I have an engineering degree from a top university in India and have been in the technology industry for 15 years in the capacity of a software engineer. MBA or Not?

Q) I have an engineering degree from a top university in India and I have been in the technology industry for 15 years in the capacity of a software engineer, engineering manager and architect. Though I made few feeble half-hearted attempts for MBA in US/India, I am not really sure if I should pursue a full-time program or a part-time program.

India doesn't sound too good with part-time programs as not many companies sponsor due to lack of budget. In your experience, what should a person of my background do? I am a strong technology oriented person but I understand that to get a better perspective of business, I need to experience the other side too.

FutureWorks Consulting: It would be beneficial if you could  speak to your superiors and colleagues at work to see if doing MBA(online or full time) boosted their profile in the aspects that you are looking for- better salary  or job position .  If you get a positive response than here is what you should consider while weighing your option.

Full time: In general most of the Indian applicants are from engineering background with a good 4-5 years of work experience. So you would need to differentiate yourself from others . Start thinking what makes you unique and what’s that ‘hook’ that will be key to your application for MBA. Make sure you follow the ‘show rather than tell’ principle so that the admissions committee could really understand your strengths and differentiating factors Although it is not just the work experience that counts but also what you did there like-what were your achievements, what initiative you took, what changes you drove in your workplace etc. So you need to ensure that in your years of work experience you have demonstrated the skills business schools are looking for. This could still put in a strong set of essays for you.

Part time: If part time MBA is what you decide to do then there many good US schools like Kellogg, Haas, Stern that provide part time MBA course. These courses have excellent curriculum and if leaving your job for two years is not an option than this could be the better fit for you. All the best and do let us know what you decided.

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Stacy Blackman: There are a number of factors that will go into your decision, but two important considerations should be your goals post-graduation and your financial situation. In many cases, the decision to attend an MBA program full-time vs. part-time is largely determined on whether you want to continue on your existing career path or want to change industries or careers. A large reason for this is the summer internship in a full-time program business school, where students can choose to work in potentially new industries. With regards to your financial situation, in many cases companies in the US agree to pay for part-time MBA programs. Some companies will also pay for full-time MBA programs, however there is typically an arrangement where you will resume working for the company for several years post-graduation.


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Team GyanOne: India does have a few part-time programs (XLRI/some of the IIMs) but they are all distance learning offerings and we are not sure if they will satisfy your need for an MBA either by way of learning or by way of career progression. What you should do next depends on where you want to go: if you are happy being associated with technology and want to remain a hands-on techy, then we would recommend you go for a master's degree (MS) in engineering followed by a PhD (optional). It is not essential for you to get an MBA for a perspective of business - a lot of it will come through with experience. However, if you feel you want to move to the management realm (even if at a tech company) then an MBA is a great option.


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