Getting a masters degree in business administration is the dream of many undergraduate students. An MBA enables them to try their hand in the daunting world of business where competence and love for money are paramount qualities expected. However, the question that many students could have in their mind is, “MBA in what?” Throughout my life, I have seen people doing MBA from various institutes in India and abroad. All of them however do it in Finance, Marketing, HR and IT. Most of my friends from my undergraduate days ended up doing an MBA in order to become Business Analysts in IT or banking sectors. It was not until a few years ago that someone suggested me to do an MBA that I started thinking whether there exists an MBA in fields other than what I mentioned.
I don’t recall whether it was by sheer accident or because of my obsession with a famous actress, I happened to come across an MBA program in energy management online especially in Renewable or Green Energy management. I mentioned the actress because her Wikipedia article mentions that she uses renewable energy to power her house. Somehow while browsing around the internet, I stumbled upon this possibility. It is not very common for someone to specialize in energy management as a business degree. For one thing it is futuristic and people are a little wary about investing their time and money in educational programs that are futuristic due to the risk factors involved.
I had no intention of doing an MBA as I wanted to study science. But my curious mind couldn’t stay idle and I went ahead researching what this program was all about. I thought that perhaps it isn’t such a bad idea to do a business degree if it suits my way of thinking and this one seemed to do exactly that. My online search for information about MBA in energy management brought me to many websites of institutes (42 of them to be exact). They offer masters level degrees like Executive MBA, MScMBA, International Mini MBA, REM-HSG, International MBA, PGPEM, Global Executive or just plain MBA. The funny thing is that 8 of them are in India and I never heard about it.
A business degree in renewable energy management makes the candidate capable of finding solutions to energy problems in the world such as rising oil prices, climate change and lack of efficient technology to exploit renewable energy sources. Already scientists are developing new ways to harness power from sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat. The rising use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar farms generate more jobs in this sector whereby giving opportunities to graduates who do this type of degree. Renewable energy management also involves helping business operate using the power generated through renewable resources in an efficient manner.
In short, meeting the growing energy demands while simultaneously protecting the environment is a challenge that the MBA graduates in energy management will face. The curriculum of most of these institutes teaches students business fundamentals along with specific problems facing energy industry. The graduates will be made aware of the business aspects of renewable energy along with its impact on environment. The advantage of this type of MBA is that the syllabus focuses on practicality and results instead of just theoretical learning. Thus the skills acquired can be immediately put into practice.
Students will be taught things like rain water harvesting and managing wind and solar farms. The jobs that an MBA graduate of this sort would do include:
- Business Leadership
- International Sales Management
- Energy Facility Management
- Technology Consultancy
- Technology Assessment
- Structural Development
- Environmental Protection Work
- Business Consulting
Some institutes also offer PhD degrees for candidates interested in pursuing research. Green Business is what experts call the renewable energy sector. Anyway, here is the list of 42 institutes from around the world that offer a business degree in green energy management:
| School | Degree | Specialization | Country |
| Norweigean School of Business | Executive MBA | Energy | Norway |
| Curtin University | MScMBA | Energy Economics | Australia |
| Energy Delta Institute | International Mini MBA | Energy Transition and Innovation | The Netherlands |
| Maastricht School of Management |
MBA | Energy Management | The Netherlands |
| Beuth Hochschule Fur Technik Berlin |
MBA | Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency | Germany |
| International School of Management |
MBA | Energy Management | Germany |
| European School of Management and Technology |
MBA | Global Sustainable Business | Germany |
| Jacobs University | MBA | European Utility Management | Germany |
| University of St. Gallen | REM-HSG | Renewable Energy Management | Switzerland |
| Athabasca University | MBA | Energy Industries and Markets | Canada |
| University of Calgary | Executive MBA | Global Energy | Canada |
| University of Alberta | MBA | Natural Resources Energy & Environment | Canada |
| Danube University Krems | MBA | Energy and Carbon Management | Austria |
| Vienna University of Economics and Business |
MBA | Energy Management | Austria |
| HEC School of Management | Executive MBA | Management in an Energy-Concerned Economy | France |
| International Space University | Executive MBA | Space Business | France |
| Ipag Business School | MBA | Energy and Sustainable Development Management | France |
| University of Vaasa | MBA | Energy Business | Finland |
| University of Bologna | MBA | Green Energy and Sustainable Business | Italy |
| London School of Business and Finance |
MBA | Oil, Gas and Energy Management | UK |
| University of Warwick | MBA | Global Energy | UK |
| Lancaster University Business School |
MBA | Biofuels and Renewable Energy | UK |
| University of Strathclyde | MBA | Global Energy Industry | UK |
| University of Aberdeen | MBA | Oil and Gas Management | UK |
| City of London College | MBA | Energy Management | UK |
| University of East London | MBA | Sustainability and Energy Management | UK |
| Athens University of Economics and Business |
International MBA | Energy and Sustainability Club | Greece |
| University of Nicosia | MBA | Oil, Gas and Energy Management | Cyprus |
| The Cyprus Institute of Marketing |
MBA | Energy Management | Cyprus |
| Vistula University | Executive MBA | Energy Management | Poland |
| St. Petersburg University | Executive MBA | Management in an Energy-Concerned Economy | Russia |
| Continental University | MBA | Energy and Sustainable Development | Ukraine |
| Asian Institute of Technology | MBA | Energy Business | Thailand |
| IIM Ranchi | PGPEM | Energy Management | India |
| National Power Training Institute |
MBA | Power Management | India |
| Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University |
MBA | Energy and Infrastructure | India |
| Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology |
MBA | Petroleum and Energy Management | India |
| Symbiosis Center For International Education |
MBA | Energy and Environment Business | India |
| Thapar University | MBA | Environmental and Energy Management | India |
| University of Petroleum and Energy Studies |
MBA | Energy Trading | India |
| Great Lakes Institute of Management |
Global Executive MBA | Energy Management | India |
| Asian Institute of Technology and Management |
MBA | Energy Business | Nepal |
Some of these institutes offer campus based degree while others offer an online degree. You can check their respective websites for more information. While compiling this list, I followed the order of sorting the countries according to their Human Development Index (HDI). Therefore the countries listed on the top are the most developed with the highest standard of living and therefore the best education that you can get. I am not saying that the MBA in our country is bad but in case you wish to move to a country with better living standards, then you may opt for countries listed at the top of the list.
I will be updating this list as and when I come across new information. Until then whatever queries you may have, you are welcome to comment that there and I will try my best to answer them. I hope this article was helpful. Good luck!