The curriculum of an MBA program may not offer the degree of in-depth knowledge and expertise you require to enter some technical fields such as financial analysis, risk management, computer applications, inventory management, business analytics, project management, etc. There is a need for greater specialisation, to add a specific set of skills to give you the leverage against other candidates. For this, you can go for specialised courses after MBA which give a much-needed edge in the job market. In this article, we will list down both short & long term job oriented courses after MBA according to fields and where you can pursue them.
Courses after MBA: Contents
- Chartered Financial Analyst [CFA]
- Financial Risk Management [FRM]
- Certified Financial Planner [CFP]
- PhD in Management
- Project Management Professional Certification
- Post Graduate Diploma
- ISB Management Programmes
- Second MBA/Executive MBA
- Entrepreneurship
- Foreign Languages
- Fellowships
- How to Make the Decision?
Chartered Financial Analyst [CFA]
The Chartered Financial Analyst [CFA] certification, by the CFA Institute, USA is one of the most prominent courses after MBA Finance…& other fields related to Finance such as Risk Management, Investment Management, Wealth Management, etc. Consisting of three levels, it also requires a few years of work experience. Many students enrol for it during their course itself. It opens up innumerable career pathways like Portfolio Manager, Hedge Fund Manager, Financial Advisor, etc.
- There are close to 167,000 CFA charter-holders across the world as per the latest 2020 report which gives an idea about its need in the market as well as the rigour and level of preparation needed to attain it.
- It is said that nearly 300 hours of dedicated preparation is required to clear all the three CFA exams.
Financial Risk Management [FRM]
Closer to the CFA, the FRM certification is also concerned with the finance field and is counted amongst the top courses after MBA Finance…& other fields related to it. If you are looking to learn and the mechanics of core risk management, insurance, investment banking, asset management, regulatory policies, etc., the FRM qualification is highly respected in the finance industry. Awarded by the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP), risk management professionals are involved in the in-depth analysis of risk across various instruments, fields and industries.
- FRM consist of two levels. In addition to that, two years of work experience is also needed.
- Concerns the major types of risks, that is, credit risk, operational risk, market risk and investment management.
- Recognised more than 90 countries.
- As per the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, the mean annual salary of Financial Risk Managers in the year 2018 was $127,990. It also suggest the field is expected to grow from strength to strength in the coming years.
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Certified Financial Planner [CFP]
Amongst the courses after MBA Finance…& other fields, the Certified Financial Planner [CFP] certification is also quite widely regarded. While it takes you down the path of financial advising, consulting and wealth management, the opportunities are endless and highly rewarding. This certification is offered directly by the Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB Ltd.), USA. There are close to 192,000 CFP professionals across the globe.
- Offers three specialised pathways: Investment Planning Specialist; Retirement and Tax Planning; Risk and Estate Planning along with financial planning capstone project.
- After passing the exam, candidates must also complete the FPSB Ethics Course.
- From a career aspect, after receiving the certification, close to 37% of professionals either got promoted, shifted to a another, more rewarding job or began their initiative.
- While almost 57% noted a broader client base only within 12 months of award of certification, nearly 63% witnessed an increment in income.
PhD in Management
More suited to those who are interested in academics, a PhD in Management degree is a rigorous five to seven-year program wherein scholars pursue extensive research on a particular topic related to the discipline of management. The fields and topics of research range from financial risk management, human resources, operations, logistics to business analytics, data science, business information systems, consumer analysis, etc. and much more. Offered at top institutions across the world, it prepared for a solid career in research, academics, teaching, think tanks, governmental organisations, NGOs, etc.
- Offered at top level institutions in India and abroad such as IIMs, IITs, New York University, MIT, University of Chicago, York University, McGill University, etc. PhD courses after MBA in Canada are one of the most popular amongst Indian scholars.
- In India, you can go for exams like NET-JRF, GATE, etc. The Fellows program at IIMs are also a promising option.
- For abroad admissions, you may be required to take the GRE/GMAT exam in addition to a research proposal and letter of recommendations.
- You can also go for Post-Doctoral degrees or take up research positions and professorships at various institutions.
Project Management Professional Certification
The Project Management Professional Certification is a leading certification in project management and is admired worldwide for its rigorous program. Project managers are required to handle difficult and complex tasks for which they need in-depth knowledge and training. Through the certification, you will be trained in leadership skills and how to navigate a team through a project, refining the technical aspects of the process and being a bridge between projects and the long term organisational strategy.
- Almost 2.2 million new roles in project management roles are to be created every year until 2027. This indicates a broad opportunity in the job market.
- The PMP certification is ranked as top project management certification in North America.
- It raises the salary of project manager by almost 25%.
- Requirements: A bachelor’s degree, 36 months experience of handling projects, 35 hours’ worth of project management education/training or CAPM certification. Visit the official website for exceptions to these conditions.
Post Graduate Diploma
Post Graduate Diplomas are relatively short, technical and career-oriented job oriented courses after MBA, be it courses after MBA marketing, courses after MBA HR or courses after MBA Finance…& other fields. There are various fields you can choose from depending on your area of interest. Having a duration of 6 months to 1 year helps in gaining industry-oriented skills that are in demand in the job market. You can also choose from options of regular, full time, distance, open and online PG Diploma courses after MBA.
- A post graduate diploma can be undertaken in data science, business analytics, event management, fashion management, supply chain management, HR & talent development, information systems, web development, coding, digital marketing, customer relationship management and much more.
- Offered at various universities in India including NMIMS, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, IIT Delhi, University of Delhi, Jamia Millia Islamia, IIM Calcutta, IIM Bangalore, etc.
- Offered at several institutions abroad including The University of Queensland, Australia, McGill University, Canada, University of Toronto, Canada, University of Auckland, New Zealand, etc.
ISB Management Programmes
The highly reputed Indian School of Business offers top-rated certifications in several fields for professionals and can be considered as one of the esteemed short to mid-term certificate programmes in the country. It has a proven track record and is designed with continuous inputs from leading industry professionals.
- Courses available:
Advanced Management Programme in Business Analytics;
Advanced Management Programme for Healthcare;
Advanced Management Programme for Healthcare;
Advanced Management Programme for Manufacturing & Operations;
Advanced Management Programme in Public Policy
- The courses require anywhere between 2-5 years of work experience and can range from 12 months to 15 months.
- Candidates can take advantage of peer learning or alumni group of over 1000 professionals who are plying their trade as data scientists, data researchers, business analysts, etc.
Second MBA/Executive MBA
Many professionals have already earned their management qualifications and in most cases, having started their corporate careers re-think about getting another professional MBA degree this time with a bit of industry exposure on their hands. This aids in better utilising their skills and the training and insight gained from colleagues, seniors and top brass in executive management roles. Further, pursuing a second MBA from the world’s top institutions puts you in the driving seat for many of the top jobs in the market. Here are a few of the topmost business schools in the world.
- Stanford School of Business, Stanford University, USA
- Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA
- Sloan School of Management, MIT, USA
- Harvard Business School, Harvard University, USA
- Booth School of Business, Chicago University, USA
- INSEAD Singapore
- London Business School, UK
- Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley
- IE Business School, Spain
- HEC Paris
Entrepreneurship
Short and mid-term certificate programmes or even workshops on entrepreneurship can give you the much-needed introduction to the start-up ecosystem if you wish to start your own business. If you have an idea that you would like to work with and but do not have a clear pathway from where to start, such short courses and workshops can be extremely helpful.
- There are several stages a start-up goes through, that is, ideation, prototype building, testing, funding, hiring employees, pricing and customer targeting, launch, promotion, scaling and so on.
- On each stage, you require expertise in terms of business processes, deals & contracts, negotiation, collaboration and more importantly a mid-to-long term strategy for organisational growth.
- Entrepreneurship courses see tremendous growth as one of the most popular courses after MBA in India.
Foreign Languages
Languages courses like Spanish, Italian, German, Russia, French, Arabic etc. are great add-ons and help give your profile the necessary edge. Further, it opens up huge opportunities in international job markets and new industries where you can work. With the chance of working across the globe in some of the top cities in the world like Berlin, London, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Munich, etc., you will get the chance to interact and learn with young and accomplished professionals. As for career growth and remuneration, the salary scope is much higher if you possess language proficiency in English and another European Language.
- In top global management roles, dual language proficiency helps in collaboration, better team management, better negotiation, client relations, cultural relations, amongst others.
- An opportunity to travel the world
Fellowships
In recent years, there has been a massive growth in fellowship offerings from top institutions around the world. Such fellowships are designed in a structured manner with the inputs from senior professionals in the field and a significant reputation amongst industry players. Having a duration of 1-2 years roughly, fellowships have a clear pathway as to the development of the candidate in a specific field of interest as well as his overall understanding. Some of the popular fellowship options include:
- Young India Fellowship
- Teach for India Fellowship
- Gandhi Fellowship
- Anant Fellowship
- William J. Clinton Fellowship for Service in India
- Fullbright Fellowship
- Acumen Regional Fellows
- Indian Fellow Program
- SBI Youth For Indian Fellowship
Courses after MBA: How to Make the Decision?
All of the above options of courses after MBA are popular and promising ones for candidates for are dedicated in their hard work, dedication and vision. Needless to say, they require extensive investment in both finance and time. Whether you are looking at courses after MBA in India or courses after MBA in Canada, what really matters is your whole-hearted effort. Some of the questions you may want to ask yourself are:
- Whether to go for a full-fledge course like PhD, Masters or Diploma OR instead pursue a career-oriented professional certification/qualification which is rather more suited to industry needs.
- How much financial investment you are prepared to make. Courses after MBA marketing India are relatively affordable in comparison to courses after MBA marketing in Canada, USA, UK. Same goes for courses after MBA HR in India and courses after MBA HR in Canada, USA, UK.
- Whether you wish to continue your engagement and pursue job oriented courses after MBA online or through executive means OR go for a full-fledged regular full time course.
- What are your long term goals? Are the courses after MBA in India or courses after MBA in Canada, USA, UK fit into your mid-to-long term objectives as a young professional?
- Whether you wish to stick a particular field or move or shift to different field.
Whatever decision you take, make sure you consult with the professionals in the field and consider whether your career objective matches with it. Best of Luck!