What Would You Study in an Energy Management College Program?

Energy management is the evaluation, planning, and use of energy to gain maximum efficiencies to meet economic and environmental goals. To work in the field, you need a full understanding of how to follow energy data to assess needs, monitor usage, and continually optimize. A Bachelor’s Degree in Energy Management should give you a solid foundation to work in oil, gas, nuclear, wind, solar, water or geothermal energy as an analyst, researcher, installer, or auditor. Energy managers play a key role to help slow climate change, conserve energy resources, and achieve energy independence for our country.

Here are some classes you might study in an Energy Management degree program:

Energy Management

This course will provide an overview of the energy industry and the dynamics of worldwide energy consumption, including the history of the energy industry and analysis of current and relevant issues affecting it. You learn the basic principles of energy management and gain a general understanding of conventional sources of energy such as oil and gas, as well as renewables. You also learn how to analyze energy use and develop techniques to lower energy costs.

Energy Science

An important component to your studies, Energy Sciences lays the foundation in the principles related to energy and its various forms. It covers key areas of energy science, such as fossil fuels, biomass, nuclear energy, renewable energy, and emerging energy technologies. It also includes the study of global energy demand and the effects of increasing amounts of competitive renewable energy supplies.

Sustainability

Here, you learn concepts of sustainability theory and practice, including population, ecosystems, global change, energy, agriculture, water, ethics, and cultural history. You see how society can cope with climate change and the limits on resources such as water and available farmland. You study various ecosystems, agriculture, environmental economics, ethics, and cultural history. The class may also discuss building solutions used in engineering, planning, and management techniques.

Energy Policy

This course provides an overview of U.S. energy policy. You examine public policy decision making and issues related to energy production, distribution, and consumption. You explore ways to curb carbon emissions such as increasing prices on fossil fuels and subsidizing low carbon energy. It may also cover how the methods to produce and use energy affect the economy, energy security, and climate change.

Renewable Energy

Often included in the broader curriculum, Renewable Energy can also be a standalone course. Renewables including wind, solar, hydroelectric, or geothermal energy, are explored. You learn to assess the best areas to locate wind turbines or solar energy panels or decide where to build a new school or office building to take advantage of sub-surface geothermal energy sources. You also analyze science topics such air pollution, the carbon cycle, and water and energy conservation. And the course may cover how to collect and analyze data regarding carbon footprint and demographics.

Business

Because the energy sector is a business, you will need an introduction to basic business concepts. A business class should cover the global marketplace, corporate social responsibility, the legal environment in business, types of business ownership, management techniques, human resource fundamentals, marketing concepts, production and distribution of goods, and financial management.

Finance and Accounting

To work in most any industry, you also need an understanding of basic accounting, finance, and management. Financial accounting courses help you understand how to use accounting information to aid in managerial decision-making.

Operations Management

This kind of course focuses on the essentials of effective operations management, including the transformation of resources into products and services. It emphasizes people operating in teams to improve the flow of goods and services to customers.

Marketing

All industries also need to get their brand, messaging, and products out into the world. Marketing courses teach you strategies to effectively accomplish this. You are introduced to the marketing environment, components of the marketing system, consumerism, the legal environment, and the global market. Additional topics might address social responsibility, market research, buying behavior, digital marketing, and the marketing decision-making process.

Additional topics and electives might cover economics, information systems, human resource management, energy supply systems for buildings, energy audit processes, and the global energy business. Additionally, you would be required to take courses in English, math, science and social science.

At National American University, we offer a Bachelor’s degree in Energy Management that will help prepare you for a rewarding career. Call 800-209-0182 to speak to a counselor or click learn more now.