McNeese State University’s College of Business has initiated an Undergraduate Certificate in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Business that is the first of its kind in the state of Louisiana and in the nation, according to Dr. Shuming Bai, dean of the McNeese College of Business.
Companies in Southwest Louisiana export one third of all LNG in the world and this international demand for natural gas has led to the construction of three LNG facilities in Southwest Louisiana with eight more in the construction, development or proposal process.
“The LNG business certificate – which McNeese began offering this fall – was designed to address the growing expansion of the LNG industry in Southwest Louisiana,” said Bai. “The LNG business certificate will prepare students who wish to increase their knowledge about the business side of the LNG industry.”
The 18-credit hour certificate is a collaboration between the College of Business and the Department of Engineering and Computer Science and aligns with McNeese’s mission to serve the employers of the region by providing distinctive academic programs integrated with business and industry.
A testament to the university’s mission is the recently funded LNG Center of Excellence at McNeese, which will serve as a hub for students, university research, workforce development and safety and as a depository for best practices for the industry and regulators.
“Our LNG business certificate program is developed and is being delivered by knowledgeable faculty members and designed to provide graduates with the specialized skill set and experience that will give them a competitive edge in today’s job market,” said Bai.
“This includes experiential learning with local LNG site visits to Cameron LNG and Cheniere Energy, access to industry executive speakers from Bechtel Corp., Commonwealth LNG and Cheniere Energy, etc., and industry-related internships,” she added. “The first cohort of students has also been generously supported by the new Rebecca and Mark Boniol LNG Scholarship.”
The undergraduate certificate is open to both business and non-business students. According to Bai, a post-baccalaureate certificate version is planned soon for those who have already completed a bachelor’s degree.
For more information about the certificate program and admission, go online to
www.mcneese.edu/business and click on Liquefied Natural Gas Business, UC or call the McNeese College of Business at 337-475-5514.
