IIM Bangalore PGPEM Students are provided a strong grounding in general management through the core courses in the first year and ample opportunity to acquire specialized knowledge through a rich choice of electives in the second year. A unique feature of this programme is that students can choose not only from the electives offered by the PGPEM but also from the other degree-granting programmes at IIMB.
The on-campus classes for the PGPEM are offered over the weekends, allowing students the opportunity to pursue a quality management programme without compromising on their fulltime jobs. The PGPEM also provides participants opportunities to go on full-term exchange programmes with IIMB's international partner institutions.
The PGPEM has four terms of three months each in an academic year. PGPEM-specific courses are scheduled for Fridays and Saturdays. In the second year, students with flexible work schedules may also choose to enrol in elective courses offered across other Post Graduate Programmes in the institute between Monday and Saturday. Each student is expected to complete the required 750 contact hours of the programme, within a maximum of five academic years.
IIMB uses the concept of credits to define the weightage of a course for both core and elective courses. Each course is typically of three credits. The thumb rule is that a three-credit course involves about 100 hours of work – 30% in the classroom and the rest for preparation and assignments. Core courses are offered during the first year. Elective courses are offered during the second year.
The course pedagogy includes classroom lectures, collaborative discussions, online (broadcast) sessions, case analyses, individual and group projects, role plays, live projects and business games.
The three-credit project course (on a conceptual problem or an industry analysis) is an essential part of the programme that offers students the opportunity to specialize in an area where a formal elective may not be offered. Action Learning Project encourages students to take up a turnkey project from within the company, analyze it and make recommendations.