UVM professors group shot in hemp greenhouse

Learn more about cannabis production from seed to sale

Cannabis Plant Biology Professional Certificate

This 8-week, fully online evidence-based program will provide you with an understanding of cannabis chemicals, genetics, agricultural best practices, post-harvest handling, processing, and basic pharmacology.

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Program Snapshot

Spring Start Date

March 25, 2024

Spring Registration Deadline

March 22, 2024

How Often

Every Fall, Spring

Cost

$2,250

Learning Format

Online

Online Learning Type

Asynchronous; Live sessions Thurs. 1-2 p.m. EST

Duration

8 weeks

Time Commitment

8-10 hrs./wk.

Credential

Professional Certificate

Scholarships

No

Discounts

20% discount for UVM affiliates, including alumni, students, staff, faculty (current and retired)

Credits

Non-credit

Overview

 Be Part of a Growing, Innovative Field 

The Professional Certificate in Cannabis Plant Biology is designed for professionals in the hemp industry who want to learn more about cannabis production from seed to sale.The legal cannabis industry, combining both adult-use and medical, supports about 417,500 jobs, paying workers more than $26.1 billion annually. The greatest number of workers —31 percent—operate in the cultivation sector, followed by retail workers, according to a 2023 report from the leading cannabis industry job platform Vangst.

What sets UVM apart

As an industry-leading credential, UVM’s Professional Certificate in Cannabis Plant Biology prepares professionals to understand the systems, processes, facilities, and equipment needed to produce cannabis-based products, including hemp oils enriched in cannabidiol (CBD).

Earn an industry-leading credential in the cannabis field.

Created by experts in UVM’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

A unique experience for students to develop a broad understanding of cannabis and more advanced concepts.

Admissions

A Program for Growers, Cultivators, Store Managers, and More 

Our 8-week, online professional certificate is designed for:

  • Directors of Extraction
  • Directors of Cultivation
  • Compliance Managers
  • Retail Sales Management
  • Dispensary Store Managers
  • Outside Sales Representatives
  • Grow House Managers
  • Quality Controllers
  • Lab Technicians
  • Master Growers

Course Prerequisites

Students must be 18 years of age or older, have a bachelor’s degree, and have completed college-level foundational science courses in biology. Please note that you are not required to submit transcripts.

Listen to Students and Faculty Explain the Value of Cannabis Education

Curriculum

Courses That Cover Everything from Business to Chemistry to Post-Harvest Processing 

Week 1: Program Introduction/Cannabis History, Law & Policy, Business, and Knowledge Gaps
Monique McHenry, PhD & Willy Cats-Baril, PhD
Presentations: History, Law, & Policy; Business; Knowledge Gaps

Week 2: Cannabis Plant Biology
Monique McHenry, PhD & John McPartland, DO, MS
Presentations: Taxonomy, Omics, and Evolution
Topics: Plant genetics, including gene-assisted breeding and other innovative techniques
Live Session

Week 3: Cannabis Chemicals
Monique McHenry, PhD & Wolfgang Dostmann, PhD
Presentations: Phytocannabinoid & Terpene Production and Phytocannabinoid & Terpene Chemistry

Week 4: Cannabis Agriculture
Taylor Readhough, BS, Scott Lewins, MS, Heather Darby, PhD, & John McPartland, DO, MS
Presentations: Hemp pests, Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), Outdoor hemp agriculture, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Topics: Indoor growing optimization, Field growing optimization, Pest management
Live Session

Week 5: Cannabis Post-Harvest Processing
Monique McHenry, PhD, John MacKay, PhD & Vinnie Zachary
Presentations: Post-harvest processing, Botanical extractions, and Analytical testing

Week 6: Cannabis and Humans
Kalev Freeman, MD, PhD, Linda Klumpers, PhD, & John McPartland, DO, MS
Presentations: Modes of administration, Pharmacology, and Endocannabinoid System
Live Session

Week 7: Program Summary & Student Project Presentations

Week 8: Career Development
Topics: Job search, targeting resumes, and interview strategies

Learning Goals

This program is intended to be a unique experience for students to develop a broad understanding of cannabis, with more advanced concepts relevant to plant biology, agriculture, and pharmacology.

  • Identify the key legal issues around industrial hemp agriculture and cannabis for therapeutic use.
  • Understand cannabis as a diversifying plant, including the taxonomic confusion, human influence, and natural evolution.
  • Utilize a balanced academic approach to dispel myths surrounding the factors that affect cannabis growth and its chemical composition.
  • Discuss the best practices employed in cannabis agriculture.
  • Critically review and assess the current evidence for safety and efficacy of cannabis and cannabis-based products.
  • Describe the pharmacology of cannabis and cannabis-based products.

Students in Cannabis Plant Biology will also learn about the acute and chronic effects of psilocybin, factors that influence psilocybin pharmacology, and more.

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Student Stories

Cannabis Certificate Alumnus Robert Hoban on UVM’s Cannabis Education Culture

Career Outlook

A Growing Field

The legal cannabis industry supports about 417,500 jobs, paying workers more than $26.1 billion annually. The greatest number of workers —31 percent—operate in the cultivation sector, followed by retail workers, according to a 2023 report from the leading cannabis industry job platform Vangst.

Expand Your Career in the Cannabis Industry 

  • Master Grower
  • Cannabis Sales Representative
  • Cultivation Director
  • Cannabis Lab Technician
  • Dispensary Store Manager
  • Grow House Manager     

FAQ

Participants must verify that they are 18 years of age or older, have a bachelor’s degree, and have completed college-level foundational science courses in Biology. Note that you are not required to submit transcripts and relevant career experience can replace academic requirements. For example, experience as a Registered Nurse will void the science course requirement.

This course is an academic course based on scientific literature. If you do not meet the prerequisites, you will need to prepare and demonstrate baseline academic skills on your own, including critical thinking, objectivity, data analysis, and problem solving. Please note the estimated time commitment of 8-10 hours per week is projected based on meeting these prerequisites.

If you are motivated and feel confident in your ability to succeed in this program, you can request instructor permission to participate. To request instructor permission, please email a brief explanation of your qualifications for this program to learn@uvm.edu with the subject line “Cannabis Plant Biology Certificate Instructor Permission Request.”

The Professional Certificate in Cannabis Plant Biology is based on the same theory as Cannabis Science & Medicine, but rather than focusing on how the cannabis plant affects the human body, the focus is on how products are made (i.e. how cannabis is grown and turned into therapeutic products).

Both certificates are based on the same theory and cover cannabis history, law, policy, business, and basic human pharmacology.

  • Cannabis Plant Biology dives into what affects the way cannabis is grown, the chemicals it produces, harvesting, storage, shelf life of consumer products, and consumer safety.
  • Cannabis Science & Medicine goes into depth about how cannabis is affecting the human body.
  • If you are interested in taking both courses, it is best to take the Cannabis Plant Biology course first.

Our 8-week, online professional certificate is designed for:

  •     Directors of Extraction
  •     Directors of Cultivation
  •     Compliance Managers
  •     Retail Sales Management
  •     Dispensary Store Managers
  •     Outside Sales Representatives
  •     Grow House Managers
  •     Quality Controllers
  •     Lab Technicians

●      Master Growers

We estimate that students will spend an average of 8-10 hours a week on course instruction. This will be a combination of readings, viewings, discussion boards, assignments, and research.

Live sessions are on Thursdays from 1-2pm EST. Live sessions will be recorded and attendance is not mandatory. These sessions will be used to discuss key concepts related to the modules, to ask questions of faculty, and to share peer-to-peer knowledge on the topic. Live sessions may be added or canceled at the discretion of the instructor.

Please note students enrolled in either Professional Certificate in Cannabis Plant Biology course or Cannabis Science and Medicine Professional Certificate course are welcome to participate in all live sessions.

There is no required textbook for this Certificate. All course readings and assignments will be regularly distributed online to students via Brightspace.

Learn about options for discounts, grants, loans, scholarships, and more on our tuition and financial aid page.

Students may register by paying the full $2,250 program fee online via credit card or by calling us at 802-656-8407 to make a partial payment of $500. Should you make a partial payment, the remaining $1,750 must be paid in full no later than two weeks prior to the start of this offering. If payment is not received by then, you will automatically be dropped from the course the following business day. Refunds will be issued less a $25 cancellation fee.

Payment plans are not currently available for this program. Tuition must be paid in full two weeks prior to beginning the program.

If you need to cancel your attendance, you must notify us via email at learn@uvm.edu or call us at (802) 656-2085 at least three business days prior to the start date of the course to receive a full refund, less a $25 cancellation fee. If a medical condition necessitates cancellation/withdrawal (documentation to be provided), this will be reviewed by our Studies Committee for any type of refund.

1098-T forms are not issued for this program. However, you may be eligible for a tax credit without this form if you meet IRS requirements. For more information, please see this link or consult with a tax professional.h.

You will be assessed on your attendance and participation in class, completion of homework assignments, and comprehension of the course material. Some assignments may be project based, along with online student discussions, and readings. The instructor may also give a quiz periodically to assess comprehension of the material. Students must successfully participate in 70% of the program in order to receive a printed Certificate of Completion. Because this is a non-credit program there is no transcript.

If you are a non-credit student seeking accessibility support, please email access@uvm.edu and the UVM Student Accessibility Services team will be able to assist. In your email, please include that you do not have a 95 number/NetID.