The Counsellor - 6

Creative career

I am in second year pursuing BBA and I want to opt for a postgraduate course in advertising and public relations. What is its scope and which are the known institutes for the same? Is work experience necessary?

Rakesh Soni

Public Relations (PR) professionals work in public relations firms, advertising agencies, large business houses, non-profit organisations, media and entertainment companies, hotels, tourism, hospitals, MNCs (corporate communication) , lobbies and pressure groups. You need good communication skills, written and oral, to get your foot in the door. Almost every ministry in the government has an information/liaison officer to handle press relations and public relations. All public sector enterprises, government information departments, trade fair authorities and banks and other financial institutions employ PROs and corporate communication professionals. The travel and hospitality industry also hires publicity officers. A hotel may hire you as a guest-relations officer and the package here is much better. The work will range from researching and creating content to media relations and business development. With sufficient experience in hand, you can also start your own PR consulting service. Typically for a postgraduate diploma course in advertising and PR, work experience is not mandatory. Some of the leading institutes are: Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi, www.iimc.nic.in, course: PG diploma in advertising and public relations, one-year Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, www.nmims.edu, course: PGDBM, specialisation in advertising MICA, Ahmedabad, www.micaindia.net, offers two courses: certificate programme in PR and event management, nine-month, fulltime residential and postgraduate programme in communications (with specialisation in corporate communication and public relations. Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, Pune, www.simc.edu, courses, two-year: Master’s programme in mass communication/communication management. Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, www.xaviercomm.org/courses. Courses: PG diploma in public relations. Makhanlal Chaturvedi Rashtriya Patrakarita Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, www.mcu.ac.in, course: MA in advertising and PR/broadcast journalism/mass communication Besides these, Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, YMCA and YWCA centres all over the country offer courses in PR and advertising.

Migration woes

I am working with a leading bank. My company has given me a transfer to China. I am wondering whether to accept the offer or not as it would mean living far away from my family. Please guide.

Shubendu De

Getting China on one’s CV has been a big trend in western economies and now Indian executives have realised that China is a completely new world.They are happy to flaunt the Chinese experience on their CVs.The number of Indians ready to take on jobs in China has gone up. Cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu are the main attractions for Indians. A host of companies across sectors such as Gati, L&T, Mahindra and Mahindra, TCS, Cognizant, Bank of Baroda and SBI have been sending their executives to China to expand their overseas operations. One of the reasons for doing so is to overcome the language barrier that exists in the country. Moreover, in order to provide better career opportunities, companies encourage the China stint, as it is one of the fastest growing economies. Even if you have to live away from your family for a few years, it doesn’t matter if your future holds bright in the long run.

Which way

I am in class XII and planning to join a five-year integrated MBA programme offered by a university in South-India. Please let me know its worth and prospects. Does an integrated MBA have the same value as a regular MBA or should I pursue a BTech instead?

Vikram Singh

While integrated courses are fine, they are not of much value unless done from a top-notch institution. It may be better to do your graduation first, particularly if you are a science student and contemplating a BTech anyway. Work for a while to gain some practical experience and then try for an MBA from a really good Bschool that offers excellent placement facilities. This is a better option than tying yourself down to a mediocre fiveyear course. Moreover, a technomanagement qualification is highly rated in the job market.

Teaching wise

I have completed MSc in zoology. If I pursue BEd, can I teach biotechnology at the school level?

Savita Devi

To teach biotechnology, you need a postgraduate degree in biotechnology/biochemistry/genetics/microbiology/life sciences. The biotechnology syllabus demands a different kind of content expertise and teachers who have done MSc in botany or zoology are not eligible to teach the subject at the senior secondary level.

Looking ahead

I want to know more about the new Master’s programme in education offered by Ignou. Please guide.

Resham Chanda

Ignou’s Master of Arts (education) programme is an innovative programme that provides a wide and comprehensive understanding of education covering a variety of areas ranging from understanding the concept of education to understanding how knowledge is generated in education. The course will help you acquire a higher level of specialisation in a specific aspect of education - higher education, distance education, educational technology and educational management. The objective of the programme is to produce well-trained professionals who are knowledgeable in education and its various dimensions. More specifically, it intends to: a) Provide learning-experience, which will enable you to understand and appreciate knowledge structures and paradigms of education. b) Develop professionals for effective participation in different areas of education c) Create a community of scholars adequately equipped for participation in educational discourse. Total number of credits: 68. You must cover 34 credits each year.The dissertation work in year two carries 10 credits. The eligibility criteria is Bachelor’s degree (any discipline) with/without a degree in education. You can complete the programme in a minimum of two years and in a maximum of five years. The medium of instruction is English. The fee is Rs 10,000 for the entire programme (in one installment). The multi-media instructional mode combines self-instructional print material, audio/video components, assignments, counselling sessions, teleconferencing, interactive radio counselling and dissertation work. Ignou’s School of Education also offers courses in following disciplines: PhD in Education, MA in distance education, Bachelor of Education (BEd). PG diploma in distance education, PG diploma in higher education, PG certificate in professional development of teachers, PG diploma in school leadership and management, diploma in primary education, certificate in primary education, certificate in elementary teacher education. The following academic programmes are under development: MPhil in education, PG diploma in educational technology, and postgraduate diploma in educational management.


Sunil Sharma
Moderator
Dil Se Desi Group