Do MBA programs care about what’s happening in the blockchain and crypto space? The short answer is yes, though not all have taken action to educate in this space. However, that may change by the time you finish reading this post because new blockchain and crypto-focused elements are being introduced at an increasing pace as the technology continues to capture headlines.
Although none of the top MBA programs have introduced a full-blown major (or minor, pathway, or concentration, for that matter) in blockchain or crypto yet, several now offer courses, centers, events, and communities in which students can get involved and build their blockchain-related skill sets. As you research your school options, be on the lookout for relevant student clubs as well. There are some blockchain/crypto/DeFi clubs, but other clubs (such as fintech or tech) are also showing interest in the space.
The following is a list of top MBA programs with resources that blockchain and crypto enthusiasts should look into when researching business schools:
- MIT Sloan – The Digital Currency Initiative offers a host of ways to get involved with interdisciplinary groups, from academia and research to venture capital and entrepreneurs. Students also participate in real-world projects via the Blockchain Lab.
- NYU Stern – Perhaps the most robust classroom experience in blockchain exists at NYU Stern. The program’s FinTech specialization offers courses such as “Digital Currencies, Blockchains & the Future of the Financial Services Industry,” “Accounting and the Blockchain,” and “Topics in Cryptocurrency Investing.”
- Texas McCombs – Get involved at the Blockchain Initiative, an established center with three primary objectives: (1) support grad student and faculty research on blockchain; (2) teach students the core concepts underlying crypto, blockchain, and digital payments, and (3) serve as a hub of knowledge for external dealings with policy makers, the media, and industry practitioners.
- Duke Fuqua – Professor Campbell Harvey lists blockchain and decentralized finance as one of his primary research interests, and he teaches the course “Innovation and Cryptoventures.”
- Cornell Johnson – Check out the school’s two-year MBA Fintech intensive, which helps students gain awareness of all things blockchain and crypto. Also, students can get involved with the Cornell Blockchain.
- Michigan Ross – Key courses in this area include “FinTech: Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, and Other Technology Innovations,” “A Brief Introduction to Computing Technologies: Crypto, AI, Quantum,” and “FinTech Innovations,” which focuses specifically on blockchain and cryptocurrencies.
- Chicago Booth – Interested students can register for the course “Cryptocurrency and Blockchain: Markets, Models, and Opportunities.”
- UPenn Wharton – The program offers the course “International Financial Markets and Cryptocurrencies.”
- Harvard Business School – The Digital Initiative is a research-fueled engagement community that focuses on multiple topics relating to how technology impacts the world, one being the future of finance.
- Stanford GSB – The Stanford Center for Blockchain Research has created a dynamic ecosystem consisting of faculty, MBA students, post docs, and visitors versed in engineering, law, and economics. The center hosts the Stanford Blockchain Conference and the Stanford Blockchain Seminar.
- Columbia – Students can take the course “An Introduction to Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies,” taught by Professor Gur Huberman, and get involved with Blockchain at Columbia. And the Columbia-IBM Center for Blockchain and Data Transparency has the stated goal of “delivering education, research, and innovation in the areas of data sharing, fair use of data, blockchains and related technologies.”
Blockchain and cryptocurrencies are here to stay, and future business leaders are learning how to understand and apply these technologies.
