As more states adopt legalized marijuana, colleges across the country have caught on to the smoke signals of the expanding industry.
Marijuana cultivation and related subject matter have become legitimate majors at universities across the country.
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This kind of curriculum would be unheardof, if not, outrageous decades ago, but it is indeed available.
We dug deeper. If marijuana has a whole four-year degree offered, what other outrageous, but niche-like programs can be offered. This list cites a report from The Week.
Bakery Science: You can rise like the dough at a Panera Bread thanks to a major that reportedly costs Kansans $3,465 per semester. Taking a cue from the mainly agrarian (calls up Wikipedia) Sunflower State, Kansas State University offers the major as part of its grain science and industry college. Courses include "Flour & Dough Testing" and "Cereal Sciences".
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Bowling Management: Vincennes University once offered you a chance to major in spares and strikes. The university in Indiana began the program in the '70s as a technical program for pinsetters, way before bowling lanes went automated. But as the years advanced, bowling alleys eroded in the U.S.
Comedic Arts: Because being the class clown in high school can translate to the real world, you can get a Bachelors of Fine Arts in this major at Emerson College. Similar to Vincennes and Bowling Management, the program is a first of its kind in the U.S. "It integrates writing, performance and production with new courses that examine comedy from a variety of perspectives," states the program's description. While this program may seem like a hard sell to anyone's parents, it actually gives those passionate about the craft a chance as mastering the genre. After all, there are sketch comedy clubs that need people on their stages.
Adventure Education: "Adventure is out there!" And in the classroom at New Hampshire's Plymouth State University. As its name implies, the Bachelors of Science program is everything an outdoors person craves. Courses in Rock Climbing Fundamentals, Canoe Paddling Fundamentals, and Alpine Mountaineering are offered. The point of the program? It will "teach you how to use the Great Outdoors to expose children, adults and at-risk populations to challenges adventures, personal growth and self-discovery."
Puppetry: The first of the outrageous majors to offer a Master's program, puppetry as a major is offered at West Virginia University and the University of Connecticut. While you could snicker at the thought of spending four years and possibly two more in this program, the discipline is for those who can think beyond Sesame Street and John Henson's Workshop. Aspiring theater arts students in high school can translate into this major, and there are real world avenues from the courses. According to WVU's website, grads found their way to Walt Disney and the Houston Children's Festival.
Canadian Studies: Canadian Studies in Canada makes sense. Canadian Studies in the U.S. Insert thinking face emoji. The strange part about this is that three universities have some sort of Canadian Studies program: Cal Berkeley, Princeton, and SUNY Plattsburgh. While you could assume that the program is about maple syrup production, Rick Moranis film appreciation, and saying "eh" at the end of everything, there's a lot more into it. According to SUNY Plattsburgh, students gain understanding of Canadian culture and values. In addition, since the Great White North is home to the largest supplier of energy to the U.S., education of Canada could lead to bigger job opportunities...in Canada.