interactive with frequent self-assessment milestones. There will also be some assessment deadlines which students will have to work to, as well as the exams in relevant modules at the end of each semester.
With the exception of the exams and the orientation session at the start of the academic year, there will be no need for students to come to campus at all.
Synchronous sessions will be undertaken in both semester 1 and semester 2. These sessions will reinforce the supports available to students.
**Fees
Eligible candidates can avail of the part-funded fees which reduce the cost to €2,950 per annum.
Eligible candidates are those awarded a place by the college AND who are working in private or commercial semi-state organisations in Republic of Ireland.
