I’m currently reading for a Master’s degree in biotechnology. What are the career prospects in this field?
Shekhar Rao, Bangalore
Career advancement prospects are good but depend greatly upon your academic achievements, interest in research, and ability to impress emp-loyers. You could also pursue research both in India and abroad. The depart-ment of biotechnology’s website (www.dbtindia.nic.in) lists scholarships and fellowships offered by universities in India and abroad.
I’m a third year engineering student with plans to enrol in an MBA programme after acquiring industry experience. Would it be advisable to apply to top-rated B-schools immediately after graduation?
Deepak Sule, Pune
Work experience of around two years will improve your chances of admission into a reputed business school. Moreover recruiters partici-pating in campus placement exercises tend to prefer B-school graduates with work experience. However if you have been a consistent high ranker in college and fared well in CAT, then you’ll stand a good chance of getting into a top grade B-school directly after graduation. Admission into most top-ranked B-schools is based on an entrance test, group discussion and personal interview.
I will complete my BA (psychology) degree programme next year, after which I want to read for a Masters in organisational behaviour. Which university apart from SNDT offers this specialisation?
Nalini Desai, Mumbai
The University of Delhi, department of commerce and Delhi School of Economics (www.commercedsedu.org and www.du.ac.in) offer the Master’s degree programme in human resource and organisational development. How-ever, organisational behaviour is also taught as a subject in most B-schools and in psychology programmes.
I’m in Plus Two (commerce) and want to know if a bachelor of mass media (BMM) degree is a good route to enter advertising, media and/or public relations.
Mario D’Souza, Panjim
A BMM degree is a good launch pad careers in advertising, journal-ism and public relations. It could also help you land a job in events manage-ment and marketing. Some commerce colleges in the country also offer a B.Com programme with vocational courses in advertising and marketing. However both these degrees will at best provide an overview of these career paths. To succeed in these professions you need to sign up for postgraduate training in mass communications or communications management. Several institutes offer these postgrad progra-mmes. Among them: the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi; Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s colleges of communication in major cities across the country; Xavier’s Institute of Communication, Mumbai; Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, Pune; Asian College of Journalism, Chennai; Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi and Osmania University, Hyderabad.
I’m an engineering diploma graduate working in the IT industry for the past six years. I want to read for an MBA in international business via distance learning. Please suggest management institutes/universities offering MBA degree programmes through correspondence.
Ravi Mehta, Ahmedabad
IGNOU (www.ignou.ac.in) offers a diploma in business management for diploma holders. You could also sign up for postgraduate diploma courses in management offered by some business schools, but they aren’t acknowledged as equivalents of an MBA.
After completing my MBBS degree programme, I want to enrol in a course which will help me qualify as a scientist/ research assistant. I’m very interested in research related to biology. Please advise.
Siddharth Agarwal, New Delhi
You could apply for the m.sc-ph d combined programme in biomedical sciences (four years duration) at the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi (www.acbrdu.edu). But for admission you’ll have to clear an entrance test. You could also consider an M.Sc degree in subjects such as biotechnology and biochemistry or pursue an MD degree in biochemistry, microbiology etc. Please note that a postgraduate degree/Ph D is mandatory to secure a job as a scientist.
I’ve completed my degree in computer engineering and want to do a Masters in visual/digital effects from a UK university. Which British universities offer this specialisation?
Suresh Iyer, Chennai
You could consider applying to the following universities: Goldsmiths College, London which offers an M.Sc in image and communications; Univer-sity of Kent (M.Sc in digital visual effects); University of Westminster (M.Sc in digital compositing and visual effects) and Bournemouth University (MA in digital effects). For further details visit www.educationuk-in.org.
I’m interested in signing up for a study course in international business. Does this specialisation offer good job prospects?
Dina Mehta, Mumbai
Such programmes help develop knowledge, skills and competencies to perform effectively in an international business environment. The best employ-ment prospects are in consultancy, financial services, marketing etc. Entry level placement prospects depend upon the reputation of the business school offering the programme. For more information on the MBA (international business) programme, visit the websites of institutions such as IIFT (www. iift.edu) and SIIB, Pune (www.siib.ac.in).
After completing my B.Com I’ve been working for the past three years. Now I want to pursue a course in accounts or finance. What do you recommend?
Subhash Chatterjee, Kolkata
You could enrol in the programmes offered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (www. ici.org) and Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India (www.icwai.org). You could also pursue CFA through www.iutripura.edu.in and an MBA in finance through distance education.