Bellarmine University has launched a cannabis education certificate program that will focus on the business, agriculture, law and medicine of the industry, with classes starting next month, according to a release from the college.
Bellarmine is the first institution in Kentucky to offer this type of certification, which is non-credit. It comes almost a year after Kentucky passed a law legalizing medical cannabis for patients with severe medical conditions. The law takes effect in 2025.
“Bellarmine’s cannabis certificate courses are open to anyone but are designed for entrepreneurs, agriculturalists, healthcare providers and legal professionals who are interested in the fast-growing, highly regulated field of cannabis,” the release stated.
There are four courses people can choose from:
Cannabis Business
Agriculture and Cultivation
Compliance and Risk Management
Healthcare and Medicine
Each of the programs will be virtual and last six months. Students can complete the courses on their own time, which gives them “flexibility in selecting the certificate and study schedule that best fits each participant,” the release said.
“With the legal and regulatory framework for cannabis evolving in Kentucky, the time was right for Bellarmine to offer the Commonwealth a comprehensive set of courses on the topic,” said Dr. Mark Wiegand, Bellarmine’s vice president for academic affairs and provost.
Each certificate costs $2,950, and when completed people will get a verified digital credential and ongoing membership in an employer network that has jobs and events.
The program is a partnership between Bellarmine University’s Center for Community and Professional Education and Green Flower, which is dedicated to educating people about the cannabis industry.
