MBA in International Mineral Resources Management
by Distance Learning
This self contained programme aims to provide an intellectually challenging academic programme of study, which will demand of the student the ability to analyse, synthesise and evaluate key theoretical concepts and practical applications in management. This will prepare future industry leaders for success in a rapidly evolving and highly competitive global business climate, where continuous innovation and change is crucial to productivity and growth in all aspects of the natural resources, energy and international business and financial transactions industries.
Who is it for?
The aim of the MBA in International Mineral Resources programme is to prepare participants for middle management or advisory positions in the private sector and government.
Structure
| The MBA is made up of 200 credits as follows: | |
|---|---|
| Compulsory Core Modules | 100 credits |
| Compulsory Choice Modules | 40 credits |
| Optional Modules | 60 credits |
200 credits |
|
Compulsory Core Modules
Foundation Financial Accounting (10 credits)
The principal aim of this course is to give an appropriate understanding of the published accounts of a company and their underlying principles, so that an effective contribution may be given to the senior financial management of an organisation. Particular emphasis is given to accounts of the extractive industries.
Induction Programme (20 credits)
The Induction Programme provides students with vital knowledge and skills before they embark of the main components of CEPMLP's taught Masters and Diploma programmes. CEPMLP students have a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds and the Induction Programme provides each student with a basic introduction to all the main disciplines included in the degrees programmes, namely law, economics, finance and geology. It also provides training in research methods.
Introduction to Finance (10 credits)
This module will introduce students to the complexities of business finance and aim to give them an understanding of the basic financial issues business managers in the energy and extractive industries are required to consider in the decision-making process. All managers, in all types of organisations, have to be constantly aware of the financial implications of decisions being made, including sources and cost of finance, return on investment and the effective management of working capital requirements. The module is designed to give students an appreciation of issues of this nature they will confront as managers and to give them the confidence in the understanding of finance to be able to ensure the correct financial information is available to them to allow for well informed decision making.
Management in Energy and Natural Resources Industries (20 credits)
The aim of this module is to develop the student’s critical understanding and application of models, approaches and tools for the management of complex energy and natural resources organisations behaviours underpinning the practice of management in knowledge intensive organisations.
Mineral Resources Policy and Economics (20 credits)
The main objective of this course is to give an understanding of the main economic forces that drive and influence the hard-rock mineral industries, and of the major economic policy issues for the industry. Students will acquire an appreciation of both the macro- and micro-economic factors that affect the industry and that provide the context for all legal and policy issues. They will also be introduced to the various conflicting aims and objectives of all concerned with the industries, and with the consequent problems for policy resolution.
Strategic Management & Organisational Analysis (20 credits)
This module will encourage a critical and reflexive orientation to the understanding of successful approaches to strategic management and organisational analysis and develop understanding of the requirements for effective executive and organisational analyses and decision making in an increasingly complex and uncertain business environment. The module will develop an appreciation of basic concepts and essential strategic and organisational management tools for understanding data and analysing decisions. Students will learn the analytic skills needed to accomplish, defend and critique a business analysis.
Compulsory Choice Modules
Candidates are required to take a minimum of 40 credits from the following list:
International and Comparative Mineral Law (20 credits)
The module provides an introduction to the main legal and policy issues in the mining industry, with an emphasis on the common methods within which mining is regulated. The approach is a comparative one and focuses on techniques applicable in various settings and countries, noting the influence of law, economics, finance, technical aspects and geology. Students will acquire understanding of the key law and policy issues relating to the regulation of mining, including the ownership of minerals and application for rights to mine; and the effects that mining can have, on environment and communities, and how these are addressed.
Investment Decision Making in the Energy and Mining Industries (20 credits)
The primary aim of the course is to provide a detailed consideration of the theory of finance as it applies to the energy and mining industries and to consider how the theory is applied in practice. The two key focus areas will be investment decision making with uncertainty and how the investment demands are financed.
Mineral and Petroleum Taxation (20 credits)
This module provides an introduction to mineral and petroleum taxation. It alerts students to the main policy issues in this area and the main instruments and forms of resource taxation. Rather than teaching skills in accounting and financial analysis, the course emphasises a broad understanding of the issues.
Compulsory Choice Specialist Modules
Candidates are required to take a minimum of 60 credits, with advisor of studies approval, from the following list:
Business Strategy in the Extractive Industries (20 credits)
The main objective of the course is to provide an inter-disciplinary framework for the strategic analysis of firms and markets in the extractive industries. Drawing on core topics in the MBA curriculum, in particular on the Strategic Planning module, this module uses the field of corporate strategy to provide a series of opportunities for integrated analysis of strategies applied in the extractive industries.
Environmental Law and Policy for Natural Resources and Energy (20 credits)
The course deals with selected issues central to understanding international and national environmental policy and law related to production and consumption of natural resources and power generation. It addresses, in particular, environmental problems arising in connection with production and transportation of petroleum (both on-land and offshore), mining activities, use of nuclear energy, including production of uranium and disposal of radioactive wastes, and use of fossil fuels, including transboundary air pollution and global climate effects. A special emphasis is placed on the solutions for environmental problems provided by various national regulatory systems, in particular British and North American.
Financial and Project Analysis for Natural Resources and Energy Ventures (20 credits)
The main aim of this module is to introduce the student into current methods of financial and project appraisal techniques that relate to natural resources and energy organisations. This is a practical module in which evaluation techniques and concepts are taught, such as discounted cash flows and pay back period, which are applied to realistic scenarios, leading to the preparation of spreadsheets, their analysis and interpretation of results. These are set within the business framework of the overall capital budgeting processes of these organisations. The student should be able to recommend the appropriate appraisal techniques to a given capital investment, along with an appreciation of social and other non-financial features. Taxation and sources of finance are also introduced in this module, but any in-depth analyses of them can only be provided in other modules.
Human Resources Management (20 credits)
This course aims to provide students with a strategic understanding and key skills in managing people in organizations. It focuses on the core human resource problems faced by all organizations, including culture change, the contribution of human resources to organizational performance and change, and the developing role of information and communication technologies (ICT), recruitment, selection and retention, human resource development and managing knowledge, motivation and performance management, compensation and rewards, the design of work, and employee relations.
International Law of Natural Resources and Energy (20 credits)
The main objective of the course is to provide an introduction to the fundamental concepts and specific legal and jurisdictional issues in the field of international and transboundary natural resources. The emphasis is on ensuring a proper understanding of the existing legal mechanisms and international regimes applicable to various types of natural resources located beyond States’ jurisdiction or control.
Internship (20 credits)
The internship provides the student with the opportunity to apply in the workplace the knowledge and skills learnt at CEPMLP and to learn how professionals in the field perform their tasks.
Students who choose this option are required to source an organisation willing to offer a 3-month work placement, approved by an academic supervisor. The Internship includes the submission of a written report as part of the assessment.
Internship (40 credits)
The internship provides the student with the opportunity to apply in the workplace the knowledge and skills learnt at CEPMLP and to learn how professionals in the field perform their tasks.
Students who choose this option are required to source an organisation willing to offer a 3-month work placement, approved by an academic supervisor. The Internship includes the submission of a written report as part of the assessment.
Leadership and Decision Making (20 credits)
The aim of this module is to develop a critical insight into the role, responsibilities and competences of leadership within the oil and gas business contexts. The module further seeks to create a critical awareness of current theory and practice in leadership and decision making.
Marketing (20 credits)
Acquire knowledge of current theories in marketing and understand their application to corporations in the public and private sectors in a global context.
Project Management Process (20 credits)
This module is designed to bring to students a critical awareness of the tools and techniques of project management reflecting both the project nature of the energy, petroleum and mineral industries as well as the general trend for organisations to manage-by-project in an attempt to keep their work small and manageable. The module will give students both an appreciation of the distinct nature of project work as well as an appreciation of project management tools and techniques available to project managers at the different stages of projects. The module also provides students with an appreciation of the need for a 'project leadership' versus' general management / leadership' approach.
Stakeholder Management and Business Ethics (20 credits)
The aim of this module is to develop a critical insight into the key concepts and theories of business ethics. The module further seeks to create a practical insight into the application of stakeholder management to oil and gas business contexts.