In a first in Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville will start to offer cannabis-related certificate programs in November onward. Taking place entirely online, each program contains three modules for a total of 24 weeks of instruction. There are three certificates: Cannabis Business, Law and Health care.
“The cannabis industry will grow very quickly over the next 10 years, so we’re thrilled to be the first university to offer these cannabis education certificates,” says Kerie Wedige, executive director of the Continuing Education Institute of UW-Platteville. “One of the nice parts about the cannabis industry, there’s so many different areas that somebody can be involved with. There is the agricultural aspect from seed to sale, the medical and health care, the business, law and policy… There are so many different places where you can insert yourself into the industry, and these programs give a broad instruction that helps you build your knowledge and see how you’d be a good fit in the industry.”
Anyone can register to study cannabis, as the programs are open to the public with no previous education requirements. “These are non-credit certificates, so people don't have to be enrolled at UW-Platteville in order to take the course. Everyone is welcome to sign up!” Wedige adds.
Tuition for a certificate program is $2,500. The courses are instructor-led, asynchronous and culminate in a final project. The average amount of time someone is going to spend working on the program in a week is “probably four to eight hours.”
The university is partnering with Green Flower, a leader in cannabis training and education. They will be providing the instructors. “We worked with them for many years, they are experts on the subject matter and most of them are practitioners in the field,” explains Daniel Kalef of Green Flower.
Programs Overview
“Operating a cannabis company is complex and has unique nuances due to its illegal classification and emerging industry status,” the university says about its cannabis business program, which is meant to navigate a technically illegal industry.
This program is meant to examine what cannabis is, how it can be used, its legal status, as well as how to handle finances, human resources, risks, marketing and the product itself to be in compliance with the law. It is aimed at people with an entrepreneurial spirit, as the certificate concludes by exploring the option of creating one’s own cannabis business.
The cannabis law certificate will help students navigate the minefield that is the legal landscape surrounding cannabis. “This program will tackle these issues by breaking down complicated legal terminology, highlighting important court cases, and explaining key regulations regarding business development within the cannabis industry,” the university promises. It will also delve into the historical events that led to the formation of these laws on the federal and state levels. It will teach students how to obtain a state license and local permit and all the requirements to be compliant with all regulations within the industry.
As for the cannabis health care program, it focuses on understanding cannabis’s medical properties. It will teach students to provide guidance to patients and fine-tune cannabis therapy. The objective is to give them the knowledge to navigate the numerous products available on the market and help customers find what is right for them.
It is documented that the cannabis industry is a very strong job creator. Earlier this year, Leafly concluded that legal cannabis supports nearly 250,000 American jobs, and it achieves a 15% annual uptick in jobs. UW-Platteville wants to create a generation of people who are competent to fill these new cannabis-related positions. “Cannabis is not only new to most people, it is also a very complicated subject that not many people have direct experience with. High-quality education on the subject is paramount and will set students apart to participate in this sought-after industry.”
For more information, visit uwplatt.cannabisstudiesonline.com.
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