A complete certification, research, and academic development pathway built on the COS™ Methodology — an ethics-integrated infrastructure governance framework developed in Nepal from 22 years of field practice, developed in Nepal and validated across South Asia and the Middle East.
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. Completing Module 6 (Research Scholar) satisfies the pre-submission evidence requirement for the original research proposal.
| Module | Title | Study Hours | Credit Units | Exam Qs | Nepal NPR | Intl USD | Research Pathway Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Module 1 | COS™ Foundation — Three Pillars, Global Standards, Ethics-First Principles | 4 hrs | 4 credits | 30 | NPR 2,500 | USD 25 | Prerequisite 1 — COS™ Research Pathway entry |
| Module 2 | COS™ Compliance Audit — Registers, Checklists, NCR Management, FIDIC/ISO Application | 6 hrs | 6 credits | 30 | NPR 3,500 | USD 28 | Prerequisite 2 — Compliance audit evidence |
| Module 3 | COS™ Oversight Practice — Duty of Care, Dashboards, Worker Safety, Accountability | 6 hrs | 6 credits | 30 | NPR 3,500 | USD 28 | Prerequisite 3 — Oversight methodology evidence |
| Module 4 | COS™ Sustainability — ESG Reporting, SDG Alignment, Carbon Tracking, Community Impact | 6 hrs | 6 credits | 30 | NPR 3,500 | USD 28 | Prerequisite 4 — Sustainability framework evidence |
| Module 5 | COS™ Full Practitioner — Integrated Governance, Scoring, Project Application, Real Case Analysis | 14 hrs | 14 credits | 40 | NPR 10,000 | USD 85 | Prerequisite 5 — Practitioner competency demonstrated |
| Module 6 | COS™ Research Scholar — Original Case Study Submission, Zenodo Publication, Supervisor Review | 15 hrs | 15 credits | 40 + Case | NPR 18,000 | USD 150 | Full Research Scholar evidence portfolio — all prerequisites satisfied |
| TOTAL — Full Practitioner + Research Scholar Pathway | 51 hrs | 51 credits | 160 + 1 Case | NPR 41,500 | USD 344 | Complete COS™ Research Pathway portfolio | |
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 document — a real project where you applied COS™ or can retrospectively apply it — following the format: Problem Statement, COS™ Application (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. This is your first formally published academic contribution. Passing earns the COS™ Research Scholar Certificate — the credential required before submitting a original research proposal.
4 weeks case study + exam · NPR 18,000 / USD 150A complete, honest, standards-compliant research pathway. Duration 4–6 years. Based on verified requirements of Tribhuvan University IoE and international construction management research programs.
All accredited research programs — including Tribhuvan University IoE — require a prior degree as the minimum entry qualification. Your Diploma in Civil Engineering with 22 years of field experience is a strong foundation, but a prior degree (MSc in Construction Management, Project Management, or related field) must be completed first. The COS™ certification pathway builds your research portfolio and publication record while you complete your Master's — so both tracks run in parallel, not sequentially. This is the honest and realistic structure.
Before any formal enrollment, establish your academic identity online. These are free registrations that take less than 2 hours total and make you discoverable to academic supervisors globally.
Enrol in a part-time or distance MSc in Construction Management, Project Management, or Infrastructure Governance. Run this in parallel with completing COS™ Modules 1–5. Recommended programs accepting diploma holders with professional experience:
Simultaneously: complete COS™ Modules 1–4 (certification pathway). Publish one additional Zenodo record per module completion — building your publication portfolio.
Duration: 18–24 months part-time · Cost: Varies by institutionComplete COS™ Module 5 (Full Practitioner) and Module 6 (Research Scholar) with original case study submission. By this point you have:
With prior degree complete and COS™ Research Scholar Certificate in hand, submit a original research proposal. The research question is already defined by the COS™ methodology:
This is where COS™ Academy becomes the research instrument. Every project engagement, every course cohort, and every certificate issued generates data for the original research:
Submit the research thesis. The thesis structure follows standard TU IoE and international requirements:
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.