Offered: On campus
Learn with Minot State
As a medicinal plant chemistry major at Minot State, you’ll be part of the only program in the state and one of only two four-year medicinal plant chemistry programs in the nation. While pursuing coursework in chemistry, biology, physics, and calculus and completing a capstone research project, you'll earn over 600 hours of laboratory experience while focusing on the extraction, separation, and analysis of compounds and chemicals from plant material. You will learn the theory, skills, and techniques necessary to work in the medicinal cannabis, hops, botanical supplements, and food science industries. Hands-on laboratory experiences will prepare you for extraction, quality assurance, and quality control roles.
Consider a medicinal plant chemistry profession
According to Forbes magazine, the legal medicinal cannabis industry is projected to grow from $52 million in 2017 to $2.5 billion by 2027. As of July 2019, medicinal cannabis is legal in 33 states and D.C., and many states require the product to be used in its extracted form. Other botanical products, such as essential oils, are extracted using processes and techniques similar to those used for cannabis.
As craft brewing continues to grow, many hops suppliers have discontinued doing analysis of outside samples in order to focus on internal demands. As brewmasters increasingly use hops extracts in their recipes, the market for workers skilled in extraction and analysis is expected to grow in this industry.
Skilled professionals are, and will continue to be, needed to perform extraction, purification, and analysis of products originating from plants.
Career opportunities with a medicinal plant chemistry major include:
Contact Us: askmsu@minotstateu.edu 1-800-777-0750 ext. 3350
Know before you go
While our unique major provides many opportunities and learning experiences, there are a few things our program does not include: