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The Bachelor in Community Development program at the School of Arts, Kathmandu University is a four-year undergraduate program designed to produce leaders and champions for community development and social change in the country. This is a unique academic program designed to produce human resources required for community development through developing professional and entrepreneurial skills needed to work with and for different issues and sections of society such as environment, education, health, development, equity, women, children, youth, elderly, people with disabilities, and communities affected by various transformations. The curriculum covers a wide range of social issues, inter alia, development, environment, economy, equity, health, population, conflict, poverty, and disaster.
The program creates a vibrant teaching-learning environment through a mixture of lectures, class discussions, student presentations, research activities and interaction with community development champions, leaders, and activists. In addition, there are also guest lectures, workshops, and seminars along with action-oriented project works, field trips, case study analysis, and community internships in collaboration with government and non-governmental organizations.
Upon completion of this four-year BCD program, graduates will have developed competencies in theoretical, practical and analytical skills to work effectively with a range of communities and will be capable of intervening at different levels of community development, from planning and development of programs, service delivery activities, to organizing, and leading people to bring about policy and praxis for social change.
Objectives of the program:
- Develop an understanding of community issues in community, rural, urban contexts;
- Evaluate and design community development approaches in local, regional and natural contexts;
- Build critical skills in core elements of community development;
- Build skills to critically analyze core elements of current development practices and sustainable development issues in community development;
- Enhance effective communication, advocacy and community organizing skills working with individuals, families and communities for social change;
- Prepare human resources to respond to the current needs and challenges in both rural and urban communities;
- Develop and implement innovative community development interventions, and government policies and programs of community development;
- Prepare trained and skilled human resources to work with development agencies, local, regional and national governments, and for developing community social enterprises and innovations.
Salient Features
Teaching Methodology:
The teaching pedagogy is primarily student-centered. They believe in learning by doing. Classes include group and individual work, discussions, problem-solving, presentations, workshops, seminars, and other techniques. The sessions are designed to be interactive, as far as possible, to allow for in-depth discussions about the topic under study and are facilitated by qualified faculty members. Students are required to actively participate in class. According to the needs of the course, there will be field trips, internships, action-oriented project work, and interaction with development workers, activists, and policymakers. These will be further supplemented by guest lectures as needed. Assignments, practical classes, and consultation hours are integral parts of the program. Regular feedback is provided to students on their academic progress.
Eligibility
- Students with 10+2, intermediate degree or any other equivalent degree in any discipline from a recognized educational institution with minimum aggregate of 50 percent CGPA 2.5 out of 4 are eligible to apply for the programme.
- Applicants must appear and pass the Kathmandu University School of Arts Admission Test (KUSAAT)
Fees
The total fee for Nepali students enrolled in Bachelor in Community Development (BCD) program for the academic year 2079/80 (2022 Batch) is NPR. 570,000.
The fee structure for international students seeking admission to Bachelor in Community Development program at Kathmandu University (KU) is as follows:
- The fees for applicants from SAARC countries will be 1.5 times the amount specified for domestic students i.e., NPR. 855,000
- On the other hand, international students from countries outside of SAARC will be required to pay double the fees stated for domestic students. i.e. NPR.1,140,000
Job Prospects
BCD graduates can find employment at different organizations at different levels in a wide range of roles mainly, but not limiting to, the following:
- Community Development Officer
- Project Coordinator
- Liaison Officer
- Advocacy Campaigner
- National and International Aid Worker
- Researcher
- Policy Officer
Curricular Structure
Program Highlights
- In eight semesters during the 4-year duration, BCD offers a wide range of courses carrying 126 credit hours in total.
- The courses cover fundamental themes such as community environment, social behavior, community economics, community health and community leadership.
- Each subject is of 3 credits unless specifically mentioned. Field placements are integral components of the program.
- Students participate in field trips, rural camps, relief works and are placed at community and government organizations for firsthand experience of theory learnt in the classrooms.
- In the final year, students are required to complete 3 months' rural (community) internship and submit a detailed academic report as partial fulfilment of the degree.
- Graduates will also have gained skills for self-employment and entrepreneurship.
- Many graduates of BCD find jobs in both government and non-government sectors including UN agencies, bilateral and multilateral agencies.
- Several students are pursuing higher studies including PhD at reputed universities in Nepal and abroad.
Course Structure
First Year | Semester I
| Subject Code (Total Credit Hours) | 15 |
| NEPL 153 Nepali I | 3 |
| ENGL 153 English I | 3 |
| CDEV101 Community Development Theory and Practice I | 3 |
| CDEV103 Community Education | 3 |
| NEPS 150 Introduction to Nepali Society | 3 |
First Year | Semester II
| Subject Code (Total Credit Hours) | 18 |
| NEPL 154 Nepali II | 3 |
| ENGL 154 English II | 3 |
| CDEV 102 Community Development Theory and Practice II | 3 |
| CDEV 105 Community Economic Development | 3 |
| CDEV 115 Legal Aspects of Community Development | 3 |
| CDEV 116 Participatory Research Methodology I | 3 |
Second Year | Semester I
| Subject Code (Total Credit Hours) | 18 |
| CDEV 201 Community Natural Resources Management | 3 |
| CDEV 202 Community Health | 3 |
| CDEV 203 Social Inclusion | 3 |
| CDEV 204 Child Labour Trafficking & Child Rights | 3 |
| CDEV 220 Working with Organizations | 3 |
| ENGL 255 Critical Thinking and Writing | 3 |
Second Year | Semester II
| Subject Code (Total Credit Hours) | 18 |
| CDEV 207 Caring for Elderly People | 3 |
| CDEV 211 Social Psychology I | 3 |
| CDEV 212 Gender Mainstreaming | 3 |
| CDEV 214 Sustainable Development: Principles and Practices | 3 |
| ENGL 256 Introduction to Scientific and Academic Writing | 3 |
| CDEV 226 Field Placement II | 3 |
Third Year | Semester I
| Subject Code (Total Credit Hours) | 18 |
| CDEV 301 Social Psychology II | 3 |
| CDEV302 Youth and Social Change | 3 |
| CDEV 303 Community Conflict Resolution | 3 |
| CDEV 304 Introduction to Indigenous Knowledge | 3 |
| CDEV 305 Participatory Research Methodology II | 3 |
| CDEV 308 Community Organizations and Leadership | 3 |
Third Year | Semester II
| Subject Code (Total Credit Hours) | 18 |
| CDEV 311 Migration, Mobility, and Community Development | 3 |
| CDEV 312 Rural Urban Linkages | 3 |
| CDEV 314 GIS for Community Development | 3 |
| CDEV 315 Urban Community Planning and Analysis | 3 |
| CDEV 316 Applied Research for Community Development | 3 |
| CDEV 326 Field Placement III | 3 |
Fourth Year | Semester I
| Subject Code (Total Credit Hours) | 15 |
| CDEV 401 Environmental & Social Impact Assessment | 3 |
| CDEV 402 Human Rights Impact Assessment | 3 |
| CDEV 403 Post Disaster Rehabilitation & Management | 3 |
| CDEV 404 Disability Management | 3 |
| CDEV 412 Gender Impact Assessment | 3 |
Fourth Year | Semester II
| Subject Code (Total Credit Hours) | 6 |
| CDEV 499 Rural Internship | 6 |
| Total Credit for Graduation: 126 |
| Foundation Course: 15×3=45 |
| Language: 6×3=18 |
| Applied Course: 11×3=33 |
| Project work: 4×3=12 |
| Internship: 6×3+18 |
| Additional Subjects that may be offered |
|
CDEV 110 Computer Applications CDEV 111 Public Speaking |
| CDEV 112 Advanced Public Speaking |
| CDEV 126 Field Placement I |
| FLAN 201Basic Chinese |
| CDEV 208 Gender and Community Development |
|
CDEV 215 Communication for Development CDEV 114 Population and Development |