Hi guys,
Many of you have asked about where I finally joined. I finally chose Strathclyde BITS course. The reasons and current status for your information is as follows:
Good sides of Strath BITS
1. Reputation of Wariwick Uni is higher than Strath Uni but their business schools are close in rankings and reputation.
2. Strath BITS course is very old and you can find 100 of alumnis (I got replies from everyone) who are either working as European head of Accenture or Presidentsin big companies but Wariwck ISM course is very newbie launched in 2007. I could not find a single person who has progressed to higher posts in companies.
3. Strath BITS course covers various subjects such as Operation Mgmt, Finance and Change Mgmt, Business Strategy with excellent methodologies (CAPSIM simulations, business games) as other top B schools. It is more of a MBA with IT specialisation.Warwick course is a basic course for freshers and too much based on writing essays only. (Confirmed with graduates studying there).
4. The class profiles of BITS has been very very good. The course was previously funded (now not funded) by Scottish government and all Scottish natives with valuable exp used to join the course. Even this year, we have people with 20-30 years of work exp and minimum of 1 year of work exp.Each has a different great background and nationalities. Average work ex is 4-5 years. Warwick max work exp is just 7 yrs and that too one or two people. Rest all are freshers.
5. Strath BITS course touches on technicalities such as Database mgmt and Web systems with management point of view with which I was surprised even though when I had done both. I didnt know the things they taught such as EER diagram through blog posting etc, Usability etc. . Warwick course does not touch any technical subject which means you loose the edge over in market because your degree is combo of IT and Mgmt, you must know technical subjects a bit.
6.Location of Strathclyde is big advantage. I live city life, I get opportunities to network and see UK life, unlike Warwick where you are closed in your own town. I am working part time as well on weekends that has boosted my self confidence, which is no way possible in rural place like Coventry. I am able to earn my basic expenditures from part time reducing the overall financial cost of the course. Being a vegetarian, I do not have to rely on one source of food i.e. Canteen of Warwick but I have thousands of options to buy and cook food at home, because its city-Glasgow !!!
7. Because of being in city, we have been able to network with companies and work with them as part of our coursework. I am currently working with Douglas park BMW..Warwick too brings in the companies to interact but that is just the lecture and business game, no useful output. Only Lancaster ITMOC course does something valuable with Accenture collaboration.
There are many other good things of Strath BITS course and a very bad side too...please wait for my next post where I discuss the bad side of Strath BITS course