The worldwide cannabis industry is expected to reach more than $90 billion by 2026, so there’s never been a better time to take an online cannabis course or start a business of your own. If you’ve been thinking about getting a job in the cannabis industry but you lack the knowledge and/or experience, this list includes the best schools and courses to learn about the many aspects of the cannabis industry. Whether you want to work as a budtender, a grower, or you’re hoping to open a cannabis business of your own someday, these courses will help you figure out a path and reach your goals faster.
Permit Pros Cannabis Permit Course
Permit Pros is a self-paced online course designed to help you get through the beginner stages of opening a legal cannabis business. Belinda and Sarah will walk you through every step of the process including figuring out how much money you need and how to design a business plan that attracts investors and helps you secure real estate, plus access to their project planning tools and tax-ready forms that will help you stay organized.
Read my interview with Sarah and Belinda of Team Permit Pros here.
Learn more about their cannabis license course and enroll here.
THC University
Whether you’re a current or aspiring cannabis entrepreneur, THC University’s online classes are a great option if you’re looking to add “learn everything there is to know about weed” to your already busy schedule. For less than $200 you can get access to their entire catalog of courses and certification programs. Students also get access to their cannabis job board and resume reviews and consultations. Some of their programs include:
Budtender Basics
Marijuana 101
Grow Basics
Horticulture Specialist
Cannabis Business
Colorado Safety and Regulations
Washington Safety and Regulations
Read more about THC University and enroll in classes here.
Start Your Cannabis Information Business Step-By-Step with The Elevated Advocate
This course by Brandi Bee is exactly what you need if you’re thinking about starting a cannabis information business like coaching, education, or a membership program. This course will walk you through the step-by-step process of narrowing down your product idea, getting into the right mindset, creating, launching, and marketing your product, tracking your business growth, and maintaining a work-life balance without sacrificing your goals. Read more about the Cannabis Information Business course and get her free business resources on her website, The Elevated Advocate.
Oaksterdam University
Oaksterdam University was founded in 2007 as America’s first cannabis college. They offer online cannabis courses in a live classroom format as well as self-paced courses if you prefer the flexibility. They have a selection of free courses on topics like advocacy, regulations, and horticulture basics, plus more advanced paid courses on everything from budtending certification to commercial extraction and manufacturing. They’ve recently upgraded a good portion of their course content to include virtual libraries, videos, field trips, workshops, and factory tours. View their full course selection here.
Cannabis Training University
The Cannabis Training University offers a Master of Marijuana Certification for aspiring cannabis entrepreneurs, attorneys, cultivators, manufacturers, horticulturists, software developers, and chefs from all around the world in both legal and non-legal states and countries. They’re the first online program to offer certification as a Marijuana Grower or Budtender. Program participants will learn everything from how to open a dispensary to how to grow marijuana, how to cook with cannabis, how to produce the most in-demand cannabis products and best practices for thriving in an ever-expanding industry. Regardless of where you want to take your cannabis career, they’re one of the most popular sources for a certification program, especially with industry leaders like Ed Rosenthal on their payroll. View their full course selection here.
Green CulturED
Based in Denver, Colorado, Green CulturED is an excellent source for all things eLearning in the cannabis industry, with online master certification programs available in budtending and all forms of growing marijuana. If you’re not ready for a master certification program or have already completed one, smaller courses are available in specific areas like pest management, lighting, business operations, chemistry, medicine making, and breeding. This is a great option for experienced growers or cannabis professionals who know what they’re doing but want to study up on more specific areas of their business. View their full course catalog here.
Trichome Institute
In January 2014, the Trichome Institute was founded with a goal of filling a need for “credible, accurate, and thoroughly researched information” in the cannabis space. Today, the institute offers the world’s only cannabis sommelier program. They also develop a variety of training textbooks, workbooks, knowledge tests, and original curriculum for students, all of which have been certified by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment and the Marijuana Enforcement Division. You can enroll in courses individually or sign up for access to everything. View their full course catalog here.
Cannabis College
Located in Amsterdam, Cannabis College is not an academic college, but rather a nonprofit dedicated to providing objective, accurate information on the medicinal, nutritional, recreational, and industrial use of the cannabis and hemp plants. They even offer THC testing if you’re curious about the chemical makeup of your product, and their garden is used to teach the public about the many uses of hemp and cannabis. Find out more about Cannabis College here.
The Grow School
The Grow School offers in-person, live online, and self-paced marijuana growing courses for anyone over the age of 21 interested in learning to grow cannabis. Their growing lessons accommodate a wide range of scenarios, whether you want to grow weed in your closet or start a large-scale commercial business one day. Learn more at TheGrowSchool.Org.
Clover Leaf University
Located in Denver, Colorado, Clover Leaf University offers certification programs for industry professionals who want to learn more about the business and legal sides of cannabis, growing and cultivation, breeding, budtending, and greenhouse and dispensary operations. Most classes are available as 3-4 hour lectures, and there is the option to host a seminar if you’d like to bring them in to train your team. More information on each class is available in their course catalog.
Cannabis Career Institute
The Cannabis Career Institute offers classes and certifications for students who want to learn more about the business side of creating, branding, and marketing a cannabis collective. Certification programs for budtending, dispensary management, edibles, business management, and cultivation management are all available through their in-person and online courses and events.
The Medical Cannabis Institute
The Medical Cannabis Institute is designed for medical professionals who are interested in expanding their knowledge of the therapeutic and medicinal benefits of the cannabis plant. Online courses include topics like Medical Cannabis Curriculum for Nurses, Clinical Cannabinoid Medicine, Core Knowledge of the Endocannabinoid System, and Clinical Applications of Cannabis in Cancer Patients, and all are taught by medical cannabis experts. If you work in healthcare, this is a great way to affordably learn about medical marijuana at your own pace. View their upcoming courses and events here.