Which One to Choose: A Specialized Degree or a College?

The world of Education has changed and evolved over the years, especially in the last decade. While there is no doubt that traditional undergraduate degrees are still in demand, students are looking for programs that are industry aligned and are offering more opportunities in terms of industry exposure including internships and placements.

Specialized Degree Programs focus on a specific field of study and offer students a more specific curriculum and course structure compared to what they receive in an undergraduate program.

Colleges Ramp up, but so does Confusion:

A college acts as your 1st stepping stone to a better career. A good college can help you to improve your academic performance, get a good grasp in the relevant field, and finally, avail of decent career opportunities.

After the 12th Board Exams, students are facing problems when it comes to selecting a good college. The mushroom growth of colleges in India (AICTE: No nod for new engineering colleges till 2024) and their usual 4-5 Old degrees without any Industry Exposure are making this confusion more substantial and sustaining.

The number of colleges in India has increased, and so has the number of courses. India has over 1000+ Universities (1055 to be precise), and around 4500+ Institutes approved by AICTE.

But most of them offer traditional courses with a decade-old curriculum. In such a scenario, it can be not very clear for students to choose a degree that helps them stand apart.

Specialized Degrees Gain Preference

Specialized Degree Programs are gaining preference among students because these courses allow them to become relevant in today's job market. They enable students to specialize in their chosen field by righteous guidance via an industry-relevant curriculum and exemplary academic offerings in terms of Projects, Case Studies, and Placement Assistance as well.

The specialized degrees are designed to provide students with comprehensive information about a specific field. These degrees are beneficial for students who want to pursue careers related to their degree.

We can also think of an MBA which is offered with the specializations of Business Analytics or Product Management which will not only make students ready for the corporate but also will help the institutions to align their curriculum as per the industry trends.

Specializations in Technology and Management Domains

Popular job portals, as well as corporate career boards, are a popular way for potential candidates to search and apply for these jobs. Usually, colleges offering these specializations also help with getting placements.

List of a few Specializations which are gaining traction in Management and Tech Fields:

Tech Specializations

• AI and ML
• Cloud Computing
• Data Science
• Full Stack Development
• Cyber security
• Blockchain
• Internet of things

Management Specializations

• Business Analytics
• Product Management
• Branding And Advertisement
• Financial Risk Management
• Digital Marketing

Benefits of Choosing a Specialised Degree

• Specialised degree programs are customized based on the current industry trends and future career scope, hence it opens advanced career opportunities to students.
• It helps institutions in determining key areas of academics that need to be focused on. Institutions get more credibility among the aspirants for the programs being offered.
• Specialized programs provide students with better access to focused resources, professors, industry experts, and Placement opportunities.
• Students will be able to choose a niche and can take advantage of the strengths in the specialized courses to jump-start their careers.

Why choose upGrad Campus for the Specialized Offerings?

Following are the key features of our Specialized Offerings by upGrad Campus:

• Industry-Aligned Curriculum curated and delivered exclusively by Top Industry Experts.
• Well-balanced modules that focus on concepts and hands-on practice through Case Studies, Capstone Projects, and Live Interactions.
• Full Placement Assistance by upGrad Campus for every enrolled Student which comprises Mock Interview Training, Soft Skills Training, and Special Aptitude Module, Domain Specific Training.
• Exclusive Admissions Marketing Team which will focus on all channels of upGrad Campus, both online as well as offline.

Along with the regular technology degrees such as B.Tech./B.E./BCA/MCA/M.E./M.Tech., upGrad Campus offers specializations in areas like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning(AIML), Data Science, Full Stack Development, Cyber Security, Internet of Things(IoT), Cloud Computing, Blockchain, etc.

Management Programs that have BBA/MBA degrees can be embedded with specializations like Digital Marketing, Business Analytics, Product Management, Branding and Advertising, Financial Risk Management, etc.

End Note

Specialized degrees are growing in demand as they combine knowledge and skills which coincide with the global market demand. They can provide a competitive edge to students and prove to be a better option than traditional degrees in college.

It allows individuals to graduate with the most relevant knowledge for launching their careers and is no doubt the much-needed reform in the higher education sectors today.

Institutions need to stop focusing on the old and traditional curriculum which lacked a substantial focus on the industry knowledge and practical exposure of the students, instead, they should start working on incorporating the industry within their Full-Time Degrees themselves.

(Dear readers, if you are a part of a Higher Education Institute (HEI) and want to digitally transform your campus or start offering programs with new-age specializations, kindly reach out to us at campus.sales@upgrad.com or visit us at college.upgradcampus.com/contact)