Degree Name
Master of Science
Graduate Program
Plant and Soil Science
Advisor
Leme, Jose
Abstract
Cannabis legalization has expanded across the United States, increasing demand for trained professionals across agriculture, healthcare, business, and public policy. No standardized national inventory of accredited, credit-bearing cannabis programs existed at the time of this study. This study aimed to compile a national inventory of accredited, credit-bearing cannabis programs and apply a Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP)-like framework to support analysis of disciplinary distribution and credential structure. Using a state-by-state search of institutional catalogs restricted to 3,362 regionally accredited U.S. colleges and universities, this study compiled a dataset of 980 courses across 67 institutions in 23 states, representing approximately 2% of the eligible institutional search pool. Program distribution is geographically uneven, with Illinois, Colorado, and California accounting for the largest concentrations. Disciplinary emphasis is led by agriculture, followed by multidisciplinary offerings, business, and health professions. Certificate-level credentials predominate; bachelor's and graduate-level pathways remain limited. Required credit hours are consistent within credential types across states, suggesting informal convergence toward field-wide norms. This inventory provides a replicable baseline for monitoring curricular growth, supporting workforce planning, and informing policy in both the cannabis and hemp sectors.