collageWhen evaluating your study options and doing your research you’ll probably have come across qualifications that are categorised as professional degrees. Perhaps you’re not entirely sure what this means or what differentiates such programmes and courses from academic degrees. You may also be asking yourself if they have a particular impact on your career trajectory. We take a closer look at professional degrees for you and examine what they’re all about.
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what are the best professional courses
Professional degrees are generally defined as qualifications that have a primary focus on a particular specialisation or area. These degrees are geared towards preparing students for professional careers in a given field, such as law or education. What you will find is that the curriculum has a practical orientation and incorporates real-world scenarios.
The aim is to get you up to speed with some of the more common tasks and activities you will have to take on in the course of your work. Often professional degrees include the work-based learning modules or components in the form of internships or work placements. This allows you to practically apply your learning and knowledge.
How is a professional degree different from an academic degree?
The main difference between the two types of qualifications is that an academic degree will focus more on theory and research than a professional degree does. In most cases, an academic degree will not stress the need to find a real-world or practical application of knowledge in a particular field.
This does not however mean that you can simply define an academic degree as a generalist pursuit, as many focus on a dedicated subject or field of enquiry. This is especially true if you move to an advanced level of study such as a master’s degree or PhD. An academic degree will usually require you to refine your writing, research and independent thinking.
How do I choose between a professional or academic degree?
Your decision can be informed by several factors. Firstly, you need to evaluate your interests and abilities. It’s best to try and align these with a complementary field of study, by mapping your career and study ambitions. A lot will also depend on what sort of career you wish to pursue, which may be influenced by your personality or your skills set. If you have a particular career in mind it’s a good idea to check if you’ll need a professional qualification to work in the field.
Don’t forget that a degree may only be the first step in your path towards a career, with many fields requiring you to pass professional and accreditation exams or study further courses to work professionally and meet the necessary regulations.
List of Professional Courses after Graduation
Today, an undergraduate degree offers limited scope in terms of salary and job prospects, leading many students to take the road less travelled, i.e. opting for a professional course. A professional course/certification offers opportunities to dig deeper into a particular field rather than becoming a jack-of-all-trades. These courses bring together the right mix of technical knowledge, skill development components, and industry orientation thus grooming students for a specialized field of their choice. If you have recently completed your bachelor’s degree and are looking for professional programs then, here is a comprehensive list of some of the most opted professional courses after graduation.
What are Professional Courses?
Professional Courses means providing students with industry-specific skills. A professional course provides students with practical skills. Students become job-ready after the course. In comparison, the goal of a degree course is to provide them with a strong academic foundation and expertise in a particular subject. The aim of these courses is on skill-building, career development and self-improvement. This gives the students an edge over the others and also fosters creativity. Professional courses instil requisite soft skills in students that are much-needed in the industry.
Top 10 Professional Courses after Graduation
There are numerous job-oriented short-term courses as well as degrees you can explore after graduation. But picking the right program for your boosting your career can be a tough call. So, here is a list of top 10 best courses after graduation:
- PG Diploma in Management (PGDM)
- MBA (Masters in Business Administration)
- MTech
- PGD in Hotel Management
- PGPM
- Certification in Finance and Accounting (CFA)
- Project Management
- PG Diploma in Digital Marketing or Business Analytics
- Business Accounting and Taxation [BAT Course]
- Masters in Data Science or Machine Learning
Now, let’s explore these job-oriented professional courses after graduation in further detail:
PG Diploma in Management (PGDM)
If you don’t want to follow the typical route of an MBA, you can opt for a PGDM program which is another popular choice amongst the long list of professional courses after graduation. It equips an individual with essential knowledge of Business and Management concepts. Typically, it gears individuals for discovering job prospects in senior levels of Management. It also offers speedy career advancement opportunities to progress towards managerial or executive roles. Some of the popular PGDM courses are listed below:
| International Business | PGDM in Finance |
| Operations Management | Business Analytics |
| Marketing | Retail Management |
MBA (Masters in Business Administration)
Becoming one of the popularly chosen courses after graduation, an MBA degree holds the potential of equipping you with massive industry exposure and skill set in your chosen field of interest. It features at the top of our list of professional courses after graduation owing to the wide range of MBA specializations available in every domain from Media Management and Interior Designing to Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship. Moreover, studying MBA from abroad avails you with extensive international exposure as well as networking opportunities to sail further in your field of interest.Want to Study Abroad?
MTech
With the rapid technological advancement tangling our world in wires and cables, an M.Tech degree is perfect for those wanting to discover the immense prospects that this technical domain holds. Often referred to as an equivalent to a ME (Master of Engineering) degree, the sole difference that sets an MTech apart is that it is more skill-oriented while the former is knowledge-oriented. Amongst the list of professional courses after graduation, MTech for working professionals is the right option for those aspiring to explore the varied technical specializations such as Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, amongst others.
PGD in Hotel Management
Generally offered as a 1-2 year program, a Post Graduate Diploma in Hotel Management prepares students for managing roles in the hospitality industry. With the booming hospitality industry, establishing your career in Hotel Management comes with an array of exciting opportunities as you will get the chance to travel the world and work at top hotels, cruise ships, airlines and much more.
PGPM
As a one-year intensive postgraduate course, a Post Graduate Program in Management (PGPM) is ideal for those wanting to earn a professional master’s degree in lesser duration. With a rigorous curriculum, this course essentially focuses on the field of Management Studies and helps working professionals dwell deeper into this vast area of study. Incorporating an array of workshops and interactive learning into the structure is another significant mention in our list of professional courses because of the specialized knowledge it can equip you with regarding business and management.
Certification in Finance and Accounting (CFA)
This list of professional courses after graduation will be incomplete without the mention of Finance and Accounting courses. Prestigious certifications such as Chartered Accountancy (CA) or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) attract students from different backgrounds and aspiring for a faster route towards a career in Finance. Typically, you need to qualify through multiple levels of tests as well as a few minimum years of industry experience.
Project Management
Another key professional course you can pursue after graduation is a certification program in Project Management, for instance, an MBA in Project Management. Project management plays a pivotal role in ensuring effective management which can further lead to increased performance in a time-bound manner. Medical, Manufacturing, IT and Finance firms are always on the lookout for qualified project management professionals. The Project Management Professional Certification (PMP) is the most popular one in this field.Project Management Courses in CanadaMBA in Project Management
Business Accounting and Taxation
Amalgamating the specialized fields of Accounting and Taxation with the wider domain of Business, a BAT Course is a certified 6-month program that covers advanced concepts of Accounting, taxation along with payroll policies and the integral disciplines of Economics. In the long list of professional courses after graduation, this interdisciplinary program can equip you with the varied knowledge of handling the different aspects of business operations from account-keeping to managing funds and handling taxes.
PG Diploma in Digital Marketing or Business Analytics Courses
An important constituent of the list of professional courses after graduation is certification courses in the field of Digital Marketing, Social Media, SEO or Business Analytics. Such courses are perfect for those wanting to explore a career in Digital Marketing. Students are equipped with the right skills and knowledge that is imperative to analyze and understand user markets and devise solutions related to product marketing, future trends, customer relations, cost optimization, etc.
Masters in Data Science or Machine Learning
Machine Learning or Data Science is one of the hottest fields in the current job market as data eclipsing oil has become the highest-valued resource in the world. Machine learning helps in understanding human choices and preferences through data which leads to the development of improved user-based technologies. A master’s in Machine Learning or Data Science can direct you towards exploring different roles in senior executive positions.
List of Professional Courses After Graduation: Diploma and Certificate
As we are familiar with the above-mentioned degree based professional courses, given below are some of the popular diploma courses that one can pursue in shorter duration as compared to the above ones
| Diploma/ Certificate | Duration |
| Diploma in Bakery and Confectionery | 1 – 1.5 year |
| Diploma in Visual Merchandising | 3 months – 1 year |
| Diploma in Food and Beverage Services | 6 months – 1 year |
| Diploma in Airline, Travel and Tourism Management | 1 year |
| Diploma in Gemology | 2 months – 1 year |
| Diploma in Photography | 1 year |
| Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics | 1 year |
| Diploma in Airline, Travel and Tourism Management | 1 year |
| Diploma in Construction Management | 1 year |
| Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT) | 2 years |
| Diploma in Hotel Management (DHM) | 3 years |
| Diploma in Rural Healthcare | 1 year |
| Diploma in Nursing Care Assistant (DNCA) | 1 – 2 years |
| Diploma in Scriptwriting/Creative Writing | 1 year |
| Diploma in Communicative English | 1 year |
| Certificate in Digital Marketing | 3 – 6 months |
| Certificate in Home Health Aide | 2 – 6 months |
| Certificate in Photography | 3 months – 1 year |
| Certificate in General Duty Assistant | 2 – 6 months |
| Certificate in X-Ray Technician | 1 year |
List of Professional Courses after Graduation in Arts
While the aforementioned programs are the best job-oriented and high-salary courses after graduation for all streams of study, finding the appropriate specialisation for your chosen domain is also important. Here is a complete list of Professional Courses after Graduation in Arts:
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
- PG Diploma/Masters in Journalism and Communication
- Bachelor of Education (BEd)
- Bachelor of Library Science
- Masters/PG Diploma in Digital Marketing
- LLB
- Foreign Language Courses
- PG Diploma in Management (PGDM)
- PG Diploma in Business Analytics (PGDBA)
- PG Diploma in Digital Marketing
- PGDEMA
List of Professional Courses after Graduation in Science
There are a plethora of professional courses after graduation in Science stream that you can choose from like a Master’s degree in Science, MTech, Engineering Management, Educational Technology, to name a few. Here are the top professional courses after graduation in Science:
- Master of Science (MS/MSc)
- Master of Technology (MTech)/Master of Engineering (MEng)
- Master of Computer Applications (MCA)
- Masters in Computer Science
- PG Diploma in Business Analytics
- Paramedical Courses
- PG Diploma in Hospital Management/Hospital Administration
- MBA (Master of Business Administration)
- Financial Engineering Courses
- Mobile App Development Courses
- Robotics Engineering Courses
List of Professional Courses after Graduation in Commerce
Looking for the best job-oriented course after B.Com, BBA or BMS? Commerce is a vast field of study expanding across varied other disciplines and many specialisations sprouting from it! Here are the most popular high-salary professional courses after graduation in Commerce:
- Chartered Accountancy (CA)
- M.Com
- MBA
- MCA
- PGDCA (Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications)
- Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
- Business Accounting and Taxation (BAT)
- Tally Course
- Masters in Digital Marketing
- PGDM in Finance
- PGDEMA
- Certification Courses for Commerce Students like Certificate in E-commerce, Certificate in Banking, Certificate in Accounting, etc.
Some of the best professional courses after graduation in Commerce are elaborated below:
MCom
Master of Commerce or M.Com is a 2-year postgraduation program that is counted amongst the popular job oriented courses after BCom. The MCom syllabus covers subjects like Business Environment, Marketing Management, International Business, Statistics, etc, very comprehensively and provides advanced knowledge of the field.
PGDEMA
For those exploring the list of professional courses after graduation to establish a career in the education sector, Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Management and Administration is a must to consider. Providing a comprehensive view of how educational administrative systems work, this diploma program also focuses on imparting the students with knowledge of the current educational scenario and its inner workings.
Tally
The reason why this course made it to our list of professional courses after graduation is its low cost and short duration. Used as accounting software for small and medium businesses, the course on this runs for a period of 3 months. This one of the popular short term courses in Finance offers students a platform to acquire knowledge in areas like Taxation, Banking, Accounting, etc.
PGDM in Finance
One of the popular PGDM courses, this program imparts extensive knowledge and equips students with skills pertaining to financial management. The curriculum of this 2-year course covers areas like mergers, working capital management, bookkeeping, deregulation, etc. On completing this program, the students can work in various profiles like Portfolio Manager, Equity Analyst, Financial Planner, etc.
PGD in Computer Management
Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Management is a popular choice amongst students when it comes to pursuing a program from the list of professional courses after graduation. This 1-year program acquaints students with knowledge pertaining to various Computer Science subjects and coding. On completing the diploma program, the graduates can work in profiles like Software Developers, IT Specialist, Consultants, etc.
Mobile App Development
A popular route to gain expertise and build a career in this area is through pursuing a diploma or short term courses in Mobile App Development. From creating programs for Android, IoS, etc to gaining knowledge on the use of GIS/GPS in phones, the course imparts knowledge in extensive areas and this is the reason why it has become a popular choice from the list of professional courses after graduation amongst students.
Where to Pursue Professional Courses After Graduation?
| Professional Courses | Universities/Institutes |
| PG Diploma in Management | The Univerity of Queensland; London School of Business and Finance; ESMT Berlin; The Univerity of Sydney; James Cook University; Auckland University of Technology; |
| MBA | University of Pennsylvania‘s Wharton School of Business; Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business; INSEAD; HEC Paris; IESE Busines School; Cambridge University’s Judge School of Business; |
| Masters of Business Analytics | MIT’s Sloan School of Management; ESSEC Business School, France Imperial College London; ESADE; Alliance Manchester Business School; University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management; University of Toronto’s Rottman School of Management; |
| Project Management | The University of Manchester; RMIT Univerity; The University of Warwick; The University of Adelaide; Boston University; Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Art; |
| Data Science | Stanford Univerity; City, University of London; Columbia Univerity; Technical University Munich; Australian National Univerity; University of Potsdam; |
Note: This is not an exhaustive list. There are a wide range of academic institutions offering various professional courses after graduation.
Others in the List of Professional Courses after Graduation
Apart from the above certifications/courses, there are few other certification programs you can choose from. These courses offer exciting career opportunities as well as scope for advancement to senior management and executive roles. Many professional courses such as Data Science, Machine Learning, Engineering Management, Public Policy, etc are offered at elite universities across the globe. Along with the USA, Australia, UK, and Canada, some other study abroad destinations like France, China, Russia also offer courses with an industry-focused edge.
Some of the courses below require a bachelor’s degree in a specialized field while others require prior experience. Moreover, it is advised to visit the official website of the university offering your chosen course to know more about the eligibility criteria and course structure.
Graduation Courses in IGNOU
There are various courses offered at the Indira Gandhi National Open University for admission to the January and July 2022 session. The following table covers all the graduation courses in IGNOU.
| Course | Average Fees |
| BSc Biochemistry | ₹43,500/- |
| Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLIS) | ₹7,200/- |
| Bachelor of Arts in Tourism Studies (BTS) | ₹10,200/- |
| Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) | ₹40,200/- |
| Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) | ₹16,200/- |
| Bachelor of Science Honours Biochemistry (BSCBCH) | ₹43,500/- |
| Bachelor of Business Administration (BBARL) | ₹27,000/- |
| Bachelor’s Degree Programmes (BDP) B.A., B. Com., B. Sc. | For B.A. & B. Com ₹7,200/- For B.Sc. ₹12,600/- |
| Bachelor of Education (BEd) | ₹50,000/- |
| BSc Nursing (Post Basic) (BScN(PB)) | ₹45,000/- |
| Bachelor’s Preparatory Programme (BPP) | ₹1,200/- |
Graduation Courses after 12th Arts
The following is a list of graduation courses after 12th Arts.
- Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
- Bachelor of Journalism (BJ)
- Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Law (B.A. L.L.B.)
- Bachelor of Computer Application (BCA)
- BA In Psychology
- Bachelor Of Hotel Management (BHM)
- Bachelor Of Journalism & Mass Communication (BJMC)
- Bachelor of Mass Media (BMM)
Graduation Courses after 12th Commerce
The following is a list of graduation courses after 12th Commerce.
- BCom (Bachelors of Commerce)
- BBA (Bachelors of Business Administration)
- BMS (Bachelors of Management Studies)
- Bachelors in Travel and Tourism
- Bachelors in Hospitality
- Bachelors in Event Management
- Bachelors in Hotel Management
- BBA LLB
- BA LLB
- Bachelor of Foreign Trade
- BBS (Bachelor of Business Studies)
- BSc. Animation and Media
- Bachelor of Social Work
- Bachelor of Vocational Studies
- B. Ed (Bachelor of Education)
Graduation Courses after 12th Science
The following list covers the popular graduation courses after 12th science.
- BSc Nutrition and Dietetics
- BSc Forestry
- BSc Anesthesia
- BSc Nautical Science
- BS Geology
- BSc Cardiology
- BSc Microbiology
- BSc Aviation
- BSc Visual Communication
- BSc Psychology
- BSc Radiology
- BSc Chemistry
- BSc Botany
- BSc Forestry
- BSc Microbiology
- BSc Nursing
- BSc Physiotherapy
- BSc Radiology
- BSc Bioinformatics
- BSc Physic
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