Cannabis College That’s right. While college students have long been notorious smokers of marijuana, it is now possible to attend university for the express purpose of studying cannabis and its cultivation for medicinal and recreational use. Sound too good to be true? The courses and certificates you can earn after passing them are real. But don’t think you will spend all day hanging out and smoking weed. These are real classes with serious instructors and coursework that can be challenging, even for dedicated students. At a cannabis college you will be learning about all aspects of growing and selling marijuana. You can take business courses that will guide you in opening and operating a dispensary, law courses at the federal and state level, as well as horticulture, applied science and even culinary classes. Yes, you can take college classes to learn how to bake delectable edibles. If this sounds like an education you could get excited about, check out some of the options available to you. Oaksterdam University, Oakland California Med Grow Cannabis College, Michigan Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Vancouver, B.C. Canada Humboldt Cannabis College, Humboldt County, California Medical Marijuana United, Online College College of Cannabis, Online College Oaksterdam University, Oakland California About Oaksterdam offers an education for every aspect of the cannabis business. From growing herb to opening a dispensary to cooking edibles they offer it all. The Curriculum: Oaksterdam is perhaps the largest of the current cannabis colleges, boasting not only classes in different fields, but also distinct academic departments. Business Culinary Arts History Horticulture Law Science Life Science Applied Science Social Science You can choose to take their standard semester which takes 14 weeks and covers 18 classes. All of their basic and advanced seminar courses are included, with topics ranging from politics and history to advanced growing techniques and topical applications. If you are looking for a thorough education in all aspects of cannabis production and sale, this is the course for you. Oaksterdam’s courses are also available as weekend seminars for those interested in a particular topic. Certification Program You can achieve two levels of certification from Oaksterdam University- Seminar or Semester. To attain the certificate you must pass all your exams with 75% and maintain a good attendance record throughout the semester. The certificate allows you to use the University as a reference when applying for jobs. Admissions While admissions are open to anyone, including international students, apply well in advance to get a spot. There is currently a waiting list. The Cost If you want to take the full 14 week semester, expect to spend around $1,200. You can take an even more intensive growing class which covers indoor and outdoor grow set-ups with labs for $1,500, or choose a shorter, simpler course of study for as little as $450. Learn more about Oaksterdam University at their webpage. Med Grow Cannabis College, Michigan About The Michigan campus is the first of many colleges that Med Grow hopes to open. They offer courses in person and online, though online classes are only available to those who live in states where marijuana for medicinal use has been legalized. The Curriculum Med Grow offers a semester long compilation of classes that include: Horticulture (includes Lab) Cannabis History Intro to Cannabis Law Cooking and Concentrates Care-Giving as a Business Cannabis as Medicine All in all the semester includes 10 classes, each of which meets once a week. The college also offers condensed 5-day courses as well as online options for distance students. The Staff Med Grow Cannabis College boasts two attorneys-at-law on its staff. One has specialized in medical marijuana malpractice and health care law. The other is a criminal defense attorney who has focused specially on marijuana cases for over 20 years. Their two horticulture instructors have years of professional growing experience, and are considered the go-to resources in the region for fixing problems in grows of all sizes. The college also has two business professors to help guide students in creating profitable businesses upon graduation. The Cost Admission to the standard 6 week semester at Med Grow Cannabis College runs around $475. They offer a variety of condensed and shortened semester options, as well as advanced workshops for those who have completed the initial 6 week program. Learn more about Med Grow Cannabis College at their webpage. Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Vancouver, B.C. Canada About This Canadian University now offers a few select courses in cannabis management. The Curriculum Courses offered by Kwantlen Polytech include: Introduction to Professional Management of Medical Marijuana for Medical Purposes Plant Production and Facility Management Marketing, Sales and Drug Development The first is a 14 week course that will initially be offered online. Students will learn how to identify healthy plants, fix common problems and prevent pests, understand plant cycles and develop an understanding of current legal issues regarding the production and sale of cannabis. The Cost To take the courses at the Canadian University will cost students between $1200 and $2500 CAN. As of summer 2015 medicinal use of marijuana is legal throughout the country and full legalization is being discussed. Humboldt Cannabis College, Humboldt County, California About Humboldt County California has been known for decades for the high quality, organic bud grown there. The area is home to a community of dedicated growers who take pride in their marijuana, and who have decided to share their wisdom with others. The Humboldt Cannabis College focuses on outdoor and organic growing strategies. While they applaud the recent wave of marijuana legislation legalizing growing on private and commercial levels, they express concern about the environmental impacts of indoor growing, a process that leaves a large carbon footprint and often relies on chemical nutrients to feed plants. The Curriculum Humboldt College offers courses to educate cannabis enthusiasts on marijuana horticulture, cannabis as a medicine and cannabis law. Examples of their classes include: California Healing Institute Certified Cannabis Therapy Consultant Program Basic Horticulture Program Law (current and dynamic cannabis laws, lectures from lawyers and activists) Treating Health Conditions with Cannabinoids Discover Oil, Tinctures and Salves Learn more about Humboldt Cannabis College at their webpage. Medical Marijuana United, Online College About Medical Marijuana United offers all of its classes online, making their coursework accessible to growers around the world. They offer classes in all aspects of cannabis industry. Graduates receive certificates upon graduating that can be presented to employers and have helped many to find lucrative work in the rapidly expanding nation-wide marijuana business. The Curriculum This online college offers courses in 7 distinct fields: Legal Services Caregiving Bud Tending Commercial Cultivation Management Infused Products Medical Training Each course includes various classes to give the student all the information they need to start a career in each field. For example, in the Caregiver course you will learn about basic cannabis horticulture, grow room design, cloning, harvest and curing and making edibles. Learn more about Medical Marijuana United at their webpage. College of Cannabis, Online College About This online cannabis college offers courses for new entrepreneurs looking to start their own cannabusiness. The college is a business itself, selling smoking paraphernalia and grow lights. The income generated from their product sales and affiliate links allow them to offer the majority of their courses free of charge, making this a great resource for growers and distributors alike. The Curriculum: The online courses typically run from 2-3 hours, though some offer up to 9 hours of material. The beauty of the online class is that you can tackle the material at your own pace. Course offerings include: How to Start a Medical Marijuana Dispensary How to Start a Medical Marijuana Grow Business How to Start a Medical Marijuana Delivery Service Medical Marijuana 101 They even offer such simple and practical information such as that provided in the course “How to Roll a Joint”. Learn more about College of Cannabis at their webpage. Pay for School, or Self-Educate? The various cannabis colleges described in this article and others like them, offer newbies to growing an opportunity to learn how to do things properly the first time around. However, for the intrepid do-it-yourselfer, most of the information contained in these courses can be obtained for free with a little bit of online research and some practice. Would-be growers can also gain experience working in low level positions for commercial operations. If you are having difficulty finding employment, campuses like Oakland can provide you with hands-on experience. Conclusion on Cannabis College As cannabis laws become more liberal throughout the country, the marijuana industry will continue to grow. With more and more legally legitimate jobs in cannabis related fields, we can expect to see more educational opportunities arise to train people for these positions. For the moment, consider taking a weekend seminar or brief online class. You might learn some tricks to boost your yields or promote your business.
