KENT, Ohio – New sessions begin Tuesday at Kent State University for people interested in earning certificates in marketing and branding cannabis products, the medical properties of marijuana and other topics in the new industry.

Kent State partners with Green Flower, a Ventura, California, based firm which provides the online certificate programs. Zane State College in Zanesville also partners with Green Flower to offer certificates.

Green Flower creates the content for the programs and finds experts in the field to teach them.

“They’re very interactive,” Green Flower CEO and co-founder Max Simon said. “There are lectures people attend that are led by leading cannabis subject matter experts. Then there’s reading assignments, project assignments, and then a final exam.”

For Kent State, the programs align with one of the university’s goals: supporting Ohio’s workforce, KSU spokesman Eric Mansfield said. It chose Green Flower based on its track record and alignment with KSU’s academic standards.

“The program prepares students specifically for Ohio’s regulatory environment while fitting into Kent State’s broader workforce development goals,” he said.

Kent State offers five certificate programs: Cannabis Healthcare and Medicine, Business of Cannabis, Cannabis Agriculture and Horticulture, Cannabis Compliance and Risk Management and Cannabis Product Development and Design.

About 250 students have participated in one of the programs.

The certificates take about six months to complete, Simon said.

Green Flower runs programs at around 60 universities and colleges across the country. Most are in states with medical and adult-use markets, such as Ohio, but some are in states with only medical programs, such as one it runs at Louisiana State University.

About 70% of the students who enroll in the certificate programs are interested in jobs inside the cannabis industry, and about 30% are professionals from other sectors – such as people who work in nursing or marketing roles who want to broaden their knowledge base of marijuana, Simon said.

“Cannabis as an industry is much more competitive and complex than most people are aware of,” he said. “If you’re coming in from the outside, no professional background, no understanding of the cannabis industry, maybe just an interest in cannabis, you’re likely only going to get an entry-level job. It’s probably going to be more difficult to play a more active, leadership role.”

A certificate from KSU will stand out on a resume, he said. Students also get access to a cannabis job board with roles at companies across the United States.

Each certificate normally costs $2,950, now are now on sale for $2,450.

Green Flower receives 75% of the tuition and KSU receives 25%, Mansfield said. The college handles marketing, enrollment services and registration.

“Our agreement is for three years, and we’ll continue to monitor both the industry’s evolution and our graduates’ experiences to refine the coursework as needed to produce employees ready to contribute and succeed in this emerging field,” Mansfield said.

The program is part of the university’s Lifelong Learning initiative.

“With online, asynchronous courses, students can learn at their own pace and during the hours that best suit their personal schedules,” Mansfield said. “This format also removes geographic barriers for Ohio residents and provides accessibility for working professionals already in related fields who want to transition into the cannabis industry.”