By Rachel Morse, Staff Writer
Enrollment is open for two new graduate degree programs in Meinders School of Business.
The Master of Science in energy legal studies and the Master of Science in energy management will assist current or aspiring energy industry professionals to expand their expertise, said Marcus Williamson, director of outreach.
“You don’t just want to do it if there is not a demand for it,” he said. “There were several conversations with various energy leaders to make sure it was something that was needed.”
The local energy companies have partenered with the university in creating these programs, Williamson said. They addressed areas in the industry that could be improved through education.
Williamson declined to comment on which energy companies participated in the program’s development.
“It’s not that we are working together directly with them, it’s that we saw a need in the local marketplace,” he said.
The need is for energy employees to expand their working experience with continued education in their field, Williamson said.
“It provides them with a foundation of knowledge,” he said. “Having these extra skills really allows people to step up into leadership roles, advance the company, and provide a whole new base of knowledge and understanding.”
The energy management program will focus on managing abilities and the economics of the energy industry, Williamson said.
“It goes beyond just the standard business skills and focuses them down into an industry specific curriculum,” he said.
Ryan Coe, incoming Spring graduate, said the energy management degree is necessary for professionals of his age to become well-rounded employees. Cole is an employee for Devon Energy Corporation, an independent oil and natural gas company based in Oklahoma City.
“We are getting great experience in the day-to-day, but it is essential to continue our education,” he said. “It’s good to be seen by superiors as one that can step up.”
The energy legal studies curriculum will develop similar skills as a law degree, such as contracts and negotiations, but does not offer a Juris Doctor, Williamson said.
“It enables people who have a background in the energy industry to come back and learn more of the legal aspects,” he said.
Business school faculty and legal professionals will instruct the courses, including Steve Agee, interim dean and visiting professor of economics, who will teach an overview course of the energy industry, Williamson said.
“In conversation [Agee] had with several different people in the industry, they kept mentioning these educational needs that they had,” he said. “That’s what got the ball rolling on these programs.”
The campus is one of the few universities in Oklahoma to offer such specialized courses, Williamson said. The University of Oklahoma has a master’s program with an energy specialization, but it is not energy-specific. It only allows for students to take one or two courses involving energy.
“Nobody focuses exclusively on energy in the state right now,” he said.
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