Choosing the best PGDM course

MET: Choosing the best PGDM course

Undergraduate students often have a single question ahead of them, should they go in for an MBA or a PGDM course. While both these are excellent options, they become extremely difficult to choose between quite simply because not too many people know the difference between the two or, because they’re just confused. Let’s simplify the process one step at a time.

Step 1: PGDM or MBA: The basic difference between the two is that one is a diploma, that is granted on the successful completion of a syllabus that is formulated by an autonomous institution. An MBA on the other hand is a degree handed out on completing a course, by a college, through a university. The syllabus of an MBA course is more or less standard and varies very slightly depending on the specialisation chosen in the second year. A PGDM on the other hand is a highly specialised syllabus that aims at creating knowledgeable, skilled professionals who are at the top of their game, when it comes to that particular specialisation. This makes the PGDM course a sought after one, for the fact that students passing out of it are highly trained in a skillset and it makes them perceivably more indispensable than similar pros in the field.

Step 2: Choosing the best PGDM courses: Here’s the lowdown on how to choose the best PGDM course for your skillset.

●        Determine your skills: An aptitude test will clear that out for you in a technical sense, but by the time you reach graduation, you already have a working, instinctive knowledge of the career path you’d like to follow. Basing your decision on your instincts, after getting them validated from near and dear ones, professional colleagues and even professors is the right way forward.

●        Follow industry developments: Having an idea ofwhat is happening in the industry of your interest is an edge to have inchoosing the correct PGDM course. Industry developments will often times decide the course and demand for a certain type of professional which will help you understand and mould yourself into one, with the help of the right PGDM course.

●        Inquire about institutes: Always remember that the reputation, quality of faculty and even the infrastructure the institute offers is about as important as the course itself. Make it a point to draw up a shortlist of the topmost institutes in your field of interest and make pointed inquiries about the parameters laid out earlier. This will enable you to make the right choice for yourself.

Choosing the correct PGDM course isn’t rocket science, but there are a few things that can help clarify things in the minds of prospective students. We hope you find our list helpful, as always we await your feedback in the comments below.

Importance of Part Time MBA

MET: Part time MBA

There’s an old adage, “a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” The same is true of an MBA degree. There are those that will argue, that a part time MBA lacks in the faculty exposure and classroom rigour that is associated with a full time or regular MBA. But recent trends show that a part time MBA more than makes up for these perceived ‘flaws’. And here’s what our findings show us.

#1: A part time MBA shows dedication: So we conducted a dipstick survey amongst CEOs, entrepreneurs, HR execs and other important folk. Almost each and everyone we asked about employees pursuing a part time MBA, gave us glowing references about such employees. Many agreed that holding down a job and studying simultaneously shows immense dedication and the will to succeed despite all odds.

#2: A part time MBA saves time and money: While a part time MBA is anything but cheap, it is by far a lot cheaper than a full time regular MBA. There is also the matter of time being saved. A part time MBA makes the most use of the limited time that it gets. This is why a part time MBA might be a good idea.

#3.  Employers prefer promoting from within: Pursuing a part time MBA in the stream of your choice can put you on the fast track to a promotion at work. After all it is a little more convenient and cost effective for employers who would know your capability and consider you for a job, think of a part time MBA as being a deal sweetener.

#4.  A part time MBA focuses on the real world: Designed more specifically for the working professional, the course is less about classroom rigour and more about the real world. The student doing this type of an MBA can ensure that he puts his newly acquired knowledge to real world situations.    

#5. A part time MBA enables networking: In most cases a part time MBA is pursued by working individuals who are seeking to update their knowledge. In today's day and age, an integral part of career advancement though is networking. Being surrounded by other working professionals and working on group assignments, enables students to form bonds and display their skills, therefore making impressing upon teammates and professors alike their true potential. Remember that these teammates will always keep you in mind and recommend you as a part time MBA student to jobs that are present within their own organisations, or act as great character and ability references when you apply for any other position.

A part time MBA is a mix of theoretical and practical knowledge, combined with the flexibility of earning while you learn and ensuring you're able to network simultaneously.

MET.edu: Choosing the right PGDM College

MET.edu: Choosing the right PGDM College

A new academic year brings with it throngs of students who are hopeful of making it to the creme-de-la-creme of management institutes. But with competition so stiff in the various entrance exams, that even those who appear in the top hundred percentile, are unsure of making it to the top colleges. The criteria then becomes not one of which course to choose, but of the college you need to go to, because that matters just as much, if not more than the former. Here’s a ready reckoner of the things you need to keep in mind when choosing the PGDM college that is best for you.

1. The reputation of the college: Always ask your seniors, peers, former students, teachers and market pros about the colleges in your spectrum of consideration. Based on the reviews you receive from these trusted sources make your own list, narrowed down to the top 3 colleges based on their reputation. Sure the degree is issued by the AICTE or relevant university, but the college with its aura and perception is what will truly get a prospective employer’s attention.

2. Diploma or degree: Once you’ve figured out the college you want to go to, you need to figure out if you want to do a diploma (postgraduate), or a degree. The difference between the two is that an MBA degree is a more generalised course that helps leaders of tomorrow get a broad based spectrum of how businesses run, while a diploma is for those who want to immerse themselves into one particular specialisation.

3. Duration of the course: There are some colleges that offer a truncated 1 year MBA which often results in the students having to spend up to 16 hours studying daily. While there’s nothing wrong with the same, a 2 year MBA is preferable if you’d like to study in an unhurried manner and make connections that endured for a longer period.

4. Faculty: The faculty of a PGDM college are like the face of the college to the world, after all it is through their reputation that the college gets noticed. A great way to determine if a college is a good one is to take a cursory glance at their faculty and heads of departments. Ask past students and people in the know and make a careful consideration of the faculty, before enrolling to a PGDM institute.

5. Facilities and campus: Another important indicator of how progressive a college is, is its facilities, infrastructure and campus. The college infrastructure is a precursor to the facilities that a student might expect when he joins the corporate world. Therefore, high speed data connections, well stocked libraries and of course lawns and unwind areas for recreation, are an important consideration when thinking of enrolling into a PGDM college.
Choosing the right PGDM college is of critical importance as it can have a tremendous impact on your career, therefore ensure that you select the right college, using these simple to understand and easy to follow hacks.

MET: Choosing the best MBA courses

MET: Choosing the best MBA courses

Ask an individual from virtually any educational background, what the best course of action would be for advancement in their careers and the first thing they’re likely to say is, getting an MBA degree. An MBA is a popular course that prepares students in the art and science of management. Now while there are a plethora of institutes and colleges offering a smorgasbord of choices in terms of courses and specializations, the real trick is to choose a specialisation and college to suit your skillsets, your interest and importantly your budget. Here are 5 simple steps which will help you choose the right course for your needs.

Step One: Ask yourself, what your reasons are for doing an MBA.

Most often a student pursuing an MBA has one of three reasons for doing so. They’re either looking for career advancement, or a job/profile/role/occupational change, or they’re looking to break the glass ceiling in terms of pure monetary reward. Once you’ve established your reasons for doing an MBA, you will find it infinitely easier to pick the right course for you. For instance if you’re looking for career advancement, you should probably think of an executive MBA and so on…

Step Two: Choose your stream based on where you’d like to work.

What particular line of work you see yourself doing is an important consideration in choosing the stream you will pursue. If you see yourself in the financial services field, an MBA in Finance is a given, if IT is a passion of yours, an MBA in IT is the way to go. Think you can help corporations understand their people better, an MBA in HR is what you need to look at and so on…

Step Three: Reputation is all.

In the world of MBA education, which college you’ve passed out from, is as important, if not more important than the stream you’ve chosen. The demand for MBAs is only superseded by the demand for MBAs from the ‘right’ college. Therefore when contemplating an MBA degree, always check the reputation and track record of a college, along with the perception it holds in the eyes of the industry you see yourself in. You can do this by asking seniors, friends or colleagues and HR professionals.

Step Four: Follow education news.

Reading educational news from sources like websites, discussion boards and even newspapers is a good way to understand the trends in the educational sector and the demand for a kind of professional and ergo, the demand for professional courses. Newspapers also conduct rankings of colleges and individual courses that can come in handy when trying to pick the right course for you.

Step Five: Speak to alumni

A good way of gauging the reputation of a college and the efficacy of a course is chatting up with the alumni of a college that you’re considering. This will give you a student’s perspective and the lowdown on how the course is run, along with intangibles like the best professors, visiting faculty and campus placements.

We sincerely hope that this list comes in handy when considering the best MBA courses for your needs. Good luck

MET: Part Time MBA

MET: Part Time MBA

Is there a particular reason you are constantly overlooked for promotions on a consistent basis? Are you often questioning the veracity of how good you really are at your job? Is there some particular skill you find lacking in your professional life that may help in career advancement? If your answer to any of the aforementioned questions is yes, then a part time MBA may be just the programme to look into.

What is a part time MBA?

A part time MBA is a Masters inBusiness Administration Course for working professionals. Depending on the institution, it may be a 3 year course, with classes at such times as to fit in with a working professional’s schedule. This is particularly beneficial to full time, salaried individuals who are looking to upgrade their educational qualifications without taking a sabbatical from work.

What is the fundamental difference between a regular MBA and a part time MBA?

Other than the duration of the course and its teaching methodology, there are literally no differences between a full time and a part time MBA. The efficacy of the course lies in the teaching and absorption of the imparted knowledge and this is the main reason why many working professionals prefer doing an executive or part time MBA.

What are the benefits of a part time MBA?

Part time MBA has several benefits. The most salient of them are listed below.

1.      Networking Opportunities: Your classmates in a part-time MBa classroom will most likely be professionals like yourself. Proximity to fellow working professionals leads to bonding and this can go a long way in helping you further your own interests. As working individuals, you know that the best way to make a productive career move is through networking. Working together with these individuals will be the most productive ‘job interview’ you will ever give. This simply means that if you impress your peers, they could open doors for you.

2.      Career Advancement: Companies prefer promoting their own employees to positions of importance and your part time MBA is a ticket into the big time. Most students who complete a part time MBA are known to make a vertical leap in terms of their career shortly after having completed their degree.

3.      Company reimbursement: Many companies look upon a part-time EMBA as part of their rewards, training and incentives package. A company investing a sizeable portion of money in you therefore, will be expecting results, which basically means that whenever there is talk of a promotion, your name will automatically be thrown into the mix. In case your company does not have this as a matter of policy, remember to look at a part-time MBA as an investment, rather than an expense. In a recent survey, it was found that people who did complete a part-time MBA were able to pay off an education loan they’d taken for the purpose in a matter of 3 years of their graduation, despite maintaining a more than comfortable lifestyle.

4.      A positive impression: Always remember that an impression always goes a long way in life and the fact that you are pursuing a part-time MBA will only add a sheen to your resume. Not only will people think of you as intelligent, but the professional degree your pursuing will also open doors for you in the future.

Education is an investment that never goes to waste. This simply means that however ‘expensive’ you may perceive a part time MBA to be, it is always worth the returns