In a press release this week, Western Illinois University announced a second cannabis-related minor set to debut fall 2020.

February 18, WIU’s faculty senate approved Cannabis and Culture, an 18-to-19-credit-hour interdisciplinary minor comprised of courses from anthropology, botany, history, liberal arts and sciences, philosophy, religious studies, and political science.

“This interdisciplinary minor lays the foundation for understanding the socio-cultural, historical and politics of cannabis use in the U.S. and around the globe,” said WIU Interim Provost Billy Clow. “We’re thrilled to be able to provide our students with new, progressive academic programs such as the new minors in Cannabis and Culture and Cannabis Production.”

The College of Arts and Sciences minor will include courses such as Cannabis Culture, Religion & Drugs, Contemporary Moral Problems, History of Drugs, Introduction to Public Policy and Ethno-botany, among others.

“This new minor will provide our students with educational opportunities that examine numerous aspects of the cannabis trade,” Liberal Arts and Sciences Professor and co-creator Sarah Haynes added. “And our new minor is distinct within the state of Illinois. No other public or private institution in the state offers a minor of this type that addresses the cultural aspects of the cannabis industry and its global use.”

According to Anthropology Professor Heather McIlvaine-Newsad, co-creator of the new CAS minor, the cannabis industry, which is rapidly growing, needs individuals who not only have a broad-based education, but also who have an understanding of policy, as well as marketplace knowledge.

An online version of the minor is also under review.

WIU’s first cannabis-related minor is a Cannabis Production minor that also will begin in Fall 2020.

The Cannabis Production minor will be through WIU’s School of Agriculture.

The minor was created for students to explore the expanding opportunities and learn about the biology/production of cannabis, which includes cannabis anatomy, physiology, breeding, propagation methods, management techniques, post-harvest processing, commercial production, crop rotations and product applications.

Cannabis Production also is an 18-to-19-credit-hour interdisciplinary minor comprised of courses in horticulture, anthropology, and botany.

Core classes include Principles of Crop Sciences, Introduction to Plant Biology, Introductory Horticulture, Cannabis Production, and Practicum in Horticultural Science.

Electives include Applied Genetics in Agriculture, Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Integrated Pest Management, Diseases of Economic Plants, Plant Structure & Function, Sustainable Landscape Construction and Management, Greenhouse and Nursery Management, Principles of Plant Breeding, Crop Biotechnology, and Hydroponic Plant Production.

For more information about the new minor, contact Haynes at S-Haynes@wiu.edu or (309) 298-2214 or McIlvaine-Newsad at H-McIlvaine-Newsad@wiu.edu or (309) 298-1264.

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