Central Department of Rural Development, Tribhuvan University

Since the turn of the century in 2001, the Central Department of Rural Development (CDRD), one of the Central Departments under the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Tribhuvan University, has offered a Master of Arts (MA) degree in Rural Development. It has also been aiding a Ph.D. program in Rural Development (a curriculum started by the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences a few years after CDRD was established) for about a decade by evaluating and impacting doctoral research done by participants in that program through critical suggestions and critiques.

The department offers the following programs:

• Bachelors program in Rural Development
• Masters program(Master of Arts) in Rural Development
• Ph.D. in Rural Development

The fundamental goal of the Central Department of Rural Development (CDRD) is to provide students with a comprehensive interdisciplinary theoretical understanding as well as an in-depth understanding of the multi-dimensional characteristics of a largely rural country like Nepal and the Nepalese rural development process. The M.A. program in Rural Development is designed to generate experts who can act as a qualified rural development workforce and meet the demand for highly skilled rural development experts in the country and abroad.

The course strives to provide students with the necessary conceptual knowledge of rural development: 

• Providing them with the ability to meet the current requirements of rural society.
• allowing them to put theoretical knowledge into practice
• Allowing them to investigate particular concerns concerning rural sociopolitical and economic challenges.
• Developing their capacity to do empirical research on diverse rural development concerns, particularly in light of interdisciplinary insights into development in general and rural development in particular.
• Enabling them to persuade rural people to pick and use appropriate technology for them
• Providing them with the ability to design local rural development strategies.
• allowing them to confidently manage autonomous rural development programs

To improve and strengthen a robust academic environment, the Central Department of Rural Development (CDRD) focuses on the following activities:

• Collaborate with GOs, NGOs, and INGOs in many development areas.
• Create intellectual connections with national and international universities and institutions to facilitate exchange programs.
• Organize frequent discussion shows, seminars, and symposia.
• Convert the current library into a resource center.
• Investigate rural development issues and communicate information to RD stakeholders.
• Regularly publish an academic journal (Nepalese Journal of Development and Rural Studies) and newsletters.

University Highlights

Scholarships

Students are chosen based on their past academic success and the potential exhibited by their admission exams.

Application Process

Applicants can apply for admission to the college in two ways: online or by visiting the college.

Documents/Qualification required for Admission

Academic Documents

• SLC Mark sheet
• School Leaving Certificate
• SLC Character Certificate
• Transcript of 12th-grade
• Individual Mark sheet of 12th-grade
• Character Certificate of 12th-grade
• Provisional Certificate of 12th-grade
• Migration Certificate of 12th-grade

For Masters, include the following:

• Transcript of Bachelor's Degree of 12th-grade
• Individual Mark sheets of Bachelor's Degree of 12th-grade
• Character Certificate of Bachelor Degree of 12th-grade
• Provisional Certificate of Bachelor Degree in 12th-grade
• Migration Certificate of Bachelor Degree of 12th-grade

Qualification Requirements

• Candidates holding a bachelor's degree or higher from Tribhuvan University or another accredited university can participate in the entry system. Candidates who can earn a place in the entry system based on merit will be capable of being admitted.
• The Ph.D. in Rural Development is designed primarily for students with a foundation in one or more social sciences. Many applicants hold degrees in fields ranging from the humanities to the natural sciences. Rural Development, Anthropology, Development Studies, Economics, Engineering, Geography, Mathematics, Political Science, Sociology, and Statistics are among the academic endeavors of the current intake. The typical entry criteria are at least a second division in Master's degrees (3.0 in GPA)

FAQs

Where is the Central Department of Rural Development, Tribhuvan University, located?

The Central Department of Rural Development is located in TU's Central Campus, Kirtipur, Nepal.

Does the college provide scholarships to students?

Yes, the college does provide scholarships to students. The students are selected based on their previous academic performance and the potential demonstrated by their entrance examinations. 

What is the course structure of the Ph.D. in Rural Development?

The Ph.D. with coursework in Rural Development has an eight-course framework that is assessed in the qualifying test at the end of each semester. Each class is evaluated in two ways. At the end of the semester, a three-hour written paper is used to assess one component of the final exam. The 4000-word scientific paper-oriented term paper is the second component of each course's final assessment. The final test component is a take-home examination (5000 words) with at least 70% of class attendance. The essay must be submitted to the Department's Examination Board.