MSc. in Mountain and Mountaineering Science (Msc.MMS)
Courses Description

The Nepal Mountain Academy aims to foster the reach of scientific study in high mountains with the aspiration of advancing the fields of adventure tourism and mountaineering. MSc in MMS program is intended to develop scholars in mountain and mountaineering science to communicate specialized mountain development research. The academy has devised a scientifically-integrated strategy for mountain research to assist the government in adopting and implementing mountain development policies. This academic programme is anticipated to expand the cooperation opportunities of research domestically and globally in the alpine region. The MMS programme is affiliated with the Institute of Science and Technology (IoST), Tribhuvan University (TU), and is exclusively available in Nepal through Nepal Mountain Academy. MMS is a two-year programme that spans four semesters and requires graduate students to complete 64 credits, including 29 credits in theoretical knowledge in mountaineering and mountain science, 6 credits in methods and tools, and 29 credits in field-based practical and research.

Scope of the MMS Program
MMS course offers all the basic mountain science and field-based practices to convey scientific research to address the opportunities and challenges in the mountain and mountaineering science. Students who complete the MMS programme will have acquired a level of understanding to demonstrate:

  • Capacity to convey scientific research to address the opportunities and challenges in mountain science,
  • Skill for serving tourism sector development focusing on trekking and mountaineering tourism,
  • Expertise in facilitating institutions in the formulation of evidence-based policy and strategy,  
  • Practical aspect of research in different fields of high mountain geomorphology, ecology, climate, hydrology, and glaciology,
  • Professional resource management skills for people's livelihood, environment conservation, and sustainable development of High Mountain.

Additional information about the course

Class Timings

Regular class time for the program is between 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM on weekdays including practical classes.

Attendance and Evaluations

All students must maintain an attendance record of 80% in each subject to be eligible for the board examination. The final grade for each semester is derived using an internal evaluation of 40% and a board examination of 60%.

The MSc.MMS program grading system is based on a student performance in in-semester (40%) evaluations and end-semester examination (60%) administered by IoST, TU. Internal evaluation are made on the following basis

  • Class Assignment: 10
  • Group Discussion: 10
  • In-class Presentation: 10
  • Attendance: 10
  • Internal Examination (Mid-term & Pre-board) : 20
  • Project and Field Practical with Presentation: 40

Internal evaluation of 100 marks is converted to 40, and students must score at least 30 to be eligible for the end-semester examination.

Courses Eligibility

Academic requirement for admission to M.Sc. MMS

  • B.Sc. in General Science or equivalent
  • B.Sc. Forestry or equivalent
  • B.Sc. Agriculture or equivalent
  • B. E. in Civil Engineering or equivalent
  • Bachelor in Physical Geography or equivalent
  • Bachelor of Mountaineering Studies (BMS) with +2 in Science
  • B. Sc. CSIT (B.Sc. Computer Science and Information Technology)

Eligibility criteria for admission to M. Sc. MMS

  • Applicants must have completed a Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 50 percent or a CGPA of 2.00 in the aforementioned disciplines; and
  • International applicants must have completed undergraduate courses (equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree) in the above-mentioned requirements in English medium with a minimum of 50 percent marks or 2.00 CGPA in aggregate.

Silent Features

Nationals/ semester

Admission and 1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Grand Total

Nepali

1,50,000

1,00,000

75,000

75,000

NRs. 4,00,000

SAARC

2,00,000

1,50,000

1,50,000

1,00,000

NRs. 6,00,000

Foreign

3,00,000

2,00,000

2,00,000

1,00,000

NRs. 8,00,000

MMS fee structure covers:

  • Tuition fees
  • Library-computer lab fees
  • Several ECAs
  • Bouldering wall fees
  • Visiting lectures by expert
  • A peak climbing of below 6,000 meters including transportation, experts, permit fees, and combined climbing gears (personal gears, food & accommodation expenses are not included).

Scholarship for MMS
There are four different academic scholarships offered to students at NMA

  1. University scholarshipis offered to three students in which students are granted a 100% tuition fee waiver under the scholarship criteria of Tribhuvan University.
  2. Performance scholarship is rewarded to the student with the highest score in the end-semester examination with NRS 20,000 (Twenty Thousand) of fee waiver in the following semester
  3. Privilege scholarship of 25% of the fee waiver is offered to eligible students (1 male & 1 female) permanently residing at Solududhkunda Municipality -7, Garma, Solukhumbu
  4. Contribution scholarship is granted to 4 students (2 males and 2 females), where each student are eligible to receive a 25% waiver in tuition fee if the student is
    • A child of a mountaineer who lost his/her life or has been physically impaired during the expedition
    • A child of a mountaineer who has successfully climbed 8000-meter peaks more than 5 times including Mount Everest (8848.86 meters).
    • A child of a certified and licensed IMFGA guide who has a minimum work experience of 7 years

    • .Additional opportunities:
      • Tutorial classes
      • Academic and research paper writing workshop
      • Seminar paper writing workshop
      • National and international seminar paper presentations
      • International guest lectures

Curricular Structure

First Semester

Course code

Subjects

Credit Hours

MMS501

Mountain Tourism and Mountaineering: Concept and Practices

3

MMS502

Mountaineering in Nepal

3

MMS503

Mountain Geography

3

MMS504

Mountain Climate and Hydrology

3

MMS505

Research Methodology

2

MMS506

Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing

2

MMS531

Practical work - I

2

MMS532

Practical Work  - II

2

Second Semester

Course code

Subjects

Credit Hours

MMS551

Mountain Safety Protocols

3

MMS552

Environmental Impact of Mountain Tourism

3

MMS553

Glacial Geomorphology

3

MMS554

Dynamics of  Snow, Ice and Glacier

3

MMS555

Mountain Ecology and Bio-diversity

3

MMS556

Statistical Methods

2

MMS581

Practical Work - III

2

MMS591

Mountain Tourism Development: Policies & Plans

Elective (one)

2

MMS592

Mountain People & Livelihood

2

MMS593

International Cooperation, Diplomacy & Mountains

2

Third Semester

Course code

Subjects

Credit Hours

MMS631

Field Work - I (Research)

2

MMS632

Field Work - II (Research)

4

MMS633

Case Study: Mountains Safety Protocols (Research)

1

MMS634

Case Study: Environmental Impact of Mountains Tourism  (Research)

1

MMS649

Dissertation Proposal Seminar (Research)

1

Fourth Semester

Course code

Subjects

Credit Hours

MMS697

Dissertation Defense (Research)

2

MMS698

Publication of Scientific Article (Research)

3

MMS699

Dissertation (Research)

Admission Criteria

Student intake
Student intake for the MSS program begin in January for the February to July semester capable to accommodate 30 students per intake

Academic requirement for admission to M.Sc. MMS

  • B.Sc. in General Science or equivalent
  • B.Sc. Forestry or equivalent
  • B.Sc. Agriculture or equivalent
  • B. E. in Civil Engineering or equivalent
  • Bachelor in Physical Geography or equivalent
  • Bachelor of Mountaineering Studies (BMS) with +2 in Science
  • B. Sc. CSIT (B.Sc. Computer Science and Information Technology)

Eligibility criteria for admission to M. Sc. MMS

  • Applicants must have completed a Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 50 percent or a CGPA of 2.00 in the aforementioned disciplines; and
  • International applicants must have completed undergraduate courses (equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree) in the above-mentioned requirements in English medium with a minimum of 50 percent marks or 2.00 CGPA in aggregate.

Documents required

  • Duly filled application form for MSc MMS
  • Certificates and testimonials of all examinations passed
  • Two recent passport-sized photographs
  • Equivalency certificate if the students have their bachelor's degree from a foreign board
  • Updated CV/biodata
  • Copy of citizenship certificate (for Nepali Nationals)
  • Migration certificate (original) other than TU
  • MMS entrance score sheet (The applicant must score a minimum of 40 marks in the entrance exam conducted by IoST TU to be eligible for the MMS program)

Admission Test
Academy shall conduct admission test for appropriate screening of the applicants through group discussion and personal interview to all the eligible candidates.

International students will be admitted in accordance with the rules outlined by the university (TU).