University of Sciences in Philadelphia Offers Cannabis MBA

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]T[/dropcap]he University of Sciences in Philadelphia announced on July 16 that it will now offer a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) in cannabis.

With the increase in acceptance, sales and growth of the industry, there is now a need for official training programs as well. “We’ve seen rapid growth in an industry that needs business leaders,” said Andrew Peterson, executive director of the USciences Substance Use Disorders Institute to the Inquirer. “Our MBA is concentrated on the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, where medical cannabis fits very nicely.”

While many schools already offer some sort of cannabis program, or are engaged in cannabis research, this is one of the first MBA programs, and is certain to stand out because of its focus on commerce rather than on medicine or research. “There are many unique aspects to the medical cannabis and hemp industries, and those in this new industry have been testing the waters for the last few years,” said Peterson. “This new program will help to formalize those teachings for those currently in the cannabis industry, entering the field, or interested in other fields associated with the industry,”

The University of Sciences has an established relationship with Franklin Biosciences, a cultivator based in Denver, Colorado that runs Beyond/Hello dispensaries in Pennsylvania. It will be using that relationship to offer hands-on experience in cannabis commerce.

The program will offer four online courses beginning Aug. 26 as part of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Business Curriculum, Introduction to the Medical Cannabis Industry, Finance and Regulation of the Cannabis Industry, Cannabis Marketing and Sales, and a team project that may involve writing a business plan or launching a product. “We’ve already gotten interest from existing students,” Peterson said. “I don’t think we’ll get hundreds enrolling at the start, but we’ll get a good class. We usually enroll about 15 to 20 people in these classes. I think we’ll hit that target.”

This university is one of many which are creating cannabis programs. Two examples of this can be seen with the University of Maryland’s School of Pharmacy’s medical cannabis degree, and New Jersey University’s “cannabis professional degree.” University-level options regarding cannabis classes and credit are increasing every year.