Difference Between a PGDM and an MBA

PGDM vs MBA

“PGDM” and “MBA” are both postgraduate courses offered by specific institutions to people who have already completed their bachelor’s degree. The content and scope of each course are different from each other.

PGDM and MBA: What They Stand For

“PGDM” stands for “Post Graduate Diploma in Management.” It is a diploma course that started in the U.K., while “MBA” is an acronym for “Master of Business Administration, a degree course introduced in the U.S. that is required to obtain a doctorate degree, the highest postgraduate degree available.

PGDM and MBA: Where To Obtain Them

PGDMs may be obtained from business schools or some other private institutions. MBA programs, meanwhile, are taken in universities and university-affiliated institutions.

PGDM and MBA: Career Prospects

As a degree course, MBA programs are much more recognized. Graduates of MBA programs have more job and career prospects not to mention they are more financially rewarding as well.

PGDM and MBA: Curriculum

PGDMs are based on practical knowledge, industry trends, and requirements. The curriculum is flexible and usually attuned to current industry practices. The curriculum of a Master of Business Administration degree is very rigid and not flexible in the sense that it can be changed frequently. It is usually academic and theory oriented.  Exams and other types of coursework are common.

Potential students can study full-time or part-time in both courses. MBAs can be further classified into different types like: Executive MBA, accelerated MBA, distance learning, or Dual MBA.

PGDM and MBA: Admission Requirements

Admission to an MBA degree university is much harder compared to entering a PGMD course.  PGMDs require only a bachelor’s degree. But to enter an MBA program, one needs to pass the entrance examination and a personal interview besides having a bachelor’s degree. In many cases, recommendations from colleagues or associates are needed to bolster one’s application to an MBA program.

PGDM and MBA: The Scope

PGDMs are concentrated on management . MBAs, meanwhile, focus not only on management but on all aspects of a business, such as accountancy, economics, finance, marketing, and human resource. An MBA degree has more content and academic breadth compared to a PGDM.

PGDM and MBA: The Cost

Both may require the same duration of study, but in terms of cost, MBAs are more expensive than a PGDM course.

Summary:

1. Both MBAs and PGDMs are postgraduate courses that offer specialized knowledge of the business industry. Both courses are often used as an advantage for career prospects.
2. “PGDM” stands for “Post Graduate Diploma in Management,” a diploma course that is a professional approach to management. “MBA” stands for Master of Business Administration, a degree course that is an academic approach to business.
3. PGDM courses are usually offered by private businesses and institutions while MBAs are granted by a university or an institution affiliated with one. The MBA can be further continued to a doctorate degree (or simply a PhD).
4. The PGDM curriculum is flexible and designed for current industry trends and requirements. Meanwhile, the MBA curriculum is more rigid, academic-based, and theory-oriented. As an academic degree, an MBA has a variety of required coursework like exams, reports, and case studies.
5. MBAs have stricter admission requirements. The requirements include a bachelor’s degree, interview, recommendations, and the completion of an exam. For a PGDM, a bachelor’s degree can suffice as its requirement.
6. PGDM and MBA students can be full-time or part-time.  However, some MBA students can enroll in accelerated, Executive, Dual, or distance learning MBAs.
7. MBAs include many subjects regarding the whole aspect of business, which includes economics, accounting, human resources, finance, marketing, and management. In contrast, PGDMs deal mainly with management.
8. Both courses have different origins. PGDMs originated in the United Kingdom while MBAs were developed in the United States.

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