Even those who aren’t regular consumers of marijuana or advocates of its legal reform have likely heard of Oaksterdam University, which is North America’s first-ever college focused specifically on cannabis and the cannabis industry.
Since 2007, the university “has been setting the bar for academic rigor and applied learning in cannabis education”.
According to its website, the university is “Recognized industry-wide for its rigorous academic learning environment”, and it “has something to offer cannabis professionals at every experience level.”
With the legal marijuana industry continuing to grow, more and more colleges and trade schools are offering marijuana-related classes, programs and degrees. This is even true in some of the more conservative parts of the country such as Florida and the Florida Gulf Coast University.
In this article we will take an overview of the university’s Cannabis Studies Focus:
Summary of Program
According to the official website for Florida Gulf Coast University, students interested in Cannabis Studies “may major in Integrated Studies and select from courses in a variety of disciplines that create an integrated and multidisciplinary exploration of the impact that cannabis has on the mind, body, and society.”
These courses will prepare students “to enter the multifaceted cannabis industry via a broad range of academic disciplines.” The Integrated Studies degree requires 30 credits, including 12 credits in the Integrated Studies core, plus 18 credits from at least 3 different disciplines. The university states that “Students who wish to focus their coursework on cannabis studies are encouraged to choose these 18 credits from cannabis-related elective credits.”
This program “offers students the ability to focus their studies on cannabis related topics, but is not an official concentration or minor.”
Potential Career Options
Some potential marijuana-related career options you can expect to be relevant to this course include:
Dispensary worker or manager
Potential Salary: $45,000 – $80,000
Marijuana lobbyist
Potential Salary: $65,000 – $80,000
Marijuana Grower
Potential Salary: $50,000 – $90,000
Ranking of University
According to USNews.com, Florida Gulf Coast University is ranked:
#69 in Regitional Universities South
#31 in Best Undergraduate Teaching
#12 in Most Innovative Schools
Course Overview
Below is the full official course overview:
Students interested in Cannabis Studies at FGCU may major in Integrated Studies and select from courses in a variety of disciplines that create an integrated and multidisciplinary exploration of the impact that cannabis has on the mind, body, and society. These courses will prepare students to enter the multifaceted cannabis industry via a broad range of academic disciplines. The Integrated Studies degree requires 30 credits, including 12 credits in the Integrated Studies core, plus 18 credits from at least 3 different disciplines. Students who wish to focus their coursework on cannabis studies are encouraged to choose these 18 credits from cannabis-related elective credits.
This program offers students the ability to focus their studies on cannabis related topics, but is not an official concentration or minor.
Required core courses for the Integrated Studies BA: 12 credits
IDS 3300: Foundations of Civic Engagement. Students understand, evaluate, and analyze foundational elements of engagement with the community.
IDS 3920: University Colloquium. An interdisciplinary course that explores sustainability and the environment.
IDS 4910: Senior Capstone. Students will devise a senior project in their field.
IDS 3XXX: At least one interdisciplinary upper level class. IDS 3143 below could count for this requirement. If used as part of the core, students need to choose an additional course to complete the Integrated Studies major requirements.
Cannabis-related courses:
18 credits (6 courses), with at least 3 different disciplines represented
IDS 3138: Cannabis and its impact – 3 credits
IDS 3306: ST: Drugs: Mind, Body, and Society – 3 credits
CCJ 4933: Marijuana Law – 3 credits
IDS 3304: E&E: The Horticulture and Botany of Cannabis – 3 credits
AEB 3933: Cannabusiness – 3 credits
PCB 3733: The Pharmacology and Physiology of Cannabis – 3 credits
IDS 3344: Weed Culture – 3 credits
IDS 3143: ST: The Chemistry of Medicinal Plants – 3 credits
As knowledge around the benefits of medical cannabis spreads throughout the states, the demand for nurses educated in the industry is growing. Most states have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes, but the nurses that are well-versed in the ways it can be used are limited. There’s never been a better time to begin a career as a medical cannabis nurse.
Many experienced nurses are unsure about embarking on this career path as there is still much to learn about this new medicine. For that reason, choosing to specialize in medical cannabis means you will be able to find a job quickly and be ahead of the curve when it comes to knowledge. Even once you have your nursing degree, you will need specialized training that fully dives into the subject of medical cannabis and the laws around it so you can serve your patients to the best of your abilities.
As more and more students look for growing industry sectors, positions in cannabis related employment has become a very hot and interesting field of study. With more and more universities around the world developing content and programs to support this demand, schools like the Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University’s students now have many education options that didn’t exist a decade ago
Here is an overview of the cannabis program at the Chang School of Continuing Education:
You’re a nurse looking for something different to do with your career, and a cannabis business seems appealing to you, but you are stuck for ideas when it comes to what you could do or where to get started. Maybe you feel like since it’s a fairly new and growing industry, you could get a head start and beat the competition, but at the same time, the fact that the cannabis industry is in its infancy stage might be leaving you wondering if it’s better to sit it out and wait to see what happens.
But the pressure is on, because even though it’s still early days, the cannabis industry is set to grow significantly, and sales are projected to hit over $20 billion in the next few years. Over half the states in the U.S. have legalized cannabis in some form or another, and there are even cannabis nurses and the American Cannabis Nurses Association.
In this article we’ll breakdown a summary SUNY Morrisville’s Minor in Cannabis Studies, look at potential career options and look at the ranking of the university.
Oh what a world we live in! Not only have around a dozen U.S. states legalized marijuana in the past eight years, as well as two full countries, but marijuana has become so mainstream that numerous mainstream colleges and universities are offering marijuana-related course work. Not only that, but some are offering full majors or minors in cannabis-related fields. One of those is the Colorado State University Pueblo, who has a Minor in Cannabis Studies.
Below is an overview of the Colorado State University Pueblo’s Minor in Cannabis Studies:
The cannabis industry is on an unprecedented growth path with many people looking at ways to get into the industry. Universities have the opportunity to be a leading edge of helping future employees prepare for the new landscape that this industry creates. Times like these are rare and those more prepared will benefit hugely; whether that be businesses, government, colleges or employees.
The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy has a Master of Science in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics to specifically address this opportunity. We have summarized the program here:
Stockton University is a well-respected college in New Jersey. Like many other colleges, they have jumped aboard the marijuana bandwagon and are now offering an entire minor based on cannabis studies. This has become an increasingly popular program for the school.
If you’re interested in learning more about this program and the school, have a ready below:
Like it or not (and if you’re reading this – you probably do!), marijuana is mainstream, and it’s here to stay. In addition to the numerous states and countries that have and are liberalizing their marijuana policies, the clear sign to this fact is that numerous major public and private universities now offer marijuana-related programs.
These include short seminars, all the way to full degrees.
One of those degrees being offered is a Bachelor’s in Medicinal Plant Chemistry from Minot State University. Although this program covers more than just cannabis, it has a large emphasis on the plant. Below is an overview of this program:
Even those who aren’t regular consumers of marijuana or advocates of its legal reform have likely heard of Oaksterdam University, which is North America’s first-ever college focused specifically on cannabis and the cannabis industry.
