The Bitcoin Diploma takes no less than eight hours. Eight hours is the shortest planned route, not an automatic certificate route or a fixed limit, and there is no upper duration limit. The pathway includes teaching, practice, direct observation, feedback, and opportunities for reassessment. Plan from the required competencies and the learning needs of the cohort, then take the time learners need to explore, discuss, practise, consolidate, and demonstrate their learning. Extend the session, add another session, or return to key activities whenever learners need it.
You may require learners to read the relevant Student Guide chapter before class when every learner can access it in an appropriate language and format. Pre-reading can preserve live class time for discussion, questions, local context, and selected activities, but it should not count toward the minimum eight hours or replace required educator-supported learning and assessment. Provide an equivalent supported route when pre-reading would create an access barrier.
Consider cohort capacity before confirming the schedule. Estimate the time needed for activities, questions, troubleshooting, feedback, observation, and reassessment. Use a smaller cohort, another educator, extra sessions, or a different schedule when helpful. A first cohort can also help the educator learn how much time the local route needs; a formal pilot is not required.
Possible delivery models include:
| Model | Example | Best fit | Watch for |
|---|
| One-day intensive | 9:00–18:00 with suitable breaks | Learners who can attend once and already have strong study stamina | Fatigue, rushed practice, insufficient individual assessment time |
| Four-session course | Four sessions of about two hours | Community classes, schools, libraries, or evening cohorts | Do not assume every practical assessment fits inside the Module 3 or 4 session |
| Eight-session course | Eight sessions of about one hour | Translation, younger learners, repeated practice, limited device access | Maintain the narrative connection across shorter meetings |
| Blended local schedule | Two half-days or another integrated sequence | Travel constraints, shared devices, remote preparation | Keep pre-work accessible and make live evidence requirements clear |
If an advertised day runs from 9:00 to 17:00, breaks and lunch reduce live learning time. Shorten optional examples, not required competencies, safe practice, or assessment. Redesign the advertised course schedule before delivery rather than certify without evidence.
