A student who pursued PGDM in Economics at MDAE explains how the enriching experience empowered her to challenge the status quo
Hailing from a metropolitan city, Mumbai, I was always keen on understanding how our society operates. To understand the financial and economic segment better, I pursued a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from Sophia College of Women, Mumbai. During my graduation years, I was selected for a specific co-curricular research program, Excellence in Arts Programme (EXAP), at my college. It was one of the most invigorating experiences where I secured top rank and was awarded the KC Mahindra Scholarship.
After completing my graduate degree, I started working as Operations Analyst in the Corporate & Investment Banking Division of JP Morgan and Chase. I worked on multiple financial, operational efficiencies, and excellence projects at the company. My stint at JP Morgan helped me understand the nuances of the finance ecosystem, but eventually, I wanted to gain expertise in certain aspects of economics.
While looking for postgraduate courses for further studies, I came across the Meghnad Desai Academy of Economics (MDAE) PGDM in Economics which provided an in-depth understanding of core economic models and methods. It was one of the main reasons why I chose the course.
My year at MDAE has been life-changing. Until graduation, my knowledge was mostly centered on learning from texts. I never understood the reason and logic behind why certain things happened. However, during our PGDM course, we were encouraged to build an intuitive and intellectual knowledge of every economic phenomenon and mechanism right from day one. The teaching mechanism laid core on conceptual understanding and problem-solving rather than just the usual rote learning.
Our Data and Programming Professor, in fact, encouraged us to write codes on paper to grasp the logic better. He claimed that while learning the syntax and writing a code was simple, mastering the intuition behind programming was far more complex. As a result, I gained a better understanding of the fundamentals of economic modelling.
Some of the best industry experts taught us at the institute. It helped develop a holistic understanding of different economic concepts and phenomena. For example, our macroeconomics professor, who is an expert in the field, didn't use a book to teach us about financial markets. Instead, he used his own experience.
During the macro course, we were put into study groups and worked as a team to prepare presentations on a diverse set of topics. And the best part, we continuously received feedback from our professors and peers. It not only helped us improve our presentation skills but also enhanced our communication and public speaking skills.
I got an incredible opportunity to moderate a session with Lord Meghnad Desai. It was a great learning experience. Along with this, I've been fortunate enough to form lasting bonds with most professors and industry experts. At MDAE, I've also had the honor of working as a Research Assistant under Professor Mukherjee and finally co-authoring a paper with him. While it was an online course due to a prolonged lockdown, I was able to network and form meaningful bonds with my batch mates. Indeed, it was a stimulating and fruitful experience where I learned a lot from my professors and peers.
Since the initial days of my career, I have been apprehensive about statistics and data analytics. However, my journey at MDAE helped me gain expertise in quantitative skills, thanks to their quantitative-heavy classes and extensive teaching methods. As a part of my research project, I assessed the impact of the Government of India's mid-day meal scheme as a behavioral and developmental public policy. This experience stoked my interest in pursuing a career in consulting and other fields in economics, such as development, behavioral, and public policy.
Right after completing my course in 2021, I had the opportunity to work with Deloitte as Senior Executive in the Financial Advisory Division.
On a final note, pursuing a PG in Economics from MDAE has been an enriching experience for me. It provides a window into methods and mechanisms for approaching the financial world much more effectively. This course is ideal for students and professionals looking for a course that challenges the current quo
Click on this link to know more about our PGD courses: https://forms.gle/MoDNkQbYjjgHF7GL9
