The cannabis industry is booming—and employers are looking for skilled professionals with formal training. That’s why the College of Professional Studies has partnered with Green Flower, the leader in cannabis education, to launch a new suite of Cannabis Career Certificate programs.
Why Choose Cannabis Career Certificates?
These online programs are built for real-world success:
Expert-Led Learning: 50+ cannabis industry leaders and subject matter experts.
Updated Curriculum: Aligned with current regulations and employer needs.
Affordable Pricing: Accessible programs starting at $850.
Career Support: Access to Green Flower’s Cannabis Career Resource Center for resume help, interview prep, and employer connections.
Six Career-Focused Cannabis Certificates
Each program is designed to match the most in-demand roles in the cannabis industry:
Cannabis Associate Certificate (8 weeks, $850) Gain foundational knowledge in cannabis policy, plant science, and compliance—perfect for entry-level roles.
Cannabis Cultivation Specialist (16 weeks, $2,200) Learn best practices for growing cannabis in indoor, outdoor, and greenhouse environments.
Cannabis Product Development Specialist (16 weeks, $2,200) Master the process of creating cannabis products, from extraction to edibles, beverages, and topicals.
Cannabis Retail & Sales Specialist (16 weeks, $2,200) Build skills for dispensary operations and brand sales success.
Cannabis Compliance Specialist (16 weeks, $2,200) Understand regulations and compliance for cultivation, retail, and manufacturing.
Medical Cannabis Specialist (16 weeks, $2,200) Prepare for patient-focused roles with training in safe and effective cannabis use.
Career Support That Goes Beyond Education
Every student receives access to:
Continuing Education Hub: Resume and interview resources, leadership development, and entrepreneurship tips.
Employer Access: Direct links to vetted cannabis companies hiring now.
Exclusive LinkedIn Community: Network with peers and industry professionals.
Microcredentials at Syracuse University
Cannabis Career Certificates are part of the Syracuse University College of Professional Studies commitment to flexible, workforce-aligned microcredentials. Like our other microcredential programs, they provide industry-recognized certifications that help professionals gain targeted skills without committing to a full degree—perfect for career changers or those looking to upskill quickly.
Syracuse University and Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) and have announced a new transfer agreement that provides TC3 graduates a direct transfer pathway into online bachelor’s degree programs in the College of Professional Studies at Syracuse University. The agreement, which was formally signed into effect by TC3 President Amy Kremenek and College of Professional Studies Dean Michael Frasciello, offers TC3 graduates discounted tuition rate for these undergraduate online degree programs.
For three consecutive years, the College of Professional Studies is leading Syracuse University’s support for veterans and military-connected students.
As of fall 2025, 19% of all currently serving military students attending Syracuse University are enrolled in College of Professional Studies degree programs. Currently serving military students are service members on active duty, National Guard or reserve status. This leadership is driven by the College of Professional Studies’ innovative and progressive work to standardize the University’s Military Credit Evaluation, which evaluates military technical training and professional military education for academic credit.
“Bachelor of Professional Studies degrees are designed specifically for individuals like currently serving members of the armed forces juggling service obligations and life responsibilities with their educational goals,” says Michael Frasciello, Dean of the College of Professional Studies. “We offer an accessible combination of flexibility, applied and focused career preparation, progressive credit transfer [up to 90 credits], and recognition of military experience and training.”
Currently serving military students admitted to the College of Professional Studies’ BPS programs are being recommended and awarded an average of 30 equivalency credits for their military technical training and professional military education.
Diverse Support for Military-Connected Students:
The College of Professional Studies supports 33% of all military-connected students at Syracuse University, including active duty, veterans, and military dependents.
Under our nationally recognized Military Advising Model, the College of Professional Studies has achieved skyrocketing persistence and graduation rates.
Persistence Rate
College of Professional Studies: 93%
National Average: 45%
Graduation Rate
College of Professional Studies: 70%
National Average: 20%
“Our ability to successfully support one-third of the University’s military-connected students is only possible because of our advisors who are specifically trained to understand the unique challenges military-connected students face,” says Liz Green, executive director of the student experience for Online Student Success. “This success starts with a recognition that military-connected students are non-traditional, adult learners with distinct needs.”
The College provides holistic support that proactively addresses academic, administrative, and military service-related challenges, such as deployment interruptions, VA benefits navigation, credit transfer from military training, and work-life-study balance, in an integrated way.
With a deep commitment to inclusive, student-centered learning, Holl plays a pivotal role in shaping engaging and accessible online courses that meet the needs of a diverse, global student body. Her work exemplifies the College of Professional Studies’ mission to provide flexible, high-quality education that meets students where they are and helps them thrive.
What is your current role and what does it involve?
I am an instructional designer. I work with faculty (SME – Subject Matter Experts) and a team of colleagues to design and develop courses for online delivery across academic programs at Syracuse University.
In one sentence, how would you describe your department’s mission?
Our mission is to develop student-centered, engaging, rigorous, and inclusive learning opportunities for a diverse and global community of learners.
Why is instructional design an important part of the course development process?
Instructional design organizes course content and brings the course to life for the students.
Instructional designers use frameworks and ideas from learning theories like constructivism, andragogy, and experiential learning to design activities that help students connect concepts, ask questions, and build knowledge in ways that stay with them. When a course is thoughtfully designed, it’s easier for students to stay engaged, know what’s expected, and feel like the learning really matters.
Instructional design plays a vital role in creating meaningful learning environments that support how students learn most effectively.
In what ways does your team go above and beyond to serve online students?
Intentional, inclusive, and supportive course design is how our team goes above and beyond for online students. Students benefit from clear expectations, easy navigation, and engaging content that keeps them connected to their learning.
Every course is built with care, drawing on the deep expertise and creativity of our team to deliver high-quality learning opportunities with multimedia that supports student success. By focusing on best practices and listening and adapting, we make sure each student feels valued and equipped to succeed. We also prioritize authentic and inclusive pedagogy by designing for diverse learning preferences and encouraging adaptive strategies that help students meet complex learning goals.
How do you collaborate with faculty or subject matter experts during the instructional design process?
Planning Together: We meet with faculty throughout the process to talk through course goals, delivery format, timelines, aligning learning objectives with activities and student needs. This helps faculty think through how their content can be structured to support different learning preferences and students from varied backgrounds.
Rethinking Assignments: In collaboration with faculty, we redesign assignments to be more inclusive and flexible, allowing students to create materials that are relevant to their professional goals. We design course content that is relevant, engaging, and structured to support online and non-traditional learners in accessing and understanding material with ease. Our approach emphasizes authentic learning and supports the development of adaptive strategies that help students navigate complex tasks, build confidence, and apply their knowledge in real-world contexts.
Targeting Student Needs: We work closely with faculty to identify assignments and activities that meet the objectives for the course and also the needs of diverse online learners, including adult students, working professionals, caregivers, military-affiliated learners, and others balancing education with competing responsibilities. Our team offers flexible alternatives to traditional assessments and delivery formats that still meet learning outcomes while providing more choice and accessibility. For example, instead of a timed exam, we might suggest students create a podcast, video, or infographic that demonstrates their mastery of course content in a way that aligns with their professional goals and lived experiences.
Left to right: Amy Holl and Rochele Royster at the Center for Online and Digital Learning Spotlight 2025.
How do you approach designing online courses to ensure they’re accessible to all learners?
When designing online courses, I prioritize inclusive pedagogy to ensure all learners feel welcomed and supported. This approach is grounded in key principles such as equity, accessibility, representation, flexibility, and empowerment, which guide every aspect of course development, from content creation to interaction and assessment design.
In our courses we ensure we use alt text for images, captioning and transcripts for media, clear and consistent navigation, high-contrast colors and readable fonts, keyboard-accessible interactions, chunked content with clear headings, flexible assignment formats, and accessible documents that work seamlessly with assistive technologies. Using inclusive pedagogy, we actively seek to create learning environments where all students feel valued, respected, and supported, regardless of their backgrounds, identities, or abilities.
As I work on courses, I want the materials to be thoughtful, artful, and impactful. Additionally, I want students to see themselves reflected in the content and feel that their personal perspectives and contributions are acknowledged and valued.
What makes the College of Professional Studies stand out as a leading environment for teaching and learning?
We have the finest committed, caring and passionate team members that are student-centered. The College of Professional Studies stands out as a leading environment for teaching and learning because of its strong commitment to access, inclusion, and innovation.
Under the leadership of Dean Michael Frasciello, the College empowers diverse learners, including part-time and nontraditional students, through flexible, future-focused programs that combine academic excellence with real-world relevance. The College’s student-centered approach includes personalized support, interdisciplinary degrees, and high-quality online and on-campus options designed to meet learners where they are and help them succeed on their own terms.
My Personal Commitment: As a first-generation college graduate and passionate instructional designer, I am deeply committed to creating inclusive, student-centered online learning environments that support the educational needs and aspirations of diverse learners. I look forward to continuing this work in ways that have a meaningful impact on our students.
At the College of Professional Studies, supporting international students goes far beyond academics, it’s about fostering belonging, building confidence, and creating a home away from home.
In this Q&A, we sit down with international student advisor, Caleb Schwarz, from the English Language Institute whose passion for global education and student connection shines through every airport pickup, advising session, and community outing.
Read on to discover how Schwarz is helping students turn Syracuse into a second home and shaping futures one connection at a time.
What’s your current role and what does it involve?
I am an international student advisor with the English Language Institute here at the College of Professional Studies. In that role, I provide support for students in various areas as they learn to adapt to life in the United States.
For example, I am currently undergoing training as a Designated School Official (DSO) for the Institute, which means I work with students on visa issuance and compliance. While I am responsible for several backend administrative tasks, my real passion comes from creating long-lasting, meaningful connections with students. Beyond providing cultural orientation and academic advising for them, I seek opportunities for students to get involved in the community and on campus in hopes that one day they will think of Syracuse as a “home away from home.”
How long have you been with the College, and what’s your journey been like?
I’ve been at the College of Professional Studies since late March of 2025.
My colleagues in the English Language Institute and I have been able to bond over our shared passion for global education and our commitment to making memorable experiences for the students we serve. Programming for new employees coordinated by college leadership has made it easy for me to meet my colleagues in other departments and collaborate on initiatives that create opportunities for students and the College at large. I look forward to what I hope will be a long and rewarding journey here at the College of Professional Studies.
In one sentence, how would you describe your department’s mission?
From my perspective, our mission is to provide a space where students feel comfortable to be themselves, explore their interests, and build their confidence in English to prepare them for a better, brighter future in the world.
An iY-1 student takes a photo with Otto at the May 2024 orientation.
Can you share a student interaction that left a lasting impact on you?
One of my favorite parts of the job is picking international students up from the airport when they arrive for their English studies. The first student I picked up by myself was a very memorable experience for me. It was for a student in the International Year One program, a program where students take classes using a hybrid model for their first 30 credit hours from partner institutions and then transition onto main campus for their second academic year.
While taking the student to the dorm, we talked about his life up to that point and how excited he was to be in the United States to study. During his trip to the U.S., he bought jellybeans based on the Harry Potter series with wacky flavors to try. He offered me one and we laughed when I discovered the jellybean I had chosen was rotten-egg-flavored. I remember still how grateful this student was to see a familiar face pick him up at the airport.
Airport pickups are a way for me to welcome the students. Time permitting, I usually take them to department and grocery stores to buy apartment essentials and food after their long flights. It’s time to connect with them and show them that they are not alone during their time with us. They are now a part of the ELI family!
How does your team help students succeed in the real world?
Our student population is incredibly diverse, but there is one thing that all our students have in common—a desire to improve their English.
In today’s world, English is increasingly more important every day. For community members who already live here in Syracuse, they know this all too well. Many find it difficult to carry out normal daily tasks like going to the grocery store or going to the bank without a good foundation in English. We help our students be able to do things that you may think of as routine or ordinary, but for them, the difference means everything.
Just the other day, in fact, I heard a story about one of our students who has lived in the Syracuse community for some time now and was excited that he was able to order coffee in English by himself with confidence thanks to our classes. What our students learn in the classroom truly does go beyond the classroom.
In what ways does your team go above and beyond to serve your students?
I am incredibly lucky to work with a team of caring and highly motivated individuals. It has been a pleasure to get to know them in both a professional and personal capacity.
My colleagues are always looking for ways to do better by our students and make the time they spend with us special. They take the time to get to know each student personally and volunteer their time and money for programming and excursions. It has been extremely refreshing to be able to work somewhere where student interests are taken as a priority and innovation is valued.
My supervisor Kelsey Gillette has also been a great support for me as I transition. Her dedication and commitment to the ELI and our students is truly inspiring and I am extremely grateful to her for being there for me so that I can be there for the students.
iY-1 students in the classroom at the May 2024 orientation.
What advice would you offer to prospective or current students?
Don’t let your fears get in the way of your own success.
It can feel extremely isolating, and you can feel embarrassed when practicing your English—that’s normal. If you want to improve though, the only way is by practicing. This means putting your ego aside and not being afraid to make mistakes along the way. Don’t forget that what you’re doing is not easy and give yourself grace when things don’t go the way you planned. You can do difficult things.
From your experience, what makes the College of Professional Studies stand out as a leading environment for teaching and learning?
I think that the best part of working at the College of Professional Studies is the incredible team that is here. The people I work with are extremely passionate about what they do and want to create opportunities for non-traditional students to thrive and make a better life for themselves.
As a first-generation college graduate, I understand how important a good education is and the impact it can have on a person’s life. I am proud and inspired to find myself among a group of such dedicated and compassionate individuals and I hope to be doing this kind of work for many years to come.
Learn more about the English Language Institute at eli.syr.edu.
