Trading Risk and Investments Program
The Trading, Risk and Investments Program (TRIP) prepares students for success in the field of energy trading, investments and risk management by combining exceptional class instruction with hands-on, internship-based experience.Quick Links
Program Overview
How to Apply
Applications are Open
TRIP Application Process
Applications due Oct. 4., before 11:59 p.m. Complete the linked form for all requirements and details. There is no advantage to being first to apply.
Applicants may advance through three rounds:
1. Initial application (To be reviewed mid-October)
2. Mini interview, by invitation
3. Interview with TRIP board companies (mid-November), by invitation
Final admissions will be decided by board companies after interviews.
Please note, if you advance to round two, you will be added to a TRIP applicant Canvas group that will contain further instructions.
Final admissions will be decided by board companies after interviews.
Apply NowSummary
Credit Hours:
- 36 for the Master of Financial Management (MFM) (juniors only)
- 17 for the TRIP Certificate (sophomore finance majors only)
Eligible Applicants: Only open to current Texas A&M University undergraduate students who meet one of the following criteria:
- Student is in the junior year of their major coursework (any major at Texas A&M)
- Student is sophomore finance major in Mays Business School
Students must apply and be admitted to the program before beginning TRIP coursework. TRIP offers two pathways:
-
- Undergraduate Certificate: Available to sophomore finance majors. All certificate requirements must be completed before earning their undergraduate degree.
- TRIP MFM Graduate Program: Available to students of any major who apply during the junior year of their undergraduate curriculum. Students complete their undergraduate degree while progressing through the requirements of the TRIP MFM program.
The combined TRIP coursework and required internship experiences take approximately two and a half years to complete.
Application Details
Students may apply for TRIP during the fall semester of their junior year of their major’s curriculum. Sophomore finance majors may apply for the certificate program if they have passed/will pass the “Big 5” * and are eligible to take upper-level courses.
*The Big 5 are MATH 140, MATH 142, ECON 202, ECON 203, ACCT 229
Below is a list of application requirements and information for pre-requisites for each applicant. There are no prerequisite courses to apply to TRIP.
- Transcripts
- 3.0 GPA or better
- Headshot
- Resume
- Completed essay questions
Essay Prompt
Each question is to be answered as a one-page, single-spaced, normal font essay. Save your five essays as a single five page PDF and upload to the application. If you are unable to save as/print to PDF, upload a Word doc, each essay on a single page. Your essay upload will be five pages, one page per essay.
See essay prompts below.
Advising
Each certificate program requires a set of courses to complete. Review each of the requirements and be sure to talk to the program office about a certificate.
Essay Prompt
Each question is to be answered as a one-page, single-spaced, normal font essay and uploaded to the Google Form. Applications will answer question 1. Applications will choose to answer question 2 OR 3, not both. We do not expect applicants to have any prior technical knowledge.
Each essay must be 1,500 characters or less, and no more than 1 page.
Note: AI may be used to find sources or information, but the essays are expected to be the work of the student, not AI.
There is no preferred answer.
(Respond in one page/1,500 characters or less; PDF only)
Question 1
What interests you about this program or the energy commodities sector, and what do you hope to gain from participating? Please also share any relevant experience, perspective, accomplishment, responsibility, or circumstance that you would like the selection committee to consider.
Question 2
A severe winter storm unexpectedly increases demand for natural gas while reducing available supply. A trading company must decide whether to purchase additional gas immediately at a high price, wait for prices to decline, or reduce some of its delivery commitments.
What factors should the company consider before acting? Recommend an approach and explain:
- The potential benefits of your recommendation
- The most significant risk
- One piece of additional information you would want
- How your recommendation could affect customers or communities
Question 3
An energy company has an opportunity to earn a substantial profit during a regional energy shortage. The proposed transaction is legal, but it could contribute to higher short-term prices for local consumers.
Should the company proceed? Explain your reasoning by addressing:
- The company’s commercial responsibilities
- Potential effects on consumers and communities
- Legal, financial, operational, and reputational risks
· Any conditions or safeguards you would recommend
· One argument against your position that you find persuasive
Mays Business School Unveils Renovated Phillips 66 Trading Room
The Phillips 66 Trading Room serves as the academic home of Mays’ nationally recognized Trading, Risk and Investments Program (TRIP). The program’s close ties to energy markets and corporate partners, including Phillips 66, have made it a distinctive pathway for students pursuing careers in commodities and risk.
Learn More About the Phillips 66 Trading Room
Program Coursework
A key highlight of the program is that member companies of the TRIP advisory board offer TRIP students three paid internships, giving you the opportunity to explore energy commodity trading, gain hands-on experience, and build connections with industry professionals. Through these internships, students will leave the program with 10-12 months of relevant experience and exposure to company cultures, preparing them to hit the ground running in their careers.
Courses
The TRIP MFM requires 36 hours of graduate-level coursework
Required courses for TRIP MFM Students
The TRIP Certificate (Sophomore Finance majors only) requires 17 hours of TRIP-specific coursework.
Required Courses for TRIP MFM Students Eligibility is limited to Texas A&M students at the junior level in their major coursework.
Course Number – Course Name
FINC 368 – Trade Floor Dynamics
FINC 635* – Business Finance
FINC 629* – Financial Management
FINC 632* – Investment Analysis
FINC 661 – Trading Risk Management
FINC 665 – Derivative Securities
FINC 684 – Professional Internship
FINC 685 – Energy Trading Strategies
FINC 631 – Energy Project Development
FINC 685 – Ethics
FINC 685 – Advanced Middle Office
FINC 646 – Technical Analysis of Financial Markets
*if completed as undergraduate, replace with approved TRIP electives
Required Courses for TRIP Certificate Eligibility list limited to Mays Business School Finance majors at the sophomore level of their major coursework.
Course Number – Course Name
FINC 368 – Trade Floor Dynamics
BUSN 392 – Co-op
ACCT 327 – Financial Reporting
FINC 485 – Directed Studies
3 Electives from Certificate electives list
The Adam C. Sinn ’00 Department of Finance
As one of the country’s top finance departments, our goal is to provide students with the theoretical and empirical tools necessary to achieve high levels of expertise in all areas of finance. Our graduates are well prepared to work in both private and public sectors. Get prepared for the exciting world of Finance. From Wall Street to Main Street, our programs and strong corporate relationships will provide you with knowledge, skills, and experience for a successful career. Join one of our many programs and become an exceptional candidate, highly sought after by a wide range of firms nationwide.
Adam C. Sinn ’00 Department of FinanceAdvisory Board
TRIP Advisory Board members provide mentoring, internships, workshops, enrichment trips, and shadowing opportunities — all hands-on learning experiences with energy industry leaders.
Advisory Board and Board Member Firms
TRIP graduates are so promising that more than 40 big-name companies, from Shell PLC to Chevron Corp., fund the program, with platinum sponsors putting up $25,000 a year in exchange for the chance to hire its trainees… It’s not just by chance that some of the most in-demand recruits in power, oil, and gas trading come from the huge public land-grand university… A&M’s traditional strength in engineering and tech-related fields, as well as its proximity to Houston — the country’s energy-industry capital—help give TRIP grads a leg up in a part of finance where people deal in physical assets.
Make Your Next Big Move
Learn more about the endless opportunities at Mays Business School and find the program right for you.