Another New Jersey Community College Offering Cannabis Degree and Training Programs

New Jersey’s Hudson County Community College is now offering cannabis-related coursework including an associate degree program and two certificate programs. The college is also offering a four-week non-credit program focused on applying for and operating a cannabusiness in New Jersey. 

HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber said in a statement that the college “is dedicated to providing our diverse community with state-of-the-art programs that will lead to success and upward social and economic mobility.” 

“We are committed to ensuring that those who were most harmed by past cannabis injustices are provided with the acuity to build and sustain profitable businesses.” — Reber in a statement 

The associate degree in science for business administration is a 60-credit program offering designed to prepare students for ownership and operations opportunities in the cannabis industry, the college said in a press release. The curriculum includes communication skills, marketing, accounting, economics, finance, and business management.    

The cannabis business agent proficiency certificate program requires 12 credits to complete and provides those who obtain it with job skills necessary for employment in entry-level positions within the industry. The credits are transferrable to the associate degree program.

The cannabis business management academic certificate is a 33-credit program that provides graduates with the knowledge and skills for supervisory positions in the industry. The credits also transfer to the associate degree program.

In an interview with NJ.com, cannabis attorney Jessica Gonzalez, of the Hiller, PC law firm who is involved with developing the college’s curriculum, noted that HCCC’s student body “is primarily Latino students, followed by Black students,” adding that she grew up in Jersey City where HCCC is based. 

“It’s an important step for this institution to embrace cannabis to ensure that communities most harmed have access to cannabis education and are aware of the opportunities this industry brings,” she said. 

HCCC joins Stockton University, Rowan University, Raritan Valley Community College, and Bergen Community College in creating cannabis programs in the Garden State.