With cannabis being legalized for commercial sale and recreational use in the state of New Jersey as of April 21, 2022, Rowan University has coincided with state law and is now offering the nation’s first and only Master of Business Administration (MBA) in cannabis commercialization. 

Governor Phil Murphy recently signed a historic law that would grant adults over the age of 21 permission to use cannabis for recreational purposes. 

Cannabis is not federally legalized so not all institutions permit the use of cannabis on their properties. Institutions such as Rowan University do not allow for recreational cannabis use because the University is a federal institution. 

According to the Rowan University website, “the rapidly evolving cannabis industry is anticipated to become a multi-billion dollar economic driver across the USA – and beyond.” 

Rowan University offers two options for individuals interested in cannabis commercialization: an MBA concentration in cannabis commercialization or a certificate of graduate study in cannabis commercialization. Both programs offer various opportunities for students at the university. 

The MBA concentration is a flexible and customizable program. MBA students must secure 18 core college credits in order to fulfill the 36-credit curriculum— just like every other MBA concentration offered by the university.

There are two required cannabis concentration courses students must take. These required courses are the Evolution of the Cannabis Industry and Business Model Innovation in Cannabis. 

Other courses offered by this program area are, and are not limited to, Cannabis Legislation, Regulations, and Policy Evaluation, Marijuana Legalization and Decriminalization in Work, Leisure, and Settings, Cannabis Research, Program Evaluation, and Policy Development, Advanced Chemical Analysis of Cannabinoids, Visual Analytics, and Intro to Diversity and Inclusion, and Capital Budgeting. 

All other courses can be found on the Rowan University website. 

For students not interested in an MBA concentration, Rowan offers a certificate program (COGS).  

According to Rowan’s website, “a Graduate Certificate in Cannabis Commercialization is an ideal option for those that want to expand their career options in or adjacent to the rapidly evolving cannabis industry.”

Through the COGS program, students are only required to complete three courses which are equivalent to 9 credits. Required courses are the same as the MBA concentration.

Both programs began in 2022 as a part of the School of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, located within the Rohrer College of Business.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Marijuana is the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the United States; 48.2 million people, or about 18% of Americans, used it at least once in 2019.” 

Marijuana and cannabis are used interchangeably. Once again, cannabis is federally illegal and according to the Official Site of the State of New Jersey, “it is still illegal to transport cannabis across state lines.” 

Both programs will offer graduates a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expand their expertise in a developing field such as cannabis commercialization. 

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