As a management professional, you may wish to fast-track your career from being an executive to a leader. A traditional MBA degree could help you make that career leap. But quitting your job for two years or having to relocate to get that degree is most often not practical. In contrast, an accelerated management program allows you to change the trajectory of your career without turning your life upside down.
But then, you may wonder how a course with a shorter duration provides the same value as a full-time one. An accelerated course is not a compromise. Many accelerated management programs in India combine a top-notch curriculum, world-class faculty, and assured placements, offering you an exciting career path.
Speed learning
An accelerated management program comes with online and on-campus options; both condense the traditional two and three-year MBA programs into a 6-12 month duration. Does the shorter duration mean it’s an inferior course? No, an accelerated management program is simply designed differently for working professionals who already know the fundamentals of business. It broadly delivers the same course content but is more rigorous and outcome-driven, so you have to immerse yourself in the course from the get-go.
Application-driven curriculum
The core curriculum of accelerated management programs is built around the fundamentals of management (marketing, finance, strategy, entrepreneurship, and operations). But the focus is on how to use management tools, insights, and best practices in the real world. You learn how to think strategically (and out of the box when required) and lead effectively in an ever-changing world. The methods of instruction majorly involve live masterclasses, simulations, and industry-driven projects.
Driven by Specialization
You could be an IT professional, an aspiring entrepreneur or a product designer and benefit from an accelerated management program. There are various specialisations offered with these courses ranging from the core areas of business and industry-specific areas to evolving industries such as data science. For example, an IT engineer could select design thinking, user research and marketing analytics as their specialisation for an accelerated program.
Apart from cross-functional specialisations, you can also learn the best practices in management tools that are vital to every business or profession. For example, research is critical to professional success. Whether you are an entrepreneur or an IT engineer, you need to know how to set your research objectives to gain efficient solutions to workplace issues.
Accelerated management programs take a hands-on approach to prepare you in every way for your next career move.
Driven by outcome
As a working professional, what is the outcome you desire from your management studies? The answer is probably a smooth career transition. So naturally, when applying for a new job, you may ask: will doing an accelerated online MBA course be acceptable to employers? Or would a traditional MBA be preferred? Employers do not assess you on your method of study; nowadays they assess you more on your life skills such as leadership, communication and innovation.
How you perform at the interview is also critical. Even something as basic as a good self-introduction at an interview can determine whether you get the job. A self-introduction may seem simple to do but it takes practice and experience. You can expect to be individually coached on how to craft an impressive self-introduction in an accelerated management program.
Be it through mentoring or industry deep-dives, the experiential learning provided by accelerated management programs makes you a better communicator, decision-maker and leader. Plus there is every chance you will get that new job or get promoted more quickly than your colleagues.
Not only do management programs make you work-ready, but they also contribute to getting you future-ready. Most accelerated management programs use an online format and integrate the latest techniques and technologies from the business world, which is essential in a fast-changing world.
Time is of the essence in this fast-changing world and a short MBA program will take you far. Let’s evaluate the benefits of an accelerated MBA versus the traditional long-duration MBA.
The benefits of time
In an accelerated management program, the shorter duration translates into several advantages. These include:
- Speedy career moves: After completing an accelerated management program, you can enter the workforce at a younger age, straight after graduation. And when you want to make a career shift, you can do it in a time span of six months to one year. Very often, long breaks can cause you to lose momentum in your career, so an accelerated program will definitely help in this regard.
- More affordable: An accelerated MBA is also cheaper than a traditional on-campus MBA, both in tuition fees and living expenses. Since you can continue to work, there will be no additional burden of student loans.
- Better return on investment: Management studies are an investment. Taking into account the cost of the program, the salary earned and the speed of employment, an accelerated MBA is very often better value for money.
- More flexibility: You can join an accelerated management program when it suits you, whether this is early in your career or at an advanced stage. The wide range of formats, such as weekends only or a few days every alternate month, make it convenient for working professionals.
- More relevant: Accelerated courses are designed around in-demand skills, and many programs also include an understanding of new economic issues such as sustainability.
- Increased networking opportunities: Your course cohorts and faculty are working professionals. This will give you more networking opportunities.
Conclusion
An accelerated MBA can deliver the same outcome as a traditional MBA as they have similar curricula and equally proficient faculty. The learning outcome depends on you and the commitment you make to your career.
The world is changing rapidly and employers are looking beyond functional skills. They are looking for individuals with foresight, critical thinking, and leadership skills. You can develop these skills through a quality management program that focuses on professional development and career success.
If you are looking for an accelerated management program and need more information, get in touch with the Harappa School of Leadership, India’s most distinctive and outcome-oriented online leadership school that nurtures ambitious professionals with skills that are always in demand.