MBA Course Details: Eligibility, Fees, Specialisations, Jobs and Salary

Looking for MBA course details in one place? MBA stands for Master of Business Administration. It is a two year postgraduate degree that trains you to manage people, money, sales and operations. You can join after any bachelor's degree, from BA and BCom to BTech and BSc. In this guide I explain the duration, eligibility, entrance exams, specialisations, fees, MBA jobs and salary, and how an MBA compares with a PGDM, so you can decide calmly whether it is right for you and when.

MBA course details at a glance

Final year students can also apply, as long as they finish their degree before admission. Many good institutes like candidates with 2 to 3 years of work experience, but freshers are admitted too.

What is MBA course: subjects and structure

The first year is common for everyone. The second year is when you pick a specialisation and take electives.

• First year (MBA courses subjects): principles of management, accounting, managerial economics, marketing management, financial management, organisational behaviour, business statistics, operations, business law and communication.
• Summer internship: 6 to 10 weeks in a company between the first and second year. Many final offers start here.
• Second year: specialisation subjects, electives, live projects and a final project or dissertation.

Classes use case studies, group work and presentations more than rote learning. Students from small towns sometimes find this hard at first, but you improve fast if you speak up in class from week one.

Types of MBA courses: specialisations list

This MBA courses list covers the specialisations I see students choose most.

An MBA in hospital management salary for freshers is usually close to a general MBA from a similar college, and it grows well in large hospital groups. The same is true for MBA healthcare management salary.

Short management courses vs a full MBA

Hospital management course, event management course, airport management course, sports management courses, product management courses, project management courses and supply chain management course options are also sold as 6 month to 1 year diplomas or certificates. They can add a skill, but they are not an MBA. For project management, an industry certification after some work experience matters more than a short course. Event management course fees vary widely, so check placement records before paying.

MBA vs PGDM course: which to choose

An MBA is a degree given by a university. A PGDM course (Post Graduate Diploma in Management) is a diploma given by an autonomous institute approved by AICTE. Many top institutes, including several IIMs earlier, ran PGDM programmes, and IIMs now award an MBA degree. For jobs, a good PGDM is valued just like an MBA. What matters is the institute's quality, faculty and placement record, not the word "degree" or "diploma". PGDM course fees in private institutes are often high, so compare carefully.

Entrance exam for MBA

• CAT: conducted by the IIMs by rotation, used by IIMs and many other institutes. It tests verbal ability and reading comprehension, data interpretation and logical reasoning, and quantitative ability.
• CMAT: conducted by NTA, accepted by many AICTE-approved institutes.
• State MBA CETs: for government and private colleges in that state.
• University tests: some central and state universities hold their own MBA exams or use CUET PG.

Most institutes then hold a group discussion or written ability test and a personal interview. Preparation for CAT usually takes 6 to 12 months alongside college or work.

MBA course fees: government vs private

MBA course fees vary more than almost any other course. Government colleges cost much less than private ones.

• State and central university departments: often ₹20,000 to ₹2 lakh for the full course.
• IIMs and other top institutes: often well over ₹15 lakh for the full programme, with need-based aid at many.
• Private colleges: commonly ₹3 lakh to ₹15 lakh or more in total.

Look at the fee against the average salary of the last batch. A cheap MBA with no placements and an expensive one with weak placements are both poor deals.

Online MBA courses in India

Online MBA courses are offered by universities that have UGC approval for online degrees. They suit working people who cannot leave their job. Before you enrol, check the university's name on the UGC Distance Education Bureau list. Online degrees from approved universities are valid for many government jobs and higher study, but campus placement support is usually limited.

MBA jobs: private and government

Jobs for MBA freshers include management trainee, business development manager, marketing executive, financial analyst, credit analyst, HR executive and operations manager. MBA finance jobs are common in banks, insurance and corporate finance teams. MBA marketing jobs are spread across consumer goods, retail, media and tech.

Government jobs for MBA graduates usually come through competitive exams. An MBA is not always required, but it helps in interviews and for specialist posts:

• SBI PO and IBPS PO in public sector banks
• IBPS SO for Marketing Officer and HR or Personnel Officer posts, which ask for an MBA or PG diploma in that field
• RBI Grade B and NABARD officer posts
• LIC AAO and other public insurance officer posts
• Management trainee posts in PSUs
• UPSC Civil Services and state services

MBA salary in India

People search "MBA full form salary", but the honest answer is that MBA salary depends almost fully on the college and your specialisation.

• Average colleges: freshers often get ₹3 to 6 lakh a year, about ₹20,000 to ₹45,000 a month in hand.
• Good colleges: ₹8 to 15 lakh a year is common.
• Top IIMs: averages are much higher; check each institute's placement report.
• After 5 to 8 years: managers often earn ₹15 to 35 lakh a year, more in finance, consulting and tech.

MBA in finance salary and marketing pay start at similar levels; finance pays more at the top, sales pays more through incentives. Convert any offer with our CTC to in-hand calculator.

Best course after MBA and higher study

Most people go to work after an MBA. Those who want more can do a PhD or Fellow programme in management to teach, take CFA for finance roles, or add a professional certification in project or supply chain management. If you are still in 12th, a BBA course or an integrated BBA MBA course can be a good start.