HOW A PGDM PROGRAM CAN PREPARE YOU FOR A CAREER IN MANAGEMENT?

By Ali Bajwa

Posted on February 15, 2023

Students in the current era are absolutely clear and focused on their path of career. The clarity among the students about the kind of course they prefer has paved the way for much improved and unique course modules to be designed. The educational sector is striving to meet the expectations of the students and devoting its utmost efforts to developing the best course plan. One of the educational arena subsets, the management field, has leaped giant steps towards upgradation in its courses.

Management education has emerged as one of the most demanded educational facets in recent decades. As the requirement for candidates with management skills has increased drastically in almost all professions, the exigency for acquiring management degrees has also upscaled exponentially. Many management courses have been designed and equipped with top-notch curricula to train students in the best possible way.

PGDM is one of the management courses that has got an entire curriculum to educate students with hands-on experience in the business world. This article will give a vivid picture of the PGDM course and career map of PGDM in management.

What is PGDM?

Post Graduate Diploma in Management(PGDM) is one of the postgraduate management courses that educate management skills graduates from any discipline. PGDM has a curriculum matching to MBA, but it is offered by independent business schools all over the world, including India. This course is equivalent to MBA if pursued in business schools accredited by the Association of Indian Universities(AIU).

The PGDM course inculcates many management skills, such as leadership, communication, business analytics, business planning, team management, project management, operation, financial management, etc., into future management sector professionals.

Modes of PGDM Courses:

Education has now become available for everyone. Beginning from students to working professionals, people from different backgrounds are pursuing higher studies. Multiple PGDM colleges, including PGDM colleges in Mumbai, provide PGDM in various modes, as described below. These different modes support students in pursuing their higher education in the management field. Here is a description of the different modes of PGDM courses available.

Full-time PGDM:

The full-time PGDM is a regular course with a course duration of 2 years. Full-time PGDM is the best option for graduate students who want to pursue higher management studies immediately.

Full-time PGDM is provided in many management specializations such as operations, finance, human resources, supply chain management, production management, and so on.

Part-time PGDM:

Part-time PGDM is preferable for students who can only devote part of the day to college. It includes graduates who aspire to study PGDM along with job routines and working professionals in line for promotion to senior management positions. Many best PGDM colleges in Mumbai provide part-time PGDM courses.

The curriculum of part-time PGDM is similar to full-time PGDM, and the specializations available are also the same as full-time PGDM.

Distance PGDM:

A massive bunch of people who cannot commute to college and cannot spare enough time for their studies due to specific reasons are out there in society. This distance mode PGDM is their opportunity to pursue their dream management course without many hurdles. This mode of PGDM does not require the student to visit college, thus facilitating students to study in their comfortable environment.

The course duration of distance PGDM may vary from 2 to 5 years depending on the institution where it is pursued.

Executive PGDM:

Executive PGDM is an exclusive PGDM course that invites only working professionals to pursue it. This course is intricately designed with a curriculum that helps working professionals elevate their management skills.

The course duration is usually 1 year of class plus 3 months of internships, making it a 15 months course. But the course duration may vary in specific colleges.

PGDM+GMP:

PGDM+GMP stands for Post Graduate Diploma in Management with Global Management Program. PGDM+GMP is a unique PGDM course that opens doors for students in management studies at the international level. This course will involve collaboration with foreign universities, and the students can study PGDM courses with experience in visiting international universities.

PGDM Admission process:

The admission process for PGDM involves a combination of multiple criteria.

In specific PGDM colleges in Maharashtra, like Universal Business School, the admission criteria for PGDM courses are split into 20% of academics, 20% of entrance exams(CAT, GMAT, CET, CMAT), 20% extracurricular activities, 20% communication skills, and 20% work experience or leadership skills. The statement of purpose and the letter of reference are not applicable. PGDM+GMP course admission will require a statement of purpose and a letter of reference.

Documents required:

The documents required for the PGDM course are as follows:

Marksheets of 10th, 12th, and graduation.
Scorecard of the entrance exam- CMAT/GMAT/CAT/CET

The PGDM+GMP course admission will require a Letter of Reference and Statement of Purpose along with the documents mentioned for PGDM courses.

Specializations available in PGDM:

PGDM courses provide a wide range of specializations in the management field. Specific PGDM courses also offer dual specialization, where the student gets to pursue a PGDM course with one major and one minor specialization. Here is the list of PGDM specializations available:

PGDM in International Business
PGDM in Finance
PGDM in Marketing
PGDM in Operations Management
PGDM in Business Analytics
PGDM in Supply Chain Management
PGDM in Sales and Marketing
PGDM in Digital Marketing
PGDM in Marketing
PGDM in Information Technology

How does PGDM turn the candidate into a management professional?

The PGDM course is a practical version of management education, and it revolves more around field-based training rather than teaching the theoretical concepts of management. Pursuing a PGDM course in any PGDM colleges in Mumbai, say Universal Business School, will prepare the student to fit for a career in the management field as detailed below:

High experiential knowledge:

Unlike MBA courses, the PGDM course is structured, so the student learns through experience rather than worldly knowledge. The student gets to enjoy learning management skills through direct field experience, thus molding according to the requirements of the management sector.

Dual specialization opportunity:

As mentioned earlier, besides practical exposure, the PGDM course provides dual specialization opportunities. The students, along with a significant specialization, can pursue a minor specialization in any management sector, broadening the scope of the students’ careers in multiple management fields.

In-field training:

Practical training in PGDM courses is provided through field visits to corporate establishments, thus creating an interactive learning environment for the students. In addition, successful corporate personalities will be invited to provide insight into the management sector for the students.

Lucrative placement opportunities:

The practical knowledge of PGDM students is far enriched in management skills which efficiently attracts top-notch companies like Microsoft, Wipro, Amazon, Infosys, TCS, and so on to hire them. Corporate companies consider PGDM courses to be much broader in the curriculum that educates management.

The course module of PGDM is designed in such a way that prepares the students to handle any management task with ease. The empirical knowledge in the course will be a boon for the students to establish their careers in management galleries.

Specific PGDM colleges in Mumbai, like Universal Business School, provide students with an outstanding education, excellent faculties, world-class infrastructure, and many other amenities. UBS is one of the best business schools in Mumbai and is endorsed by 60+ CEOs. UBS has got tie-ups with many international universities, thus exposing the students to global standards of management education.

Conclusion:

Having read the article, it would be clear how a PGDM course can construct a triumphant career in management. Pursuing PGDM will be the best decision if you aspire to emerge victorious in management.

FAQs:

1.Is PGDM the same as an MBA?

No, the PGDM course is different from MBA as it concentrates more on practical knowledge in management whereas MBA is a typical management course with a theoretical course module.

2.Do PGDM graduates have job opportunities abroad?

Yes, as the business world is expanding worldwide, the requirement for management graduates is increasing all around the globe thus widening the scope for PGDM graduates on a global platform.

3.Can any stream graduates pursue PGDM?

Yes, graduates from any stream say engineering, arts & science, etc. can pursue PGDM after their UG.

4.What are the job roles available for PGDM graduates?

Managerial positions like a business consultant, marketing manager, HR manager, brand manager, etc are some of the job roles available for PGDM graduates.

5.Who are the top recruiters of PGDM graduates?

Wipro, Microsoft, TCS, Infosys, Zoho, Hindustan Unilever Limited, etc are some of the top recruiters of PGDM graduates.