Best Online Global MBA Courses in India for 2021: Which One Should You Choose?

The world around us is changing as we speak, and so are education systems and delivery models. While an MBA is one of the most extensively pursued educational programs, the traditional MBA model has undergone significant transformations to give birth to innovative MBA courses over the years. Global MBA is one such program that is taking globalization to the next level. 

What is a Global MBA?

Both traditional MBA and Global MBA programs aim to prepare students for leadership and management roles in the industry. However, there’s a key difference between the two – conventional MBA programs take a nationalized approach, whereas Global MBA programs adopt an international approach. 

Essentially, a Global MBA program is one that seeks to create a diverse student body by including candidates from across the world. It follows a global standard of course structure and curriculum. Thus, at its core, a Global MBA course focuses on the idea of bringing together people from all walks of life.

What are the benefits of a Global MBA?

All MBA programs – whether it is full-time or part-time MBA, or Executive MBA, or Global MBA – offer promising career opportunities. Obtaining an MBA degree is the key to advancing your career. But then, what’s so special about Global MBA?

Here’s why you should choose to pursue a Global MBA course:

• Be a part of a diverse group: As Global MBA programs include a diversified group of students from different educational and professional backgrounds, you get the opportunity to interact with people with different mindsets and skillsets. In essence, you can build a robust network of connections.
• Interactive learning environment: Global MBA programs have a globalized curriculum that caters to the international job market’s demands. Thus, while studying and interacting with a diverse group of students, you get to expand your knowledge base and open up to new ideas.
• Global career opportunities: With a Global MBA degree at hand, your prospects of landing jobs in international markets increase substantially. It denotes that you are a competent candidate ready to take on challenging job roles. 

Best online Global MBA Courses

1. MBA (Global), Deakin Business School (2 years)

upGrad offers this two-year online MBA program in partnership with Australia’s DBS and IMT Ghaziabad. Not only is Deakin is also among the top 1% B-schools globally, but this course also equips you with dual credentials – MBA from DBS & PGPM from IMT. Naturally, you enjoy the alumni status of both Deakin and IMT. 

The Global MBA program includes diverse topics like Business Growth Strategies, Strategic Thinking & Planning Abilities, Integrated Business Strategy Formulation, Design Thinking, Change Management, Financing Strategies, and International Business. You also get dedicated mentorship and career support and plenty of chances to participate in offline networking opportunities.

Equipped with this MBA degree, you can bag high-profile roles in Marketing, Finance, and Sales like Management Consulting, Strategy, Operations, Business Development, and HR Management.

2. MBA (Global), Deakin Business School (1 year)

Another upGrad offering in collaboration with Deakin, this Global MBA course aims to help students develop business acumen and enhance their decision-making and interpersonal skills for managerial and senior-executive roles in an organization. You get to learn from top mentors and interact with students from over 15 countries!

This course covers industry-specific topics like Leadership, Strategic Thinking & Planning, Design Thinking, Change Management, International Business, and Finance Management. You’ll also engage in interactive discussions with industry experts. Apart from this, there are case studies and live projects to help hone your real-world skills. upGrad also holds several peer-to-peer offline events to encourage student participation. 

This program is perfect for experienced Managers, Senior Management Executives, and Entrepreneurs who wish to transition from mid to senior career stages. With Deakin’s Global MBA degree, you can find well-paying jobs in Business Development, Management Consulting, Finance, Sales, Marketing, and HR Management.

Read: 8 Considerable Reasons Why You Should Consider a Global MBA

3. MBA, Liverpool Business School

This MBA program is an excellent pathway to scaling up your career. Accredited by UK’s Liverpool Business School, this online MBA course includes a week-long immersion program at the university campus. Plus, you get dual credentials on course completion – MBA from LBS & PGPM from IMT Ghaziabad. You can choose from several specializations in this MBA program, including Marketing, Finance, Operations, Strategy & Leadership, Analytics.

The duration of the MBA course is 20 months, during which you get a career and mentorship support from instructors and industry leaders. The course modules include Digital Business Innovation, Business Growth Strategies, Marketing Strategies, Leadership, Strategic Thinking & Planning, Engagement, and People Performance, Enterprise and Risk Management, Leading Change for Sustainable Futures, and Project Management. Like any other upGrad offering, this course also includes live interaction sessions, group discussions, offline BaseCamp events, and Q&A forums.

4. MBA in Digital Finance & Banking, Jindal Global University

This Global MBA course in Digital Finance & Banking is one of a kind – it is India’s first online MBA in Finance and Banking. upGrad had partnered with O.P. Jindal Global University (recognized as an ‘Institute of Eminence’ by UGC) to offer this MBA program. It is the ideal choice for aspirants who wish to enter the BFSI sector. 

The course encompasses highly relevant matters to the present BFSI industry, including Fintech Ecosystems Management, Financial Management & Valuation, Artificial Intelligence in Business, Blockchain and Cryptocurrency, Data Visualization in Finance, Digital Fraud & Risk Analytics, and Design Thinking & Leadership for Business. Besides, there are live assignments, case studies, mock interviews, and resume building sessions. 

5. MBA-BA, NMIMS Global Access School

This Executive MBA program offered in collaboration with NMIMS Global Access School is a 15-month Executive MBA program that focuses on Business Analytics. Designed exclusively for working professionals, it is one of the best online MBA courses in India & promises learning and exposure that is at par with on-campus MBA programs.

This Global MBA course will teach you the core management skills and their application of analytics in fields like Economics, Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Operations, and Supply Chain. You will learn how to use Big Data and Machine Learning technologies.

Some of the course highlights include offline networking events, one-on-one mentor interactions, and a three-month industry-driven capstone project. On course completion, you can take on roles like Growth Manager, Business Consultant, HR Manager, and Finance Manager.

Why Online MBA courses in India?

It is a known fact that worldwide, there’s a massive demand for MBA graduates, and India is no exception. Companies often favour MBA graduates over non-MBA candidates since they have domain knowledge and business expertise required for business administration and management roles. According to GMAC’s 2019 annual survey report, all across Asia, there is a 90 percent demand for Indian MBA graduates. It further states that as of 2019, the MBA graduates’ median salary has witnessed an enormous spike.

As the demand for MBA graduates increases in India, both public and private educational institutions are expanding their MBA offerings on online platforms. With increasing access to distance MBA education, more and more students and professionals across the country are opting for online MBA programs. 

The two greatest advantages of online MBA courses are flexibility and cost-efficiency. Like any other distance course, online MBA programs allow you to learn at your preferred pace and convenience. Moreover, online programs are way cheaper than their classroom counterparts. So, you can continue to pursue your education and work interests while simultaneously upskilling with an online MBA at almost one-third of the cost!

Hottest MBA Job Roles in India

Here are five of the most well-paying and in-demand MBA job roles in India:

1. Chief Technology Officer – Chief Technology Officers are senior executives who handle everything related to a company’s technological assets and interests. They work closely with IT experts to determine the company’s technology needs, outline the technical vision, and develop both short and long-term strategies to meet it.

2. Project Manager – Project Managers are business executives who plan, organize, implement, and oversee projects to ensure their timely delivery. They allocate project resources, determine the project budget, monitor progress, and keep all the stakeholders informed throughout the project development process. 

3. Marketing Manager – The profile of Marketing Managers is relevant across all industries (both B2B and B2C) since every product relies on marketing. Marketing Managers plan, supervise, and manage a company’s marketing campaigns. They identify target markets and target audiences and design marketing strategies accordingly.  

4. Finance Manager – As the name suggests, Finance Managers are responsible for managing a company’s financial activities and transactions. They oversee cash and investment activities, create financial procedures, prepare budgets, and also identify the areas for financial investments with high ROI.

5. Business Operations Manager – Business Operations Managers are highly skilled in supply chain management and operations. Supply chain management is a complicated domain, especially for companies doing business globally. Business Operations Managers ensure that all components of a business are functioning smoothly. They enforce stringent quality standards and maximize workplace productivity for timely deliveries.

Top Recruiters for MBA graduates in India

India is a booming economy with a huge demand for qualified and skilled MBA graduates. Since India is fast becoming a global hub of technology and startups, numerous MNCs are setting up base in India. This is creating exciting employment avenues for MBA graduates. 

Some of the top players hiring MBA graduates in India are Amazon, Accenture, American Express, Bank of America, CitiBank, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Boston Consulting Group, ICICI Bank, Microsoft, Deloitte, Capgemini, Cognizant, Wipro, IBM, Asian Paints, Emami, Nestle, Johnson & Johnson, Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Airtel, and Vodafone.

MBA Salaries in India

According to PayScale, the average salary for an MBA graduate in India is ₹757,876 LPA, while Glassdoor maintains that the average salary of MBA graduates is ₹645,759 LPA in India. 

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However, the salaries of different MBA specializations vary. For instance, an MBA Finance graduate will earn a starting package of ₹413,454 LPA, whereas an MBA Marketing graduate earns around ₹400,000 LPA. However, an MBA (HR) can make as high as ₹622,178 LPA, while an MBA (Operations) receives an average annual compensation of ₹825,508. 

Also, the starting salary depends on the institute from which you earned your MBA degree. IIM graduates often bag high-end placement packages with reputed companies. Here’s a table depicting the starting salary packages of MBA graduates in the 2018-19 batch:

How to Choose Your Online MBA Course 

When thinking about pursuing an online MBA program, it becomes tricky to choose one that aligns perfectly with your career aspirations. But it doesn’t always have to be so confusing if you know what metrics to consider:

1. Accreditation – The foremost criteria to look for is an institution’s accreditation and affiliation. While colleges offering online MBA courses are usually affiliated to a nationalized university, many other private institutes also have a national or international university affiliation. Courses that aren’t accredited hold no value in the job market. So, always aim to choose a course from a reputed and established institute. 

2. Cost – This is where online MBA programs have the upper hand over classroom MBA courses. When you choose the online mode, you’re automatically eliminating accommodation and travel costs. Since institutions need not maintain a physical infrastructure for offering online courses, tuition fees are considerably less than on-campus courses. However, the total cost of online MBA programs varies from institution to institution. So, choose the one that best suits your budget.

3. Duration – On-campus MBA courses usually span for two years. However, the course duration for online MBA programs can be anywhere between 15-24 months. These courses are designed to fit in your present schedule. So, choose a course that’s flexible enough to sync with your prior work/education commitments. 

4. Career support – Generally, online MBA courses do not offer placement support. But thanks to the increasing demand for MBA graduates, many institutions across the country have started offering career guidance and placement support as part of the online MBA program. Check for courses with this feature as it can help you land a job immediately after course completion.

Thankfully, upGrad ticks all these four factors! Each one of upGrad’s Global MBA courses is offered in partnership with reputed national and international universities. Within a cost-efficient model, these courses promise to provide 360-degree career support and ensure candidates’ overall grooming.

Conclusion

To conclude, a Global MBA program doesn’t limit you within the national bounds – it exposes you to trends and concepts ruling the international market. By enrolling in a Global MBA program, you can widen your thinking horizons and open your mind to new possibilities.