Energy Finance Career Track
Bringing together the strengths of the Alberta School of Business in both Finance and Natural Resources, Energy and Environment, the Energy Finance career track is designed to prepare graduates for roles with financial institutions, advisory firms, energy and oil and gas companies, and within the public sector.
Students will not only have strong financial training behind them, but also have a solid understanding of energy markets, natural resources law, and policy.
Energy Finance Career Track Courses
BUEC 563: Energy Industries & Markets
This course provides a broad introduction to the energy industries and markets, focusing on market structure, firm strategy and behaviour, regulation and public policy. The evolving nature of industries and markets, including technological challenges, environmental constraints and globalization, are discussed. The course includes some site visits and guest speakers.
B LAW 628: Natural Resources & Environmental Law
The course considers the legal framework in which managerial decisions affecting the environment are taken. It looks at the substances of environmental law and the procedures for enforcing it. The interaction of this legal approach with business strategies for dealing with environmental issues is analyzed.
FIN 614: Investments
This course is concerned with investment in stocks, bonds and other financial assets. Topics include, but are not limited to, interest rates, risk-return relationships, investment valuation, and market information and efficiency.
FIN 618: Fixed Income
This course covers markets for interest rate-paying securities. The valuation of such securities will be covered, as will tools and techniques for the management of interest rate risk. This will include a discussion of the pricing and uses of various interest rate derivative securities, such as swaps, options on swaps ("swaptions"), futures, and forward rate agreements. Further, aspects of the underwriting process, of interest to potential issuers of such securities, will be discussed.
FIN 654: Risk Management
Futures, options, and other derivative securities. Markets, valuation models, application to risk management through hedging, and the application of pricing models to the valuation of financial contracts.
Complementary Courses
Finance Focus
ACCTG 630: Financial Statement Analysis
Develops students' competence in analyzing financial statements and using financial information to make investment decisions, both equity and debt. The primary thrust of the course is aimed at equity investments. Students learn a five-step process of analysis for equity investments: (1) An examination of the firm's industry, markets and strategy, (2) An evaluation of the firm's accounting policies and their impact on the financial reports, (3) Applying fundamental analysis to assess financial strengths and weaknesses, (4) Forecasting future earnings and cash flows, and (5) Applying valuation models to assess the current price. A comparable process for lending decisions is then developed.
FIN 615: Trading & Financial Markets
This course will discuss the functioning of global financial markets and trading and price determination in these markets. Topics covered will include order submission and trading strategies, market structure, transaction cost and liquidity measurement, price formation, and technical analysis. The lectures will draw on academic and practitioner research as well as information from financial markets.
FIN 634: Corporate Financial Planning
This course includes an advanced discussion of asset choice and financial structure and a supplemental case study.
FIN 673: Mergers, Restructuring and Corporate Control
Financial and economic aspects of corporate mergers, restructuring, downsizing, and bankruptcy are examined. Relations between corporate structure and performance are investigated. Specific attention is paid to the roles of top management and boards of directors. Special issues relating to privatization and restructuring in former socialist economies are studied.
Sustainable Energy Development & Investment Focus
BUEC 564: Environmental Management
The economic theory of externalities is introduced and applied in a discussion of alternative policy instruments such as taxes, tradable permits, and regulatory standards which are used to deal with pollution. Topics include current environmental regulation issues such as climate change, water and air pollution and firm strategy. Extensions include an introduction to cost-benefit analysis and environmental impact assessment tools for project evaluation as well as a discussion of the economics of non-renewable resources.
SEM 601: Innovation & Sustainability - The Cleantech Revolution
The clean technology and renewables course is a course designed to fit with three areas of graduate study: technology development and transfer, strategy, and sustainability. In this course, we will begin with an examination of renewable energy industries (solar, water, wind) and clean technologies focused on waste and recycling. Clean and green strategies will be identified and discussed, using specific examples from our international clean technology research and database. At the end of the course, students will present either a project with a local clean technology company project or a case analysis of a key clean technology company of interest.
SEM 638: Corporate Sustainability
This course examines business strategies for sustainable development. Business sustainability is defined as managing the "triple bottom line" - designing mission-driven enterprises that provide a thriving future for business, society and the planet. To achieve this, managers must adopt a fresh understanding of the role of the business enterprise. The course will draw from successful sustainability efforts of leading business organizations, both locally and internationally, by identifying key success factors that encourage sustainable business practices. It will also place current understandings of sustainability in a wider context by exploring the historical roots of current sustainability practices and examining their implications for key stakeholders of the business enterprise.
SEM 639: Public Policy
Emphasizes a systematic and comprehensive approach to the study of developing and implementing public policy within the context of Canadian society. This course explores both the decision-making process and such factors as the separation of powers between levels of government, electoral politics, interest groups, media, and government bureaucracy as they influence the making of public policy.
Career Paths
Students with a focus on Energy Finance could find themselves working in a wide range of roles. Whether working in corporate finance roles for energy firms, applying energy sector knowledge in commercial banking roles, energy trading, being involved in valuation and M&A activities around the energy sector, or applying a macro-level view of energy markets within the public sector there is a multitude of opportunities.
5%
Of our Alum are in the Energy Industry.
Top Organizations
- Enbridge
- Syncrude Canada
- EPCOR
- Suncor
13%
Of our Alum are in the Finance Industry.
Top Organizations
- AIMCo
- ATB Financial
- Scotiabank
- CWB
Experiential Learning
Courses
BUS 686: Entrepreneurial Finance
FIN 686: Financial Modelling Student Clubs
Student Clubs
MBA Finance Association
Case Competitions
National Investment Banking Competition
PRMIA Risk Management Challenge