Switching courses is possible

Dear Madam,

I am a third year Electronics and Communication engineering student. I plan to pursue a Masters' course in Engineering Management in countries like New Zealand and UK. Could you suggest some universities? What is the process to apply for the programme starting from September 2019? Do I have to write GRE if I am writing IELTS?

A Student

Dear Student,

Universities for Engineering Management in New Zealand are University of Canterbury and University of Auckland. In UK, Nottingham Trent University, Brunel University, Middlesex University, University of Birmingham and the University of Manchester. You don't have to write the GRE exam for both of these countries. Your IELTS scores are sufficient.

Dear Madam,

I am a fourth year BE Computer Science student. I have come to realise I have little or no interest in the discipline that I am currently studying, and would like to switch to Travel and Tourism. Seeing how Tourism courses are not the most sought after courses in India and the lack of reputed institutions that offer such courses here, I have decided to pursue this course abroad. Can you please suggest a few universities abroad that offer Tourism, their eligibility criteria, and other norms?

A Student

Dear Student,

You can certainly switch to a subject like Travel and Tourism after you complete your BE. The eligibility criteria for these programmes in UK, Australia and New Zealand would be your Bachelor's degree and an English exam like the IELTS. For US, Canada and Europe, you need to also write the GRE.

Some of the best universities for Travel and Tourism courses in the world are University of Westminster, London and Middlesex University in UK, University of Queensland, Monash University and Griffith University in Australia, University of Otago and Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, Virginia Tech, University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Purdue University in the US, University of Waterloo in Canada and University of Southern Denmark and the Arctic University of Norway in Europe.

Dear Madam,

I have completed my BE in Electrical and Electronics engineering and I am working in a reputed IT firm for the past 2 years. I wish to study further to enhance my expertise. I believe management is the field of my choice for various reasons. But I am a bit in dilemma, whether to do an MBA in India or abroad. Please suggest.

Shashank

Dear Shashank,

In India, you generally progress to an MBA directly after your Bachelors. For most other countries, you need to have minimum two to three years of work experience before you enrol for an MBA programme.

Since you have two years of work experience, I would recommend you apply to universities abroad or to one of the IIMs in India. Take the GMAT exam and IELTS, TOEFL or PTE. You could also consider Engineering Management as an option.

Dear Madam,

I am doing my BE (E&E) and I am in my seventh semester. Currently, my aggregate is 74%. I want to do MS in USA. My GRE score is 295 & I am also appearing for TOEFL. Kindly suggest what course I could opt for my MS.

Prakash

Dear Prakash,

I would like you to retake the GRE and aim for a 327 to be able to get into a good US university. You could specialise in areas such as nano-electronics and photonics, artificial intelligence, robotics, microprocessors, digital signal and image processing, optical devices and systems, nanotechnology, materials & devices, telecommunications and information systems, embedded design, data mining, electromagnetic fields and applications, digital signal processing, system and controls.

Dear Madam,

My son is studying in third year Chemical engineering in BITS Pilani, Goa. He is planning to do his MS abroad (US or UK). Which are the courses he can take up? What are the various entrance tests he has to prepare? He also wishes to do his MBA, but is not sure whether to go for an MS or an MBA. Kindly advise.

Mamatha

Dear Mamatha,

If your son wants to study in the UK, he has to only write the IELTS. If he wishes to pursue his Masters in the US, he needs to write the GRE and TOEFL iBT or IELTS. Specialisations include colloids, polymers and surfaces, energy economics and engineering, medical and industrial biotechnology, computer informatics, product design, food science, biorefinery and fiber technology, environmental engineering and reactor technology. If he is interested in an MBA, he should work for a couple of years and take the GMAT exam. An MBA or MSc in UK would be for a duration of one year while an MBA or MS in the US is a two-year programme.

Dear Madam,

I am a third year BPharm student. I am looking to do a Master's degree abroad and I'm an average student, with a CGPA of around six. I'm interested in Pharmaceutical Analysis or Biotechnology. Please suggest a few scholarships that I can apply for and what exams I would have to write.

Rishav

Dear Rishav,

You could study Pharmaceutical Analysis, Pharmaceutical Medicinal Chemistry or Biotechnology. These courses are offered in many universities across the world. Scholarships are based purely on merit. Masters programmes in UK, New Zealand and Australia will be for a duration of one year while it is for two years in other countries. So, when you pick a university with a one-year programme, you save on living expenses for an entire year. The exam you need to take is only the IELTS for these countries. GRE is required if you want to study in the US, Canada, Singapore and Europe. For more details on universities and scholarships, please visit www.umaaswani.com.

Dear Madam,

My brother has completed his Mechanical engineering course last year. He wants to take up a job abroad. What are the exams he must write? Which country will be well-suited?

S

Dear S,

The only exam your brother needs to take to qualify in the job market of any country is take an English test like IELTS, TOEFL or PTE. If he plans to look for a job in a country like Germany, learning the local language will be helpful. One way of landing a good job is by pursuing his Masters in a university that offers campus placements, a country which gives him long-stay visa and work permit.