Excelsior College Offering Graduate Certificate in Cannabis Control

Excelsior College is launching a three-course, nine-credit graduate certificate in a cannabis control program. The course can be taken alone or applied toward the online college’s master’s degree programs.

Dr. James N. Baldwin, Excelsior president, said a variety of organizations in both public and private sectors “will require a deeper understanding of the emerging regulatory environment” as more states move toward broad legalization.

“Excelsior College’s graduate certificate will provide strong credentials and knowledge to enhance the skillset of those working or intending to work in this industry. Our interdisciplinary approach with a focus on regulations and compliance makes our program unique. We will bring together professionals from various aspects of the industry to discuss the impact of cannabis legalization on our communities, states, and nation to provide students with subject matter expertise so they can keep pace in the fast-changing industry.” — Baldwin, in a statement to Ganjapreneur

The three courses include: Risk Assessment in Cannabis Control; Interstate/International Commerce: Policy and Regulatory Environment; and Implications of Legalization of Cannabis: Policy and Compliance.

Scott Dolan, dean of graduate studies at Excelsior College, told Bezinga that the program “naturally aligned” with the college’s “disciplinary expertise in business, public health, criminal justice, and public administration,” noting that other regionally-accredited universities and colleges “have been relatively slow to respond with educational offerings” to meet the cannabis industry’s growing demand.

Excelsior College is based in New York, where medical cannabis is legal, but lawmakers have been unable to reach broad legalization agreements over the last two years. The state’s University of Buffalo School of Law earlier this year offered “The Green Rush” – a course aimed at compliance and other legal issues in the cannabis space.