LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Bellarmine University has launched a first-of-its-kind cannabis education certificate program. The program focuses on business, agriculture, law and medicine in the cannabis industry, and is the first to be offered by a public or nonprofit Kentucky university.

The certificate courses are open to anyone but are designed for entrepreneurs, agriculturalists, health care providers and legal professionals interest in the fast-growing field of cannabis. Through a partnership between Bellarmine’s Center for Community and Professional Education and Green Flower, an industry leader in cannabis education, the four courses available are:

• Cannabis Business 
• Agriculture and Cultivation 
• Compliance and Risk Management
• Health Care and Medicine

A state law adopted earlier this year will allow Kentuckians with severe medical conditions to use prescribed medical marijuana that can be grown and sold in Kentucky for medicinal purposes beginning on Jan. 1, 2025. A report published in Forbes last year showed that jobs in the cannabis industry grew more than 30% from 2021 to 2022, for a total of 428,059 full-time equivalent positions. Full legalization of the product across the nation could more than quadruple the number of available cannabis-related jobs in the coming years, according to the report.

“Helping Kentuckians access the most up-to-date knowledge and expertise in different aspects of this industry will ensure that our state is well-prepared to realize the full economic, workforce and consumer benefits associated with cannabis while assuring citizens that the products cultivated or sold in Kentucky comply with applicable standards and best practices,” said Dr. Mark Wiegand, Bellarmine’s vice president for academic affairs and provost.

Each of Bellarmine’s four cannabis certificate programs is available through six-month online sessions that participants can complete at their own pace, allowing flexibility in selecting the certificate and study schedule that best fits each participant. The courses are developed by industry leaders in each topic, with instructors selected by Green Flower based on their expertise. Each certificate program costs $2,950.

Participants who complete a certificate program will receive a verified digital credential and ongoing membership in an exclusive employer network, including priority access to job postings and virtual employer networking events.