Blockchain technology was officially introduced in 2009, and in 2019 University of the Cumberlands was the first university in Kentucky – and one of the first nationwide – to offer a full college degree program dedicated to understanding and training with the technology.
It was the first blockchain program to be globally accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education.
What’s more, the university links the use of blockchain with ethical business practices, officially offering a Master of Science degree in “global business with blockchain technology,” so students not only learn the basics of the technology but also specific business practices that can be maximized through its usage.
Today, sources are ranking this innovative master’s program as the top program in the nation. A recent article by Tech Guide lists Cumberlands at the top of the list, above Northeastern University – Silicon Valley and Fordham University in New York. The ranking includes basic information about the programs, including credit hours and tuition costs – which is the most mind-blowing factor on the list. Cumberlands’ online master’s program in global business with blockchain technology is approximately one-fifth the cost of Northeastern’s program and merely one-tenth of Fordham’s program.
Though, to be fair, Fordham’s program requires double the credit hours that Cumberlands’ master’s program does. So, adjusted for credit hours, UC’s blockchain degree is one-fifth the cost of Fordham’s instead of one-tenth.
The article continues, listing the basics of blockchain, the benefits of earning a master’s degree studying the versatile technology, some expectations for what that master’s degree program might entail, and potential careers for those who obtain a blockchain degree, such as blockchain developer, software engineer, financial analyst, and security architect.
Another recent ranking, composed by Successful Student, lists Cumberlands’ blockchain degree program fourth in the nation, among schools such as the University of South Carolina, the University of Wyoming, and South College. Programs were ranked on the degrees or certificates offered and associated labs, clubs, and research initiatives, and academic influence.
Dr. Brian Houillion, assistant professor and program coordinator for the Master of Science in Global Business with Blockchain Technology, remarked, “These rankings provide recognition and validation of the high quality of our program and the exceptional instructors who provide their expertise and experience in this emerging industry in educating our students. We will continue to work diligently to provide excellent instruction in the application of blockchain technology within the vast field of business administration, and we’ll continue to develop our curriculum as the industry evolves to ensure the highest quality education for our blockchain students.”
While University of the Cumberlands offers a master’s in business with blockchain, it also offers an online blockchain certificate program, a 12-credit hour graduate-level program designed to help business professionals understand the technology through a business lens. The certificate program began in 2023.
The recent ranking by Tech Guide is one in a stream of lofty rankings for the university over the past year. In February, U.S. News & World Report ranked Cumberlands’ online master’s in criminal justice administration (MJA) program No. 7 in the nation, top in the state. A month prior, the university announced it had received renewed designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) – one of only three universities in Kentucky with that designation at the time. Colleges of Distinction has listed the university among its best schools in the U.S., best colleges in Kentucky, and best Christian schools in the nation. Meanwhile, multiple programs at Cumberlands have made it onto “Most Affordable” lists, such as the university’s relatively new online Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence program. Cumberlands is also proud have been awarded gold status as a Military Friendly® School.
University of the Cumberlands is a nonprofit liberal arts university founded on Christian principles and leadership through service. The university offers dozens of career-focused and student-centered programs at all levels, from certificate, to bachelor’s, and graduate programs. Learn more at www.ucumberlands.edu/academics.