Online College Unveils New Cannabis Policy and Compliance Training Program

As more states legalize their medical and/or recreational cannabis markets, the demand for jobs in the emerging industry has increased exponentially. According to a study 2018 according to ArcView, the top cannabis researcher, the space is on track to create 414,000 jobs by 2021. Making job prospects even more attractive is a recent forecast from a business consultancy based in san francisco Grand View Search, which predicts the sector will generate $73.6 billion by 2027.

That’s a lot of parts. Not surprisingly, several colleges and universities have launched special degree and non-degree programs in recent years that target students eager to enter this booming market. The latest is Excelsior Collegejust launched the Graduate Certificate in Cannabis Control. While some programs focus on the cannabis trade or cultivation, for example, this unique online program focuses on educating students on how to navigate the complex regulatory landscape of the legal cannabis market.

To enroll in this graduate certificate program, prospective students must have already completed their bachelor’s degree. The three-course, nine-credit certificate “takes an interdisciplinary approach and can be taken on its own for college credit and career advancement or applied to four of Excelsior College’s master’s degree programs,” said the press release touting the program. The three courses in the certificate program are: “Implications of Legalization of Cannabis: Policy and Compliance”; “Interstate/International Commerce: Policy and Regulatory Environment”; and “Risk Assessment in Cannabis Control”.

Work on the program, which began in September 2019, has been methodical and thorough. “We began our work by analyzing the market, developing a concept paper, and having early conversations with experts and industry leaders,” said Scott Dolan, dean of the School of Graduate Studies at Excelsior College. “The three themes that emerged were policy and compliance, interstate and international regulation, and risk assessment. After identifying an education and training need, we conducted extensive market research and worked to align the program with our existing programs and areas of expertise.

The initial response to the program “has been overwhelmingly positive,” Dolan said. “[It] reinforced what we suspected: there is a need for education around the regulatory aspects of cannabis. All of the industry experts we spoke to agreed that the three courses we identified for inclusion in the Cannabis Certificate of Control are in demand in the field. Understanding policy and compliance is critical to success in the cannabis industry, as is understanding the complexities of intra- and interstate regulation as it relates to cannabis and the supply chain.

Founded in 1971, Excelsior College, based in Albany, New York, is a regionally accredited, nonprofit online college that has “helped more than 170,000 students earn their associate’s degrees , bachelor’s or master’s degree,” according to the wording of its website. .

For more information on the program, visit this link.