New MBA Energy Concentration at UNC Charlotte

Responding to the need for highly trained leaders in Charlotte’s growing energy industry, UNC Charlotte has added an energy concentration to its nationally ranked part-time Master of Business Administration program. The new concentration began in fall 2013.

A cooperative effort between UNC Charlotte’s Belk College of Business, William States Lee College of Engineering, and Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC), the program focuses MBA studies on the electrical power and energy industry.

“The concentration will focus on the electrical energy business,” said EPIC Director Dr. Johan Enslin, “which is unique. This emphasis was developed after inputs from our advisory board and other area energy leaders, who expressed a need for business savvy energy leaders. ”

The MBA concentration joins other energy-related concentrations offered in the Lee College of Engineering. The college offers five energy concentrations at the undergraduate level, as well as energy research and thesis options at the masters and Ph.D. levels.

The Lee College of Engineering’s Systems Engineering and Engineering Management Department will deliver or co-deliver some of the main energy-related MBA courses. The specialized courses include topics such as an introduction to energy systems, energy markets, energy and environmental economics, energy system planning, and case studies in the energy industry.

“Building and managing a sound energy infrastructure requires fundamental knowledge of engineering and business,” said Dr. Ertunga Ozelkan, department chairman of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management. “We are very excited to collaborate with the Belk College of Business to launch an energy systems concentration that will be beneficial to systems engineering, engineering management and business students.”

The energy concentration is open to both business and engineering students.

“The Energy MBA capitalizes on UNC Charlotte’s faculty expertise in both business and engineering,” said Dr. Christie Amato, associate dean for graduate programs in the Belk College, “and will provide a dynamic management talent pool for energy companies. The UNC Charlotte MBA has a long tradition of being responsive to the region’s evolving business needs.”

For information on MBA admissions and curriculum, visit mba.uncc.edu.