Tribhuvan University Introduces Four-Year Bachelor’s Course in Humanities

Nepal’s Tribhuvan University has launched a four-year course for a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities, starting next academic session between September-October, 2019.

The University’s Faculty for Humanities and Social Sciences Education Council announced the decision on August 14, 2019.

According to the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS) Dean Shiva Lal Bhusal, the new move will bring TU courses in line with international courses.

Earlier students had to study additional one year when going abroad for studies. This four-year course will end such problems,” said Bhusal.

“Employers are recruiting students who have completed four-year degree. Students of humanities were at a disadvantage because of the shorter duration of the course,” Sharma added.

Moreover, the other faculties in TU have already started four-year courses. “Other faculties of the university have already introduced four-year bachelor’s courses,” said the FHSS Dean.

TU’s science, management and education faculties already had four-year bachelors courses.

With the introduction of the four-year course for the field of humanities, dissimilarity between various TU courses duration has ended, said Govinda Prasad Sharma.

Sharma said it was difficult to introduce a four-year curriculum for Humanities earlier as the stream had 34 subjects.

The revised course will be inter-disciplinary, with students having to study economics, psychology and sociology among others as part of the stream.

“Courses for all the subjects have already been designed and the curriculum will be made available online after we are done with official procedures,” informed Sharma.

The four-year course will be worth 2000 marks, where students can choose two main subjects for 700 marks each as their majors and two subjects as electives for 100 marks each.

Currently, there are more than 60,000 students enrolled to TU’s Humanities course.

TU will also introduce Nepal Studies subject for the first time at Bachelor’s level. The mandatory subject will help students learn about their own country Nepal. Students will be able to learn the subject in their fourth year of the course.

“Even after graduating many students lack basic knowledge about Nepal. We, therefore, have decided to introduce the subject to give students basic knowledge about history, geography, administration and culture of Nepal,” stated Bhusal.

Besides Nepal Studies, English and Nepali will also be made compulsory. While English will be compulsory in the first and third years, Nepali will be compulsory in the second year.

English will be awarded 200 marks, Nepali and Nepal Studies will be awarded 100 marks each.