The term, 'MBA' is tossed around quite freely.

But who should pursue one? And what are the various specialisations available?

Overseas education consultant, Karan Gupta, says, 'If you reach a stage in your job where you are saturated and are not learning any more, you can consider pursuing an MBA to move ahead in your career.'

He also discussed specialisations and the different types of MBA, all during our July 10 expert chat.

For those of you who missed it, here's the transcript:

Part I: 'Foreign MBA -- Good job prospects and exposure' 

manav asked, what extra from acads I shud have for getting into IIMs

Karan Gupta answers, IIMs mainly focus on the CAT and your past academics.

ranjan asked, Hi Karan, With 2 years of exp in IT, and an industry focused MBA - can I be a Business Analyst, with around 3 years of Non-IT exo to add it?

Karan Gupta answers, It depends on the company you apply to. In most cases, they'll ask for more work experience.

Sree asked, Hi , I am Engineering graduate and working in Singapore. Is there any university offering in India through Distance education for MBA for NRE's, I can able to come for final exams once in a year.

Karan Gupta answers, You can look at IGNOU in India and Imperial College and IE Business in the UK and Spain respectively.

Raj asked, How is university of Brighton, UK for 12 m FT MBA programme. What is the importance of AMBA accredition? Is it difficult to get into jobs with MBA from non accredited schools?

Karan Gupta answers, University of Brighton is an average university. AMBA accreditation is very important for European business schools.

Shraddha asked, Hi Karan, I'm a sr. software engineer in a software company, gurgaon. I want to do MBA to upgrade my skills and job profile also. Can you please tell me which MBA programm best suited for me from delhi.

Karan Gupta answers, You can consider applying for an MBA after you have three years of full time work experience. You will need the GMAT and the TOEFL for admissions.

abhinav asked, What is the scope of power management in Indian scenerio

Karan Gupta answers, It depends on the university you study at and the industry which you target when you come back to India. In general, power management is a good, upcoming field.

anilchahal asked, hi, i am a Mechanical Engineer by profession, working with a company of repute, TATA Group company. I have work experience of 3 years, i want to go for MBA. Please Suggesti should go for Executive MBA or full time MBA and MBA from India or Abroad. Please Suggest

Karan Gupta answers, An executive MBA is for people with at least ten years of full time work experience in senior managment positions. Therefore, you should consider a regular MBA.

shahir asked, good afternoon sir.i m doing my mba in finance. how it would be going for SAP with MBA FINANCE and which module should i prefer for it. And what would be the prospect for mba finance with SAP .waiting for your reply.

Karan Gupta answers, This sounds like a very good combination of subjects. SAP and finance are both excellent subjects and your course combination will help you get a good job in India or the US.

Ashish asked, Hi Sir, I have flunked a few times in my engg. I have done my BE in computers and now working with top MNC for 3 years what are my chances of getting admission in INDIA or ABROAD for 1 year MBA???

Karan Gupta answers, If you do well on your GMAT and write good essays in your application, your academic record will not matter so much.

Eshwar asked, Hi Mr. Karan. Good Afternoon. I'm working as a programmer for 3.2 years. Planning to do an MBA. Can I go for a regular 2 year MBA or for a 1 year MBA?

Karan Gupta answers, You are eligible for a one-year as well as a two-year MBA. A one-year MBA is more intensive and requires a lot more hard work than a two-year MBA. Europeans business schools generally provide a one-year MBA(LBS, MBS are exceptions) and American buiness shools generally provide a two-year MBA.

neha asked, hi am a software engineer want to go further in marketting and consulting side for technology. which MBA should i consider

Karan Gupta answers, An MBA with a concentration in IT is generally more 'profitable' than an MBA with a concentration in marketing. However, please, evaluate your career goals before making this decision.

PAWAN asked, i m a collection executive in icici auto which MBA programme is best for me. i m doing MBA by sikkim m uni.is it authorised.doing corrospondence

Karan Gupta answers, Generally correspondence education is acceptable as long as the education is from an accredited university. You can pursue an MBA in general management if you are not sure about the specialisations.

Abhijeet asked, Where should i persuew my degree from?

Karan Gupta answers, USA is a great destination in an increasingly globalised world. 

ravi asked, Hi Karan,I have Comp. Sc. Engg. background and currently,I am working with Infosys Technologies Ltd [Get Quote]. and i have 1 year work exp.which B-Schools i should aim for MBA?

Karan Gupta answers, With just one-year work experience you will not qualify for admissions to any of the top universities. I would recommend that you wait for at least one more year before applying overseas.

jc asked, Hi, I'm planning to pursue an executive MBA programme from S P Jain,Mumbai.Can you please tell me the value addition this course will have in my bio-data and will it boost my chances for higher posts in the IT industry?

Karan Gupta answers, Well, this is a good course from a good university. It will make your resume stronger.

Hari asked, Hi Karan, I have 5+yrs exp, software engg, MBA. Have 700 score in GMAT. Will these be sufficient to obtain an MBA from top universities?

Karan Gupta answers, Universities consider various factors such as your past academic record, standardised test scores, extracurricular activities, essays and so on. A good GMAT score (which you already have) is also needed for admission to the top universities.

sriharsha asked, hey karan, hw u doin? Karan is there university offering M.B.A with advertising as specilization? If so, may i get that details? i jus lookin out for advertising as my subject. or M.S in advertising? Plz help me on this issue.

Karan Gupta answers, University of Florida [Images] has some excellent advertising courses. Please have a look at their website and see if any course from their university suits your profile.

T Praveen Kumar asked, Hi Karan, i finished my B.com in computers in the year 2005.Presently, having experience in IT field for about 2 years as a Web Master.Can you please suggest, what MBA programme is best suite for me?

Karan Gupta answers, You can look at an MBA programme with a specialisation in IT. This will help you learn about IT management, a field very much in demand right now.

Shakeel asked, I have completed my post graduation in Statistics and currently working in Market Research Wing of textiles Committee as Field Officer. Which stream of MBA shall i opt for and whether it will give me fruitful results or not?

Karan Gupta answers, Please evaluate what you want to do in life before deciding on your next degree. An MBA will help you become an effective manager or set up your business.

sibith asked, Hi sir i am repeater students of the tybcom i want to do MBA in finance how can i join in the MBA as well i am repeater

Karan Gupta answers, Universities consider various factors such as your past academic record, standardised test scores, extracurricular activities, essays and so on. And hence, you repeating a year will not disqualify you for admissions.

anish asked, hi karan sir i m anish pathak i am working with state bank of indore for 4 years i have a good knowledge of programming and networks in computers i had done my grad. in commerce stream which mba shud i take up which will take me to a very good position in pvt sector also tell me whether full time or part time

Karan Gupta answers, Since you have knowledge of finance and IT, you can pursue an MBA with a concentration in both these fields. You will need the GMAT and the TOEFL for admissions.

ak007 asked, Hi Mr.Karan, IIM-IIT are going to start a New 1 yr Management program for Manufacturing executives,named PGPEX-VLMP from Aug-07. ~How do you rate this program ? ~How do you see the career, job prospects, growth in Manufacturing ?

Karan Gupta answers, Since this programme is being offered by two of the best institutes in India, I would recommend that you opt for it. I am confident that the job prospects from this programme will be good.

Hari asked, Hi Karan, what are the best 1 year MBA programs in US or EU?

Karan Gupta answers, European business schools generally have one-year MBA programmes. Consider INSEAD and IE Business School.

Bhushan Sathe asked, Dear Sir, I am Bhushan from Mumbai. I have completed my graduation in Agriculture(Bsc Agri). I have taken admission to MBA course in Mumbai. I have not yet selected a specialization stream. Would you please guide me regarding the best elective for me amongst HR, Banking, Finance. I have selected Finance. Would it be best? Please advice. Thanking you.

Karan Gupta answers, I would go for finance. Finance is an excellent stream with very good job prospects. Of course, that's only if you are interested in the course.

Nicks10 asked, hi Well i want to pursue my career in HR. Now i have done my BMS(Bachelor in management Studies) and for the past 2 yrs working in HR. now wanted to know are there any good prospects to do an MBA in HR in US, work for 3-4 yrs and then come back to india?

Karan Gupta answers, With your profile, you are eligible for admissions to US universities. You will need the GMAT and TOEFL for admissions. HR is an upcoming field in India and I think you would have decent job prospects when you are back.

abhi asked, Hi, Karan. I have 700 in gmat and 8 yrs of work experience and i want to pursue mba from europe , can you tell how good is rotterdam school of management ? Thanks!!

Karan Gupta answers, Rodderdam is a good school.

Antowin asked, Hi Karan, I am not able to do MBA as a regular student.What are the prospects if I do it in correspondance course?

Karan Gupta answers, The correspondence course is recognised by most universities abroad.

samba asked, Hello Sir, I am an engineer working for an embedded startup. I've been working for little more than a year. I heard about the technology MBA at Hass school of business, UCB. Can you tell me more about such MBAs.

Karan Gupta answers, These are very good programmes but you are not eligible to apply for them because of your lack of work experience. I would recommend that you consider these programmes only after having at least three years of full time work experience.

RL asked, Hello Karan sir, Good Afternoon. I am completing my BE in Textile Engineering this year. I want to do MBA from a good university, but am confused about which stream should I opt for. Also, please tell me are there any chances for me getting admission in any university abroad? Sir, PLSSS answer my question, I am very confused...

Karan Gupta answers, Study the course content of the different MBA specialisations. This will help you understand what are the different options available to you. With three years of full time work experience and a good GMAT score, you should be able to get admission to good universities abroad.

Nikhil asked, hi karan i want to do a post graduate course before my mba..which one would you suggest if i am looking for mba in International business

Karan Gupta answers, Probably an M Sc in international business would be most suitable for you. However, you can do the M Sc in any field that you like.

Mit asked, I'm working in a software MNC with a good salary and around 6 years of experience. I don't have any management degrees yet. Would it make any difference to my career if I get an MBA now? Which courses and institutes would you suggest for people like us?

Karan Gupta answers, An MBA generally helps students rise up in their career ladder. However, if you are content with where you are in your professional life, I recommend that you do not consider the MBA at this stage. After a few years, you may want to consider an Executive MBA.

Rohit asked, hi am a Chemical Engineer,3yr working Experience.which specialization 'll be suitable.

Karan Gupta answers, You can pursue an MBA in general management if you are not sure about the specialisations.

Mohit asked, How is "Post Graduate Programme" (PGP) from MIT, Pune?

Karan Gupta answers, This is a decent course. Make sure you have studied the course content before you decide to start this course.

manav asked, karan i have done PGDBA in finance and have been working in an gud IT company...but now I again want to go for core finance field( lets say equity research), so cud u plz tell me how difficult this wud be for me.

Karan Gupta answers, I think you will be able to manage. It should really not be too difficult for you to cope in finance. However, study the course content before making this decision.

sadcf asked, hi , i am BE mechanical engineer, design engg, hanving 3 years of experience, i would like to do MBA in marketing or opertion mangment ,i want to be come people mangament leader, suggest me in this regard

Karan Gupta answers, Since you are interested in people management, why don't you consider HR as a specialisation? This would help hone your 'people skills' as well.

Sajiv asked, Hi Karan, How much is a MBA or PGDBA from Distance Learning recognised

Karan Gupta answers, For higher education abroad, the distance learning courses are generally recognised. For getting a job, they may or may not be recognised depending on the company that you apply to.

siva asked, Hi karan, i am a BBM graduate with one year diploma in International Business(PGDIB).I also have 2 year work experience. I would like to do my MBA in America in a good university which will help me get a good career in America? what Gmat score would be good enough? and which university do you suggest? i am a pretty bright student.

Karan Gupta answers, A GMAT score of 650 and above is a good score. With only two years of work experience, your school choices are limited. You can look at schools ranked 30-100. Visit www.report-ed.com for a list of top universities abroad.

Asfar asked, hi Karan, One very Basic Question , When should we start thinking about doing MBA ? My case i ve taken my GMAT,but i dont know..what when should i apply ?i ve exactly 2 yrs of work experience.

Karan Gupta answers, An MBA is designed for people who have maturity at work. So if you have three to five years of work experience and know what your career goals are, an MBA will be best suited for you. If you reach a stage in your job where you are saturated and are not learning any more, you can consider pursuing an MBA to move ahead in your career. Always apply to universities one year prior to the year you want to study. And the GMAT score is also very important in the final admission decision.

Austin asked, hello karan, there is a new B-School in chennai called SMOT, they offer exiting MBA programs. how do i evaluate them before i join them

Karan Gupta answers, Generally, students should talk to alumni before deciding on a school. But since this is a new university, your best bet will be to wait for a year, see how the graduates are placed and then make a decision.

eric asked, Hello Mr. Karan, Good Afternoon ! I have an MBA from a US University, but for some reason I want to another MBA from London [Images] School of Economics. IS it possible to get two MBA degrees from diferent schools ?

Karan Gupta answers, Yes, many schools now allow students to enter their business school even if they already have an MBA. However, you must check this requirement with each business school that you plan to apply to. LSE now offers an Executive MBA in partnership with HEC. This MBA is designed for people with many years of middle or senior management experience.

Part I: 'Foreign MBA -- Good job prospects and exposure' 

Karan is an overseas education consultant and can be reached at kgc@karangupta.com