Central Department of Anthropology Tribhuvan University

The Central Department of Anthropology, Tribhuvan University is an academic department of Tribhuvan University (TU) devoted to teaching and research in anthropology. It became an independent department in 2015 after more than three decades of teaching and research within the joint Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

The CDA TU combines theoretical study with research training and brings global and local perspectives into the study of human societies and cultures. Its academic work covers the classical four-field approach to anthropology alongside specialized areas connected with Nepal, the Himalaya, and wider social issues. The department runs regular academic programs and is also involved in research projects, journals, conferences, seminars, colloquia, and short-term training.

Quick Highlights

Institutional Background

Anthropology at Tribhuvan University has an academic history extending well beyond the establishment of the present department. Teaching and research in the discipline were conducted for more than three decades through the joint Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

Tribhuvan University established the Central Department of Anthropology as an independent department in 2015. The department therefore combines a relatively recent independent administrative identity with a longer institutional history of anthropology teaching and research at TU.

Its academic direction reflects Tribhuvan University’s aim of developing central departments as centers for academic excellence. Within anthropology, the department concentrates on theoretical understanding, research practice, analytical work, and academic writing.

Academic Approach

Teaching at the department brings together global anthropological theory and the social, cultural, historical, and political contexts of Nepal. Students encounter both classical foundations of the discipline and contemporary approaches used to understand changing societies.

The curriculum incorporates the four-field tradition of anthropology while also covering specialized areas relevant to Nepal and the wider world. This allows students to engage with anthropology through sociocultural, biological, archaeological, and linguistic perspectives while developing more focused interests through advanced coursework and research.

Research training has a central place in the department’s academic work. Students study research methods, research design, ethnographic approaches, analysis, and academic writing as part of their progression through anthropology.

Programs Offered

The Central Department of Anthropology is associated with undergraduate and postgraduate study in anthropology under Tribhuvan University.

BA in Anthropology

The BA in Anthropology introduces students to anthropological theories, methods, and core concepts.

The program provides a foundation for studying human societies from cultural, social, biological, and related anthropological perspectives. It can also provide an academic base for further study in anthropology.

MA in Anthropology

The MA in Anthropology is organized across four semesters. Within the TU framework described for the program, the MA spans two years and carries 60 credit hours.

The program gives substantial attention to anthropological theory, ethnographic research, research methods, Nepal and Himalayan studies, kinship, caste and ethnicity, economic anthropology, and the major subfields of the discipline.

The semester structure includes:

Semester I

Students begin with foundational and methodological courses:

• Introduction to Anthropology (AN 561)

• Classical Theories in Anthropology (AN 562)

• Kinship Studies (AN 563)

• Research Methods (AN 564)

• Anthropology of Nepal and the Himalaya (AN 565)

Semester II

The second semester moves into contemporary theory and more advanced research work:

• Contemporary Theories (AN 571)

• Recent Trends in Kinship (AN 572)

• Caste, Ethnicity & Nationalism (AN 573)

• Advanced Research Methods (AN 574)

• Economic Anthropology (AN 575)

Semester III

The third semester includes:

• Linguistic Anthropology

• Physical Anthropology

• Three elective courses

Elective areas include Medical Anthropology, Disaster and Resilience, and Anthropology of Development.

Semester IV

The final semester includes:

• Archaeological Anthropology

• Research Design Practicum

• Thesis Writing — 6 credits

• One elective course

Elective areas include Historical Anthropology and Gender Studies.

The curriculum gives students exposure to several major traditions within anthropology while reserving substantial space for research design and thesis work.

MPhil in Anthropology

The MPhil in Anthropology spans three semesters.

It is structured around advanced academic study and research in anthropology. Students work with higher-level theoretical and methodological questions and undertake research under faculty guidance.

PhD in Anthropology

The PhD in Anthropology is administered in collaboration with the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Tribhuvan University.

Doctoral study centers on advanced and independent research in anthropology, with students developing research projects and doctoral dissertations in their areas of academic interest.

Faculty and Research Areas

The department has faculty members trained at universities in Nepal as well as institutions in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Japan, and India.

Their academic and research interests extend across a broad group of anthropological themes, including:

• Religion

• Kinship

• Gender

• Ethnicity

• Indigeneity

• Historical anthropology

• Medical anthropology

• Inclusion and exclusion

• Federalism

• Peasantry and land

• Development

• Infrastructure

• Natural resource management

• Climate change

Several of these themes overlap across teaching and research. Together, they connect established anthropological questions with social, political, environmental, and developmental issues relevant to Nepal and other settings.

Research and Academic Activities

Teaching is one part of the department’s academic work. The Central Department of Anthropology also undertakes academic and applied research projects.

Research activity is accompanied by publication and scholarly exchange. The department publishes academic journals and organizes forums where faculty members, students, researchers, and scholars can discuss research and disciplinary questions.

Its regular academic activities include annual anthropology conferences, periodic seminars, and a bimonthly colloquium series.

Annual Anthropology Conferences

The annual conferences provide a forum for research presentations and discussion within anthropology. They bring together academic work from students, faculty members, researchers, and other participants connected with the discipline.

Seminars

Periodic seminars create opportunities for focused discussion on anthropological and interdisciplinary subjects. These events support engagement with topics that extend beyond regular classroom teaching.

Bimonthly Colloquium Series

The department also conducts a bimonthly colloquium series. The series provides space for presenting ongoing research, discussing scholarly work, and exchanging academic feedback.

Short-Term Training

Alongside its regular degree programs, the department organizes short-term training activities.

These programs extend anthropological learning beyond standard semester-based teaching and allow participants to work with selected areas of anthropological knowledge, research, and practice.

E-Library and Academic Resources

The Central Department of Anthropology has developed an E-Library to support study, assignments, and research.

The digital resource provides students with access to academic materials that can be used during coursework and research projects. This resource is particularly relevant in a department where reading, field research, analysis, and academic writing form substantial parts of the learning process.

Scholarships, Fellowships and Research Support

Financial and research support is available through scholarship and grant arrangements connected with the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Support described for anthropology students includes fellowships, dissertation grants, UGC scholarship opportunities, and information about external funding.

Fellowships

Fellowship opportunities are available for students pursuing MA, MPhil, and PhD study in anthropology. Merit and academic performance are among the considerations associated with fellowship support.

Dissertation Grants

Dissertation grants support research undertaken for MPhil and PhD dissertations. Such support can relate to research activities including fieldwork, data collection, travel, and other dissertation-related requirements.

UGC Scholarships

Students may also pursue scholarship opportunities offered through the University Grants Commission, including merit-based, need-based, and targeted scholarship categories.

The department also keeps students informed about relevant national and international scholarships, grants, and research fellowship opportunities connected with anthropology.

Anthropology at the Department

The CDA TU’s academic character is shaped by the relationship between theory and empirical research. Anthropology is approached not only through classical disciplinary traditions but also through questions arising from contemporary social life.

Topics such as kinship, caste, ethnicity, gender, indigeneity, development, health, land, natural resources, infrastructure, and climate change place students in contact with issues that can be examined at household, community, institutional, national, and wider comparative levels.

The emphasis on research methods throughout the MA curriculum, followed by research design and thesis work, reflects the department’s sustained attention to research training. Conferences, seminars, colloquia, journals, and research projects extend that academic environment beyond formal coursework.