15-435 Distributed Systems and Real-World Usage of Cryptography: A Modern Perspective

12 units, Carnegie Mellon University

In this course, students will learn the mathematical foundations of blockchains, including how to construct distributed consensus protocols and prove them secure, cryptography for blockchains, and mechanism design for blockchains. This course will take a mathematically rigorous approach. Students are expected to have mathematical maturity and be able to write formal mathematical proofs. Students may also be expected to implement some consensus or cryptographic algorithms. This course is cross-listed with 15-635. Undergraduates should enroll in 15-435. Graduates students should enroll in 15-635.

Prerequisites: 15-251 (min C) or 15-330 or 15-210 (min C)

Offered: Spring 2027, Spring 2026

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