College Cannabis Course
Yes, you read that correctly. You may have already heard the news. I can only imagine the talk a student must have with his/her parents. Thankfully, times are changing. The cannabis industry is set to the next big boom. Why wouldn’t you want to get a leg up on your peers. Seems like a great opportunity.
Soon more UConn students will have the opportunity to learn the science behind cannabis horticulture, thanks to a new undergraduate course being offered in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture.
One of the first courses of its kind in the country, “Horticulture of Cannabis: From Seed to Harvest” will be taught by Gerald “Gerry” Berkowitz, professor of plant science, and several experts working in the cannabis industry today, including former graduate student Matt DeBacco (CAHNR ’07, ’11 MS in plant pathology, ’14 MS in education). Other experts include CEOs from successful business operations, such as licensed cannabis growing facilities in Connecticut and cannabis testing labs.
Berkowitz says he developed the course in response to “tremendous student demand” for academic training related to the cannabis industry, which in 2015 Forbes called the best startup opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors.
“Our students see career opportunities and want to gain experience. Businesses need highly trained scientists to support the growth of this industry, and they are seeking talented graduates to enter this workforce,” says Berkowitz. “With this course, we can help both groups. It’s a win-win.”
UConn is among other colleges and universities exploring how to respond to growing interest in the cannabis industry, which is expected to have a total economic output of $40 billion and support 414,000 jobs across the country by 2021, according to a joint report by Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics released in January 2018.
There are at least 11 other universities and colleges in the U.S. and Canada that have offered these types of classes.
These schools include:
University of Washington
UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative
University of Vermont
Community College of New Brunswick, located in Canada
Northern Michigan University
Durham College, located near Toronto, Canada
University of California, Davis
University of Denver
Niagara College of Canada
Ohio State University
Kwantlen Polytechnic University, in British Columbia, Canada
H/T: NBC Connecticut
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