wielding words

the answer isn’t within, it’s around you

Hi there MICA aspirant!

Firstly, kudos on aiming for India’s elite Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad! This shows you have ambition, taste and a juicy challenge ahead of you.

Now, doing a masters is a very career/life defining moment in one’s life and it is only natural that you are plagued by the many decisions you need to make and the questions they ask of you.

One such question is: should I do a one year course or two year course?

Luckily, many people have been at these crossroads before and are not only able to share the short term merits of both but also how they shape your life over time.

Before we answer that question for you, let’s look at the courses offered at MICA:

ONE YEAR LONG COURSES

Digital Media and Marketing Communications (PGCM-DMMC): a 12-month comprehensive program offered by MICA (formerly known as MICA Ahmedabad) designed for the modern creator economy and digital media landscape

Advertising and Marketing Communication
(PGCM – AMC) is a specialized 12-month professional program—most notably offered by MICA—designed to turn creative individuals into strategic communication experts.

BASIC ADVANTAGES OF ONE-YEAR-LONG COURSES:

1. Shorter and intensive — less time away from work, and you’re back into business more quickly.
2. More affordable.
3. Very vocational and skill-specific — so you can seamlessly transfer the skills into your work.
4. Career advantage — especially if you’re looking to quickly switch, upskill or move into a new role.

BASIC ADVANTAGES OF TWO-YEAR-LONG COURSES:

1. Extensive and immersive course.
2. Flagship course — one that actually holds value and is respected in the industry.
3. Good for academic experience — you get more time to learn, explore and immerse yourself in the subject.
4. Top recruiters come for this course, which can make a significant difference to your career opportunities.

Now, I did a one-year Master’s Diploma in Mass Communication and Journalism and a two-year-long Master of Arts, and here is what I have learnt from my own experience and from watching my friends’ career trajectories.

One-Year vs Two-Year Program: What Should You Consider?

1. Career trajectory
One-year intensive courses are a great way to switch your career trajectory, but you do pretty much start off at an entry-level job at the end of it. A two-year degree programme gives you a much better headstart into organisational structure, networks, recruitment and career opportunities.

It does give you the jump you want if you are already in an organisation, take some time off to upskill, and then return there itself.

2. Admissions & entrance exams
One-year course admissions often don’t require exams like CAT, GRE or GMAT, which can make the admissions process much more accessible.

A two-year programme like MICA’s PGDM-C / MBA-equivalent programme, on the other hand, requires you to go through a more competitive admissions and preparation process.

3. What recruiters are looking for
Top recruiters are often looking for people with an MBA or a recognised postgraduate degree, and not just candidates who have completed one-year intensive courses.

So when you’re looking at the value of a programme, don’t only look at the skills you will learn. Look at the degree, recruitment opportunities and long-term career value as well.

4. Personal growth
As an experience for personal growth, besides just skill development and career opportunities, the two-year programme is definitely a lot richer in terms of its influence and impact on you.

It alters how you think, show up and grow altogether.

And that’s something I think is particularly valuable when you’re looking at a programme like MICA, where the experience is not just about preparing for a job, but about developing the way you think about creativity, communication, brands and the world around you.

5. LOCATION
Your chances of landing a worthy job after a one-year course are great if you are already in a metro city, where there is a stronger ecosystem for advertising, marketing, media, digital and creative work.

In a Tier-2 city, these skills may give you a talking point and help you stand out, but you’ll still need to provide a lot of work before you start getting their full worth.

6. Entrepreneurial aspirations
If you have entrepreneurial aspirations in life, you should ideally go for the second one.

The two-year programme gives you more time to experiment, meet people, build ideas, develop your network and understand different kinds of businesses and organisations.

7. International aspirations
If you have international aspirations, take the two-year course.

The field of creativity is very region-specific, and you do need the right academic credentials, exposure and experience to improve your chances of finding opportunities internationally.

8. Digital marketing, AI & changing skills
The field of digital marketing, social media, content and communication is very dynamic. There is a risk that the skills you learn today may become very irrelevant very soon — especially with the race against AI.

So don’t just think about what skills a course will teach you. Think about whether it will teach you how to think, adapt and keep learning when the industry changes.

Finally…

Life’s trajectory finally depends on your hustle and drive.

But as of today, evaluate your conditions well.

How much time can you afford to take off?
How much can you put into fees and preparation?
Which city are you from?
Where are you going to be after the course?
What kind of career trajectory do you actually want?

And most importantly — are you looking for a quick career switch, new skills, a degree, better recruitment opportunities, entrepreneurship or international mobility?

There is no one right answer. The right choice depends on where you are today and where you want to be after the programme.

If you would like to connect with me over a quick call, just DM @wieldingwordsworkshops