Among the one year full-time MBA programs in India, IIM Ahmedabad offers the Post Graduate Program in Management for Executives (PGPX) and IIM Bangalore, the Executive Post Graduate Program (EPGP). We take a look at the main features of both the programs to help MBA aspirants zero in on their choice.
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The induction, spread over two and a half days, gives the students a chance to get familiar with the infrastructure, co-curricular and extracurricular activities.
Next comes the core segment that provides them with a rigorous grounding in the fundamentals of management. It crystallizes and enhances their basic conceptual and analytical knowledge.
The third segment, preparing for top management, is the differentiating element of the PGPX that further develops the students’ skills, enabling them to better understand and envision the dynamics within complex management problems. It also prepares them for visionary leadership, being change agents and playing a role at the top.
The International Immersion is two intensive weeks of academics in an international location. It equips students with an understanding of macro-level dynamics and unfamiliar economic environment in a foreign country.
A wide range of elective courses is on offer including marketing, finance, supply chain management, strategic management and various sectors. While electives depend on student interest and faculty supply, it allows students the freedom of choice allowing customization.
As part of the ‘electives’ segment, students can opt for an Individual Research Project (IRP). It is executed by PGPX participants with a faculty advisor. The result is a high quality written output, which could be a case with analysis, an Industry Note, a paper on “Bridging the Divide” (focusing on a socio-economic divide affecting the world) or a business plan for an entrepreneur.
The Capstone project provides an opportunity to integrate learning from the entire program, reflect on one’s own experience as an executive and understand what it means to work in large, multidisciplinary teams facing tough deadlines.
The core courses are Financial Reporting and Analysis, Designing Organizations, Decision Sciences, Competition and Strategy, Managerial Economics, Macroeconomics, Operations Management, Corporate Finance, Managing People & Performance in Organizations, Marketing Management, Corporate Governance & Ethics, Entrepreneurial Management and Business Law.
The electives comprise Corporate Strategy and Policy, Economics and Social Sciences, Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Management, Decision Sciences and Information systems, Entrepreneurial Learning, Finance and Accounting, Marketing, Production and Operations Management.
Term four of the EPGP is devoted to the International Immersion module which is designed to give students an opportunity to broaden learning and deepen knowledge about an increasingly globalized economic environment.
Structured around a visit to an emerging economy such as China, Russia, Brazil and South Africa or a developed one in Europe or in the Asian region like Singapore or South Korea, the module provides insights into the country’s economic, social, political and cultural life.
During the 2-week international immersion, the class is hosted by one of the top local business schools. They attend lectures on the country’s economy and society with specific emphasis on issues affecting business and industry; go on field visits to local plants and corporate offices; meet business and government leaders; attend cultural events and visit historical sites to help them understand the intricacies of the country.
The Program Fee for PGPX 2019-20 is Rs 25,00,000. It includes tuition fees, books and course materials, accommodation, food charges (for those who are staying in SSH) and other service facilities such as the library, computing, network changes etc.
However, the cost of International Immersion Programme (IIP) is calculated separately. Utilities such as electricity, telephone, laundry, sports/gym subscription are additional and to be paid as per usage charges.
The EPGP program fee (Tuition Fee Rs 21,19,000+accommodation Rs 1,50,000 (shared) Rs 2,85,500 (family)+ International Immersion Rs 3,00,000 (indicative)+ Refundable deposit Rs 20,000) totaling Rs 25,89,000 for shared accommodation and Rs 27,24,500 for family accommodation.
Both programs have similar rigor and depth as is expected of a full-time one year MBA program. Both offer opportunities to the students to expand their knowledge through participation in various projects as also to get glimpses of global business practices through the international immersion. Expense-wise too, there is not much difference between the two.
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