Mumbai: The US-based Tufts University in Massachusetts will offer two-year courses in Master of Science in Engineering Management (MSEM) in Pune, Bangalore and Delhi in India.

The offer includes a US degree for students based in India. Thus, it does not need registration from the All India Council for Technical Education, the regulatory body here.

"A year ago, a former Indian student asked us whether we could run this course in his home country," said Mary Adams Viola, associate director, the Gordon Institute of Tufts University, Tufts Science and Technology centre.

In January 2008, Tufts management came to India along with Genesis Management and Market Consultants with findings that the country's economy is growing at 9 percent annually. But some of the companies in Pune, Bangalore and Delhi region were growing at rates between 30 percent to 100 percent.

"All these companies were keen that such a course be offered here," said Viola.

The fee structure of the two-year course will be around $25,000 to $35,000 including a four weeks' stay in the US and four weeks' tutoring by US faculty in Pune. The fees will vary as these will be based on the number of employees that a company will sponsor.

Besides, Tufts University will also offer scholarships to Indian students. "In the US, there is only a flat fee of $35,000 and no discounts are offered. We want early adopters in India, hence the differential pricing," said Viola.

The university plans to begin the first batch of 40 students from August 2008 as the university management claims to have good response and expectations from Pune, Delhi as well as Bangalore corporate sector.

"We are also planning to send US students to India for a residency, in a two way interaction," Viola further said.

According to Viola, classroom teaching will be done twice a week for three hours each via Internet, with an emphasis on practical application. This will be done using WebEx technology.

"This will enable Tufts professors to connect with their students in India as if they were sitting in a classroom on Tufts campus in US," said Viola.

The degree requirements for Master of Science in Engineering Management program in India are identical to those of Tufts' US program.

However, the contents of the program in India are tailored to the unique needs of technology-based companies operating in India. "Case studies utilized in a number of modules feature Indian as well as multinational companies operating in India," said Voila. IANS