Considering an MBA After BTech in CSE: Does It Make Your Engineering Degree Obsolete?

Hi friends, I would like to seek advice from my seniors and would appreciate their answers to my query. I am considering pursuing an MBA after completing my BTech in CSE. I have heard speculations that doing an MBA after BTech may render the knowledge gained during the four years of engineering obsolete as it may not be useful in the future.

I invite anyone reading this to shed more light on this topic and share your thoughts. Is it true that pursuing an MBA after BTech nullifies the four years spent in engineering? I am currently in my third year of BTech and am eager to understand this better as I will soon need to make important career decisions.

Thank you for your insights and responses.

Leveraging Your Education in the Manufacturing Industry

It doesn't matter in which field you have completed your graduation since your post-graduation will cover the undergraduate degree. A graduation degree can be beneficial in the manufacturing industry, especially for candidates with a B.Tech/B.E. in Mechanical Engineering. If a candidate pursues an MBA in Marketing, it will be advantageous if they enter the marketing sector within the manufacturing industry. In such a scenario, their engineering and marketing knowledge can be effectively utilized.

On the other hand, if you have specialized in a particular field during your B.Tech/B.E. in Mechanical Engineering, after obtaining your master's degree, you should seek employment in a company that can leverage both your undergraduate and master's level knowledge.

Please let me know if you need further clarification or guidance.

Regards

The Benefits of Pursuing an MBA After B.Tech

B.E/B.Tech has its own benefits, and as Ankit put it across, a PG degree accentuates the potential of our graduation as well. Many IIM graduates are already engineers in some field or another, and an MBA just enhances their potential in the market. One needs to be clear in their career planning, which is of utmost importance. You should have good reasons for pursuing an MBA, not just because it's a trend.

Ask yourself some questions: Why did you choose B.Tech? How would an MBA degree complement it? You will find the answers.

If you need our help, please write to us with the answers to the above queries.

Regards,

Thanks a lot, Ankit Sir and Archna Mam, for replying to my query and giving me good, healthy advice. I am currently pursuing a BTech in Computer Science (3rd year) from VIT Vellore. I am confused about whether I should start preparing for CAT or MTech entrance examinations or focus on my BTech, get placed in a company, and start working.

Another question I have is, if I pursue an MBA, which field should I choose to ensure that my knowledge in Computer Science from my BTech is put to good use?

Regards,
Saurabh

Awaiting your replies.

First and foremost, let me congratulate you—not many make this sort of effort to plan out a career path even after passing out, let alone before passing out. Adding to what Ankit and Archna mentioned and to answer your query regarding concentrating on CAT, etc., please note that concentrating on completing your BTech is your first priority—since without this degree, there won't be a next step.

Career Path Options

Coming to the dilemma of which direction to go from here, here is some food for thought. To summarize, you have the following paths you wish to evaluate. To begin with, please forget for a moment about CAT, etc.:

1. Stop with BTech and join a job…obviously will have to be a technical line.
2. Do MTech and go into the technical line.
3. Do MBA and get into the management line.

So the "First Choice" you need to make is whether you want to go into the technical or management line. You will be the best judge for this decision...or take the help of those who know you best—it does not necessarily have to be parents. For this step to be done in a well-informed way, you may need to consider your basic temperament, aptitude, attitude, interests, etc.

Once this choice is made, indirectly, you have your answer whether to focus on CAT or MTech or stop with BTech. Assuming you decide to go for the management line, then comes your dilemma again on which field to choose—I think there's time for this step. So, please don't tax yourself too much. Like they say: cross the bridge when it comes.

Does an MBA Nullify BTech?

Now coming to your core query: "Is it really true that doing MBA after BTech nullifies our 4 years spent in the BTech?" In a way, this input will be needed for your Step 1 decision-making process. In general, a BTech graduate is one of those who has a higher IQ than many other lines/subjects of study—basically since the analytical thinking that this degree needs is higher. Hence, such an IQ background will only become an added advantage to any other avocation pursued. Since your subject in BTech is CS, if you do MBA, you could fit into any of the IT companies in management roles—since you already have the approximate domain knowledge. And this aspect doesn't come into the picture if you decide to pursue the technical line.

Another point that will have a bearing later on in your career: Irrespective of your choice being Technical OR Management line, please note that invariably EVERY TECHNICAL PERSON WILL HAVE TO GET INTO THE MANAGEMENT mental frame of mind as his/her career progresses—including Design/R&D job roles. At the end of the day, any organization is a group of people that needs to be guided, controlled, and handled—and THIS REQUIRES management skills. So, there's NO ESCAPE from management, whether one likes it or not.

Hope this helps you make a well-informed decision, rather than confusing you further.

Regards,
TS

Thank you so much, Tajsateesh Sir, for taking the time out and providing me with such a vivid reply to my query. I really appreciate your concern. Your reply was immensely helpful to me as it allowed me to see the picture more clearly and vividly.

However, I wanted to share that I am personally more inclined to work for 2-3 years after my BTech to gain good job experience before pursuing my MBA degree. You mentioned that with a CS background, I could easily transition into the management of IT companies. What do you think about my plans?

Regards,
Saurabh

It's never too late for education, learning to be more precise—as long as it's with a definite purpose and focus. Maybe the gap between your BTech and MBA is destined to bring about the clarity for you to decide which specialization you need to take in MBA? Go ahead and all the best.

Regards,
TS