Universities and training providers are rapidly building cannabis curricula as legalization expands and employers look for formally trained talent. Students interested in marijuana science, policy, or business now have options ranging from full bachelor’s and master’s degrees to short, focused career certificates.

On the scientific side, several institutions offer cannabis-focused STEM degrees. Northern Michigan University’s Medicinal Plant Chemistry program was one of the first four-year degrees designed around medicinal plant production, analysis, and distribution; while it covers multiple botanicals, it is explicitly positioned as a pathway into the cannabis sector. Colorado State University Pueblo’s Bachelor of Science in Cannabis Biology and Chemistry blends core biology and chemistry with coursework on cannabis physiology, growth, and pharmaceutical applications, preparing graduates for lab work, product development, and research roles inside and beyond the cannabis industry.

Interdisciplinary cannabis studies degrees focus more on policy, culture, and economics. At Cal Poly Humboldt (formerly Humboldt State), a B.A. in Cannabis Studies introduces students to the legal, environmental, and market dynamics of cannabis and connects them to careers in compliance, public policy, and local government. Vermont State University’s 12-credit Cannabis Studies Certificate explores the historical, cultural, political, legal, medicinal, and spiritual dimensions of cannabis while also including hands-on cultivation and commercial training plus required employee-ID compliance education for working in Vermont’s regulated market. Community colleges such as Oakton College in Illinois offer cannabis studies pathways built with industry partners, aimed at entry-level jobs in cultivation, processing, and retail.

Graduate-level options are expanding as healthcare and research demand more specialized expertise. The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy created the first U.S. master’s program dedicated to medical cannabis: the M.S. in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics. Delivered primarily online with periodic in-person sessions, it covers pharmacology, clinical therapeutics, and public policy around medical cannabis. Maryland also offers a shorter, fully online graduate certificate that emphasizes cannabis pharmacology, clinical science, and the policy landscape for clinicians, pharmacists, and regulators who need a structured but compact credential.

Colorado State University Pueblo has added a companion M.S. in Cannabis Biology and Chemistry and a nine-credit post-baccalaureate certificate for students with strong biology or chemistry backgrounds. These programs deepen knowledge of plant science, analytical methods, and research design, often positioning graduates for lab management, advanced R&D roles, or further doctoral study.

For students who prefer short, career-oriented training, cannabis certificate programs powered by Green Flower have spread across the U.S. Green Flower partners with universities and colleges to deliver online Cannabis Career Certificates in areas such as cultivation, retail, and compliance, responding to a documented shortage of qualified workers in the legal industry. Recent announcements at institutions like Kent State University, Elmira College, and Southern Connecticut State University highlight multi-program online cannabis certificate suites explicitly designed to meet state workforce needs and a growing billion-dollar regional market.

Specialized trade schools also play a visible role. Oaksterdam University in Oakland, California—often described as a global leader in cannabis education—has offered in-person and online courses since 2007, covering horticulture, business management, law, extraction, and budtending, alongside broader topics like policy and history. Its model illustrates how non-traditional institutions can train entrepreneurs, regulators, and advocates in a rapidly evolving field.

When comparing programs, prospective students are encouraged to pay close attention to accreditation, curriculum focus (science, policy, or business), delivery format, and how each path lines up with their own career goals and their jurisdiction’s cannabis laws.

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