Mental Floss

12 Quirky Colleges and Learning Institutes

If you dream of working the counter at a marijuana dispensary, a degree in cannabis business could help your career.

Bymentalfloss .com|
A “budtender” measuring out marijuana.
A “budtender” measuring out marijuana. | Heath Korvola via Getty Images

Do you want to make gelato—a less-creamy type of artisanal ice cream perfected by Italian chefs—a career? At Carpigiani Gelato University in Bologna, Italy, you can get a leg up in your gastronomic education with access to esteemed gelato experts and cutting-edge gelato technology.

At Oaksterdam University in Oakland, California, students can pursue a bachelor’s degree in cannabis business. The school—America’s first cannabis college—offers certification courses in horticulture, business, manufacturing, and budtending (a.k.a. the practice of working a dispensary counter).

Nudity is not an uncommon part of the college experience, though it’s not often the university itself endorses it. One exception is Reed College, a liberal—very liberal—school in Portland, Oregon, that made a name for itself as a clothing-optional campus.

In this episode of The List Show, host and editor-in-chief of Mental Floss Erin McCarthy delves into colleges and universities that offer something other than your typical bachelor’s degree in engineering or boring medical degrees. Brace yourself for death, gelato, and a fair amount of nudity as we look at some of the quirkiest institutions of higher learning around. Rent your textbooks, grab a snack from the dining hall, and subscribe to Mental Floss on YouTube for new videos every week.

Discover More List Show:

Home/THE LIST SHOW