An MBA alone is not enough to guarantee a prosperous career. Business graduates need to invest in professional courses after MBA for continuous learning and skill-building. An MBA provides academic and practical knowledge about various business functions to a business graduate. While it may be useful in the early stage of the career, a professional needs additional knowledge to reach senior positions. Here are the top six professional courses that you can consider after your MBA. These cover different areas like analytics, finance, project management, marketing etc. You should pick a course based on your interest and get better at the selected role.
Professional learning and skill-building is an ongoing process in the life of a professional who wishes to grow continuously in a career and learn new concepts. A decade ago, an MBA was considered enough for building a successful career. Not anymore. With several technological advancements and the changing business ecosystem, business graduates need to take additional professional courses after MBA. There are a variety of professional courses available that can be opted for based on individual interests and goals.
Here are the top professional courses after MBA that can be considered by business graduates:
What are professional courses after MBA?
An MBA provides academic and practical knowledge about various business functions to a business graduate. While it may be useful in the early stage of your career, an MBA alone is not enough to help you grow in your career. As a result, there are a variety of professional courses in different areas of the business. A professional course helps a professional dive deep into a specific topic and learn more about what, why and how of a particular business function. These professional courses usually award a diploma, certificate or even a degree to the learner.
What are the various professional courses after MBA?
There are a wide variety of professional courses that can be taken up after an MBA. Some popular professional courses that can help you grow in your career are as follows:
1. Business Analytics Certification Course
Business analytics and intelligence have emerged as important aspects of a business in recent years. As a business generates a lot of data, business analytics helps in decoding this data and generating actionable insights for a business. Businesses of all sizes are looking for business analytics experts and data scientists that can help an organization understand data and make it work towards achieving their goals. Using statistical models, data analysis and modeling, a professional can analyze the data and provide insights for businesses to help them grow. Industries like healthcare, banking, blockchain, e-commerce, sports and media among others have a strong demand for analytics managers. A Business Analytics Certification course is usually a year-long program that involves a mix of classroom learning, assignments and projects.
2. Chartered Financial Analyst
A professional can choose to become a Chartered Financial Analyst after doing an MBA. It is a professional program that is offered to finance and investment professionals by various institutes. The professionals who can complete this four-year course across the three levels are awarded the CFA Charter. The professional willing to take up the CFA Course must have some relevant experience in the field before aiming to become a CFA. It is a very useful option for financial professionals that are willing to learn more about financial planning, analysis and management.
3. Financial Risk Management
Each business is dealing with a certain degree of risk and everyone wants to mitigate the amount of risk involved in business operations. As a result, the Financial Risk Management certification course is one of the most sought-after professional courses after MBA. Various types of risks are to be dealt with by every organization, namely, foreign exchange risk, inflation risk, sector risk, liquidity risk, reputation risk, and business risk. These professional courses enable learners to understand the process of measuring, analyzing and handling risk. Professionals who can complete this course can achieve a position like Chief Risk Officer, Director of Risk Management, Senior Risk Analyst and Head of Operational Risk in an organization.
4. Personality Development Course
Effective communication and an impactful personality are important components in a professional setting. After an MBA, a learner can opt for an effective personality development course that helps in improving verbal and non-verbal communication and public speaking skills. Effective communication and public speaking skills will not only help you in your interview after the MBA but are also vital for establishing a fruitful career in the long run. A well-structured personality development course covers important aspects like communication, public speaking, negotiation and team-handling.
5. Project Management Professional
Another important professional course after MBA is the Project Management Professional course. This is a course built specifically for people interested in the field of project management. As this course covers various aspects related to project management like project execution, controlling, initiating and closing, it can provide opportunities for becoming a Project Manager. Various industries like engineering, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, and consulting are looking for well-learned project managers. You can become a project management expert after learning the various aspects related to this domain.
6. Digital Marketing Certification
An MBA course covers the basics of marketing, including digital marketing. However, there is a lot to learn in this field and if you are looking to make it big in the area of digital marketing after your MBA, it is better to opt for a professional course that can help you learn in detail about the various nuances of digital marketing. This is usually a certification course that can range from 6 months to a year. A digital marketing certification will help you gain practical knowledge about the various aspects of digital marketing and be a better professional in this field.
Conclusion
These are some of the best professional courses that can be pursued after an MBA that can help you grow professionally and carve a specific niche for your career. You can either choose an online or an offline platform for your learning journey. There are several platforms like public speaking learning apps, digital marketing learning apps, and other general platforms that provide you with courses from different streams. At the same time, various institutes and colleges can help you gain more knowledge about the chosen domain. Depending on your preference, you can opt for a professional course that can help you become a better manager and grow to senior positions in a short period.
