Is it advisable for me to sign up for an MBA via distance learning? I completed my BBA degree last year and have been working in a bank since.
Neeta Arora, New Delhi
Distance education MBA programmes don’t offer placement opportunities. Its value largely depends upon the quality of your work experi-ence and performance in the programme. I recommend you acquire two years of work experience and subsequently sign up for a part-time MBA programme with a locally reputed B-school. It won’t lead to campus placement but will give you the advantage of interacting with faculty and peers, and help improve your career progression.
I’m a class XII student keen on signing up with the Indian Navy. Should I apply under the Plus Two entry scheme or the university entry scheme?
Anil Kelkar, Pune
If you are interested in a permanent career in the Indian Navy, apply for the Plus Two cadet (B.Tech) entry scheme. However, if you aren’t sure about your future plans, finish your graduation and then apply under the university entry scheme.
I’m an articled clerk with a chartered accountancy firm also reading for a B.Com degree programme which I will complete next year. While applying for an MBA abroad, will my articleship be recognised as work experience?
Nalini D’Souza, Mumbai
Most top B-schools abroad require applicants to have at least three years’ full-time work experience. Though your CA articleship will give weightage to your application, it may not count as work experience. It would be best to write the GMAT test and address your query to the colleges/universities shortlisted by you.
I’m keen on enroling in a Masters programme in automobile engineering in the US after completing my BE degree in 2013. Which universities in the US/UK offer this specialisation?
Nikhil Krishnamurthy, Bangalore
In the US, University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Michigan Tech are reputed for their automobile engineering programmes. Clemson University in South Carolina hosts an International Centre for Automotive Research. Despite its small student enrolment (3,000), Kettering University produces excellent auto-mobile industry managers. In addition, you may study automobile engineering as a specialisation in most American Masters programmes in mechanical engineering. In the UK, M.Sc/postgrad diploma programmes in automotive engineering are offered by the Aston, Coventry, Leeds and Brunel universities.
What are the job prospects of a fashion marketer in India and abroad? Should I sign up for a degree in fashion communication in India followed by a postgrad diploma in fashion marketing abroad?
Anita Dias, Panjim
A course in india followed by a postgrad degree abroad is the best option. However, it’s advisable to acquire some work experience after graduation and then apply for fashion marketing courses abroad. But remember, there is no assured placement abroad.
I’m in the final year of my BE programme and would like to pursue an MBA or ME degree. Can I write the TOEFL and GMAT exams without attending coaching classes? Which country is better for pursuing a career — UK or US?
Shanker Iyer, Chennai
You can definitely write the GMAT and TOEFL exams through self-study as there is a lot of material available in the market. To enrol for an MBA programme in reputed B-schools abroad, you need at least two-three years’ work experience. If you are keen on studying abroad after acquiring your engineering degree, then a Masters in engineering is a better choice. The only advantage of enroling for your Masters in the UK is that the course duration is one year, but jobs are limited. Masters programmes in the US are usually of two years duration and job opportunities are better for qualified professionals.
I’m reading for a Ph D after completing my Masters in biochemistry while simultaneously working in a diagn-ostic firm. Is a person with a non-medical qualification eligible for a postgrad degree programme in hospital administration?
Shashi Menon, Trivandrum
Non-medical graduates can sign up for hospital administration progra-mmes. The best two-year full-time programmes are offered by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (www.tiss.edu), Apollo Institute of Hospital Administration (www.apolloiha. ac.in) and ASCI-Hinduja Institute of Healthcare Management, Hyderabad (www.asci.org.in). A correspondence course can add value to your resumé but would be most effective with work experience in the field. Your academic profile and work experience seem to be related to research and academia, so you should consider career options which give weightage to your Ph D qualification.
I’m an engineering graduate keen on working in a consultancy firm. I want to enrol in an MBA degree programme via correspondence. Please advise.
Neena Chaterjee, Kolkata
Consultants must possess a wide range of skills and competencies. You need to identify your strengths and look for job openings accordingly before signing up for a distance education MBA. Alternatively you could enrol in a full-time MBA programme of a reputed business school from where consultancy firms recruit directly.
I’ve completed an M.Sc degree programme in applied microbiology. I am exploring a career in teaching. Is it mandatory to acquire a B.Ed degree?
Nirmala Rao, Bangalore
Graduation (in any subject taught in K-10 schools) or postgraduation (in a subject taught in Plus Two) is the requirement for admission into B.Ed programmes. A B.Ed degree after M.Sc qualifies you to become a higher secondary teacher. You could also consider a career as a lecturer in a college/university. To become eligible, you need a Ph D or should have cleared the National Eligibility Test conducted jointly by CSIR and UGC. To qualify as a lecturer you don’t need a B.Ed degree.