The key to thriving in any competitive industry is education and when it comes to cannabis, there is truly so much to learn.
Since the majority of adults were raised in a time when cannabis was illegal and considered a dangerous drug, understandably, there is a great deal of misinformation going around. With the continued expansion of cannabis legalization across the globe, accurate knowledge is more important now than ever.
To meet this pressing need, schools have begun creating undergraduate and graduate programs to develop an educational standard for the cannabis industry. Whether you’re on the West or East coast, in the Mountain states or Midwest, or if you just want to take an online course from home – there’s a school for you.
Most of these schools offer multiple courses such as business, regulations, extraction, horticulture, budtending certification, and even a terpenes identification class that can be compared to a wine sommelier course. Let’s take a look at some of the top Cannabis learning institutions around the country.
The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy
University of Maryland
UMSOP has officially launched a new program titled Master of Science (MS) in Medical Cannabis Science and Technology, located at the Shady Grove campus in Rockville, MD. This is the first graduate program in the United States that teaches students – who will consist of physicians, nurses, researchers, and other health care professionals – about the most important scientific developments and medical applications of cannabis. The two-year course is already accepting applicants who currently posses a bachelor’s degree or higher. Click here for more information.
Clover Leaf University
Clover Leaf University
CLU is an accredited learning institution in Denver, Colorado, where students can learn about various aspects of cannabis related phytotechnology, as well as other technical cannabis topics. Courses include cultivation, dispensary management, cannabis culinary, science and testing, extraction, consulting, and more. The school was established in 2009 and is certified by the Colorado Department of Higher Education’s Private Occupational School Board. Click here for more information.
Oaksterdam University
Oaksterdam University
OU is the first cannabis college in America and has over 40,000 Alumni across the globe. Located in California’s bay area city of Oakland, Oaksterdam provides trainees a comprehensive cannabis education in the fields of horticulture and business, with a strong emphasis on the overall student experience. OU offers beginner to expert level courses and, in addition to educational, help foster professional networking opportunities with established entities and affiliate businesses. Click here for more information.
THC University
THC University
If you don’t live near any cannabis education campuses, or simply don’t want to take classes in-person, then THC University may be a better option. This college is entirely online so all your certifications can be completed in the comfort of your own home. Courses include terpenes basics, budtender training, intro to cannabis course, business, cultivation, and more. Click here for more information.
Of course this is only a short list of establishments. There are many more cannabis-based education programs available these days so just do some digging to find what’s best (and closest) for you.
