This certificate program will prepare you to think critically about medicinal and non-medicinal cannabis use in healthcare settings and beyond. This is a 3-course academic Certificate of Professional Learning, which 
is offered entirely online through McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, and is focused on health, education, and public service industries, as well as non-profit agencies. The three courses will cover fundamental cannabis science, therapeutic applications of the substance, and the possible risks and harms related to consumption. 

CREDENTIALING ORGANIZATION: McMaster University Continuing Education/Canada 

Prerequisites

HS diploma or High School Equivalency

In order to receive a Certificate of Professional Learning, you must complete the 3 required courses listed with a grade of C or better.

Program Certificate

You must complete all required courses listed with a grade of C or better to earn a Lehman Certificate. To request your Lehman Certificate, please email ce@lehman.cuny.edu with “Certificate Request” as the subject line.

Registration

You will receive a separate link from McMaster University to complete your registration and submit payment for the certificate courses.

Program Courses

• Fundamentals of Cannabis (SCC 101)     
• Risks and Harms of Cannabis (SCC 301)     
• Therapeutic Applications of Cannabis (SCC 201)

Fundamentals of Cannabis Science

This course will provide you with an essential grounding in the science of cannabis. The course will start with a historical context for the use (and misuse) of cannabis in Canada and around the world. The second focus will be on the nature of the genus Cannabis, its species, and its numerous constituents. A particular emphasis will be placed on delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), the two most commonly studied cannabinoids. As cannabis is a psychoactive drug, the third focus will be on its effects on the brain.

ONLINE / $913.92 Canadian dollars (Approx. $737 USD - includes tuition and fees) Sept 18 – Nov 26, 2023

Risks and Harms of Cannabis

Cannabis is a psychoactive drug that is established to have a variety of risks and harms. This course will review the strength of evidence behind the different associated risks. Priority topics are impairment leading to accidents; cannabis misuse/cannabis use disorder; associations with anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia; effects of cannabis on cognition and brain development; and adverse consequences for lung health. (Prerequisite SCO 10 Fundamentals) 

SCC 301 / ONLINE / $874.92 Canadian dollars (Approx. $706 USD) May 8 – July 17, 2023 AND May 6 – July 14, 2024

Therapeutic Applications of Cannabis

Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for millennia, but the evidence supporting (and contradicting) its many applications has only emerged in the last few decades. Fundamentally, this course will provide a grounding in the principles of evidence-based medicine and apply those principles to medical cannabis. This will include an extended introduction to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) approach. In addition, the course will systematically examine the evidence for using cannabis for treating pain, spasticity, nausea, sleep, and psychiatric disorders, such as autism, anxiety, addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia. Finally, the course will review promising future directions in medicinal cannabis, including both novel cannabinoid medicines and novel treatment applications. (Prerequisite: SCC 10 Fundamentals)

ONLINE / $874.92 in Canadian dollars (Approx. $706 USD) Jan 22 – March 31, 2024

For course schedules or to register follow this link or click CLASS SCHEDULE at the top of this page.

For more information, please contact ce@lehman.cuny.edu