Graduate Program in Human and Natural Resources Studies
The Graduate Program in Human and Natural Resources Studies (HNRS) at Kathmandu University (KU) currently offers Masters and PhD degrees. These are research-oriented professional degrees and the program seeks to impart the research and analytical abilities necessary to understand the structure and functioning of rural society and their natural resource base. This is the first-ever interdisciplinary graduate courses offered in Nepal. The Program is comprised of both academic courses and action research, with the goal to provide the students with substantial interdisciplinary knowledge and understanding in the field of human and natural resources management.

The major objective of the program is to produce a cadre of professionals capable of coordinating, guiding, evaluating, improving and propagating efforts aimed at identifying people’s problems of multi-faceted nature, and arousing and assisting the communities in resolving those problems through the application of appropriate integrated approaches to exploring, enriching and utilizing the multifarious human and natural resources. Specifically the program aims at assisting students to:

• Acquire knowledge and skills concerning natural resources and community linkage, information gathering and analyses, indigenous community-based knowledge systems and institutions;

• Develop capability and confidence to contribute nationally and internationally towards managing conflict and its relationship with natural resources fruitfully;

• Be able to effectively conduct basic and applied research, work in a team and individually, prepare and present (communicate) findings in the field of human and natural resources management;

• Prepare for the pursuance of further studies in related areas.

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To achieve the above objectives the program emphasizes on:

• Social dimensions of conflict and natural resource management;
• Research of action- and people-oriented nature;
• Attention to the poor, disadvantaged and marginalized groups of people;
• Analyzing and addressing the real life situation in Nepal; and
• Utilization of past studies and research outputs.

Duration and Credit Hours Covered

The two-year Master’s degree program in Human and Natural Resources Studies comprises of four semesters. Students will have to complete four tutored courses (each carrying 3-credit hours) in each of the first three semesters and a 12 credit-hour research work in the final semester. A 3-credit hour course requires 48 contact hours.

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The Student Entry Criteria

Completion of minimum of 3-year Bachelor’s degree, or a master's degree, with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.5 out of 4.0, or an equivalent, or 50 per cent marks in general will be the criteria followed to evaluate the applicants. In addition, securing an acceptable level of ranking in the entrance test administered to measure required competencies including language proficiency and analytical ability will be essential.

Intake Capacity

In view of the current level of facilities available at the centre, only a maximum of 20 students will get enrollment each year.

Application and Program Starting Date

The program starts in February each year, for which the announcement for admissions will be posted in the month of December of the previous year.

Curriculum

The curriculum of the HNRS program aims at imparting both theoretical knowledge of and practical exposure to various issues relating to management of human and natural resources, with greater emphasis given to the latter mode. Methods used will comprise classroom lectures, case study analyses, field surveys, seminars, results discussions and presentations. The program will emphasize students’ active participation and involvement in the learning process wherein the instructor would mainly be playing the role of a counselor and a guide.

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Semester-wise Course Offering

Semester

Course code and title

Credit hour

Remark

I to III

HNRS 542: Research Methods

3

T/R

HNRS 515: Natural Resource Economics OR
MESC 505: Environmental Economics

3

SS/R

HNRS 521: Conflict and Natural Resource Systems
Management

3

NS/R

HNRS 511: Human Dimensions of Development

3

SS/R

HNRS 524: Forestry and Wildlife Management

3

NS/R

HNRS 541: Data Analysis

3

T/R

HNRS 543: Computer Applications*

3

T/R

HNRS 513: Project Management

3

SS/R

HNRS 532: Rural-Urban and Highland-Lowland Relations

3

P/R

HNRS 544: Resource Management Workshop

3

T/R

HNRS 545: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

3

T/R

HNRS 522: Population, Development and Natural Resource Linkages

3

NS/R

HNRS 531: Public Policy

3

P/R

VI

Thesis Research

12

 

 

Total credits required for graduation:

48

 

 

NB: NS - Natural Science tract; SS – Social Science tract; P – Policy tract;
T - Tool/method/workshop tract; R - Required course
* Offered as part of HNRS 541

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Grades and Grading Systems

Grades shall be assigned to individual students on the basis of the faculty member's judgment of the student's scholastic achievement as set forth in Section ii below.

i. Grading System
Grades for students shall be reported by the following letters: A, A-, B, B+, B-, C+, C, C-, D, or F. The faculty member (instructor) will determine and execute the specific grading method, including the allocation of suitable weights to the methods. The instructor will explain the overall evaluation system to the students at the beginning of the course. Usually, 50 percent of the total weight is assigned for the final written examination.

ii. Definition of Grades
The grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, and F indicate a graduation in quality from Excellent to Failure and are assigned the following grade-point equivalents:

 

All Grading System is based on following Rules:

Marks

Grade

Grade Points

85 and Above

A

4.00

80 – 84.9

A-

3.67

75 – 79.9

B+

3.33

70 – 74.9

B

3.00

65 – 69.9

B-

2.67

60 – 64.9

C+

2.33

55 – 59.9

C

2.00

50 – 54.9

C-

1.67

45-49.9

D

1.00

< 45

F

Fail

Fee Structure for Masters Program

The total amount of fees per student, excluding the costs of books, stationery, accommodation, and individual thesis research, for the entire duration of two years is NRs. 200000. The details of the expenses are as follows:

Particulars

Rupees

Admissions

10,000

Registration

6,000

Development

6,000

Caution Money

5,000

Course Materials

12,000

Computer Services

12,000

Examination Fee

24,000

Field Visits and Projects Works

14,000

Tuition

111000

Total

200000

This amount is payable in seven installments. Students from SAARC (excluding Nepal) and outside SAARC countries have to pay 1.5 and 2 times the above amount of charges respectively. The various charges set by the program are subject to change according to KU rules.

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