St. Cloud State first school in Minnesota to offer cannabis education certificate

St. Cloud State University will offer new online cannabis certificates this fall, the first educational institution to do so in the state.

Partnering with California-based cannabis education company Green Flower, St. Cloud State will offer four cannabis certificates that include agriculture and horticulture, compliance and risk management, business, and health care and medicine. Each certificate will take about six months to complete.

"The cannabis industry is growing at an unprecedented rate and the demand for skilled professionals is higher than ever," SCSU President Robbyn Wacker said in a release. "Our endeavor is to meet workforce demand to provide educated professionals in this quickly evolving industry."

Operating out of SCSU's professional and continuing education division, the certificates are non-credit and are available to anyone over the age of 18.

Green Flower has partnered with 20 other institutions around the country to deliver courses in which students learn from leading experts in the cannabis industry.

"With the cannabis industry continuing to grow, we applaud the leadership of the University for their foresight in wanting to be the first institution in the State to offer certificate programs designed to prepare people for careers in what is now the fastest growing job market in the country," said Green Flower Chief Growth Officer Daniel Kalef in a release.

Start dates are Sept. 11 and Nov. 6. For more information about cannabis classes, visit cannabiseducation.stcloudstate.edu.

While no other universities in the state are offering cannabis certificates, classes are offered by the Minnesota Cannabis College and marijuana retailers.