MBA in Finance is a two-year or four-semester postgraduate course in financial management. The Master of Business Management or MBA course in Finance is a highly demanded academic programme among graduate students. The course hones students in the domain of capital management in financial institutions and corporate firms. Ranging from the sourcing and investment of capital to its optimum utilisation, students get trained in every aspect of finance handling. The career and job avenues after completing the MBA course in Finance are many.
The MBA in Finance programme makes students proficient in managing capital and other assets as well as in the developing assets, managing funds, and managing risks involved in financial management and development. While this degree course is majorly available to pursue as a full-time option, there are some institutions, which also offer the options of doing MBA Finance on a part-time, online, virtual classroom, or distance learning basis. However, in the case of options other than full-time, the course duration may vary. Depending on the course, institution and mode of study, the programme fee may vary from less than INR 1 lakh to more than INR 20 lakhs.
If you are interested in pursuing the MBA in Finance course, then it is required to possess a certain skill set that is essential to succeed in this programme. Following are some skills that can make you excel at the finance management study:
Effective oral and written communication
Good presentation ability
Good listening and relationship management skills
Risk taking and problem-solving approach
Leadership and teamwork abilities
Cooperative and helping nature
Quantitative ability
Various government and private educational institutions offer an MBA programme in the field of Finance Management. In fact, there are close to 4,000 institutions or B-schools across India, which provide this highly demanded course to graduates. Following are some of the most popular business schools from where students can pursue the MBA in Finance degree programme:
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), multiple locations
Xavier’s Labour Research Institute (XLRI), Jamshedpur
Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon
Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM), Pune
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai
ICFAI Business School, Hyderabad
Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), University of Delhi, New Delhi
S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai
Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai
Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai
Sikkim Manipal University – Distance Education (SMU-DE), Bengaluru
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), multiple locations
Students should select the institution based on their preference for the mode of study, as well as their budget for pursuing the course. They can also go for education loans if they are not able to afford education in a top institution when they are brilliant enough to secure admission in it. Pursuing the MBA in Finance course from a renowned institution that excels in offering specialised finance programmes can provide great job opportunities to students.
While there may be specific eligibility criteria for Indian and foreign students to take admission in certain B-schools, all institutions require candidates to meet some basic criteria before seeking admission in the MBA in Finance course. These eligibility criteria include the following:
The candidate must possess a graduation degree (10+2+3 pattern) or an equivalent degree in any discipline from a recognised University or institution.
The candidate should have a minimum of 50% marks or equivalent CGPA in the qualifying exam. Please note that this condition may vary by institution and may be relaxed for some candidate categories under the reservation system.
Most of the B-schools offering MBA in Finance courses will require candidates to appear in an entrance exam and/or interview/GD. For instance, some common entrance exams for admission in certain groups of institutions include CAT, MAT, GMAT, XAT, etc. Thus, students should be prepared to appear for such entrance tests before seeking admission in the institutions of their choice.
As B-schools may have additional eligibility criteria, candidates must check every single condition of the institution to which they apply.
The MBA in Finance course is a specialised programme in itself. Finance is a specialisation offered under the MBA degree programme. While the course does not offer further specialisations, students can select some subjects as electives when they enter the second year of their course. The MBA in Finance programme, in general, lets them gain the knowledge in various domains like Financial Planning, Accounting, Economics, and a variety of Business Operations.
By pursuing an MBA course in Finance, students learn about the working of financial institutions, corporate finance, money and capital markets, portfolio analysis, and management information systems. They also gain an understanding of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, techniques of financial analyses, business statistics, business writing and financial documentation, advanced marketing, and various other issues related to the organisation and management of businesses. After completing the MBA in Finance course, students can grab appealing jobs in the business sector.
An MBA degree in Finance can make students proficient financial managers who can work in the top organisations in the corporate sector, as well as in financial institutions and banks. They can also take up managerial roles in government departments and agencies, manufacturing firms, and almost all types of companies. As every business needs a financial analyst, finance executive or finance officer, the career opportunities are endless for students after completing the MBA in Finance course.
Apart from working as finance managers, students can also go for job roles like accounts manager, equity research analyst, accounts officer, business analyst, securities analyst, research analyst, and assistant manager. They can even go into teaching financial management to MBA students in B-schools and universities. Further, there is a great option for MBA in Finance professionals to start their own business firms. While they can run a business of their choice, they can also go for a financial advisory firm after completing a specialised course in finance.
Other than that, they can work for consultancies that offer financial advisory services to clients nationally and internationally. Finance professionals have no dearth of domestic, as well as global jobs. After gaining ample experience in their field, they can attain a lot of progress as a financial management professional. Those who pursue part-time or distance programmes in finance can also grow and develop well in their current or future jobs after completing the MBA in Finance course. The course also has a good scope when it comes to promotional opportunities within the organisations that professionals are associated with.