MBA Master of Business Administration in Oil and Gas

The Oil and Gas MBA programme offers proven management training with a special focus on the oil and gas industry and allows students to gain an internationally recognised Masters of Business Administration qualification from a leading UK university.

The part time distance learning course comprises either six modules followed by an Applied Project or eight modules followed by a shorter Business Transformation Project, studied over two years.

Module 1: The Global Oil and Gas Industry (20 credits)

Objectives:

Provide the context in which the global oil and gas industry operates, highlighting its global significance in the past and present
Identify the key players in the international oil and gas industry
Explore the main challenges facing the industry, its responses to these challenges and future directions within the wider energy context
Analyse international energy policy frameworks and strategies
Explore the principal licensing and contractual arrangements used in the global oil and gas industry

Module 2: Business Strategy (20 credits)

Objectives:

Inform students of the key developments in, and thinking derived from, the study of strategy
Explore models and theories of strategy and their application by practising managers
Critically appraise where and when such models are useful
Provide examples and exercises that illustrate these concepts with the intent of building capability in strategic thinking and practice

Module 3: Executive Leadership (20 credits)

Objectives:

Illustrate how the processes of contemporary human resource management support organisational performance
Explore the key elements of the 'HR cycle' (resourcing, managing performance, developing and rewarding)
Identify areas of overlap between management and leadership and to investigate the competencies and behaviours associated with management and leadership
Develop leadership behaviours that will enable students to manage performance as well as lead change to improve organisational performance

Module 4: Advanced International Marketing (20 credits)

Objectives:

Explore marketing and communication strategies in the context of oil and gas organisations
Enable analysis of current marketing strategies to apply appropriate techniques
Develop students' abilities to:
Identify actions that enhance profitability

• Create a communications strategy and plan
• Create a marketing strategy and plan
• Outline the business case for such plans

Module 5: Oil and Gas Finance and Risk Analysis (20 credits)

Objectives:

Provide a comprehensive grounding in petroleum economics including cash flow principles throughout the value chain
Give an understanding of how investment decisions are made through a thorough analysis of variables and uncertainties
Explore the management and mitigation of risk and uncertainty in the financial context
Allow students to practise the valuation of oil and gas assets, portfolios and companies

Module 6: Managing Projects and Optimising Operations (20 credits)

Objectives:

Examine the principal project management tools, methodologies and implementation strategies
Promote understanding of the link between strategy and operations, across key domains of operations management in the oil and gas industry
Analyse the role of research and development in shaping innovative approaches to operations management and in the wider organisational context

Module 7 Research Methods Optional (10 Credits)

Objectives:

Provides students with a means of further developing their skills in research
Presents the key elements and issues of research design, of processes of collecting evidence and analysing this, and of drawing conclusions
Introduces some of the key controversies of management research
Understand the processes and problems of producing research outcomes
Producing the key output of this module, the project proposal, as a requirement for commencing the final project

Module 8 Information Management – Optional (20 credits)

Objectives:

Gain a thorough understanding of the information technology and systems used in organisations to manage information and decision making
Allow students to explore the challenges posed by the emerging issues of big data
Provide an overview of the increasing demands on information storage and protection

Module 9 Management Perspectives – Optional (20 credits)

Understand the value and contextual subjectivity of management practise in an energy context
Explore the role of ethics and social responsibility in current management guidance
Offer students an insight into management across cultures and leading a diverse workplace
Gain an appreciation of the critical tools needed to analyse and identify responses to the challenges of current management
Business Transformation Project (30 credits)

The project module is a significant part of the course and provides the opportunity to integrate the skills and knowledge gained on the MBA by applying these to a substantial and real business issue. The Business Transformation Project develops your research skills by ensuring you can critically appraise and apply theory relevant to a specific real world business problem for yourself, employer, client or chosen sector.

You can use this project strategically according to your goals. You might work with your employer to address a relevant business issue, or, if you are looking for a change of direction, as an independent project which will support your future career development.

Whatever your perspective – consultative, research or entrepreneurial you will be expected to exhibit a high level of proficiency in the design and application of research, data collection and analysis. The presentation of results and implementation of the final action points are critical.

You will be encouraged to work in peer groups or "Action Learning Sets" to support each other during the period of your project work. These are self managed work groups that address common problems and issues at work in a participative and structured way.

Applied Project (60 credits)

This module provides students with the means of further developing and integrating the skills and knowledge acquired on the MBA through application to a specific organisational issue or problem.

It enables students to demonstrate proficiency in relation to scoping the issue(s)/problems, consideration of appropriate literature, collection and analysis of data, assessing the financial implications, including any cost/benefit analysis for justifying specific recommendations and consideration of implementation issues.

The MBA project provides the student with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills gained on the MBA at an advanced level. Students prepare to undertake the project by looking at different research methods.

The project can take several forms such as:

Project for a host/client organisation
The solution to a practical managerial or organisational problem, where practical recommendations arise out of a mix of theory and data collection
A work based issue within the student's own place of employment
An empirical investigation of a management or organisational practice, strongly supported by the relevant theory and concepts