Like most other things, the MBA degree too, has gone global. The Sriyans Prasad Jain Centre of Management (S P Jain) has introduced the Global Masters in Business Administration (GMBA) course at its twin campuses in Dubai and Singapore. This is a 1-year course, of which six months are spent at each campus.

The streams offered under the course are as follows:

• Marketing
• Services marketing
• Retail marketing
• Product marketing
  
• Finance
• Investment banking
• Wealth management
• Banking management
  
• Information technology management
  
• Global logistics management

The course is fairly new and there is some scepticism about it. Here are some of the merits and demerits of the course that might help you to decide whether you would like to opt for it.

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What's hot

~ It's one of the most reputed B-schools in the country. S P Jain is a brand and that can take you places as far as the credibility of the institute is concerned. Also, the faculty should be good, considering the institute's standing.

~ No reservation! As the colleges are not in India, reservation for different communities and castes does not exist; admission is based on merit. The candidate is required to have appeared for the CAT/ GMAT/ SPJCM aptitude test, following which group discussions, personal interviews and essay tests are held. The institute has high standards for admission.

~ The courses offered are in demand in the Gulf countries and there is enough scope to work there with these qualifications.

~ The two-city crossover model offers students greater exposure, with the possibility of doing an internship in any of the two cities.

~ The course is designed for working individuals who can afford to take a year off to gain international exposure.

~ The campuses are known to be well-maintained and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. Lectures can be recorded and viewed by students later since lecturers are often flown in and out of the country and are not always available.

What's not 

~ It is a very new course and not too many people are aware of it. It is advisable to check its status in the USA or UK, if you are planning to study further in these countries. Talk to each university separately and check whether they recognise the institute.

~ As far as placements are concerned, it is too soon to tell. Being launched very recently, it does not have a placement record per se. Although S P Jain will have quite a few takers, it would help to speak to members of the alumni to get a clearer picture of the placement scene.

~ The cost of the programme is estimated at around Rs 10 lakh. This does not include living expenses and other overheads. Considering this, it turns out to be much more expensive than doing an MBA in India. Investing a similar sum, you could earn an MBA degree from the UK or USA, where you are sure of the university and its track record.

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~ S P Jain offers very little or no scholarship. It is given only to the very deserving and financially needy students.

~ The super specialisation courses have a demand in the region of the colleges but in other parts of the world, courses like wealth management are less required. If you are looking to work in India immediately after the course, then it is best to pick a course more universally accepted.

~ Putting in that extra effort while preparing for the entrance tests and securing a seat at an IIM/ XLRI/ FMS or similarly reputed institutes in the country gives you a sure shot chance of getting a good placement in India. 

Theses are some of things you need to keep in mind when deciding whether to opt for the course. It is an important decision, where not only is money at stake, but also your future. So be sure of the choice you make, consider all your prospects and only opt for a course that you think will suit your professional goals.