Metals and Energy Finance

Programme relating to the technical and financial appraisal of natural energy and mineral resources projects.  The course is a joint programme between Imperial College Department of Earth Science and Engineering and Imperial College Business School, and is unique in teaching quantitative financial analysis, strategic management and technical geological concepts in the context of metals and energy projects.  The course overlaps with other finance-related MSc courses and builds on Imperial College’s long standing relationship with the minerals and energy industries.  The course benefits from close ties with industry, and most students base their final project on a relevant industry case study.  In addition there are annual field excursions, which allow students to gain first hand experience of a range of metals and energy projects at various stages of development.

The MSc Metals & Energy Finance programme is accredited by the UK Engineering Council so that graduates with appropriate first degrees and relevant professional experience  qualify for the CEng (Chartered Engineer) designation. The UK CEng in turn has reciprocal standing in Europe and as such engineers are entitled to use the EUR ING designation.

• Produce graduates equipped to pursue careers in the technical and financial appraisal of natural energy and mineral resource projects.
• Offer traditional minerals related training directly applicable to a career in the minerals industry.
• Introduce key technical and geological concepts relevant to petroleum projects.
• Enhance career opportunities in the financial services and petroleum industries.
• Provide the basis for an understanding of quantitative finance, accounting and strategic management within the context of technical principles that apply specifically to mineral and energy projects.
• Respond to the importance of the City of London as a global centre for mining and energy finance by providing knowledge of corporate finance,  the equity markets, debt finance, metals markets and associated derivative markets.
• Provide training in financial modelling, financial engineering and in the techniques of risk modelling.
• Enhance entrepreneurial skills.
• Provide the skills needed to undertake independent research projects both in industry and in the university environment.

Term one:
Management & Business Module
 Accounting
Project Evaluation Module
 Extractive Metallurgy
Foundation Mathematics
Language Module
Quantitative Finance Module
 Mathematical Techniques in Finance
 Investment and Portfolio Management
Petroleum and Mineral Geoscience Module
 Mineral Deposits Studies
 Petroleum Engineering
 Petroleum Geology
Term Two:
Management & Business Module
 Cash Flow Modelling
 Management of Projects, Markets and Supplies
 Strategic Management
Project Evaluation Module
 Metals and Energy project Appraisal and Finance
 Minerals Engineering
 Resource Evaluation
Quantitative Finance Module
 Asset pricing and Derivatives
Language Module
Excursion
 Wessex Basin Oil System
Term Three plus Summer:
Excursion
 South Africa and Active Mineral Operations
Dissertation
 Formulation of Proposals
 Generation and submission of thesis.

Normally at least a Lower Second Class Honours degree in engineering or the physical sciences with
appropriate experience or the equivalent overseas qualification would be required.
Graduates with degrees in economics where this included a component of mathematics could also be
considered. While prior relevant experience will be considered desirable, there will be no restriction on
accepting applications from recent graduates.
Where an applicant has a lesser degree qualification but has at least 3 years’ relevant work
experience the Course Director will make a special case for admission; few such applications are
received.

The key criteria for selection are the academic credentials of the candidate, but given that the number
of eligible candidates for admission onto the course significantly exceeds the 25 places available, no
offers are made unless candidates already have a degree. Once 25 offers have been made,
candidates with suitable qualifications are placed on a reserve list. Good applicants due to graduate in
the summer preceding the start of next academic year are placed on a reserve list once they inform
College that they have been awarded the degree. 

Candidates who have been accepted on the course will be eligible for the award of a scholarship under a range of schemes. Consideration for the award of a scholarship will be undertaken as part of the admission process and an award will be based on academic criteria using the information provided in the course application form and interview where appropriate. The course is generously supported by a number of international companies with interest in the field of finance and natural resources.

Applicants to the course are expected to have reasonable fitness and agility as both the Wessex and South African excursions involve som e physical exertion.