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MIS20060

Academic Year 2025/2026

Inside the Modern Crypto Industry (MIS20060)

Subject:
Management Information Systems
College:
Business
School:
Business
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Paul Dylan-Ennis
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The Crypto industry is now fifteen years old. Its history has been tumultuous, but it has shown its staying power. But how did it come to its current point and what preoccupies the attention of modern Crypto entrepreneurs, companies and protocols? In this module, we take a pragmatic approach to succeeding in the Crypto industry as a business student. We’ll start with foundational knowledge about the technical underpinnings of blockchains, focusing our attention on Ethereum. We’ll then turn to popular Decentralized Finance (DeFi) applications, Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), Ethereum’s main competitor Solana, Ethereum Layer 2s and then finally Cypherpunk values. The module features talks and panels from experts working in the local Crypto industry, who will tell you about how they made it and what their day-to-day life is like. Throughout the module, students work on a hackathon concept that they could apply in the local Dublin scene and beyond. No coding is required for the hackathon concept.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completing this module, you will be able to:

(1) Explain how major blockchains work to a general audience.
(2) Gain specialist knowledge about the Crypto industry.
(3) Be able to handle an entry-level job interview in the Crypto industry.
(4) Have a basic hackathon concept ready to present (no code required).

Indicative Module Content:

Since the area is constantly evolving the content changes a bit each year.

However, the most consistent topics are Ethereum, Solana, Decentralized Finance (DeFI) and Decentralized Autonomous Organisations (DAOs) and Cypherpunk.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24

Autonomous Student Learning

86

Total

110


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module follows a traditional lecture format. We have a short discussion afterwards, but nothing too intensive and talking is voluntary. We’ll use Crypto apps and engage with current events. This is not a coding or computer science module. It is business-oriented and all about having a pragmatic mindset for making it in the industry.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Individual Project: Hackathon Pitch

You will record a short presentation pitch for a Crypto app. The pitch only needs to be a concept and you are not expected to produce code or a working product.
Week 6 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
40
Yes
Individual Project: Hackathon Website

You will refine your Crypto concept over the rest of the module and then produce a website that moves beyond the basics to consider the long term vision of the app.
Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
60
Yes

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback delivered with release of grades.

Available in Brightspace.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 32, 33 Mon 11:00 - 12:50