West Virginia State University Announces New Concentration in Energy Management

Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration to support oil and gas industry

INSTITUTE, W.Va., Nov. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- West Virginia State University (WVSU) has announced a new concentration in energy management to its Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration designed to support the state's growing oil and gas industry. The energy management concentration will provide WVSU graduates with the knowledge and skills needed to excel across various aspects of the oil and gas industry.

"Oil and gas industry leaders have shared with us the need for individuals who possess the knowledge and skills to communicate with geologists and engineers in operations as well as possess the business expertise to properly manage personnel and accounts in the office. This new program will bridge these two vital aspects together for the next generation of business leaders in the energy industry," said Dr. Katherine Harper, Dean of the WVSU College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

"Through this degree program, WVSU students will graduate with the experience and knowledge needed to lead energy companies, in West Virginia and beyond, to more diverse and robust financial portfolios," said Dr. David Bejou, Dean of the WVSU College of Business and Social Sciences.

The energy management concentration was developed following a January 2013 meeting with WVSU President Dr. Brian O. Hemphill and industry leaders including: Charles Patton, President and Chief Operating Officer of Appalachian Power; Kyle Mork, Senior Vice President of Eastern Operations, Energy Corp. of America; Henry Harmon, President and CEO, Triana Energy; and others.  At the gathering, participants noted the growing need for a core curriculum in higher education to include financial markets around energy as well as technical or applied knowledge in order to strengthen energy companies and the industry sector as a whole.

"Having employees who understand the financial markets around energy is a huge benefit to many companies in the field of energy, business and strategic management," said Patton. "I'm thankful WVSU not only listened to our industry's needs but has developed an answer in the form of this new concentration."

A collaboration between the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and the College of Business and Social Sciences, the energy management concentration will incorporate existing science and business courses with newly developed curriculum beginning in January.

In addition, a post-graduate certificate in energy management will be available to assist baccalaureate degree holders advance in their careers or facilitate a career change in the energy industry. These certificates allow students, who have already earned an undergraduate degree, to gain valuable expertise regarding support industries related to oil and natural gas. Depending upon the specific undergraduate courses already completed, students may earn this certificate in as few as 12 credit hours.

Students interested in the bachelor degree or certificate program should contact the WVSU College of Business and Social Sciences at (304) 766-3065.  

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West Virginia State University is a public, land grant, historically black university, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially integrated, and multi-generational institution, located in Institute, W.Va. As a "living laboratory of human relations," the university is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to academic growth, service, and preservation of the racial and cultural diversity of the institution. Its mission is to meet the higher education and economic development needs of the state and region through innovative teaching and applied research.

Contact: Kimberly Osborne
(304) 766-3363
[email protected]

SOURCE West Virginia State University