Program Overview

Master of Earth and Energy Resources Leadership

The Master of Earth and Energy Resources Leadership (MEERL) program at Queen's University is an interdisciplinary program that explores the resource life cycle through a comprehensive approach. The program is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the resource life cycle, including its fundamental earth science and engineering aspects.

Core Courses

The MEERL program consists of 7 core courses that cover the resource life cycle from different perspectives, including:

• Business Strategy & Innovation
• Economics
• Law Policy
• Stakeholder Engagement

The core courses are:

EERL 801 - Resource Life Cycle Overview

This course provides an overview of the entire resource life cycle for energy and mineral commodities, including the geological nature of the resource, its role as a commodity, and environmental aspects associated with its development.

EERL 802 - Strategic Leadership in the Resource Sector

This course focuses on the role of a General Manager in the resource sector, including understanding business context and environment, providing direction and leadership, establishing priorities and meeting commitments, and leading change and innovation.

EERL 803 - Economic Essentials for Mining and Oil and Gas - Part 1

This course covers the basics of investment, financial analysis, project finance, and risk pertinent to the resource extraction industries.

EERL 804 - Economic Essentials for Mining and Oil and Gas - Part II

This course builds on EERL 803, broadening considerations from strictly financial measures to include integrated financial models, socio-economic and environmental considerations, and negotiation and social license to operate.

EERL 805 - Operating Effectively: Law, Policy, Regulation and Ethics

This course focuses on current and emerging legal, policy, and ethical issues at each stage of the resource discovery, acquisition, extraction, and closure process.

EERL 806 - Communications and Partnerships: Stakeholder Engagement Strategies

This course exposes students to approaches and methodologies essential in developing effective stakeholder engagement and partnerships between the private sector, government, international organizations, communities, and non-governmental organizations.

EERL 807 - Reframing Resources, Design for Earth

This course challenges students to reframe their jobs, their relationship to technology, and their approach to leadership and innovation using design thinking, systems thinking, and futures thinking.

Elective Course Descriptions

Students take 3 of 4 elective courses, which include:

• EERL 808 - Minerals Life Cycle Track: an in-depth study of the minerals' life cycle, considering resource aspects of geoscience and engineering, along with social, environmental, business, and economic attributes.
• EERL 809 - Energy Life Cycle Track: an in-depth study of the energy resources life cycle, including exploration, development, processing, marketing, and transport process.
• EERL 810 - Field-Based Synthesis: an intensive analysis of a case example that is an actual resource development challenge related to either energy or mineral development, or both.
• EERL 811 - Sector-Focused Project: a flexible course that allows students to focus on a topic of interest related to the program's content, with project plans requiring approval from the course professor.

The MEERL Online Experience

The MEERL program is designed to fit students' lifestyles, with course materials available 24/7 through the online platform. The program features:

• Recorded lectures that can be completed at the student's desired timing and pace
• Live webinars that create an interactive environment with professors and fellow students
• Discussion boards that promote learning from fellow classmates and sharing experiences

Geology Bootcamp

The Geology Bootcamp is a free resource that introduces fundamental concepts of geological sciences for graduate students entering geology from external programs, ensuring they have the necessary knowledge to succeed in the MEERL program.