New Mexico Highlands University said it will launch an academic program in Hemp Entrepreneurship and Production this autumn, giving students a chance to prepare themselves for careers in the industry.
Highlands said it developed the program and a certificate in Emerging Business Markets in response to the growth of the hemp industry after the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. The certificate program is a collaboration between Highlands’ forestry and business departments.
18 credit hours
To earn the certificate, students will take 18 credit hours including three core classes, and additional courses specific to business or farming. Classes cover entrepreneurship, innovation management, project management, plant physiology and hemp production. Hands-on lab and field-focus courses are included.
Students will also have opportunities to pursue internships with hemp farms in New Mexico, and those already working in the industry will be able to earn internship hours at their workplace. Remote courses are also planned through which students can complete the certificate through a combination of online classes and internships where they are located.
Landowners and small farmers might also benefit from the certificate program, the school said.
