Overview
PhD in Adult Learning at KUSOED
The PhD in Adult Learning is a doctoral research program at Kathmandu University School of Education (KUSOED). The program is part of KUSOED’s current PhD portfolio and is placed within the academic area associated with the Department of Inclusive Education, Early Childhood Development and Professional Studies.
Adult Learning is one of several doctoral fields currently available at KUSOED. Other PhD areas include Development Education, Language Education, Educational Leadership, STEAM Education, School Counseling and Psychological Wellbeing, and Early Childhood Development.
Course at a Glance
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Course: | PhD in Adult Learning |
| Institution: | Kathmandu University School of Education |
| University: | Kathmandu University |
| Level: | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Academic area: | Adult Learning |
| Program orientation: | Doctoral research |
| Location: | Hattiban, Lalitpur, Nepal |
About PhD in Adult Learning
PhD in Adult Learning is positioned at the doctoral level of KUSOED’s education and professional studies portfolio. It is a research-oriented qualification rather than a taught master’s or professional diploma.
The program is listed within the academic structure that also includes Early Childhood Development and Professional Studies. This placement gives Adult Learning a clear position within KUSOED’s wider work in education, professional learning, research, and development.
The School itself offers academic programs from bachelor and postgraduate diploma levels through master’s, MPhil, and PhD study. Adult Learning appears specifically at doctoral level in the current program inventory.
Academic Setting
The PhD in Adult Learning is associated with the Department of Inclusive Education, Early Childhood Development and Professional Studies.
The department received approval in November 2024 from the Academic Council and Executive Council of Kathmandu University. Its establishment followed the expansion of the Continuing and Professional Education Centre and KUSOED’s work in community and professional education.
The department provides an academic space around:
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Inclusive Education
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Early Childhood Development
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Professional Studies
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Adult Learning at doctoral level
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Research and professional education
Within this arrangement, Adult Learning forms a distinct doctoral field rather than being presented as a specialization within another PhD title.
Research Orientation
PhD in Adult Learning belongs to KUSOED’s research-degree portfolio. Research has been part of the School’s academic work since its first degree programs began in 1998 with MPhil and PhD study in Educational Leadership.
KUSOED now maintains doctoral programs across several educational fields. Adult Learning sits alongside research areas in leadership, development, languages, STEAM, counselling and wellbeing, and early childhood development.
This wider environment allows Adult Learning to exist within a School focused on educational research and professional preparation rather than as a stand-alone program outside education.
KUSOED also maintains research-related institutional work through its broader academic structure, including educational and social research conducted by faculty and students.
Relationship with Professional Studies
The departmental placement of PhD in Adult Learning is significant because Adult Learning appears alongside professional education rather than within KUSOED’s Language Education, STEAM Education, Development Education, or Educational Leadership departments.
The Department of Inclusive Education, Early Childhood Development and Professional Studies developed from KUSOED’s continuing and professional education activities. The department was formed as a cross-sectoral academic space with research and development among its areas of work.
KUSOED also offers programs such as Master in Training and Development through this wider professional studies setting. These are separate qualifications and should not be treated as parts of the PhD curriculum, but they show the broader professional education context surrounding Adult Learning at KUSOED.
Admission Process
Admission to the PhD in Adult Learning follows the rules and regulations of Kathmandu University.
KUSOED organizes research-degree admission separately from its bachelor, postgraduate diploma, and master’s admissions. Requirements for PhD applicants are connected with the relevant research-degree intake rather than one permanent admission procedure for all academic levels.
The applicable process may include academic and research requirements established for the particular doctoral intake. Applicants should use the PhD in Adult Learning title when reviewing research-degree admission conditions because requirements for other KUSOED doctoral programs should not automatically be applied to this program.
Academic Regulations
PhD in Adult Learning operates within the academic framework of Kathmandu University.
University rules and regulations govern areas such as:
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Admission and selection
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Research requirements
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Academic progression
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Assessment and examination
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Results
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Completion requirements
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Degree award
As a doctoral qualification, the program is governed through the research-degree system rather than the academic structure used for bachelor, postgraduate diploma, or taught master’s programs.
Study and Research Environment
KUSOED describes blended approaches within postgraduate education, combining online and face-to-face academic engagement. Individual research-program arrangements can depend on the applicable program and intake.
For the PhD in Adult Learning, the central academic identity is doctoral research. Candidates enter an institution where education research is carried out across multiple fields and where professional, community, and educational contexts are represented within the School’s academic work.
Position within KUSOED’s PhD Portfolio
The current doctoral portfolio at KUSOED includes:
| Doctoral area | Academic field |
|---|---|
| PhD in Development Education | Development Education |
| PhD in Language Education | Language Education |
| PhD in Educational Leadership | Educational Leadership |
| PhD in STEAM Education | STEAM Education |
| PhD in School Counseling and Psychological Wellbeing | Counselling and Wellbeing |
| PhD in Adult Learning | Adult Learning |
| PhD in Early Childhood Development | Early Childhood Development |
Adult Learning therefore stands as its own doctoral field within the School’s current program structure.
Who May Consider the Program?
PhD in Adult Learning is intended for doctoral-level study within the field of Adult Learning.
It may be relevant to candidates whose research interests are specifically connected with adult learning within KUSOED’s broader educational and professional studies environment. Admission remains subject to the academic and research requirements established for the relevant Kathmandu University doctoral intake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PhD in Adult Learning at KUSOED?
It is a doctoral research program in Adult Learning offered at Kathmandu University School of Education.
Which university governs the program?
The program operates under Kathmandu University.
Which academic area is the program associated with?
PhD in Adult Learning is placed within the academic structure associated with the Department of Inclusive Education, Early Childhood Development and Professional Studies.
Is Adult Learning offered at doctoral level?
Yes. Adult Learning is listed among KUSOED’s current PhD programs.
Is the PhD in Adult Learning a research program?
Yes. It forms part of KUSOED’s research-degree portfolio.
How is admission managed?
Admission follows Kathmandu University rules and the requirements established for the relevant KUSOED research-degree intake.
Who awards the PhD?
The doctoral degree is awarded through Kathmandu University after fulfillment of the applicable academic and research requirements.
