Bachelor of Arts (Social Work and Sociology)

Introduction to Sociological Theory

Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

Foundational concepts in sociology including classical and modern sociological theories, social structures, institutions, and the sociological imagination.

Introduction to Social Work

Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

Foundational concepts in social work including the history, values, ethics, and methods of social work practice — introducing case work, group work, and community work.

Social Psychology

Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

Psychological aspects of social behaviour including attitudes, persuasion, group dynamics, prejudice, aggression, and prosocial behaviour in social contexts.

Social Work Methods and Practice

Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

Practical social work methods including case work, group work, community organisation, intervention planning, and professional ethics in social work practice.

Community Development

Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

Principles and practices of community development including community organising, participatory approaches, needs assessment, resource mobilisation, and community empowerment.

Research Methods in Social Sciences

Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

Qualitative and quantitative research methods including survey design, interviewing, data collection, statistical analysis, and research ethics for social research.

Counselling and Guidance

Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

Counselling theories and techniques including person-centred therapy, cognitive-behavioural approaches, crisis counselling, and ethical practice in helping relationships.

Social Policy and Welfare

Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

Social policy formulation, welfare systems, social protection programmes, and comparative welfare models — examining Kenya's social policy framework and devolved social services.

Family and Child Welfare

Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

Family dynamics, child protection, domestic violence intervention, parenting support, and child welfare services — examining legal frameworks and intervention strategies.

Project Planning and Management

Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

Project planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation for social development projects — including logical frameworks, budgeting, and impact assessment.

Social Justice and Human Rights

Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore

Theories of social justice, human rights frameworks, advocacy strategies, and social movements — examining inequality, discrimination, and social change in African contexts.

Final Year Research Project

Year 4Semester 26 creditsCore

Final-year research project integrating sociology and social work, with fieldwork in social service settings, data analysis, written dissertation, and oral defence.

Social Work Practice and Counselling

Focus on clinical social work, counselling techniques, case management, and therapeutic interventions for careers in healthcare, schools, and counselling centres.

Community Development and Social Mobilisation

Focus on community organising, participatory development, project planning, and community empowerment for careers in NGOs and development agencies.

Sociological Research and Analysis

Focus on research methods, social survey design, data analysis, and policy research for careers in research institutions and government planning.

Child and Family Welfare

Focus on child protection, family therapy, domestic violence intervention, and family welfare services for careers in children's services and family support organisations.

Social Policy and Welfare Administration

Focus on social policy analysis, welfare programme design, public administration, and social justice advocacy for careers in government and policy organisations.

Criminal Justice and Correctional Social Work

Focus on criminology, correctional services, rehabilitation, and victim support for careers in correctional facilities and criminal justice organisations.

HELB Undergraduate Loan

County Government Bursaries

University Scholarships and Bursaries

County Government Bursaries

BursaryKsh 30,000Kenyan

Students from the respective county, applied through county education offices.

University Internal Bursaries

BursaryKsh 20,000Kenyan

Needy students enrolled at the respective university, applied through the financial aid office.

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan

LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan

Needy Kenyan students placed through KUCCPS in public universities.

Higher Education Fund (HEF)

BursaryKenyan

Kenyan undergraduate students placed by KUCCPS in public universities

NGAAF Bursary

BursaryKenyan

Women, youth and persons with disabilities from vulnerable backgrounds

Continuous Assessment Tests

Coursework30% of the mark

Written tests covering sociological theory, social work methods, community development, and research methods, assessed through mid-semester and end-of-semester examinations.

Fieldwork and Community Placement Practicals

Coursework25% of the mark

Community placements, counselling practicals, case work exercises, fieldwork reports, and social service attachment assessments — developing practical social work competence.

Research Papers and Case Studies

Coursework15% of the mark

Research papers, case study analyses, literature reviews, and social problem analysis essays assessed throughout each semester.

Final Examinations and Research Project

Examination30% of the mark

End-of-semester written examinations and a final-year research project integrating sociology and social work, with fieldwork, written dissertation, and oral defence.

Commission for University Education (CUE)

Academic accreditationRequired

Statutory accreditation for all Kenyan universities offering degree programmes.

Social Worker

High demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 65,000

Provides direct social services including case management, counselling, family support, and crisis intervention in government departments, NGOs, and healthcare settings.

Community Development Officer

High demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 60,000

Implements community development programmes, mobilises communities, conducts needs assessments, and coordinates development projects in government and NGOs.

NGO Programme Officer

High demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 70,000

Designs, implements, and monitors social development programmes in NGOs — handling project coordination, beneficiary engagement, reporting, and stakeholder management.

Counsellor

Moderate demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 65,000

Provides counselling and guidance services in schools, healthcare facilities, and private practice — supporting individuals, families, and groups with personal and social challenges.

Civil Service Officer (CSG 10)

High demandKsh 42,970 to Ksh 59,120

Entry-level government position in social services departments handling welfare administration, child protection, community programmes, and social policy implementation.

Microsoft Office Suite

SoftwarePrimary

Productivity tools including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access for case documentation, data management, project reports, and professional communication.

SPSS

SoftwarePrimary

Statistical analysis software for social research including survey analysis, cross-tabulations, regression, and demographic data analysis.

Google Workspace

Software

Collaboration and productivity tools for document creation, project coordination, email communication, and team collaboration in social service and NGO work.

NVivo

Software

Qualitative data analysis software for coding interviews, focus group data, and field notes — essential for qualitative social research and community studies.

KoboToolbox

Software

Open-source data collection tool for field surveys — widely used by NGOs and researchers for community assessments, needs surveys, and social data collection.

Social work is just about helping people with charity.

Social work is a professional discipline using evidence-based methods — case work, group work, community intervention, and policy advocacy — to address social problems and empower vulnerable populations.

Sociology and social work are the same thing.

Sociology studies social structures and patterns theoretically, while social work applies that knowledge practically to help individuals, families, and communities — this programme combines both perspectives.

Social work graduates only work in government offices.

Graduates work in NGOs, hospitals, schools, correctional facilities, international agencies, community organisations, and private practice — the skills are needed across multiple sectors.

This degree has limited career prospects in Kenya.

Kenya's growing social sector — devolved government, NGOs, healthcare, child protection, and community development — has increasing demand for qualified social work and sociology professionals.

Social work is emotionally draining and not rewarding.

While social work can be emotionally demanding, it is also deeply fulfilling — helping vulnerable people, strengthening communities, and contributing to social justice provides meaningful career satisfaction.