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MA in Rural Development

MA in Rural Development

MRD ·
Masters
·
2 years
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Most of the third world's population lives in rural areas, and poverty, inequality, unemployment, and dependency are the major issues of these areas. A large number of the urban poor are migrants from rural areas that make a big challenge to rural as well as urban sectors in developed as well as underdeveloped countries. In this context, this course aims to produce high-level human resources competent enough to deal with the issues alarming the developing world today.

It is concerned with the factors such as socio-cultural, economic, and environmental contributions to change in rural areas. At the same time, different contexts and constructs of development, and practical policy measures to bring about the overriding objectives of rural development have also been incorporated. As the world becomes a global village through information and communication technology, there is also increasing diversity within regions and socio-political settings. Thus a multi-disciplinary subject such as rural development, can fulfill the needs of grassroots people to policy making and implementation level.

Master of Arts (MA) in Rural Development is a two year Master Degree Program in Arts. There are 10 papers to be covered in this two year program. Apart from other core subjects, students have an option to choose from thesis or project report/co-operative and Gender Development or Natural Resource Management for Rural Development in their final year.

The MA in Rural Development aims to produce development cadres capable to meet the demand for higher-level rural developers in government and non-government sectors.

The general objective of the course:

To impart the multi-dimensional concept of rural development to the students with sound research and fieldwork practices in order to produce graduates who will be able to work in diverse socio-economic conditions.

Salient Features

Evaluation System

  • Internal Evaluation 40%
  • External Examination (Semester final written test) 60%

Evaluation Parameters for Internal Examination

Evaluation Parameters % Weight
Assignment 5
Term paper (One paper) 10
Presentation 5
Midterm exam (One exam) 10
Attendance and Positive roles in discussion and participation, Punctuality 5+5
Total 40

Assignment

The instructor(s) will give assignments individually to the students, which they must submit within the stipulated time and framework. The stipulated time for submission of the assignment, quality of the work done, the creativity of the student, etc will be taken as the major criteria of evaluation.

Presentation

This can be individual as well as group work assigned by the instructor. A topic will be provided to each individual/group. It will be evaluated individually as well on a group basis.

Attendance, Positive role in discussion and Punctuality

The students should regularly attend the classes on time and participate in discussions. 80% percent class attendance is mandatory for the students to appear in the End-Term examination. Below 80% attendance of the total working days in a subject will as disqualify the students for to the end-term examination.

Term paper: Term paper must be prepared by the use of a computer in a standard format of technical writing and must contain at least 7 pages in a given format. It should be prepared and submitted individually. The stipulated time for submission of the assignment, quality of the work done, the creativity of the student, etc will be taken as the major criteria of evaluation.

Mid-Term Examinations: Each student has to sit in midterm examination to qualify for the end-term external examination. It is a written examination and the questions will be set covering the topics as taught in the sessions. The mid-term examination will be based on the model prescribed for the end-term examination.

End-Term/External Examinations

It is also a written examination and the questions will be set covering all the topics in the session of the course.

Eligibility

Any candidates having at least a bachelor's degree or above from any discipline from Tribhuvan University or any recognized University will be eligible to participate in the entrance system. The candidates able to secure their position in the entrance system based upon merit system will be eligible for admission.

Curricular Structure

Curricular structure of Rural Development First year:

  1. Development Theories and Planning (in Rural Perspectives)
  2. Rural Development: Policies and Strategies
  3. Rural-Urban Linkage
  4. Social and Cultural Dimensions in Rural Development
  5. Research Methodology and Statistical Methods
  6. Local Governance and Political Economy of Nepal

Curricular structure of Rural Development Second year:

  1. RD - 536A: Rural Marketing and Entrepreneurship Development
  2. RD - 537: Sustainable Rural Development
  3. RD - 538 A: Rural Tourism
  4. RD - 539-1: Agriculture and Rural Development
  5. RD - 539-2A: Cooperative Development
  6. RD - 539-3: Natural Resource Management
  7. RD - 536 B: Rural Community Development
  8. RD - 538 B: Rural Technology and Skill Development
  9. RD - 539-2: Gender and Development

Semester System

First Semester

Course Code Course Title Credit hours Teaching Hour
RDS 501 Rural Development: Theory and Discourse 3 48
RDS 502 Economic Dimensions of Rural Development 3 48
RDS 503 Socio-cultural Dimensions of Rural Development 3 48
RDS 504 Local Governance in Nepal 3 48
RDS 505 Research Methodology in Rural Development 3 48
  Total 15  

Second Semester

Course Code Course Title Credit hours Teaching Hour
RDS 511 Rural Development in Nepal 3 48
RDS 512 Planning, Policies, and Strategies for Rural Development 3 48
RDS 513 Rural-Urban Linkage 3 48
RDS 514 Rural Finance and Cooperative Development 3 48
RDS 515 Application of Research Methodology 3 48
  Total 15  

Third Semester

Course Code Course Title Credit hours Teaching Hour
RDS 521 Energy and Rural Technology 3 48
RDS 522 Rural Project Management 3 48
RDS 523 Tourism for Rural Development 3 48
RDS 524 Rural Marketing and Entrepreneurship Development 3 48
RDS 525 Rural Development Practice (Practical) 3 48
  Total 15  

Fourth Semester

Course Code Course Title Credit hours Teaching Hour
RDS 531 Natural Resource Management 3 48
RDS 532 Climate Change and Livelihood Strategies 3 48
RDS 533 Human Resource Development (Optional) 3 48
RDS 534 Nepalese Agriculture and Development (Optional) 3 48
RDS 535 Gender and Development (Optional) 3 48
RDS 536 Thesis (Compulsory) 6 48
  Total 21