Master in Indigenous Education and Development (One Year) (MIED)

Master in Indigenous Education and Development (One Year) at KUSOED

The Master in Indigenous Education and Development (One Year) (MIED) is a one-year master’s program offered through the Department of Development Education at Kathmandu University School of Education (KUSOED). The program carries 27 credit hours across two semesters and requires applicants to hold a master’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university.

MIED studies education and development through Indigenous knowledge systems. Its curriculum covers Indigenous peoples and knowledge, decolonial education, customary governance, Indigenous approaches to development, research, an elective area, and professional engagement through an internship.

Course at a Glance

About the One-Year MIED

The one-year MIED is part of KUSOED’s Development Education portfolio. The Department of Development Education works at the intersection of education and development and includes programs in Development Studies, Sustainable Development, Technical and Vocational Education and Training, and Indigenous Education and Development.

The program concentrates specifically on Indigenous perspectives within education and development. Its academic focus includes cultural diversity, Indigenous knowledge systems, decolonial thought, customary governance, critical inquiry, and approaches to development grounded in Indigenous values.

KUSOED also offers a two-year Master in Indigenous Education and Development. The two programs are separate academic routes. The one-year MIED requires a master’s degree for admission, while the two-year program has a bachelor-level entry route.

Duration and Credit Structure

Duration: One year

Semesters: Two

Total credits: 27 credit hours

The program consists of:

• 6 credits of core courses

• 12 credits of specialization courses

• 3 credits from one elective course

• 6 credits of practical study

The practical component consists of Research Dissemination and Professional Engagement/Internship.

Curriculum

Students also select one three-credit elective.

Elective Courses

The program provides three elective options:

• EDIK 525 Right-based Conservation

• EDIK 527 Local Innovations for Climate Action

• EDIK 529 Traditional Livelihoods and Cultural Practice

Students choose one elective, which contributes three credits to the 27-credit degree.

The electives extend the core Indigenous Education and Development curriculum into conservation, climate action, or traditional livelihood and cultural practice.

What Students Study

Theory and Practice in Education places Indigenous Education and Development within a wider educational setting. Research Methodology provides the research foundation needed for academic inquiry and later research-related work.

Indigenous Peoples and Knowledge Systems examines Indigenous knowledge as a central area of study. Decolonial Education and Practice addresses educational perspectives concerned with colonial and decolonial relationships in knowledge and practice.

Customary Governance Praxis introduces forms of governance connected with Indigenous communities and practices. Indigenous Values and Approaches to Development places development questions within Indigenous value systems rather than treating development only through conventional institutional frameworks.

The elective allows students to add a focused area in conservation, climate action, or traditional livelihoods and cultural practice.

Research and Professional Engagement

The program includes six credits of practical study:

• EDIK 526 Research Dissemination — 3 credits

• EDIK 528 Professional Engagement/Internship — 3 credits

Research Dissemination connects academic research with the communication and sharing of research work. Professional Engagement/Internship adds an applied component to the degree.

The Department of Development Education also uses online and blended classroom arrangements and includes community-oriented activities such as field engagement. These activities connect academic learning with community settings within the department’s wider teaching environment.

Eligibility

Eligibility: Applicants need a master’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university.

The entry requirement is not restricted to graduates from education, development studies, or a particular subject area.

The master’s-level entry requirement is especially important when distinguishing the one-year MIED from the two-year MIED, which has a different academic entry pathway.

Admission and Academic Regulations

Admission, entrance, selection, curriculum, examinations, results, and degree award follow the rules and regulations of Kathmandu University.

KUSOED handles master’s admissions according to the relevant program and intake. Applicants to the one-year MIED must meet the stated requirement of a master’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university.

Academic Focus

The one-year MIED brings together several closely connected areas:

• Indigenous knowledge systems

• Indigenous peoples and education

• Decolonial education and practice

• Customary governance

• Indigenous values and development

• Cultural diversity

• Conservation

• Climate action

• Traditional livelihoods and cultural practice

• Research methodology

• Research dissemination

• Professional engagement

The program is therefore centered on the relationship between education, Indigenous knowledge, community perspectives, and development rather than on development study alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the duration of Master in Indigenous Education and Development?

The one-year MIED runs for one year across two semesters.

How many credits does the one-year MIED carry?

The program carries 27 credit hours.

What is the eligibility requirement?

Applicants need a master’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university.

What are the main subjects in MIED?

The curriculum includes Theory and Practice in Education, Research Methodology, Indigenous Peoples and Knowledge Systems, Decolonial Education and Practice, Customary Governance Praxis, Indigenous Values and Approaches to Development, an elective, Research Dissemination, and Professional Engagement/Internship.

Does MIED include an internship?

Yes. EDIK 528 Professional Engagement/Internship is a three-credit practical component.

Are elective courses available?

Yes. Students choose one course from Right-based Conservation, Local Innovations for Climate Action, or Traditional Livelihoods and Cultural Practice.

Is the one-year MIED the same as the two-year MIED?

No. They are separate programs. The one-year MIED requires a master’s degree for entry, while the two-year program has a bachelor-level entry route.