A complete professional certification pathway built on the COS™ Methodology — an ethics-first infrastructure governance framework developed in Nepal from 22 years of field practice, and validated across South Asia and the Middle East. From Foundation to Research Scholar, every step is within CM Academy's own verified boundary.
Priced to be accessible in Nepal and South Asia, while sustainably justified for international learners. Quality that is priced to serve — not to exclude.
Geographic Pricing Policy. Nepal and South Asia pricing reflects local professional income levels and is our primary market. International pricing (Middle East, GCC, Europe, North America, Southeast Asia) is set at USD 25–30 per module — approximately 40–50% below comparable global CM certification programs (CMAA, PMI, CIOB) while maintaining the same content quality, audit standards, and certificate referencing COS™ Methodology DOIs. This is not a discount. It is a deliberate Global South contribution model: Nepal builds it, the world uses it, everyone pays what is fair.
Each module is independently purchasable. Completing all 6 modules earns the COS™ Full Practitioner Certificate. Module 6 (Research Scholar) includes a Zenodo co-publication under the learner's name.
| Module | Title | Study Hours | Credit Units | Exam Qs | Nepal NPR | Intl USD | Professional Development Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Module 1 | COS™ Foundation — Three Pillars, Global Standards, Ethics-First Principles | 4 hrs | 4 credits | 30 | NPR 2,500 | USD 25 | Foundation — entry point to the full COS™ pathway |
| Module 2 | COS™ Compliance Audit — Registers, Checklists, NCR Management, FIDIC/ISO Application | 6 hrs | 6 credits | 30 | NPR 3,500 | USD 28 | Compliance audit competency — specialist certificate |
| Module 3 | COS™ Oversight Practice — Duty of Care, Dashboards, Worker Safety, Accountability | 6 hrs | 6 credits | 30 | NPR 3,500 | USD 28 | Oversight methodology competency — specialist certificate |
| Module 4 | COS™ Sustainability — ESG Reporting, SDG Alignment, Carbon Tracking, Community Impact | 6 hrs | 6 credits | 30 | NPR 3,500 | USD 28 | Sustainability framework competency — specialist certificate |
| Module 5 | COS™ Full Practitioner — Integrated Governance, Scoring, Project Application, Real Case Analysis | 14 hrs | 14 credits | 40 | NPR 10,000 | USD 85 | Full Practitioner — qualified to conduct independent COS™ audits |
| Module 6 | COS™ Research Scholar — Original Case Study Submission, Zenodo Publication, Founder Review | 15 hrs | 15 credits | 40 + Case | NPR 18,000 | USD 150 | Research Scholar — first published contribution to infrastructure governance research, permanent Zenodo DOI |
| TOTAL — Complete COS™ Professional Development Pathway | 51 hrs | 51 credits | 160 + 1 Case | NPR 41,500 | USD 344 | Foundation to published research — complete within CM Academy's own boundary | |
Each module builds on the previous. Each certificate is independently valid. The full pathway takes 6–12 months of part-time study alongside professional work.
The complete three-pillar framework, global standards integration, all four case studies, ethics-first decision making. 2-week self-study handbook. 30-question exam. Pass 70%+ to receive your COS™ Foundation Certificate — the Research Pathway Entry 1 entry point.
2 weeks self-study · NPR 2,500 / USD 25Three specialist modules that go deep into each pillar individually. Each module includes real project scenarios, sector-specific applications (transmission infrastructure, donor-funded projects, industrial sites), and a 30-question exam. All three must be completed to proceed to Module 5.
6 weeks self-study · NPR 3,500 / USD 28 eachThe integrated module. Combines all three pillars into full project governance application. Learners score a real or hypothetical project against the three-pillar system and produce a COS™ Assessment Report. Minimum 14 hours study. 40-question exam plus a short project scoring exercise. Passing earns the COS™ Full Practitioner Certificate — the professional credential that qualifies you to conduct independent COS™ audits.
4 weeks study + project · NPR 10,000 / USD 85The research module. Requires submission of an original case study — a real project where you applied COS™ or can retrospectively apply it — following the format: Problem Statement, COS™ Application across all three pillars, Outcome with pillar scores. The case study is reviewed by Susil Bhandari, CCM. On acceptance, it is co-published on Zenodo under your name with a permanent DOI. Your name appears as co-author on a formally published open-access research contribution. Passing earns the COS™ Research Scholar Certificate. What you build from there is yours.
4 weeks case study + exam · NPR 18,000 / USD 150CM Academy delivers six modules, four capstones, and one Zenodo publication under your name. That is the complete boundary of what we offer and what we can verify. We do not advise on university admissions, degree equivalency, or academic progression beyond our own program. We do not partner with universities, guarantee institutional recognition, or act as an academic supervisor.
COS™ Academy never claims that our certificates are equivalent to degrees, or that completing our program guarantees research advancement. Every learner deserves honest information about what our credentials represent, what they do not replace, and what the realistic pathway to higher academic recognition looks like. We price sustainably, teach honestly, and measure everything. The methodology demands no less of us than it demands of the projects it governs.
