Cannabis education is advancing. LIM College in Manhattan has created Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees programs in the industry that will begin this fall.
Educator and entrepreneur Michael Zaytsev is better known as Mike Z. He has joined LIM College in the newly-created position of Academic Director of the program, Business of Cannabis.
Zaytsev will play a leading role in LIM’s Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree programs. Both programs have been approved by the New York State Education Department and will launch this September.
Cannabis Education
LIM College’s Master’s degree program in cannabis will only be accessible online. It can be completed in one calendar year. The program was designed for career-changers as well as those who are interested in advancing their current cannabis careers.
As Business of Cannabis Academic Director, Zaytsev will recruit and supervise adjunct faculty, design curriculum, and mentor students. He will also help establish relationships with companies and organizations in the legal cannabis space. This will create ongoing experiential education and career development opportunities for LIM students and alumni.
“We are proud to welcome Michael Zaytsev to the LIM College family,” LIM College President Elizabeth S. Marcuse said.
LIM College Program
“LIM College shifted the paradigm in the fashion industry back in 1939 by offering business education to women. I’m proud to join the institution. It’s making history again by launching the first cannabis business degree programs in New York,” Zaytsev said.
“We could potentially see over 100,000 new cannabis jobs come to New York and its neighboring states within the next few years,” he added. “LIM College is bringing in cannabis industry experts from all over the country to teach our courses. And prepare the next generation of the cannabis workforce for the multitude of career opportunities that lie ahead.”
The Bachelor’s degree program will focus on core business skills sought out by employers in cannabis businesses, including marketing, retail management, branding, merchandising, supply chain management, and cannabis-specific knowledge.
Mike’s many years of experience as a leading cannabis community organizer will help ensure our students receive an education that prepares them to succeed in cannabis careers,” Marcus said.
Zaytsev is the founder of High NY, a cannabis industry education and networking group. His High NY events have educated thousands of people both within and outside of the industry on cannabis-related topics.
In 2021, Zaytsev broke new ground in cannabis education by teaching “Introduction to the World of Cannabis” at Brooklyn’s Medgar Evers College, the first City University of New York (CUNY) school to offer a cannabis minor.
Formal cannabis education remains scarce.
