[quadra]

(There is a thread already for foreign MBA so started this new thread)

A close friend of mine (currently working) is planning to go for distance learning MBA from manipal university.

Can someone please reply to the below queries on the above ??

1. DL (distance learning) from manipal - is it good, worth it ?

2. Is that a degree ?

3. Any other management institutions for getting a MBA degree via DL ?

[TaureanBull]

Hi quadra,

MBA via DL from Manipal University i have heard before. However, i dont know the job/salary prospects. IMO MBA vis DL does not very fare well when you appy for a job.

MBA via DL is also available from Symbiosis, Pune and IGNOU.

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by quadra

A close friend of mine (currently working) is planning to go for distance learning MBA from manipal university.

Can someone please reply to the below queries on the above ??

1. DL (distance learning) from manipal - is it good, worth it ?

2. Is that a degree ?

3. Any other management institutions for getting a MBA degree via DL ?

1) Without significant work experience, there is no value of Distance MBA. My friend currently working has joined in Distance MBA. He recently gave a few exams and said " Now I know why there is no value of Distance MBA ", the exam was damn easy he said.
So a significant work experience will be very helpful.

2) To the best of my knowledge, the best course structure for distance learning is of ICFAI FLP ( Flexible Learning Program ).

3) Other good option is Symbiosis distance learning. Here is the website : Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning

4) I would rather avoid Sikkim Manipal university, but this may vary from region to region.

[Samurai]

Distance learning is often the only choice for working professionals. Generally people poof-poof DL courses because of the following reasons:

1) Lack of networking with fellow students and faculty. (A working professional can live without it)
2) There are too many degree mills running DL universities without qualified teachers and even from houses.
3) Learning entirely depends on your motivation levels and quality of teaching materials.
4) Pre-conceived notion that any DL is easy and not good.

If you are doing MBA for networking, by the way this is the number one reason why most people do MBA. It opens doors in many places, at least that is the idea. Well, DL won't get you any networking.

If you are doing it for knowledge, and you can't quit your day job, then DL will fit your bill. However, you have to ensure that you join a DL college that is really good. And the good news is you are not restricted to India. You can join any DL college around the world while being in India.

Check this list of 40 best DL MBA colleges in the world: Business school rankings and MBA rankings from the Financial Times

[vivekiny2k]

Many distance learning courses here require you to spend 1-2 weeks in campus, usually twice in the course duration. And they are usually as expensive as a part time (in-class) MBA.

[quadra]

Originally Posted by TaureanBull

Hi quadra,

MBA via DL from Manipal University i have heard before. However, i dont know the job/salary prospects. IMO MBA vis DL does not very fare well when you appy for a job.

MBA via DL is also available from Symbiosis, Pune and IGNOU.

Thanks for the reply TB. As mentioned already in my post, my friend is already working, so no issues on getting a job.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

1) Without significant work experience, there is no value of Distance MBA. My friend currently working has joined in Distance MBA. He recently gave a few exams and said " Now I know why there is no value of Distance MBA ", the exam was damn easy he said.
So a significant work experience will be very helpful.

2) To the best of my knowledge, the best course structure for distance learning is of ICFAI FLP ( Flexible Learning Program ).

3) Other good option is Symbiosis distance learning. Here is the website : Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning

4) I would rather avoid Sikkim Manipal university, but this may vary from region to region.

Thanks for the reply aagg.
Your friend did MBA from manipal ??
So the exam being easy - how does it prove the MBA has no value. (sorry, just trying to understand things here). AFAIK, a working professional would have a different approach towards concepts than a student.

IFCAI - is charging 60k for 1 year, Manipal is charging 48k for 2 years.

symbi - does it offer MBA degree ? what is the term ?

Originally Posted by Samurai

Distance learning is often the only choice for working professionals. Generally people poof-poof DL courses because of the following reasons:

1) Lack of networking with fellow students and faculty. (A working professional can live without it)
2) There are too many degree mills running DL universities without qualified teachers and even from houses.
3) Learning entirely depends on your motivation levels and quality of teaching materials.
4) Pre-conceived notion that any DL is easy and not good.

If you are doing MBA for networking, by the way this is the number one reason why most people do MBA. It opens doors in many places, at least that is the idea. Well, DL won't get you any networking.

If you are doing it for knowledge, and you can't quit your day job, then DL will fit your bill. However, you have to ensure that you join a DL college that is really good. And the good news is you are not restricted to India. You can join any DL college around the world while being in India.

Check this list of 40 best DL MBA colleges in the world: Business school rankings and MBA rankings from the Financial Times

Thanks for the reply Samurai.
Wow, never knew you could do a DL MBA from outside India as well. I am assuming the international universities must have tied up with local ones for weekend classes / projects. Will pass on that info to my friend. wonderful

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

Many distance learning courses here require you to spend 1-2 weeks in campus, usually twice in the course duration. And they are usually as expensive as a part time (in-class) MBA.

Thanks for the reply vivek.
I have heard about those but couldn't find any institution practicing the same. If you come across any, please share it here.

[vivekiny2k]

this is a reputed program.

MBA Online / MS Online through Indiana University

[StarVegabond]

Hi

As a Sales & Marketing Professional who manage a business, i can say that just a distance learning MBA or PG course is not good enough to get you a career change.

What matters is what is

your basic degree + work experience + your business acumen + softskills + Mindset/attitude+ business course (PG or MBA) = should remian relevent to the job which you are applying for.

If you want a brand of MBA to add value to you, then i suggest you go for IIM-B offered Software Enterprise management. this is a 2 year course with 3 classes every week from friday evening till sunday evening.

This has good value and standing. it also has lots of learning, networking
quality of students who attend this course is also good. It requires the candidate to work on assignments as well as project work. It requires the company to provide some letter/undertaking etc.

[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by quadra

1) Your friend did MBA from manipal ??
2) So the exam being easy - how does it prove the MBA has no value. (sorry, just trying to understand things here). AFAIK, a working professional would have a different approach towards concepts than a student.

IFCAI - is charging 60k for 1 year, Manipal is charging 48k for 2 years.

3) symbi - does it offer MBA degree ? what is the term ?

1) No, from Symbiosis, the value of Symbiosis degree, atleast in Gujarat is quite good.

2) The real tough exams that one faces in full time MBA is missing. I have friends currently doing full time MBA also and they find it a bit tough. But the Symbiosis distance exams was of objective type and quite easy. This is because for DL, generally it is considered that the person is working, so he is getting quite a bit of practical experience. Just MO.

3) I really dont remember, but you can check out the details at the website I had earlier posted.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

2) The real tough exams that one faces in full time MBA is missing. I have friends currently doing full time MBA also and they find it a bit tough. But the Symbiosis distance exams was of objective type and quite easy. This is because for DL, generally it is considered that the person is working, so he is getting quite a bit of practical experience. Just MO.

This purely depends on the college and this is what gives DL a bad name.

My wife and I did our DL MBA from the EBS, that is the first name in the world's top 40 DL MBA list I gave earlier. We wrote all our exams in New York but one, the last one was written in Bangalore overseen by British Council Proctors. The exams are tough as hell and mostly in essay and case study format, they give marks only if you demonstrate clear understanding of the topic. Reproducing the material by memory will get you a big zero.

Anyone who has taken a Heriot-Watt test will have some unflattering adjectives for it: grueling, nitpicky, maddening, exhausting, frustrating, and some that I won’t print here. I agree with every one of them, and will describe the tests in more detail later.

What are the tests like?

Hard. Sometimes they concentrate on fussy details, sometimes such a high-level concept that you realize you missed the "big picture." Lots and lots of handwriting, mostly essay questions and case studies. Short, so each question carries a lot of weight. If you miss one concept the test zooms in on, you can lose points in a hurry. I used to joke - mostly seriously, actually - that an HWMBA test is like a hard, open book test - except that you can't use the book.

The above quotes is from somebody who did it in 1998, full details here: My Heriot-Watt MBA by Distance Learning Experience

Therefore the choice of college is extremely important when you consider DL MBA.

But I agree DL has a bad name in India for the reasons I mentioned in my first post. If you are planning to depend on DL MBA for better career in India, better not. It is hard to win over preconceived notions.

[Latheesh]

MS Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, bangalore offers Part time MBA in Engineering operations in collaboration with Coventry University UK. But you need to attend classes on Saturday and Sundays.

for details visit M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies (MSRSAS)

[JVH]

You may want to look at Satellite based programs as well. They are offered by IIM-C, XLRI, IIFT et al...all reputed institutes in India. They are very similar to what StarVegabond pointed on IIM-B. The classes are virtual, yet live and interactive. For networking, there are 2 campus components in the space of 1 year to mingle with the Professors and the students all over India. There will be a project as well involving participants from different centres and sometimes cities.

So, what you are ensured is education, brand name, networking and your own growth if played properly. Hughes and NIIT offer them. You can chect out their websites. They are expensive compared to the likes of Simby, IGNOU and Manipal but the return on investment on these is nowhere comparable.

BTW, these programs dod not give you a degree of MBA per se. They are all executive programs where in you will be provided a certificate with grading and the institute executive MBA alumni status.

[sbraj]

My sister-in-law did distance learning MBA from IGNOU. At the time of her course, she was not working. Upon completion, she got job as lecturer in a college in Bangalore. After 5+ years now, she has done MPhil and currently doing a doctorate. Distance learning has not affected her career prospects in anyway. But then that is teaching profession.

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

If you want a brand of MBA to add value to you, then i suggest you go for IIM-B offered Software Enterprise management.
...
This has good value and standing.

I do not fully agree with this. I know of many folks who have done this course and they are at the same place where they would have anyway been, without doing the course. Hence the brand 'IIMB' has not furthered the career prospects. Some very few that I know has made good progress by changing domain, by getting out of software delivery etc. Others are still lugging on. Issue with this course I think is the Software branding. Though course content is general, this course is perceived as a software centric one.

Whereas the satellite programs mentioned do help one in changing the career course.

[JVH]

Originally Posted by sbraj

I know of many folks who have done this course and they are at the same place where they would have anyway been, without doing the course. Hence the brand 'IIMB' has not furthered the career prospects. Some very few that I know has made good progress by changing domain, by getting out of software delivery etc. Others are still lugging on. Issue with this course I think is the Software branding. Though course content is general, this course is perceived as a software centric one.

There are a few more programmes added to the list for IIM-B now one of them being Executive General Management Programme. My ex-boss has enrolled this year. This is not specific to Software, so you do have a general option there. Please check the link

Open Programmes | Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

And also, the growth through such kind of programmes is purely on one's planning and application to their roles and the log term plan one has set. No executive programme promises placements and career path. They are made available so that working executives can get formal management education to add on to their resume and experience. This is what they promise and deliver. Hence, this is just a facilitator and not a sure shot career changer kind of a programme.

[quadra]

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

this is a reputed program.

MBA Online / MS Online through Indiana University

Thanks vivek for the link. International MBA's are way too much priced. So these are outside the budget types

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Hi

As a Sales & Marketing Professional who manage a business, i can say that just a distance learning MBA or PG course is not good enough to get you a career change.

What matters is what is

your basic degree + work experience + your business acumen + softskills + Mindset/attitude+ business course (PG or MBA) = should remian relevent to the job which you are applying for.

If you want a brand of MBA to add value to you, then i suggest you go for IIM-B offered Software Enterprise management. this is a 2 year course with 3 classes every week from friday evening till sunday evening.

This has good value and standing. it also has lots of learning, networking
quality of students who attend this course is also good. It requires the candidate to work on assignments as well as project work. It requires the company to provide some letter/undertaking etc.

Thanks SVG. I really liked your ANHC travelogs. I did vist the IIM-B website but it did not specifically talk about excutive MBA and its course fees + duration.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

1) No, from Symbiosis, the value of Symbiosis degree, atleast in Gujarat is quite good.

2) The real tough exams that one faces in full time MBA is missing. I have friends currently doing full time MBA also and they find it a bit tough. But the Symbiosis distance exams was of objective type and quite easy. This is because for DL, generally it is considered that the person is working, so he is getting quite a bit of practical experience. Just MO.

3) I really dont remember, but you can check out the details at the website I had earlier posted.

Thanks agg for your reply.

Originally Posted by Samurai

This purely depends on the college and this is what gives DL a bad name.

My wife and I did our DL MBA from the EBS, that is the first name in the world's top 40 DL MBA list I gave earlier. We wrote all our exams in New York but one, the last one was written in Bangalore overseen by British Council Proctors. The exams are tough as hell and mostly in essay and case study format, they give marks only if you demonstrate clear understanding of the topic. Reproducing the material by memory will get you a big zero.


The above quotes is from somebody who did it in 1998, full details here: My Heriot-Watt MBA by Distance Learning Experience

Therefore the choice of college is extremely important when you consider DL MBA.

But I agree DL has a bad name in India for the reasons I mentioned in my first post. If you are planning to depend on DL MBA for better career in India, better not. It is hard to win over preconceived notions.

Thanks for the reply sam. EBS is an expensive affair (around 6lakh +) so certainly out of question. Would have been nice if someone could sponsor my frnd for that insane amount of money.

Originally Posted by Latheesh

MS Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies, bangalore offers Part time MBA in Engineering operations in collaboration with Coventry University UK. But you need to attend classes on Saturday and Sundays.

for details visit M.S. Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies (MSRSAS)

Thanks Latheesh. Your spark threads are good. I got one too.

Originally Posted by JVH

You may want to look at Satellite based programs as well. They are offered by IIM-C, XLRI, IIFT et al...all reputed institutes in India. They are very similar to what StarVegabond pointed on IIM-B. The classes are virtual, yet live and interactive. For networking, there are 2 campus components in the space of 1 year to mingle with the Professors and the students all over India. There will be a project as well involving participants from different centres and sometimes cities.

So, what you are ensured is education, brand name, networking and your own growth if played properly. Hughes and NIIT offer them. You can chect out their websites. They are expensive compared to the likes of Simby, IGNOU and Manipal but the return on investment on these is nowhere comparable.

BTW, these programs dod not give you a degree of MBA per se. They are all executive programs where in you will be provided a certificate with grading and the institute executive MBA alumni status.

Oh so at the end of the course, its just a certificate, no degree

Originally Posted by sbraj

My sister-in-law did distance learning MBA from IGNOU. At the time of her course, she was not working. Upon completion, she got job as lecturer in a college in Bangalore. After 5+ years now, she has done MPhil and currently doing a doctorate. Distance learning has not affected her career prospects in anyway. But then that is teaching profession.


I do not fully agree with this. I know of many folks who have done this course and they are at the same place where they would have anyway been, without doing the course. Hence the brand 'IIMB' has not furthered the career prospects. Some very few that I know has made good progress by changing domain, by getting out of software delivery etc. Others are still lugging on. Issue with this course I think is the Software branding. Though course content is general, this course is perceived as a software centric one.

Whereas the satellite programs mentioned do help one in changing the career course.

Thanks for the reply sbraj. The situation you gave above certainly helps.

Originally Posted by JVH

There are a few more programmes added to the list for IIM-B now one of them being Executive General Management Programme. My ex-boss has enrolled this year. This is not specific to Software, so you do have a general option there. Please check the link

Open Programmes | Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

And also, the growth through such kind of programmes is purely on one's planning and application to their roles and the log term plan one has set. No executive programme promises placements and career path. They are made available so that working executives can get formal management education to add on to their resume and experience. This is what they promise and deliver. Hence, this is just a facilitator and not a sure shot career changer kind of a programme.

Thanks for the reply JVH. From the above posts it seems that IIM's types institution provide a certificate and not a degree. Again my friend is not sure whether he requires a degree / certificaite.