LIM College, a university focused on fashion business and based in Midtown Manhattan, in New York City, has launched a Bachelor of Business Administration degree program in cannabis.

According to a recent press release, the program will focus on the business side of the cannabis industry and will be available in-person and online. It “will provide students with core business and industry-specific knowledge and experience to pursue careers in various aspects of the legal cannabis industry.”

The college plans to bring in cannabis industry experts and working professionals to teach courses in cannabis regulatory issues, retail, product development, marketing and more.

Penelope Nam-Stephen, a former merchandising director for Burberry and the now chief commercial officer for Community Growth Partners, helped develop the program. Nam-Stephen said in the release that the program is very “timely” due to the industry’s rapid growth, as there is a need for skilled and knowledgeable individuals to fill entry-level positions.

“Having a well-qualified pipeline of talent in this heavily regulated and fragmented industry will help us progress more efficiently,” Nam-Stephen said in the press release. “It is also a wonderful opportunity for people to enter the cannabis space through a conventional academic path.”

With the state’s five-member Cannabis Control Board recently appointed, regulations are expected soon for the New York adult-use cannabis market—offering a future job market well beyond the scope of what presently exists.

“Monitoring the explosive job growth in the cannabis sector, we find that employers are seeking skills and experience often possessed by fashion business professionals plus cannabis industry knowledge,” said Elizabeth S. Marcuse, President of LIM College, in the release. “LIM College is ready to graduate students with strength in both areas, and we are excited to bring our successful track record of building industry connections and career readiness to the cannabis sector.”

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