COSC472-23S1 (C) Semester One 2023

Special Topic: Blockchain Technologies and Cryptocurrencies

This occurrence is not offered in 2023

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 20 February 2023
End Date: Sunday, 25 June 2023
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 5 March 2023
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 14 May 2023

Description

The course covers the cryptographic theory supporting Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as well as the practical aspects of how a cryptocurrency is designed. The advantages and disadvantages of different approaches are explored. More general applications of blockchain technologies are also included.

THIS COURSE IS NOT OFFERED IN 2023

2022 Covid-19 Update: Please refer to the course page on AKO | Learn for all information about your course, including lectures, labs, tutorials and assessments.

*Blockchain Technologies and Cryptocurrencies*

The course covers the cryptographic theory supporting Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as well as the practical aspects of how a cryptocurrency is designed. The advantages and disadvantages of different approaches are explored. More general applications of blockchain technologies are also included.

This course covers the practical exploration of real cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. The course mainly combines lectures and tutorials. If possible, invited lectures will be considered. Weekly tutorials and online quizzes will support the theory aspects. Tutorials can include either exercises or sessions for questions related to assignments. Assignments will be written reports and possibly oral presentations, and are developed to assert the students’ understanding. Cryptography-related lectures will cover mathematical concepts (number theory). Exercises during tutorials will be provided to strengthen the assimilation and application of those concepts.

Learning Outcomes

1. Learning and evaluating the underlying principles and techniques associated with blockchain technologies.

2. Becoming familiar with the cryptographic building blocks and analyzing how they are used in a typical cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin.

3. Developing a practical understanding of how cryptocurrencies are implemented and a critical evaluation of existing limitations of currently available blockchain and cryptocurrency systems.

Prerequisites

Timetable Note

Please note that the course activity times advertised here are currently in draft form, to be finalised on Monday 30 January 2023 for S1 and whole year courses, and Monday 26 June 2023 for S2 courses.
Please hold off enquiries about these times until those finalisation dates.

Course Coordinator

For further information see Computer Science and Software Engineering Head of Department

Assessment

Covid-19 Update: Please refer to the course page on AKO | Learn for all information about your course, including lectures, labs, tutorials and assessments.

Textbooks / Resources

Required Texts

Narayanan, Arvind; Bitcoin and cryptocurrency technologies : a comprehensive introduction ; Princeton University Press, 2016.

1. Lecture slides and tutorial slides.
2. Online readings will be provided.
4. Additional resources and textbooks may be suggested from the development and application of the course.

Additional Course Outline Information

Grade moderation

The Computer Science department's grading policy states that in order to pass a course you must meet two requirements:
1. You must achieve an average grade of at least 50% over all assessment items.
2. You must achieve an average mark of at least 45% on invigilated assessment items.

If you satisfy both these criteria, your grade will be determined by the following University-wide scale for converting marks to grades: an average mark of 50% is sufficient for a C- grade, an average mark of 55% earns a C grade, 60% earns a C+ grade and so forth. However if you do not satisfy both the passing criteria you will be given either a D or E grade depending on marks. Marks are sometimes scaled to achieve consistency between courses from year to year.

Students may apply for special consideration if their performance in an assessment is affected by extenuating circumstances beyond their control.

Applications for special consideration should be submitted via the Examinations Office website within five days of the assessment.

Where an extension may be granted for an assessment, this will be decided by direct application to the Department and an application to the Examinations Office may not be required.

Special consideration is not available for items worth less than 10% of the course.

Students prevented by extenuating circumstances from completing the course after the final date for withdrawing, may apply for special consideration for late discontinuation of the course. Applications must be submitted to the Examinations Office within five days of the end of the main examination period for the semester.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,079.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Computer Science and Software Engineering .

All COSC472 Occurrences

  • COSC472-23S1 (C) Semester One 2023 - Not Offered