The M.Ed. in School Counseling (One Year) is a 27-credit master’s program offered through the School Counselling and Wellbeing Unit at Kathmandu University School of Education (KUSOED). The one-year program was launched in August 2023 and is designed for applicants who already hold a master’s degree in any discipline from a recognized institution.
Its curriculum combines education and research foundations with counseling theories and techniques, psychosocial issues in schools, psychological assessment and testing, career counseling, elective study, practicum, and a research project. Non-credit workshops of 30 hours per semester are also included in the program structure.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Course: | M.Ed. in School Counseling |
| Institution: | Kathmandu University School of Education |
| University: | Kathmandu University |
| Academic unit: | School Counselling and Wellbeing Unit |
| Level: | Master’s |
| Duration: | 1 Year |
| Total credits: | 27 Credit Hours |
| Eligibility: | Master’s degree in any discipline from a recognized institution |
| Program commencement: | August 2023 |
| Additional study: | Non-credit workshops of 30 hours per semester |
| Practical components: | Practicum and Research Project |
School Counseling is a defined academic area within KUSOED. The School Counselling and Wellbeing Unit runs one-year and two-year M.Ed. programs together with MPhil and PhD study in School Counseling and Psychological Wellbeing.
The one-year M.Ed. was introduced in August 2023. A two-year M.Ed. in School Counseling followed in 2024. The two programs have different entry routes: the one-year course requires a master’s degree, while the two-year program accepts bachelor’s degree holders who meet its stated academic threshold.
The one-year program concentrates its 27 credits on selected professional counseling subjects, education and research foundations, one elective, and practical work.
Duration: One year
Total credits: 27 credit hours
The academic structure consists of:
6 credits of core education courses
12 credits of professional School Counseling courses
3 credits from one elective course
6 credits of practical study
Non-credit workshops of 30 hours in each semester
This structure gives equal six-credit weight to education foundations and practical study, while the largest component is the 12-credit professional School Counseling block.
| Course Type | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core | Theory and Practice in Education | 3 |
| Core | Research Methodology | 3 |
| Professional | Counseling Theories and Techniques | 3 |
| Professional | Psychosocial Issues in School | 3 |
| Professional | Psychological Assessment and Testing | 3 |
| Professional | Career Counseling | 3 |
| Practical | Practicum | 3 |
| Practical | Research Project in School Counseling | 3 |
Students also select one three-credit elective from:
Program Design and Appraisal
Lifespan Development
Leadership and Advocacy in School Counseling
Crisis Counseling in School
The curriculum begins with Theory and Practice in Education and Research Methodology. These courses place School Counseling within an educational setting and introduce academic research as part of the master’s program.
The professional component covers four areas. Counseling Theories and Techniques addresses the theoretical and practice-oriented foundation of counseling. Psychosocial Issues in School focuses the course on issues arising within school settings.
Psychological Assessment and Testing introduces assessment as a distinct area of study, while Career Counseling addresses counseling related to educational and career decision contexts.
The elective component allows students to add one area involving program planning, lifespan development, leadership and advocacy, or crisis counseling.
Practical study carries six credits.
Practicum — 3 credits
Research Project in School Counseling — 3 credits
The practicum provides a structured practical element alongside the taught courses. The research project gives students a separate opportunity to undertake academic inquiry related to School Counseling.
These components make practical engagement and research part of the formal credit requirements rather than optional additions to the program.
Eligibility: Applicants need a master’s degree in any discipline from a recognized institution.
This requirement is one of the main distinctions between the one-year and two-year School Counseling programs at KUSOED. Applicants with only a bachelor’s qualification should not apply the eligibility rule of the two-year program to this one-year course.
Admission, entrance, curriculum, examinations, results, and degree award follow the rules and regulations of Kathmandu University.
KUSOED organizes admissions according to program and intake. Application dates, selection procedures, required documents, fees, and other intake-specific conditions therefore depend on the relevant admission cycle.
The School Counselling and Wellbeing Unit works across academic programs related to school counseling, contemplative education, and psychological wellbeing.
Its current program structure includes:
One-Year M.Ed. in School Counseling
Two-Year M.Ed. in School Counseling
MPhil in School Counseling and Psychological Wellbeing
The unit also connects its academic work with contemplative practices and psychological wellbeing in educational contexts.
The program has a duration of one year.
It carries 27 credit hours.
Applicants need a master’s degree in any discipline from a recognized institution.
KUSOED launched the program in August 2023.
The program covers Theory and Practice in Education, Research Methodology, Counseling Theories and Techniques, Psychosocial Issues in School, Psychological Assessment and Testing, Career Counseling, one elective, Practicum, and a Research Project in School Counseling.
Yes. Practicum and Research Project in School Counseling together carry six credits.
Yes. Students select one three-credit elective from Program Design and Appraisal, Lifespan Development, Leadership and Advocacy in School Counseling, or Crisis Counseling in School.
No. They are separate programs. The one-year M.Ed. requires a master’s degree in any discipline, while the two-year program has a bachelor-level entry route.
