texas a&m university has established two new interdisciplinary graduate programs in energy: the master of science in energy and the certificate in energy the master of science in energy and the certificate in energy are designed to introduce students and professionals to a broad spectrum of important energy issues ranging from energy technologies based on fossil and non-fossil resources to sustainable energy technologies as well as their interactions with energy economics entrepreneurship law and policy programs like this simply do not exist outside texas a&m said texas a&m president michael k young by bringing together partners from a broad spectrumincluding industry government and public policy arenasand providing intensive interactions with these graduate students we are helping create cutting-edge solutions to some of todays most pressing global challenges related to economic stability national security and other critical areas in just 10 months students and professionals can earn a master of science in energy on campus or online in either a thesis or non-thesis track through modules taught by energy experts from eight colleges and schools at texas a&m these programs will offer a holistic view of the entire energy research landscape said dr christodoulos a floudas director of the texas a&m energy institute and the erle nye 59 chair professor for engineering excellence in the artie mcferrin department of chemical engineering students and professionals will come together to discuss important energy challenges and opportunities and interact with energy leaders from academia industry and government our students will be the new generation of energy-educated students and professionals broadly educated on all components of energy in ways that have never been done before the professional master of science in energy degree will be offered in two tracks track 1 will require a research thesis and track 2 will require only coursework track 1 requires 16 modules thesis and seminars and results in 32 student credit hours track 2 requires 23 modules and seminars and results in 365 student credit hours this track is offered to researchers or professionals who may be in residence or complete the training online via distance learning the certificate in energy will be offered by taking 10 modules of the professional master of science in energy degree program either in residence or online the in-residence programs are slated to begin in fall 2016; both programs are accepting applications and more information is available at energytamuedu/education about the texas a&m energy institute the texas a&m energy institute pursues and supports new approaches for multi-disciplinary energy research education and external partnerships these approaches cross departmental and college boundaries and address all facets of the energy landscape that naturally connect engineering sciences technologies economics law and policy decisions more than 225 world-class faculty members and researchers from texas a&m university system member institutions are texas a&m energy institute faculty affiliates texas a&m university affiliates represent nine colleges and schools including the following: college of agriculture and life sciences dwight look college of engineering college of architecture college of geosciences college of liberal arts college of science bush school of government and public service mays business school and the school of law