ALBANY, N.Y. – Excelsior College’s Graduate Certificate in Cannabis Control premiered its first course in its Fall term commencing Monday, August 31. The three-course, 9-credit certificate supports professionals currently working or aspiring to work in the relatively new and rapidly expanding legal cannabis industry.
Just two months ago, the College introduced this program and inquiries for the Graduate Certificate in Cannabis Control have grown to 25 of all graduate level leads. In support of its program, the School of Graduate Studies recently hosted a cannabis career webinar on “How to Succeed in the Cannabis Industry,” that included leading industry professionals Robert Hunt and Marion McNabb, on how they found success in the cannabis industry. This event had tremendous interest and is tied with the program’s goal of connecting students with industry leaders and experts.
Some economic forecasts predict that legal cannabis will be a $73 billion industry by 2025, and recent analyses show employment opportunities expanding in concert with industry growth. Leveraging a fully online delivery model, the program will provide high-quality, academically rigorous courses to support adult learners from diverse academic, geographic, and cultural backgrounds. The demands and realities of an increasingly globalized economy have reshaped the higher education landscape.
Scott Dolan, dean of School of Graduate Studies at Excelsior College, stated, “The Graduate Certificate in Cannabis Control is an exciting program focused on helping students understand the industry’s dynamic regulatory environment. The industry itself is fascinating because it lies at the intersection of many important issues facing society today—social equity, corporate social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and more. The curriculum has been developed in coordination with industry experts and has students examine the space using different lenses—regulator, operator, and consumers. Students will complete the program with a portfolio of career-relevant deliverables, including drafted policy and legislation, standard operating procedures, letters to local government officials, memos to business executives, public comments and a community plan. We are excited to offer graduate-level credit for the courses within the certificate, and have aligned them with our master’s degrees in business administration, public administration, health sciences, cybersecurity, and criminal justice”
Admission to Excelsior’s cannabis control certificate program requires students to have completed their bachelor’s degree. This graduate-level certificate program takes an interdisciplinary approach and can be taken alone for college credit and career advancement or applied toward four of Excelsior College’s master’s degree programs.
The three courses in the certificate program include:
- Implications of Legalization of Cannabis: Policy and Compliance
- Interstate/International Commerce: Policy and Regulatory Environment
- Risk Assessment in Cannabis Control
The certificate program will enhance students’ understanding and interpretation of a complex regulatory environment that has significant variation across jurisdictions—federal, state, and municipal.
Cannabis is projected to hit a job-creation rate of 110 percent in just three years from 2017 to 2020. By 2021, the cannabis industry is expected to create 414,000 jobs in the U.S.” To view the salaries in various communities, visit https://info.vangst.com/hubfs/2019SalaryGuide.pdf.
For more information about Excelsior College, visit https://www.excelsior.edu/program/graduate-certificate-in-cannabis-control/
ABOUT EXCELSIOR COLLEGE
Excelsior College is a regionally accredited, not-for-profit online college focused on helping adults complete their degrees and advance their careers. The college contributes to the development of a diverse, educated, and career-ready society by valuing lifelong learning with an emphasis on serving individuals historically underrepresented in higher education. Founded in 1971, Excelsior meets students where they are — academically and geographically — removing obstacles to the educational goals of adults pursuing continuing education and degree completion. Our pillars include innovation, flexibility, academic excellence, and integrity. Learn more at excelsior.edu.
