Understanding the business practices and scientific principles of energy management will open doors to a variety of in-demand careers in energy production, oil and gas, energy trading and sustainability.
Program Overview
Become a leader in the business of energy management.
If you want to help businesses become more energy efficient as a sustainability consultant, or represent oil and gas companies as a landman, you need an education in energy management. Accredited by the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL), the Energy Management program provides a comprehensive understanding about the business of energy and mineral exploration. Students also learn land and resource management principles from the perspective of business administration, economics, geology and environmental studies. The program includes a focus on the disciplines of renewable, oil and gas, and mineral management. It also covers Native American, federal, state and private real estate management; as well as surface, water and environmental land management.
As an Energy Management student, you gain automatic access to the Western Energy Management Student Association. Being a member of this organization allows you to meet potential employers at networking events and industry conferences. For hands-on experience, students have opportunities to travel abroad and install renewable forms of energy in locations lacking energy infrastructure. You also explore mines and oil and gas production sites on field trips throughout the year. Throughout your time in the program, we provide one-on-one mentoring and preparation for internships and job placements to ensure your success beyond Western.
Experience in the field
Energy Management students tour WPX Energy operations near Parachute.
Program Requirements
At Western, course rotations are crafted to encompass a variety of subject fields for a comprehensive education and versatile degree. For required courses and degree plans, visit the official University Catalog. Below is a general overview of courses at Western Colorado University related to this area of study.
Program Requirements
Admission to the program: All students wishing to major in the Energy Management (EM) emphasis in Business Administration must be formally admitted to the program. Students who have already completed a BA/BS in Business or Accounting will be considered to have completed most of the Energy Management Base Curriculum and Energy Management Nucleus upon admission to the program.
A minimum of 74 credits is required, including the 21-credit Energy Management Base Curriculum, the 21-credit Energy Management Nucleus, and the 31-credit Energy Management Emphasis and Capstone:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Management Base Curriculum | ||
| ACC 201 | Introduction to Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ACC 202 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| BUAD 220 | Spreadsheets and Analysis | 3 |
| ECON 201 | Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| ECON 202 | Microeconomics | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
ECON 216 | Statistics for Business and Economics | |
MATH 213 | Probability and Statistics | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
MATH 141 | Precalculus (GT-MA1) | |
MATH 151 | Calculus I (GT-MA1) | |
| Total Credits | 21 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Management Nucleus | ||
| BUAD 185 | Business Communication | 3 |
| BUAD 210 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| BUAD 240 | Strategic Negotiations | 3 |
| BUAD 270 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| BUAD 302 | Energy Management Professional Development | 3 |
| BUAD 360 | Managerial Finance | 3 |
| Select at least one of the following: | 3 | |
BUAD 333 | Organizational Behavior | |
BUAD 350 | Human Resource Management | |
| Total Credits | 21 | |
And the following emphasis courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Management Emphasis | ||
| BUAD 305 | Applied Energy Seminar | 3 |
| BUAD 320 | Property and Contracts | 3 |
| BUAD 323 | Evolution of the Energy Economy | 3 |
| BUAD 420 | Energy Law and Regulation | 3 |
| BUAD 421 | Energy Contracts | 3 |
| BUAD 495 | Prospect Economics and Evaluation | 3 |
| ECON 370 | Natural Resource Economics | 3 |
| GEOL 103 | Earth and Energy Systems | 3 |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| Two of the following: | 6 | |
BUAD 311 | Business Analytics | |
BUAD 325 | Management Information Systems | |
BUAD 342 | Environmental Law | |
BUAD 363 | Business and the Environment | |
BUAD 370 | Exploration Production Processes | |
BUAD 410 | Water Law | |
ENVS 301 | Science of Sustainability and Resilience | |
ENVS 350 | U.S. and Western Environmental Politics | |
ENVS 360 | Global Environmental Policy | |
ENVS 373 | The Water Planet | |
GEOG 340 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | |
| Total Credits | 31 | |
Capstone Course Requirement
The following courses in the Business Administration Major fulfill the capstone course requirement: BUAD 495 Prospect Economics and Evaluation .
Graduation Requirements
Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation. Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above). Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued.
Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| ENG 102 | Academic Writing (GT-CO1) | 3 |
| Gen Ed | General Education (Area I) | 3 |
| GEOL 103 | Earth and Energy Systems | 3 |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| HWTR 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| MATH 141 or MATH 151 |
Precalculus (GT-MA1) or Calculus I (GT-MA1) |
4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| ACC 201 | Introduction to Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ECON 201 | Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Natural Sciences w/lab | 4 |
| Gen Ed | Area I | 3 |
| Gen Ed | Area III | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| ACC 202 | Introduction to Managerial Accounting | 3 |
| BUAD 210 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| BUAD 302 | Energy Management Professional Development | 3 |
| BUAD 305 | Applied Energy Seminar | 3 |
| COM 202 | Academic Writing and Inquiry (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BUAD 220 | Spreadsheets and Analysis | 3 |
| BUAD 270 | Principles of Marketing | 3 |
| ECON 202 | Microeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 216 or MATH 213 |
Statistics for Business and Economics or Probability and Statistics |
3 |
| Gen Ed | Area I | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| BUAD 185 | Business Communication | 3 |
| BUAD 320 | Property and Contracts | 3 |
| BUAD 323 | Evolution of the Energy Economy | 3 |
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 3 |
| Gen Ed | General Education (Area III) | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BUAD 240 | Strategic Negotiations | 3 |
| BUAD 421 | Energy Contracts | 3 |
| Gen Ed | General Education (Area III) | 3 |
| Elective | Elective or minor course | 3 |
| EM Elective | EM Elective course | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Summer | ||
| BUAD 499 | Internship in Business Administration (optional, but strongly recommended) | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| BUAD 360 | Managerial Finance | 3 |
| Elective | Elective course | 9 |
| EM Elective | EM Elective course | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| BUAD 333 or BUAD 350 |
Organizational Behavior or Human Resource Management |
3 |
| BUAD 420 | Energy Law and Regulation | 3 |
| BUAD 495 | Prospect Economics and Evaluation | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 6 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 124 | |
Spotlight
Steven D’Epagnier
Student
“I was getting recruited by multiple schools to play football, and my big thing was I wanted to get a job when I graduated. I didn’t want to go just to play football. ... [Energy Management] is a great program that will get you a job when you graduate. That for me was the really exciting part.”
Ilona Hoang
Student
“This program grows future leaders. All of the skills we learn here, such as project management, communication, business negotiations, problem solving and critical thinking, are going to be transferable into any field.”
Evan Leathers
Student
“I found that a landman wears a variety of hats, whether he’s working in a corporate office, a courthouse or in the field working with land owners. Being a landman means that you’re doing something different every day.”
Cole Chapman
Student
“Last summer I was able to have an internship in downtown Denver with an energy company. That gave me a really good perspective on the industry, what they’re doing, how they’re doing it and where we can make some beneficial changes.”
Careers
Take the first steps toward your dream career.
Career preparation is the primary focus of every academic program at Western. Our professors and Office of Career Services will help you identify your strengths, hone your skills, define your goals, and prepare for a fulfilling role in hundreds of professional fields after graduation.
The data is automatically collected by Lightcast, a firm that sources job market data. The statistics illustrate general trends in U.S. careers, but do not precisely represent every job and salary.
Scholarships
Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Access to apply for scholarships through the portal is open through April 1.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your scholarships!Eligibility
- Full-time students who have been accepted into the Energy Management program
- Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0
- Financial need will be considered
Description
This scholarship is provided by Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc.
Award depends on funds available.
Selected by: Chair(s) of the Energy Management program.
Application:
Contact Veronica Wilde, External Communications for Energy Management for scholarship applications and deadline information
970.901.2685 | Hurst Hall 106
Eligibility
- Full-time students that have been accepted to the Engery Management Program
- Demonstrate financial need
Description
This scholarship is provided by Various Energy Management associated companies.
Award depends on funds available
Selected by: Energy Management Leadership
Application
Contact Veronica Wilde, External Communications for Energy Management for scholarship applications and deadline information
970.901.2685 | Hurst Hall 106
Western’s Scholarship Application portal allows you to search for, apply to and manage your scholarship opportunities. This platform houses over 300+ departmental and privately funded scholarship opportunities available to both new and returning students. Through the scholarship portal, students may identify scholarship opportunities based on academic program, campus involvement, academic standing, specific keywords and more. Students may click below to begin learning about what scholarship opportunities are available to them.
Access to apply for scholarships through the portal is open through April 1.
Please check individual scholarship opportunity start dates and deadlines as there are exceptions.
Find your scholarships!Alumni Association Future Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Association Scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $1,000 and is applicable for the student’s junior or senior year at Western.
Any child or grandchild of an alumni is eligible to receive the Future Alumni Scholarship.
- This is a one-time non-renewable scholarship of $1,000.
- Only one Future Alumni Scholarship will be awarded per academic year.
- GPA must be 3.2 or above (college).
Due date has been extended to April 1 for 2023. An Alumni selection committee, appointed by the Alumni Advisory Council, will review applicants and select awardee by June 1.
Alumni Legacy Scholarship
The Alumni Legacy Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western (incoming freshman or new transfer students are eligible).
Do you have a son or daughter looking at college? Have they considered attending Western? As an alumni, your son, daughter and/or grandchildren are eligible for certain benefits distributed through this scholarship, as follows:
- This is a one-time scholarship of $1,000.
- Nominee must be an incoming first-year student or new transfer.
- The cost of orientation is reduced by half (a $45 value).
- The admission application fee is waived (a $30 value).
- GPA must be 2.5 or above (high school or college of transfer).
The applicant must fill out the application form found below. Application forms are accepted year-round. If the applicant meets the GPA guidelines, the scholarship will be awarded.
Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship
The Mountaineer Alumni Recommendation Scholarship is a one-time non-renewable scholarship and is only applicable for the student’s first year at Western. This scholarship is not available to midyear transfers or students beginning in the spring semester.
Are you an alumni or employee of Western and know a prospective (or incoming) student who would be a great fit at Western? A recommendation from alumni and employees can support any new student and provide them a $500 scholarship their first year. (Western employees may not recommend a spouse or dependent receiving tuition benefits).
- Any Western alumni/employee may nominate only one student per academic year to receive the $500 scholarship (distributed $250 per semester).
- The scholarship is good for the first year only and is non-renewable.
- The recommended student must be a full-time undergraduate student, attending Western for the first time.
The applicant must fill out the application form found here. The nominating alumni/employee must fill out the application form and submit the required documents by June 1. The recommended student must meet university admissions acceptance standards and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The Presidential Promise is guaranteed to students who have received a scholarship through the Denver Scholarship Foundation (DSF) and/or GearUp—and are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For students who meet these criteria, Western will cover the cost of tuition and fees through the combination of federal, state and institutional aid. For more information on the Presidential Promise, visit our scholarships page.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) or Central Plains (CP) tuition represents a substantial savings relative to normal, out-of-state tuition. Students eligible for the WUE or CP program will be charged 150% of Western’s total in-state tuition. For 2018-19, total in-state tuition was $8,934. WUE/CP tuition was $13,401. The WUE/CP discount is valued at $4,695.
For more information about the WUE and CP geography-based programs, visit Western’s Tuition Discount Programs Page.
Immediately upon acceptance at Western, every student is considered for a merit scholarship worth between $2,500-$4,500 per year for in-state students and $8,000-$10,000 for out-of-state students. The amount is based on the student’s GPA and ACT/SAT scores. Visit our Net Price Calculator at western.edu/cost to determine whether you qualify for a merit scholarship.
For more information about merit scholarships at Western, visit our scholarships page.
Get Involved
Make your education a life changing experience.
A college education is so much more than just taking classes. Expand your community and network, while gaining hands-on experience in your field.
- Program Specific Career Fairs: Throughout the academic year, companies in the Energy Industry are brought to campus to interview and network with students.
- Networking Events: students get the opportunity to participate in program funded trips to Houston and Denver to interact with industry professionals.
- Internships: Students have found internships with more than 50 companies across the United States with hourly wages averaging $25 or more
Career opportunities
Representatives of Conoco Phillips visit Western to network and recruit Energy Management students.
News & Research
Additional Resources
Department Information
School of Business
Associate Dean
Kevin A. Nelson, Ph.D.Associate Dean of the School of Business, Graduate Faculty for Outdoor Industry MBA
Executive Assistant
Christina SorensenExecutive Assistant
OIMBA Program Director
Jennifer DeBoer, Ph.D.Director, Outdoor Industry MBA; Assistant Professor of Business Administration - Strategy; Graduate Faculty for Outdoor Industry MBA
Contact Information
Campus Location
Western Colorado University
Borick Business Building 223
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231