All About MBA Programs

MBA is an acronym for Master of Business Administration. This is a master's level degree that equips you with all the theoretical, and some practical, knowledge that is required to excel in the modern corporate world. An MBA program is a professional degree that sharpens your managerial skills.

With the ever-growing demand for skilled professionals in the corporate world, there is a tremendous demand for candidates with a professional degree. Keeping this factor in mind, many kinds of MBA programs have been drawn out to accommodate different kinds of skills and individuals required for different profiles. Some of the available programs are listed below, along with the advantages and disadvantages.

Two-year Full Time MBA Program: This is the standard type of program, and also the most common one. The duration of this course is two years, which is divided into 4 semesters. There is a break in between the 1st and 2nd year for a period of 3 months. During this break, the students do an internship with a company for practical exposure to the industry. During the second year of study, students opt for a specialization in the area of their interest.

The foremost advantage of taking up this program is that students gain knowledge of management skills, particularly in their area of specialization. Students from various academic backgrounds can take this program and have sufficient time to get acclimatized to the course. They learn new skills, and also earn better future prospects. Students can get a customized course through the option of electives. They even get a very good chance of building contacts because of summer breaks and internships. However, the disadvantage is that for people who are already working, a 2-year MBA program is not suitable, since it can be quite costly and time consuming.

One-year Full Time Management Program: This program differs from the first one because of the intensity and rigor involved. This is a fast-track course and only those who have work experience or academic training can opt for this course. The program's duration is 12 to 16 months. For students who do not have sufficient experience, this program has a lot of limitations. Firstly, there is not enough time to cope with this program because of its intensive nature, and there is no internship mandate in this course.

Part-time MBA Program: Part-time management programs are specially designed for working professionals. Students work during the day and take their classes in the evening. In some institutions classes are also held on weekends. There are no internships in this program but you can take up specializations similar to a full time program. The biggest advantage of this program is that people can complete their degree without disturbing their current work schedule.

Online MBA Program: This is another MBA program that has gained popularity of late because of the great conveniences it offers. People who are working, have transportation limitations, or any such difficulty can take up this type of program. Any academic help if needed, is always available on the websites of the concerned institution.