Dr Prakash H Karmadkar
Published in Issue IV, October 2013
Introduction
Part time management courses, better known as communication courses, provide the opportunity to enhance educational qualifications and polish specialized skills. Warmth education is a boon as it can be pursued at leisure and helps enhance skills. Distance education in India is cheaper than a full time degree but provides high quality, well structured learning material. New communication technologies and electronic media have played an important role to improve the quality of education. A lot of universities in India have a section for distance education that present courses in various streams. Distance education institutes in India can broadly be divided into three categories. First are the departments of correspondence courses in universities and university level institutions. Secondly, open universities that are involved in imparting higher education only through the distance mode and thirdly, private institutions that offer distance learning programs but mostly for professional courses. Open universities offer distance learning programs for students across the country. These universities are present in nearly every state and specialise in correspondence or distant learning courses. In the open system, the courses are open to any person who may not possess any formal qualifications. Enrolment in some courses is subject to qualifying in a written exam but the admission process and qualifying criteria is simpler than those offered by regular universities. Institutes offer the course guidelines and recommend a study method once admission is secured. Library facilities and online information are also available for professional courses. One can study the subject according to his or her own convenience but has to appear for the exam or test decided by the university before receiving a degree. Usually test centre are located in different locations across the country but for some institutes students have to visit the campus at least once a year. With growing technology and improved communication methods people tend to equate distance learning and online education. All online degree programs can be termed as distance learning courses. Another classroom concept that has developed as a result of improved technology is the virtual classroom. Dean, Management Faculty University of Pune, explains this, “The virtual classroom has become a reality due to the availability of broadband internet through mobile data cards or mobile phones. Busy executives can now attend live two way programs on their laptops or offices without having to travel to an academic campus. Similarly, faculty can teach in a virtual classroom over a web camera and phone from the comfort of their office.
A typical virtual classroom session involves the professor explaining the concepts on slides with the participant listening on headphones. Both the professor and the slides are seen on the computer screen by the participant who can ask questions on a separate chat window. Virtual classrooms draw the best faculty from across institutes in India and abroad. Foreign universities also offer online courses and distance education programmes for international students. They provide global learning in the comforts of one’s home. Distance education is a step forward in providing higher education and opens a world of learning.
E-Classes for Diversity and Flexibility
This business classes promote greater diversity in the business world. Especially because of its flexible structure, the online classroom makes studying business more accessible to people of all ages, stages of life, and professional backgrounds. This kind of diversity is a key component to modern business, itself. While studying online, it is possible for student to keep your current job, stay at home with kids, and create your own schedule.
Business Fields of Study
Although online business classes are flexible; they require time and motivation in order to succeed. Your online business classes are designed to prepare student for the complex world of business and industry. Classes should provide student with knowledge of current business developments, laws, and technologies. Your specific course work will depend on which field of business student pursue. Areas include business administration, e-commerce and e-business, entrepreneurship and small business, and international business. Online business departments also include more specific fields of study, including Accounting, Finance, Leadership, Communications, and Marketing. In most business fields, online business classes include training in business foundations, management, technology, finance, communications, and marketing. Online business classes can help student earn a certificate, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree. Your level of degree earned will often determine which jobs students are eligible for. For instance, while a certificate in accounting might qualify student for a bookkeeping position, most accounting positions require a bachelor’s degree, while some employers require a master’s. In addition to providing student with business knowledge, online business classes can bring student into contact with business professionals around the world.
Advantages to going Amateur while working full time
Anyone can receive a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree while attending college part time, and working full time. The whole process was definitely challenging, but it may be worth. Top 5 advantages of taking up part time courses while working full time are listed below :-
1) Its Much Cheaper: Since most professionally managed companies offer partly or fully tuition reimbursement, the average part time student who is also working full time, should be able to cover a majority of expenses of their courses using these benefits, especially at the undergraduate level.
2) Students will Be More Effective In Job: If student have some work experience, college classes will be more relevant. If they’re more relevant, they’ll hopefully be more interesting, you’ll be more engaged as a student and ultimately learn more. Then, student can immediately apply what they have learned.
3) Offers Great Networking Opportunities: Part time courses are a great way to make new friends, meet new business associates. Over the course of several years, you’ll have the opportunity to meet hundreds of other students and faculty. (When student go to college full time, student tend to stay with the same class of students for your entire degree program. Part-time student have different mixes of students in every class.) There are some college professors who are experts in their field of study- and they know all the other experts in their field of study. They can be instrumental in helping student to connect with the right people and may be willing to give student job recommendations.
4) Protects Your Income In This Down Economy: We all know that we are in the midst of a challenging and unpredictable economy. In the past, a husband or wife may have considered quitting job to pursue his / her MBA full -time, while his / her better half continued to pay the bills and support the household. Today, Bank and investment balances are plummeting and more layoffs are announced daily. Quitting your day job to go to school could be very risky. Your partner might lose his / her job and there may not be another job once student graduates.
5) Student Can Make Your Own Schedule : Many top colleges are offering part-time degree programs. Student can work at her / his own pace, and complete college work almost anywhere by leveraging online tools. In addition, student can choose exactly which on site class she or he want and what nights or weekend days student want to take them. Student can design a part time schedule around her / his unique requirements. In recent years, the high tech sector has taken off and it’s poised to keep on growing. A degree in management can open the door to these highly desirable industries, particularly if it is paired with some specialized training and experience.
Move Up to Management
Already working in the high-tech sector? A degree in management can take career to the next level. Student will not only learn traditional business management methods, but also acquire knowledge for the high-tech work environment in her or his profession.
Business Skill Development
New Skill Set : Management degrees adds a working knowledge of finance and accounting, sales and marketing and student will enhance their skills in Problem-Solving, Analysis, Project Management, Business Communication, Interpersonal Relations, Team building. In any industrial environment the ability to communicate technical jargon to non-technical partners, like the sales force and marketing team, is a highly sought after skill.
Make the Right Match: Many management degree program offers specialisation in information technology and computing. More generalized programs welcome all students from biotech to aeronautics. One must carry out research before selecting the area of specialisation for her / his management course.
Getting the Job : With a management’s degree, student can enter professions like sales, accounting, information technology, health service management, etc. Be prepared to start in an entry-level position first as most manager’s rise up from the ranks. According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, relevant experience will significantly improve your chances of landing a job. Military training, work-study experience, and internships are all ways of gaining those crucial ‘on-the-job’ skills.
Leadership: The role of a leader starts with a thorough understanding of the team’s needs aspirations and concerns, for which it is important to have excellent listening and facilitation skills. Through patience, persistence and hard work, anyone can become a highly effective leader. The onus is on oneself to believe and make it happen. Management course, through class room exchanges helps to develop crucial leadership skills.
Corporate Etiquettes & Business Ethics: With vast cultural gaps from the background from where the individual belongs, corporate etiquettes is essential to survive and succeed both at the personal and professional level. Business ethics keeps a check on moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment. Management course environment is the best teacher. The other skills one can acquire during the management course are Presentations Skills, Time Management, Interpersonal Skill Development, technical skill development etc.
The Management courses can change the perspective of the student for the particular subject or the matter in working conditions. This gives the student vision of management & one starts to understand management objective behind the action plan given by top management.
The Author is research guide & Course Coordinator for management courses such as MPM, PGDBM MBS at P.E. Society’s Institute of Management & Career Development, Nigdi, Pune 411044, Maharashtra, India.