LIM College recently received authorization from New York State to offer a Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree program in The Business of Cannabis. The inaugural class will start in September.
The MPS program in The Business of Cannabis will be delivered fully online and can be completed in one calendar year. It is designed for career-changers as well as those who are interested in advancing their current cannabis-related careers.
Coursework will encompass retailing, social and economic justice, marketing, supply chain, regulatory compliance, and more. Master’s degree candidates will also complete a capstone project, where they will develop a formal plan for a cannabis business and pitch it directly to industry professionals.
This will be LIM’s second groundbreaking degree offering in the cannabis space. In October of 2021, the College announced it would offer the nation’s first Bachelor of Business Administration degree in The Business of Cannabis.
Said Elizabeth S. Marcuse, President of LIM College, “We developed the master’s program in The Business of Cannabis with tremendous input from industry professionals. They know the type of knowledge and skills cannabis employers are seeking in job candidates. Earning an advanced degree in The Business of Cannabis will prepare graduates to take on leadership and management roles in one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States.”
In keeping with LIM’s longstanding approach of focusing on the practical workplace application of academic knowledge, courses will be taught by professionals currently working in the cannabis industry, including: Ulysses Youngblood, Co-Founder and President of Major Bloom; and Paige Cecchi, who, as a Principal in 710 Growth Ventures, is an investor, advisor and strategist working with leading cannabis brands.
Says Cecchi, “After years of stigmatization and misinformation, education is key to the success of this nascent legal industry. Foundational education in the cannabis business will set graduates apart in a rapidly growing industry that needs professionals who are adaptive, inspired, and aware of the cannabis industry’s history.”
Wei Hu, Esq., Founding Partner at MRTA Law, PC will teach a course on social and economic justice considerations embedded in the cannabis business. He says, “Social and economic equity components are critically important to successfully operating a cannabis business. It’s not only about working in the industry. It’s also about effecting change on a broader level.”
Other industry professionals who consulted on program development include: Karen Meshkov, Director of Business Development for cannabis/hemp recruiting firm FlowerHire; Penelope Nam-Stephen, a former merchandising director for Burberry who is now Chief Commercial Officer for Community Growth Partners; and Sarah Falvo, Managing Director of Business Development for The Arcview Group, a leading financial and consulting services firm in the cannabis and hemp industry.
According to the consumer analytics firm Headset, the cannabis market has the potential to reach $45.8 billion in the U.S. by 2025, with New York State projected to be the third largest market in the nation. Globally, the market could reach $102 billion by 2026 (source: Prohibition Partners). Full-time jobs in the U.S. cannabis industry grew by 32% to 321,000 in 2020, according to the 2021 Leafly Jobs Report.
For information on applying to the Master of Professional Studies in The Business of Cannabis program, contact Michael Zaytsev, Academic Director, Business of Cannabis at: michael.zaytsev@limcollege.edu
