East Tower Toronto Dominion Centre 
416-360-8850 
Schulich School of Business at York University 
416-736-5079 Schulich Mini-MBA:
Essentials of Management with Specialization in Energy
Leading in Energy When the Rules Are Changing
Ontario’s electricity demand is anticipated to grow 75% by 2050*. Canada’s energy landscape is being reshaped in real time, and organizations must keep systems safe and reliable today while investing for a future defined by decarbonization, electrification, new technologies, and heightened public and regulatory scrutiny.
Energy leaders are now expected to bridge worlds that don’t always align: operations and innovation, capital discipline and growth, risk management and speed, technical teams and enterprise strategy. Decisions around modernization, digital enablement, portfolio priorities, and stakeholder alignment are no longer “nice to have”. They determine resilience, competitiveness, and the ability to deliver.
This Mini‑MBA with Specialization in Energy builds core management and financial foundations, then applies them to the realities of the energy sector: strategy, performance, risk, and transformation. Through an energy-focused Action Learning Project (ALP), participants work on a real challenge (individual or team-based) and develop a practical proposal they can bring back to their organization, turning learning into action while the program is underway.
Note: Participants of Schulich Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management with Specialization in Energy will focus their ALP^ on the energy sector. They complete the program alongside participants in the Schulich Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management, sharing the same modules.
December 5, 2026
Schulich Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management with Specialization in Energy
- Programs
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- Schulich Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management with Specialization in Energy
Preparing Energy Professionals to Lead Through Transition
Managing Today’s Reliability While Building Tomorrow’s Energy System
Energy leaders today are asked to operate in two-time horizons at once: deliver operational excellence and risk control in the present (reliability, safety, cost, and regulatory compliance), while building the capabilities required for the next system (electrification readiness, digital operations, and capital discipline for modernization). In this environment, leadership isn’t only technical. It’s the ability to align strategy, finance, governance, and people to execute change at pace.
Schulich Mini-MBA with Specialization in Energy equips professionals with core management and leadership capability, so they can strengthen decision-making, modernize operations, and deliver measurable results across complex energy organizations and stakeholder environments
Note: Participants of Schulich Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management with Specialization in Energy will focus their ALP on the construction sector. They complete the program alongside participants in the Schulich Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management, sharing the same modules.
DISCLAIMER: Schulich ExecEd requires a non-refundable deposit from all students as part of the enrolment process. Domestic students are required to submit a $1,000 deposit, while international students are required to submit a 50% deposit. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our advisors for assistance.
Convince Your Supervisor
Here’s a justification letter for you to edit and send to your supervisor to provide reasoning for attending this program. Our expert advisory team can assist with customizing the letter to suit your needs!
Who is this Program For?
All Schulich Mini-MBA participants complete a team-based Action Learning Project that runs throughout the program, enabling learners to apply classroom insights to real world challenges as concepts are introduced and built upon. Participants progress through stages of ideation, analysis, and solution development, supported by ongoing guidance from experienced instructors and coaches who help refine thinking, challenge assumptions, and connect theory to practice.
Participants with Specialization in Energy will focus their ALP on the energy sector and graduate with a Schulich Mini-MBA with a Specialization in Energy. This hands-on experience allows individual participants or employer-sponsored teams to work on strategic projects aligned with the industry’s most pressing priorities, delivering value back to their organization.
Participants conclude the ALP by presenting a clear, well-grounded proposal to a panel of Mini-MBA faculty, building confidence in strategic thinking, problem solving, and executive level communication, while taking practical tools and insights back to the job. See the “Action Learning Project (ALP)” section below for sample project topics. To learn whether a specialization is suitable for you, talk to our Education Advisor to explore your options and receive project guidelines.
Program Overview
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Develop leadership skills that allow you to identify and challenge taken-for-granted assumptions and develop new ways of thinking.
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Assess and improve individual and team confidence levels through structured evaluations and interventions. Learn to identify, understand and evaluate the domestic and global forces that cause economic change.
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Engage in a hands-on learning experience where strategic management principles are applied to real-world challenges.
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Taking hard data and communicating it in a way that’s easy to understand to find business solutions.
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Learn principles of business strategy and analytical frameworks for evaluating alternative strategies.
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Master the art of high-impact presentations through real-world practice and expert feedback. In this module, you’ll learn how to craft clear, compelling messages and deliver with presence. Strengthen your ability to engage, persuade, and lead conversations that drive results.
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Choose and define purposes and objectives of strategy and monitor strategic performance.
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Gain a deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to high performing teams and learn strategies that will help unlock your team’s potential.
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Understand modern investment and finance including asset valuation, capital budgeting, risk management and performance assessment.
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Explore the role of marketing in the value creation process and how products, services, and strategic branding determine your marketing mix.
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Learn HR from a managerial standpoint with new perspectives on actively managing your own career.
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Learn how AI can improve workflows, decision-making, and performance while addressing governance, risk, and compliance considerations.
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The program concludes with group final presentations, followed by a program wrap-up and graduation.
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Action learning Project (ALP) is a core pillar of the Schulich Mini-MBA. All participants complete a team-based Action Learning Project that runs throughout the program, ensuring learning is applied continuously as new concepts are introduced in class. Participants apply these insights to a real organizational or strategic challenge, strengthening understanding through practical use.
It gives participants the flexibility to work on a project of their choice, either individually or as part of an employer sponsored team. Guided by experienced instructors and coaches, participants follow a structured methodology to develop and present a clear, compelling proposal, building business acumen, leadership capability, and real-world problem-solving skills. The outcome is a practical, well-grounded plan that delivers value back to the organization and can be applied immediately on the job.
Energy-focused ALP examples may include initiatives such as:
- Designing an end-to-end digital workflow (e.g., from load forecasting and system planning to field execution) to reduce outages, rework, and cycle time.
- Evaluating grid modernization options (automation, advanced metering, DER integration, analytics/AI-enabled operations) to improve reliability, responsiveness, and cost performance.
- Reimagining connection, permitting, and stakeholder engagement processes to accelerate infrastructure upgrades and clean energy project delivery.
- Developing and business-casing new energy solutions (e.g., storage, EV charging programs, microgrids, demand response, hydrogen or carbon management applications) to support electrification and decarbonization goals.
By embedding the ALP across the full program, participants build the confidence to translate insights into action and develop practical recommendations that reflect the realities of today’s energy sector.
Note: Participants of Schulich Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management with Specialization in Energy will focus their ALP on the energy sector. They complete the program alongside participants in the Schulich Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management, sharing the same modules.
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Fall 2026
Schulich Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management with Specialization in Energy
Course Dates Time Module 1 - Critical Thinking for Leaders 10/1/2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Module 2 - Confidence Code Assessment 10/1/2026 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Module 3 - Action Learning Project (ALP) 10/2/2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Module 4 - Storytelling with Data Visualization 10/2/2026 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Module 5 - Strategic Management I 10/3/2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Module 6 - Presentation Skills: Essentials 10/3/2026 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Module 7 - Strategic Management II 11/5/2026 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Module 8 - Creating High-Performance Teams 11/5/2026 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Module 9 - Managerial Finance 11/6/2026 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Module 10 - Marketing Strategy 11/7/2026 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Module 11 - Essentials of Human Resource Management 12/3/2026 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Module 12 - AI for Business Professionals 12/4/2026 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Module 13 - ALP Presentations & Graduation 12/5/2026 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Get Training in Marketable Skills
Strategic Thinking
Leadership Skills
Decision Making
Organizing Teams & Resources
Risk Management
Communication Skills
Negotiation Skills
Career Prospects
CA$129K
per year is the average pay for energy sector jobs, compared with CA $62,459 for the average Canadian job.
Source: Natural Resources Canada
640,000
people are expected to be employed in Canada’s energy labour force by 2030.
Source: Job Bank (Government of Canada)
6th
in the world, Canada is one of the largest energy producers globally.
Source: Natural Resources Canada
Who Will Benefit
Energy & Utilities Leaders
Supervisors, managers, and emerging leaders in utilities, generation, transmission, distribution, and energy services who want to sharpen their management skills to improve performance, reliability, and execution across complex operations.
Engineers, Technical Specialists & Analysts
Engineering, operations, reliability, asset management, sustainability, and data professionals who want stronger business and leadership capability to influence decisions, build business cases, and align technical work with strategic priorities.
Early-Career Professionals (Projects/Operations)
Coordinators, project analysts, operations team leads, and high-potential early-career professionals who want formal management training tailored to regulated, high-accountability energy environments and the realities of transformation work.
6 Reasons to Enrol
Powering the Next Energy System
Build the leadership range to deliver reliability today while preparing for electrification, decarbonization, and new technologies that are changing how energy is produced, moved, and managed.
Lead Across Assets, Not Just Initiatives
Move from “owning a project” to steering priorities across operations, capital programs, and stakeholders. Strengthen how you set direction, make trade-offs, and turn strategy into execution across a portfolio.
Turn the Project into Real Progress
Your Action Learning Project (ALP) runs throughout the program so you can develop, test, and refine a solution as you learn, supported by instructors and coaching that keep the work grounded in real operational and sector constraints.
Make Better Capital and Risk Decisions
Learn to connect financial fundamentals to energy realities: capital allocation, governance, performance measurement, and risk, so decisions stand up to scrutiny and drive measurable improvements.
Bring People with You
Build the communication and change leadership skills to align technical and non-technical teams, manage resistance, and maintain a strong safety and performance culture through transformation.
Earn a Recognized Credential
Graduate with a Mini-MBA with a specialization in Energy. Receive a digital badge from Canada’s top-ranked business school that signals credibility, leadership readiness, and career progression.
Faculty
What You Get
After completing the program, you'll receive an authentic digital badge from the top-ranked business school in Canada that employers will recognize. As more and more companies look for candidates with specific skills, this badge on your CV will be a credible assurance of your achievements and expertise, allowing the right roles to find you faster.
For custom programs, organizations may leverage the Schulich Mini-MBA Certificate to boost employee retention while equipping the team to deliver tangible ROI.
Schulich Mini-MBA Certificate
Awarded when a series of more extensive programs are completed and a greater skill set achieved.
PMI Credits
54 PMI-PDU
Successful completion of this program will earn PMI® Members, in good standing, Education PDU's in alignment with the PMI Talent Triangle. If this applies to you, you will receive a PDU Claim Code at the conclusion of your program. For more information on how to earn your PDU's, we recommend logging into your Continuing Certification Renewal System (CCRS) to report PDU's and view your certification records. Following this, if you require additional assistance, please contact PMI Support directly.
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Use this program as we designed it, or alter it to fit your company’s needs. Either way, we can help you improve your organization's talent pipeline. Get in touch with our custom programs team today.
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