Studying Psychology in Nepal

Every month I receive a number of emails from young people seeking information on studying psychology in Nepal. I am often delighted to receive the emails and reply them with the best information I have. Incoming inquiries indicate an increasing interest among students to take up psychology as a major in their higher education and build their career in this field. When I was a student myself at the beginner stage, I remember how much I had wished this sort of exchange and interaction existed. It was not case but here I am trying to do a little I can to all interested students in psychology in Nepal.

This post covers overall educational levels in Psychology that are available in our country. Psychology had not been a popular subject in the past. However, it is becoming a popular subject in Bachelors, Post-graduate and Masters Levels now. The changes in socio-cultural and political contexts have led to increasing interest in psychology in general. Psychology as a discipline is taught under Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Tribhuvan University (TU). It is also offered by Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) in Intermediate (+2) level under Humanities and Education streams. Other universities in Nepal do not offer education and training in Psychology.

CORE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Intermediate (+2)

Psychology can be studied in (+2) Level after SLC under HSEB in private colleges. There are limited colleges which offer psychology as one of the major subjects under Humanities.

Bachelors (BA)

Students from any faculty (science, management, education) can choose to study psychology in BA. Students who have not taken up psychology previously can also study in BA. For most of the students, this level is an entry point for education in psychology field.

Masters (MA)

After BA, students can join MA to continue their education at Central Department of Psychology, TU. Tri Chandra Campus and Padma Kanya Campus have also started offering MA degree recently. Students are required to meet certain criteria for admission. They are admitted on first come first served basis because of limited seats.

Eligibility for Admission:

Humanities and Social Sciences:

• Bachelors in Arts (BA) with psychology major
• Post graduate diploma in counseling psychology (PGDCP)
• Bachelors in Film Studies (BFS)
• Bachelors in Social Work (BSW), the student must have studied at least 3 credit hours or 100 marks course in general psychology

Science:

B.Sc. and equivalent

Management:

• Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA),
• Bachelors in Business Administration – Banking and Insurance (BBA-BI),
• Bachelors in Business Administration – Travel and Tourism (BBA-TT),
• Bachelors in Conflict, Peace and Development (BCPD),
• Bachelors in Information Management (BIM),
• Bachelors in Business Information System (BBIS),
• Bachelors in Hotel Management (BHM),
• Bachelors in Health Care Management (BHCM),
• The students must have minimum of second division from TU or university recognized by TU in Bachelor level.

Note: Must have studied at least 3 credits hours or 100 marks of course in General Psychology,( core psychology).

Admission Procedures:

• Entrance Examination Applicants must appear a written examination of 1 hour. The entrance examination will consist of 100 marks where 50 marks is added from the objective questions and 50 marks is added from students’ previous academic records (+2 and Bachelors).
• Students will be selected on the basis of merit.
• Students from psychology major will be given 50% of the total seats and rest of seats for other students of other faculty.

PhD/Post-doctoral

Tribhuvan University offers PhD in psychology at Central Department of Psychology, Kirtipur. Many students are doing PhD aboard and go on to do the post-doctoral training following that.

OTHER ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Psychology as a subject is also taught in other faculties such as Management, Nursing, Education, Military, Social Work, etc. as a part of the training in their specialization areas as required.

A Levels and International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes

Psychology can be studied in A level and IB programmes as well.

Post-graduate Diploma in PsychologicalCounseling (PGDPC)

PGDPC is a one-year specialization course in counseling approved by TU. Anybody is eligible (meeting minimum requirements) to enroll in this program. PGDPC program also acts as a bridge for interested students to study MA in psychology which otherwise could not be possible due to certain criteria required for MA.

MPhil in Clinical Psychology

It is another academic (more applied) program instituted and run at Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health. It is a two-year course which produces clinical psychologists in Nepal. The requirement for admission is MA in psychology.

MA in Counseling Psychology

Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MCP) has started for the academic session 2017-2019 under the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences(FOHSS), Tribhuvan University. This is the first year (2017) of this program.

Eligibility:

Completion of PGD in Counseling Psychology, Bachelor Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Health Sciences and medicine (with 3 papers in psychological sciences) with at least second division or 2.0 CGPA and/or Master in Social Sciences subjects with 3 to 6 months training and practice in counseling. Selection is based on certificates and entrance exam marks.

Updated: 19 February 2020, 17 March 2017