Academics

About Programme - MBA

Programme

The two-year full-time Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP), rated as the toughest MBA programme in the world to get admission, is the flagship programme of IIMA. Its main objective is to develop young men and women into competent professional managers, capable of working in any sector of organized activity, proceeding leadership and achieving excellence in performance while contributing to the welfare of the larger society. The programme specifically attempts to:

  • Equip students with the required conceptual and interpersonal skills and sense of social purpose for managerial decision-making,

  • Develop leadership capabilities to act as change agents and be a source of motivation in the organizations they work in,

  • Nurture the desire to excel in performance without compromising integrity, honesty and fairness.

 

IIMA is known for the depth and rigour of the programme. The curriculum, reviewed and revised periodically, remain relevant and contemporary.

MBA Faculty strength

Curriculum Overview

What is the curriculum like?

Every year the Indian Institute of Management at Ahmedabad admits select students in its post graduate programme. They are hand-picked out of about 20,000 high scorers — the cream of nearly two lakh aspirants who sit for the annual Common Admissions Test. The intense competition to gain admission to IIMA’s flagship management course affirms the Institute’s ability to give graduates the highest level of personal development, career opportunities, career satisfaction, and salary. The IIMA stamp certifies knowledge, practical skills and confidence. Continuous review, with an eye to latest trends in management needs and challenges, keeps the IIMA curriculum up to date. It is both rigorous and flexible, combining intellectual discovery and hands-on learning. While equipping students for their first job and it also prepares them for a lifetime of success.

What can students expect to do through the two years?

The two-year programme shapes competent professional managers, capable of achieving excellence in performance in any sector of organized activity to turn out innovators and leaders who contribute to the welfare of the larger society.

The PGP curriculum is designed to meet three objectives:

Equip students with the conceptual and interpersonal skills and sense of social purpose necessary for managerial decision-making;

Develop leadership capabilities to act as change agents and be a source of motivation in the organizations they work in;

Nurture the desire to excel in performance without compromising integrity, honesty and fairness.

Courses are of four basic types:

Foundational courses:

No matter what career path a student ultimately follows, they are going to need to be grounded in four key disciplines: Accounting, Finance, Marketing, and Organizational Behavior

Courses oriented to tools and techniques:

These are the “how to’s”: among other things, these courses teach operations, costing and control, quantitative methods, research methods, human resource management written analysis,

Functional courses:

Organizations succeed or fail on the basis of planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling: Courses such as Legal Aspects of Business, Macro-Economics and Planning, Strategy, Information Technology, Interpersonal and Group Processes are devoted to providing functional competence.

Courses that provide perspective:

Successful managers see the big picture and recognize opportunities quickly. Seeking perspective is a habit of mind that is taught in courses such as Financial Markets, Social and Cultural Environment of Business, Business, Environment and Sustainability, Government Systems and Policy Process, and Internet-Enabled Businesses.

Courses Offered

Compulsory Courses in the First Year (Tentative)

Term 1
No Course Acronym Course Title
1 FM Financial Markets
2 FRA Financial Reporting and Analysis
3 HRM-I Human Resource Management-I
4 ID Individual Dynamics
5 LAB Legal Aspects of Business
6 MGRCMN Managerial Communication
7 MGRCMP Managerial Computing
8 MKT-I Marketing-I
9 ME Microeconomics
10 OM-I Operations Management-I
11 QM-1a Quantitative Methods-IA
12 QM-1b Quantitative Methods-IB
13 OB Area Induction

 

Term 2

No Course Acronym Course Title
1 CCS Costing and Control Systems
2 FM Financial Markets
3 HRM-II Human Resource Management II
4 IGP Interpersonal and Group Processes
5 MEP Macroeconomics and Policy
6 MKT-II Marketing II
7 OM-II Operations Management II
8 PCE Personal and Corporate Ethics
9 QM-2 Quantitative Methods-2
10 SCEB The Social and Cultural Environment of Business
11 TBIT Transforming Business through Information Technology
12 WIP Workshop on Interviews and Presentations
13 WAC-I Written Analysis and Communication-I

 

Term 3

No Course Acronym Course Title
1 BRM Business Research Methods
2 BES Business, Environment and Sustainability
3 CF Corporate Finance
4 GSP Government Systems and Policy Process
5 IEB Internet-Enabled Businesses
6 MKT Marketing III
7 ODY Organizational Dynamics
8 SM Strategic Management
9 WAC-II Written Analysis and Communication-II
10 OM-III Operations Management- III

 

Flexi-core Courses (FC)

11 SHRM Strategic Human Resource Management
TCM Talent and Competency Management

 

 

Courses Offered in the Second Year (Tentative)

List of Electives Courses in Second year (Area Wise) based on offerings in the past 5 years.

No Course Acronym Course Name
Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship
1 NTADBM New Technology Application, Design and Business Models

 

Centre for Management in Agriculture

2 CINE CINE: Understanding Creativity, Innovation, Knowledge, Networks and Entrepreneurship
3 SY Shodh Yatra - Off Campus

 

Communication

4 CCR Communicating Corporate Reputation
5 CST Communication Skills for Team & Leadership Effectiveness
6 DC Difficult Communication
7 IC Intercultural Communication
8 MC Managerial Communication
9 EPETMC Media and Society: Economics, Politics, Ethics and Technologies for Mass Communication
10 OC Organizational Communication
11 PC Persuasive Communication
12 SCDE Strategic Communication in the Digital Era
13 SNS Strategic Negotiation Skills
14 SST Strategic Storytelling

 

Economics

15 ACS Auctions
16 BEE Behavioral and Experimental Economics
17 EDPG Economic Development Policy and Growth
18 EFQ Economics Of Food Quality
19 EoO Economics of Organization
20 EoS Economics of Strategy
21 GTA Game Theory and Applications
22 GAW Gender and Work
23 GFT Global Finance and Trade
24 GRFS Governance and Regulation in the Financial Sector
25 HE Health Economics
26 HITCH Hitchhiker's Guide to Business and Economies Across Five Centuries
27 IEST Indian Economy and Society Today
28 IPBD Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Big Data
29 MEM Managerial Econometrics
30 MTP Monetary Theory and Policy
31 PAN Pandemics!
32 REM Real Estate Management
33 RGHPE Revisiting Global Health & Pharmaceutical Economics During Covid-19
34 SPI Social Policy in India
35 WEBGP World Economy: Business, Government, and Policy

 

Finance and Accounting

36 AI Alternative Investments 
37 AVI Applied Value Investing 
38 BF Behavioural Finance
39 BB Bitcoin and the Blockchain
40 BFI Banking and Financial Intermediation
41 BSGR Black Swans and Gray Rhinos: Managing under Financial Crises
42 CG Corporate Governance 
43 FSA Financial Statement Analysis
44 FoF Financing of Firms 
45 FIS Fixed Income Securities
46 FORM Futures, Options and Risk Management
47 MFI Management of Financial Institutions
48 MACR Mergers, Acquisitions & Corporate Restructuring 
49 MFM Microfinance Management
50 MIPM Modern Investment & Portfolio Management
51 PTP Principles of Transfer Pricing
52 PEHC Private Equity, Hedge Funds and Corporate Finance
53 QAT Quantitative & Algorithmic Trading
54 SCF Stochastic Calculus in Finance
55 SPB Strategic Perspectives in Banking
56 UEPC Unlisted Equities & Patient Capital
57 VoF Valuation of Firms 

 

Human Resource Management

58 AIHRM AI and Human Resource Management
59 BS Business and Society 
60 GPP Games People Play: Psychology of HRM
61 HRMSS Human Resource Management in Service Sector
62 LDT Leading the Digital Transformation
63 MCEO Making of a CEO
64 MHCP Managing Human Capital in Projects
65 PCIH Personal Competencies for International HRM
66 UBG Understanding Bhagavad Gita: Managerial Perspective

 

Information Systems

67 BDA Big Data Analytics
68 DMBI Data Mining and Business Intelligence
69 DVDM Data Visualization for Decision Making
70 DIFD Digital Inclusion for Development
71 MSPE Management of Software Projects and Enterprise 
72 SMIS Strategic Management of Information Systems
73 SIE Strategies for Internet Economy

 

JSWSPP

74 PPIDI Public Policy for Inclusive Development of India

 

Marketing

75 AIM Artificial Intelligence & Marketing
76 BM Brand Management
77 B2B Business to Business Marketing
78 CB Consumer Behaviour
79 CBBS Customer Based Business Strategies
80 DMCDM Descriptive Models of Consumer Decision Making
81 DM Digital Marketing
82 DBBD Driving Better Business Decisions Through Superior Customer Insights and Sensemaking
83 INL Innovation, Live
84 MCVD Managing Customer Value Delivery
85 MRB Managing Retail Business
86 MRIS Market Research and Information Systems
87 ML Marketing Luxury
88 MMW Marketing Management in the World of High Tech. and Innovation 
89 MS Marketing Services
90 MME Mobile Marketing Essentials
91 NCB Neuroscience and Consumer Behaviour
92 NPCD New Products Creation and Development 
93 NFS Not for Sale : Psychology of Promotions
94 PCG Pricing
95 AIDP Privacy Paradox: Artificial Intelligence and Digital
Platforms
96 SMBC Semiotics: Strategies for Media and Brand Communication
97 SBM Strategic Brand Management
98 SM Strategic Marketing
99 SMM Strategic Models in Marketing 
100 UNG Understanding the New Gold: Digitalization, Fintech and Associated Technology, Regulation and Adoption

 

Organizational Behaviour

101 CIW Contemporary Indian Workplaces: Decent Work and Diversity 
102 ERI Explorations in Role and Identity
103 HPT High Performing Teams: A Journey
104 ITES Inner Theatre: An Encounter with Self 
105 NS Negotiation Strategies
106 CSW The Creative Self at Work

 

Operations and Decision Sciences

107 AMMMD Advanced Mathematical Modeling for Managerial Decisions
108 AMDA Advanced Methods of Data Analysis
109 BMDA Bayesian Methods for Data Analysis
110 BA Business Analytics
111 CTC Coordinating the Crowd
112 EC Elephants and Cheetahs: Systems, Strategy and Bottlenecks 
113 LOG Logistics
114 MAOR Managerial Applications of OR
115 OS Operations Strategy
116 SMDA Statistical Methods in Data Analysis
117 SCM Supply Chain Management
118 SCT Supply Chain Thinking: Value Creation and Adaptation
119 ACD The Art and Crafts of Decision Making
120 UCR Why Projects Fail? Uncertainty, Complexity and Risk in Projects
121 WwN Working with Networks

 

PGP (Others)

122 BIO Bionics
123 CFI Contemporary Film Industry: A Business Perspective
124 DBI Doing Business in India (Only for Exchange)
125 IHC India: History and Culture (Only for Exchange)
126 PFM Philosophical Foundation of Management
127 RMBA The Remains of the MBA

 

Public Systems Group

128 CaF  Carbon Finance
129 EBPD Experiments for Business and Policy Decision-making
130 GDPP Gender and Development Policy and Programmes
131 GGPLP Good Governance & People Living in Poverty
132 IPWH Industrialisation: Perspectives from World History
133 IDF Infrastructure Development & Financing
134 ISIKG Innovation, Social Institutions and Knowledge at the Grassroots
135 IMUT Innovations in Managing Urban Transport
136 ITS Intelligent Transportation Systems
137 ICSI Investigating Corporate Social Irresponsibility
138 MEnB Managing Energy Businesses
139 MMMkt Manipulation, Myth-Making and Marketing 
140 PTfD Participatory Theater for Development
141 PPO Power and Politics in Organization
142 PGA Probity in Governance and Administration
143 PP Public Policy
144 QRMUBHDNS Qualitative Research Methods for Understanding Business and Human Development in a Network Society
145 RTPM Rail Transport Planning and Management
146 SEISC Social Entrepreneurship: Innovating Social Change
147 RGG The Indian State, Democracy and Accountability Institutions: Rethinking Good Governance
148 MVE The Philosophical Underpinnings of Public Policy: Morals, Values, and Ethics
149 TSM Transformational Social Movement
150 URBAN Urban Economy and Business Environment

 

Ravi J. Matthai Centre for Education Innovation

151 DIS Designing and Implementing Surveys
152 EIE Enterprise and Innovation in Education
153 GTLM Gamification, Technology and Learning Motivation
154 MSLBET Managing Self-Limiting Beliefs in Education and Training
155 SGCISE Second Generation Challenges in Indian School Education

 

Strategy

156 BGL Business Government and Law
157 BNLL Business Negligence, Liability and Law
158 BT Business Taxation
159 BCR Businesses and the Constitutional Rights
160 CCCS Competence, Capability and Competitive Strategy
161 CPSF Consulting and Professional Service Firms
162 CTIB Contract Terms in International Business 
163 DSDT Digital Strategy and Digital Transformation
164 ETA Entrepreneurial Thought & Action
165 FBL Frontiers of Business Law
166 IBDR International Business Dispute Resolution
167 LVMR Leadership: Vision, Meaning and Reality
168 MCSIEC Multinational Company Strategies and International Expansion Choices
169 MYM Mysteries in Management
170 RTNGB Reimagining Telecom & Next Generation Businesses 
171 SAVIA Strategic Alliances and Valuation of Intellectual Assets
172 SC Strategy Capstone (Core Course)
173 SEM Strategy in Emerging Markets

Academic Calendar

Orientation

Mid June to end June

Registration
Inauguration
Orientation

Year 1

Classes:
Mid June-Mid October

Summer Internship Interviews:
Mid October-Mid November

Classes:
Mid November-End March

Summer Internships

April and May

Year 2

Classes:
Mid June-March

Placement process starts in February

Programme Details

The Post Graduate Programme is designed to deliver the fundamentals first and then fine tune the courses to match individual career goals.

Year 1

The core courses are presented in the first year and add up to 23.80 credits. The classes come to approximately 480 sessions. 

Between Year 1 and Year 2

Students undertake summer training with the Institute’s corporate partners in order to get first-hand experience of working in a organisation. The summer internship is a powerful source of practical managerial insights, validation of management concepts, and valuable market knowledge.

Year 2

In their second year, students choose from around 173 elective courses. These courses are conducted by the faculty of IIMA’s various Areas. They may be in-class courses (often with project components), Project courses, exchange programmes, and intensive field courses.

The second year consists of three terms; the duration of a term ranges between 9 and 12 weeks.

The number of sessions may be between 380 and 440, with total credits ranging between 19 and 22 credits. Each credit requires a minimum of eighty hours of work.

1st Year

The core program consists of about 30 courses. The First Year is spread over three Terms, each of which is of 10-14 weeks’ duration.

Term 1

  • Financial Reporting and Analysis
  • Financial Markets
  • Human Resource Management I
  • Individual Dynamics
  • Legal Aspects of Business
  • Managerial Computing
  • Microeconomics
  • Marketing-I
  • Operations Management - I
  • Quantitative Methods - 1a
  • Quantitative Methods - 1b
  • Managerial Communication
  • OB Induction

Term 2

  • Costing and Control Systems
  • Financial Markets
  • Human Resource Management II
  • Interpersonal Group Processes
  • Transforming Business through Information Technology
  • Macroeconomics and Policy
  • Marketing II
  • Operations Management II
  • Personal and Corporate Ethics
  • Quantitative Methods – II
  • The Social and Cultural Environment of Business
  • Workshop on Interviews and Presentations
  • Written Analysis and Communication – I

Term 3

  • Business, Environment and Society
  • Business Research Methods
  • Corporate Finance
  • Government Systems and Policy Process
  • Internet - Enabled Businesses
  • Marketing III
  • Organizational Dynamics
  • Strategic Management
  • Flexicore Courses (FC)
  • Service Operations Management
  • Talent and Competency Management
  • Written Analysis and Communication-II
  • Operations Management- III
  • Strategic Human Resource Management

2nd Year

The elective courses, offered in the second year of the programme allow students to choose a bouquet of courses that interest them and develop proficiency in the areas of their choice.

Elective courses can be chosen from the following areas

  • Agri Management 
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Innovations in education
  • Strategy
  • Communication
  • Economics
  • Finance and Accounting
  • Human Resources Management
  • Information Systems 
  • Marketing
  • Organizational Behaviour
  • Operations and Decision Sciences
  • Public Systems Group
  • Others

In addition to courses, second year students undertake projects that serve their individual interests and goals. Projects are of four types:

Student Exchange

Each year a quarter of the 2nd year students are chosen to spend one academic term at premier management institutes around the world. Similarly, students from the corresponding institutions spend an academic term at IIMA.

Student Exchange Programme

Over the years, the IIMA has established partnerships with leading management schools in Europe, North America, South America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region. Each year, out of the second year class, some 150 students are chosen to spend one academic term abroad at a partner institute and the IIMA accepts about 90 students from its partners for the same period.

The Student Exchange Programme facilitates the flow of ideas between academic institutions and promotes better understanding of the methods and programmes of the partnering schools. Joint activities enhance knowledge and skills of students and faculty members alike; all participants gain international management perspective and cultural poise. This strong and self-sustaining exchange programme enhances academic standards all round.

Nearly every year some new institution abroad is added to the community of exchange partners. At present the participating institutions number 80. All demonstrate excellent academic standards which provide varied learning opportunities to exchange students. The enthusiasm shown by institutions across the world has been tremendous and speaks volumes for the quality of programmes offered at the Institute.

Each year the Institute selects eligible second year students to spend one academic term at premier management institutes around the world with which the Institute has forged partnerships. Similarly, students from the corresponding institutions spend an academic term at IIMA. IIMA has been able to increase the number of participating institutions up to 80.

The exchange programme makes it possible for students to gain international experience without any financial impediments. Apart from the scholarships instituted by IIMA, several students have received scholarships from participating schools, the French embassy, DAAD from Germany and some corporate partners.

 

Double Degree Programme:

IIM Ahmedabad has double-degree programme agreement with about seven International schools such as ESSEC Business School France, HEC, France, University of Bocconi, Italy, European Business School, Germany, University of Cologne, Germany and ESCP Europe, France.  A double-degree program would be an added value to study abroad by integrating students within the respective programmes. In this sense, it goes beyond a regular exchange programme and would be an enriching experience for both institutions. The double-degree programme has sense in coherence with a deep immersion in the academic and business environment of the host institution.

 

IIMA, a Member of PIM

PIM, Partnership in International Management, is a consortium of leading international business schools, founded in 1973. Each member institution represents the highest degree of excellence in the fields of business administration and management, demonstrates leadership in their geographic region and delivers an MBA or a graduate-equivalent degree in management. PIM facilitates the development of international cooperation among members, fostering the development of joint programme, students and faculty exchange, joint research and cooperation among faculty members and researchers.

Currently, PIM has grown to a network of 62 business schools worldwide. Over the years, several thousand students have gone on exchange within the PIM member institutions.

As a member, IIMA shares the reputation for upholding the highest degree of academic excellence both regionally as well as globally and values the organization's spirit of international cooperation among its students, faculty and administrators.

Academic Resources

At IIMA a student will find many out-of-class supports for their academic work.

Instructors

Instructors

The first, greatest and most accessible resource for academic work is the faculty. IIMA instructors want to see their students succeed. It is significant that faculty are referred to as instructors rather than teachers. Be considerate: some instructors may encourage students to just drop by during office hours, others may ask that you email and fix a time first. Have your questions clearly in mind; don’t waste time coming to the point. Remember, IIMA instructors are among the best in the world: their objective is to bring out the best in their students – which typically involves making students work on their weaknesses. There is no place for rote learning at IIMA – learning is all about dialogue and exploration.

Peers

Peers

Classmates are another dependable source of help. peer to peer learning is one of the pillars of IIMA pedagogy. Most of this peer-to-peer learning will be informal, but two years ago the IIMA also set up a Mentorship Cell. Senior students were enrolled as mentors and mentor groups were assigned to each in-coming student. During the placement season, the Cell organized a workshop to help students in summer internship interview preparation. The Cell is in addition to Dorm Mentorship.

Faculty & Research Areas

IIMA faculty bring their cutting-edge knowledge to the classroom in ways designed bring the most transformative, enduring value for their students.

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