Cannabis Chemistry

Cannabis Chemistry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States, outpacing technology and health care jobs! Are you ready to be part of this innovative field?

Program Overview

Do you enjoy being on the forefront of emerging markets and technologies? So do we! LSSU’s Cannabis Chemistry is the first degree program in the United States focusing on the quantitative analysis of cannabis related compounds and contaminants including THC, CBD, terpenes, etc. This progressive program is offered in baccalaureate and associate degrees. Students may qualify for an American Chemical Society (ACS) degree.

Why Study Cannabis Chemistry?

1st

to offer B.S. and A.S. Chemistry Degrees in the Chemical Analysis of Cannabis

16:1

Student to Faculty Ratio

500k

Potential New Jobs Created by 2022 (New Frontier Data)

Cannabis Center of Excellence

Within our multi-million dollar laboratories, you’ll acquire practical experience in prepping and testing complex plant material for contaminants by utilizing the latest chemical instrumentation such as:

Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometer/Mass Spectrometer
Liquid Chromatography paired with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS)
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectrometer
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer
High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC)

Career Opportunities in Cannabis

This emerging industry requires the best of the best! There is an unprecedented demand for innovative chemists able to use GC MS, MS/MS, and HPLC testing methods to look for harmful pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and other contaminants. Regulatory enforcement requires chemists to utilize analytical chemistry techniques for the extraction, separation, and testing of cannabis products (including marijuana and hemp). Below we’ve listed some inspiring professional prospects you’ll be qualified to take advantage of upon graduation.

R. Adam Mosey, Ph.D. instructs a chemistry student as she prepares to use the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer to analyze samples.

see program catalog

Program Objectives

This exciting new cannabis degree program launched in Fall 2019 equips you with the knowledge necessary to gain employment in emergent cannabis markets – specifically within the scientific community. Combining a mix of core curriculum chemistry with cutting-edge cannabis courses, (such as Cannabis Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, and Cannabis Separations) you’ll gain a truly unique career-focused education. Cannabis Chemistry graduates earn over 600 hours of experience in state-of-the-art instrumentation laboratories and industry standard techniques, giving them the required proficiency to work in law enforcement, public health and safety, regulatory management, and business applications.

Provide students with a solid foundation of chemistry courses including organic chemistry, instrumental analysis, and biochemistry.
Allow students to develop techniques in cannabis extraction and separation.
Build a base of chemistry knowledge with applications in the quantitative analysis of cannabis related compounds and contaminants.
Equip graduates with the skills necessary to gain employment in emerging cannabis markets of law enforcement laboratory scientist, public health and safety, regulatory management, and business applications.