| A typical two-year MBA course, the first and the | | | | good communication skill should go for Marketing. |
| second year of which is separated by the summer | | | | Students who have artistic, innovating or institutional |
| internship, orients the students to the field of MBA | | | | abilities and like to work in unstructured environment |
| management in a holistic manner. The first year is | | | | using their imagination and creativity should work for |
| more generic in nature where the students get an | | | | the Strategy sector. |
| idea of all that they must know regarding various | | | | Students who like to work with people to enlighten, |
| management functions. All introductory MBA course | | | | inform, help, train, or are skilled with words should |
| are taught in the first and second tri-semesters | | | | join HR and those students, who like to work with |
| during the first year. Later in the first year, they are | | | | data, have numerical ability, carry out tasks in detail |
| also introduced to the specialized areas. | | | | or follow through on others' instructions should go for |
| In the second year, the students have to choose | | | | Finance." |
| from a variety of specialization choices. There are | | | | Specialized MBA school offer some specialized options |
| five main specializations that are offered by almost all | | | | too. Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) provides |
| MBA school. They are Marketing, Finance, Human | | | | specialized MBA in International Business. The MBA |
| Resource Development, Operations Management and | | | | program is also called MBA (IB). While recommending |
| Information Technology. | | | | international oriented programs, KT Chako, Director |
| Which Specializations? | | | | of IIFT said, "Indian businesses are now going global |
| Dr. SP Parashar, former director of IIM Indore says, | | | | in a big way. Indian companies are now fully |
| "An MBA course do not provide many choices during | | | | participating in the globalization process. Today's |
| the first year. Students generally learn core subjects | | | | business executives need to be equipped with |
| in the first year in all MBA courses. But at the end of | | | | understanding of international business and trade." |
| the first year, the choice of specialization should | | | | IIM Ahmedabad has launched an elective MBA course |
| become pretty clear in an MBA course." | | | | for its PGPM second year students. The name of the |
| IMT Ghaziabad Director, Late Dr. Anwar Ali said that | | | | course is ‘Contemporary Film Industry (CFI) |
| the second year of elective papers and specialization | | | | – A Business Perspective'. The course aims at |
| are designed to give the students an in depth | | | | giving a general background of the film and |
| knowledge about a particular field as well as the | | | | entertainment industry in India and abroad. It will |
| industry. "The second year of an MBA course | | | | introduce the MBA students to various kinds of film |
| provides them with a lot of exposure to the practical | | | | and entertainment businesses like feature films, ad |
| field also, as they have to do a lot of project work | | | | films, documentary filmmaking, animation films and a |
| and case studies." | | | | glimpse of the global film industry. |
| Talking about the area of specialization, Dr. BS Sahay, | | | | MBA experts recommend that passion and interest |
| Director of MDI said, "In the second year, the | | | | should be the key, rather than external reasons like |
| students take an elective or optional MBA course to | | | | market condition and job prospects. "Choice of |
| specialize in a maximum of two functional areas. | | | | specialization in MBA course is a function of your |
| These areas are: Finance, Information Management, | | | | aptitude and what you want to do in future. Don't let |
| Marketing, Strategy and Operations Management. To | | | | short-term market forces drive or alter your |
| specialize in an area, a student must take a minimum | | | | specialization choice. Having a long-range perspective |
| of five elective course credits offered in that area." | | | | about one's career helps students make the right |
| Making a choice for an MBA courseDr. Pingali | | | | choices. Marketing opportunities are more and in |
| Venugopal, Dean, XLRI Jamshedpur gave broad | | | | service sector, the experience will offer potential for |
| criteria on choosing the specialization of MBA course. | | | | cross sector mobility as well," Dr Venkataratnam, |
| He mentioned, "You have to choose your career | | | | Director, IMI said. |
| very carefully. You should select the right path on the | | | | While doing an MBA course, the specializations should |
| basis of your interest and instincts and not on the | | | | be chosen on the basis of your passion, choice and |
| basis of peer pressure or high salary. | | | | capability. The first year is the time when you will |
| Students who have mechanical ability, who prefer to | | | | have the hunch regarding choosing your specialization |
| work with objects, machinery and tools should | | | | subject? An MBA school can only introduce you |
| choose Production and Operations. Students who | | | | towards the various domains of an MBA program. |
| love to observe, learn, investigate, analyze, evaluate | | | | But you have to be your own judge to take |
| or solve problems, interact with people and have a | | | | decisions regarding specializations. |