Should a working professional pursue a 1 Year MBA amid COVID-19?

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Should a working professional opt for a full time One Year MBA amid COVID-19?

10 May 2021
- admin
Sometime in the middle of 2020, there was an article in the Forbes Magazine by Paulina Karpis, Brunchwork Co-founder. In the article, she was vehement that an MBA was not worth it following the COVID 19 pandemic. She opined that an MBA was archaic and built its learning on outdated case studies. In a game where rules changed overnight due to the pandemic, disruption of business strategies required a nimble approach which could be catered to by MOOCs (massive open online courses). Dwindling job offers only buttressed her claim. However, a closer look would probably tell the reader that she was only advocating for a cause which she believed and invested in.

There have been doubts in the minds of many MBA aspirants during the raging pandemic and the reasons were manifold. The pandemic ensured that standard classroom experiences gave way to virtual learning modules.

In these times, the working professional is bound to have questions on whether to leave a secure job, go in for a full time MBA or wade into a sea of uncertainty. Many also resort to support from a bank to do an MBA, and for them it is a piquant situation whether they should go in for an MBA at this time?

The answer lies in the fact that this pandemic led recession will not last beyond a few years. The deadliest pandemic in history, the Spanish Flu began in 1918 and petered out by 1920 and in that era, medicine and vaccines were virtually non-existent. Human civilizations in the past have adapted to virulent pandemics and there is no reason to believe this is different. Thus, it is almost certain that the health and economic situation will be back to normal latest by 2023 and the Covid-19 pandemic will also go down as an also ran. This further brings us into a situation where a one year MBA will graduate by the latter part of 2022 and be prepared to take advantage of the upturn.

Reasons for choosing a one year MBA in Covid times

The decision to go in for a one year MBA rests on the motivation of the working professional, and their career goals. The One year MBA offers something very different than a conventional one. It is an accelerated business program that looks to impart skills according to the student’s specific needs. It looks to build on the experience of the working professional and make him ready for a leap up the career ladder. The relatively lesser cost is an added plus and results in a higher ROI. The possibility of returning back to a better job prospect and armed with the necessary skills to further one’s career is certainly a good option.
- Positive career outlook : To pursue a one year MBA when the economy is seeing a downturn is certainly a right decision. The adaptable & current business program is focussed on expanding skillsets of the students to take on the problems of the new normal. Economic recovery would coincide with when MBA students graduate. Post recession job markets are often great for business graduates as historical data tells us.
- Returning to education in uncertain times: Historical data also tells us that more students look to do MBA during uncertain times. An economic recession due to a public health situation is just the right point of entry for a one year MBA particularly if one wants to accelerate their career. Most presume that recession would mean cutting down on your expenses and conserving. On the other hand, having a wider range of skills can offer better protection against economic headwinds.
- Changing Landscape in business: Businesses are redefining their strategy in this dynamic and ever changing scenario. Adaptability and knowledge is key as operational efficiency and cost models acquire digital & technological hues and upgrades. For students to be on top of their game in this environment can only happen through a one year MBA that offers multiple advantages and checks all the boxes. If professionals do not upgrade, they would get left behind.
- Interaction and Networking: one of the key areas for success of an MBA student is their ability to learn through interaction with peers and professors. The one year MBA provides the opportunity to learn through live sessions & interactions. Besides, the ability to network with a diverse set of peers from various backgrounds & experiences is an added plus. Participation and interaction with stalwarts and leaders from various industries, cultures, regions, etc gives the student an opportunity to develop a strong professional network. Rather being didactic, interactive learning is what defines a one year MBA programme.
- Live Classes: The business model of MOOCs and online courses rely on recorded lectures. This leaves out a major element of live interactions with educators, which can focus on real life problem solving rather than a theoretical approach. Live classes also mean that changing scenarios can be incorporated in the programmes and this brings an added dimension in today’s fast paced business world.
- Wider knowledge database – Entrepreneurs look at the one year MBA to enhance their knowledge database, become creative in problem solving and leverage their knowledge to kickstart their business or reignite their careers. Executives and managers take up one year MBA courses to position themselves for promotions and accelerate their career path.
- Big Career Shift – Professionals looking to change their career path into emerging areas or different functional areas can use the one year MBA to acquire the relevant skill-sets to hone their knowledge and overall skills, make their CV robust, and hence, transform their career, in a short duration of time.
Crisis, no matter how severe, will not last forever. However, the impact of a good education and pursuing an MBA degree while still amid the crisis will help take advantage of the upcoming upturn and recovered economy, post pandemic.

Enrolling in a one year MBA course today would be a smart decision as the class graduating in 2022-23 will, in actuality, be the beneficiaries of a robust One year MBA course, equipped with training in sound decision making, taking full advantage of new technology – AI, and machine learning, to maximize efficiency and ROI in business.

To Conclude

The concept of “disruption” has assumed new dimensions as COVID-19 outbreak has caused massive damage to economies. To address new challenges requires nimble and quick decision making and a radical change in the way we look at business. The COVID-19 pandemic came as a surprise, and was a wake-up call for business professionals. Business school education evolved to understand the importance of preparing for the possibility of worst-case scenarios & how to creatively solve these problems.

One year MBA programmes frequently update their curricula in sync with the external industry. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, it would be essential for management students to understand and tackle financial and economic problems caused in its wake.

Business schools will also, on their part, look to impart learning to students through examples of business problems being dealt with in real time and application of ideas that could be applied in a variety of circumstances.

The unique curriculum of a one year MBA has a combination of diverse contents. While the core courses look to provide a refresher to the working professional in essential topics of management, such as HR, Finance or Marketing, electives have a different impetus. Students can either deepen or extend knowledge acquired in their preferred functional areas, or they can look to change track in other trending subjects such as Human Resource, Business Leadership etc.