MIS41220 The Ethereum Ecosystem

Academic Year 2023/2024

This module is concerned with the Ethereum blockchain. We will first gain a foundational understanding of how Ethereum works. We will encounter its underlying blockchain technology and the exciting smart contract technology running on top of it. We then turn to how Ethereum’s technology is expressed as an economy and a culture. Toward the end, we begin to explore the Ethereum ecosystem, including Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs), Decentralised Finance (DeFi), and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). Throughout we will ask what problems and prospects this fresh digital innovation will face as it enters the mainstream.

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Curricular information is subject to change

What will I learn?

Learning Outcomes:

On finishing this module, you will be able to:

(1) Understand and explain the fundamental technology underlying Ethereum.
(2) Grasp the motivations behind the Ethereum project and situate it within the right amount of cultural and economic context expected in the industry.
(3) Be capable of independently assessing the various technologies built on top of the Ethereum blockchain, including Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs), Decentralised Finance protocols (DeFi), and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs).

Indicative Module Content:

The topics we cover are dynamic and evolve quickly. The topics will be settled quite close to the start of the module to ensure it is up-to-date. However, we will certainly cover the fundamentals of Ethereum, e.g. smart contracts and then dApps such as DAOs, DeFi and NFTs.

How will I learn?

Student Effort Type	Hours
Lectures	24
Autonomous Student Learning	176
Total	200

Am I eligible to take this module?

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.

Module Requisites and Incompatibles

Not applicable to this module.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment Strategy

Description	Timing	Open Book Exam	Component Scale	Must Pass Component	% of Final Grade
Journal: Learning Journal	Coursework (End of Trimester)	n/a	Graded	No	70
Assignment: Practical Tasks	Coursework (End of Trimester)	n/a	Graded	No	30

Carry forward of passed components
No

What happens if I fail?

Remediation Type	Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit	Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board

Assessment feedback

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

I provide feedback along with the publication of the assessment grade.

Reading List

Available in Brightspace.

When is this module offered?


Summer
Lecture	Offering 51	Week(s) - 38	Fri 09:00 - 17:00
Lecture	Offering 51	Week(s) - 37, 38	Mon 10:00 - 13:00
Lecture	Offering 51	Week(s) - 37, 38	Thurs 10:00 - 13:00
Lecture	Offering 51	Week(s) - 37, 38	Tues 10:00 - 13:00
Lecture	Offering 51	Week(s) - 37, 38	Wed 10:00 - 13:00
Summer