Social Sciences

Bachelor of Arts in Community Development

The Bachelor of Arts in Community Development is a four-year degree programme that equips students with the skills to facilitate community empowerment, poverty reduction, and sustainable development. Students study community development theory, project planning and management, participatory development, social research methods, community health, gender and development, rural and urban development, development economics, policy analysis, and community mobilisation.

The programme is offered at multiple CUE-accredited universities including Karatina University, Kisii University, Maasai Mara University, Moi University, Garissa University, Alupe University, Daystar University, Mount Kenya University, St. Graduates pursue careers as community development officers, project managers, social workers, programme coordinators, development consultants, NGO officers, county development officers, and community mobilisers.

The programme is delivered over eight semesters through lectures, fieldwork, community attachments, and practical projects. Students engage in community needs assessments, project design, participatory planning, and development research.

Entry-level salaries for community development graduates in Kenya range from KES 35,000–60,000/month depending on the role and organisation, with higher earnings in international NGOs. The programme suits students passionate about social change, community empowerment, and development work.

Skills RequiredCommunity Development and EmpowermentProject Planning and ManagementParticipatory Development MethodsSocial Research MethodsCommunity Needs AssessmentGender and Development AnalysisCommunity Mobilisation and OrganisationDevelopment EconomicsPolicy Analysis and AdvocacyMonitoring and EvaluationKey SubjectsCommunity Development TheoryProject Planning and ManagementParticipatory DevelopmentSocial Research MethodsCommunity HealthGender and DevelopmentRural and Urban DevelopmentDevelopment EconomicsPolicy AnalysisCommunity MobilisationCertificationsKenya Institute of Social Work and Community Development MembershipProject Management Professional (PMP) CertificationMonitoring and Evaluation CertificationSpecializationsProject Planning and ManagementFocus on designing and managing development projects — covering project cycle management, logical framework approach, project monitoring and evaluation, budget management, and project proposal development. Rural DevelopmentFocus on development in rural areas — covering rural livelihoods, agricultural development, rural infrastructure, land tenure, rural-urban linkages, and the specific challenges of rural community development.

Urban DevelopmentFocus on development in urban areas — covering urbanisation, informal settlements, urban planning, municipal governance, urban livelihoods, and the challenges of urban community development.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 189,004
Private, up to: Ksh 223,900
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 40 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Community Development Theory
Project Planning and Management
Participatory Development
Social Research Methods
Community Health
Gender and Development
Rural and Urban Development
Development Economics
Policy Analysis
Community Mobilisation

Modules

12 in the programme

Introduction to Community Development
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Foundational introduction to community development — covering development theory, community development concepts, the history of community development in Kenya, and the role of community developmen...
Social Research Methods
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Research methodology for community development — covering quantitative and qualitative research, survey design, data collection, community needs assessment, and the application of research to devel...
Project Planning and Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Designing and managing development projects — covering project cycle management, logical framework approach, project monitoring and evaluation, budget management, and project proposal development.
Participatory Development
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Participatory approaches to development — covering participatory rural appraisal, community participation, stakeholder engagement, community mobilisation, and the principles and practice of partici...
Gender and Development
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Gender dimensions of development — covering gender analysis, women's empowerment, gender mainstreaming, gender-based violence, and the integration of gender perspectives in development programmes.
Development Economics
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Economic dimensions of development — covering economic growth and development, poverty, inequality, livelihoods, microfinance, and the economic foundations of community development.
Community Health and Development
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Health as a dimension of community development — covering community health, health promotion, public health interventions, health systems, and the relationship between health and socio-economic dev...
Rural and Urban Development
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Development in rural and urban contexts — covering rural livelihoods, agricultural development, urbanisation, informal settlements, rural-urban linkages, and the specific challenges of rural and ur...
Policy Analysis and Advocacy
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Policy and advocacy for development — covering policy analysis, development policy in Kenya, advocacy strategies, rights-based approaches, and the role of civil society in policy influence.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
M&E of development programmes — covering M&E frameworks, indicators, data collection for M&E, impact assessment, and the use of M&E findings for programme improvement and accountability.
Community Mobilisation and Organisation
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
Mobilising and organising communities — covering community organising, leadership development, community empowerment, conflict resolution, and the skills for facilitating community collective action.
Community Development Project or Research Thesis
Year 4Semester 26 creditsCore
Final-year community development project or research thesis — demonstrating mastery of community development theory and practice through a community-based project or original research study.

Specialisations

Project Planning and Management
Focus on designing and managing development projects — covering project cycle management, logical framework approach, project monitoring and evaluation, budget management, and project proposal development.
Rural Development
Focus on development in rural areas — covering rural livelihoods, agricultural development, rural infrastructure, land tenure, rural-urban linkages, and the specific challenges of rural community development.
Urban Development
Focus on development in urban areas — covering urbanisation, informal settlements, urban planning, municipal governance, urban livelihoods, and the challenges of urban community development.
Gender and Development
Focus on gender dimensions of development — covering gender analysis, women's empowerment, gender mainstreaming, gender-based violence, and the integration of gender perspectives in development programmes.
Community Health and Development
Focus on health as a dimension of community development — covering community health, health promotion, public health interventions, health systems, and the relationship between health and development.
Development Policy and Advocacy
Focus on policy and advocacy for development — covering policy analysis, development policy, advocacy strategies, rights-based approaches, and the role of civil society in policy influence.

A day as a student

A typical day combines morning lectures on development theory, project management, or community health with afternoon fieldwork, community engagement, or practical project design sessions. Students engage in community needs assessments, participatory planning exercises, and project proposal development. Field attachments in NGOs, government agencies, and community-based organisations provide hands-on experience, with students conducting community research, designing development projects, and facilitating community meetings. Research papers and project reports are regular assignments.

The trade offs

In its favour

Wide range of university options — the programme is offered at over 15 CUE-accredited universities, giving students extensive choice in terms of cost, location, and study mode.
High demand from devolution — Kenya's devolved government structure has created demand for community development professionals at the county level, with opportunities in all 47 counties.
Versatile career paths — graduates work in NGOs, government, county governments, international organisations, community-based organisations, and as independent consultants.
Practical fieldwork — the programme includes community attachments and fieldwork, giving graduates hands-on experience in community engagement and development practice.

Against it

Competitive NGO job market — while demand exists, NGO positions are highly competitive, with many graduates from social work, development studies, and related programmes competing for similar roles.
Variable programme quality — with so many universities offering the programme, quality varies significantly, with some institutions having better fieldwork connections and practical training than others.
Lower starting salaries — entry-level salaries in community development are generally lower than in business or technology fields, though international NGOs offer higher compensation.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 241 social sciences courses

Public153k to 189k

153k at Kenyatta University189k at University of Nairobi

Private105k to 224k

105k at Mount Kenya University224k at Daystar University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KU 153K, UoN 189K/yr; MKU 105K, Daystar 223.9K/yr (educationnewshub KUCCPS; mku.ac.ke).

Students can access HELB loans, university internal scholarships, and county government bursaries. Some NGOs and international development agencies offer sponsorships for community development students.

Funding options

HELB Undergraduate Loan
University Scholarships and Bursaries
County Government Bursaries

Scholarships

5 recorded

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
Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Needy Kenyan students enrolled in accredited university programmes.
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKsh 30,000Kenyan
Bursaries provided by county governments for needy students from their respective counties.
University Internal Bursaries
ScholarshipKsh 50,000Kenyan
Merit-based and need-based scholarships offered by individual universities, applied through the financial aid office.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+
Alternative entry: KCSE mean grade C+ with C- in English, or KACE with at least 2 principal passes and 2 subsidiaries, or Diploma in a related area with at least a credit pass from a recognised institution.

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Coursework25% of the mark
Written tests covering community development theory, project management, development economics, and research methods — assessed through mid-semester and end-of-semester examinations.
Fieldwork and Community Project Assignments
Coursework30% of the mark
Community needs assessments, project proposals, participatory planning exercises, and community engagement reports — assessed through portfolio review and practical evaluation.
Industry Attachment Reports
Coursework20% of the mark
Reports from field attachments in NGOs, government agencies, or community-based organisations — documenting practical experience, community engagement, and professional reflection.
Final Examinations and Community Development Project
Examination25% of the mark
End-of-semester written examinations and a final-year community development project or research thesis demonstrating mastery of community development theory and practice.

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) at multiple public and private universities including Karatina, Kisii, Maasai Mara, Moi, Garissa, Alupe, Daystar, Mount Kenya, St. Paul's, Pan Africa Christian, Scott Christian, Lukenya, Gretsa, and Africa Nazarene universities.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Statutory accreditation for all Kenyan universities offering degree programmes. The Bachelor of Arts in Community Development is CUE-accredited at multiple public and private universities including Karatina, Kisii, Maasai Mara, Moi, Garissa, Alupe, Daystar, Mount Kenya, St. Paul's, and others.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

Community Development Officer
High demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 55,000
Facilitates community development programmes — covering community needs assessment, project planning, community mobilisation, and project implementation for NGOs, government agencies, and community organisations.
Project Coordinator / Manager
High demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 80,000
Manages development projects — covering project planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, budget management, and stakeholder coordination for NGOs and development organisations.
Programme Officer (NGO)
High demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 70,000
Implements NGO programmes — covering programme design, community engagement, beneficiary management, reporting, and programme coordination for non-governmental organisations.
County Development Officer
Moderate demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 65,000
Supports development activities at the county level — covering county development planning, community project coordination, and liaison between county government and communities.
Development Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 90,000
Provides consultancy services to development organisations — covering project design, M&E, capacity building, research, and advisory services for NGOs, donors, and government agencies.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as community development officers, project managers, programme coordinators, social workers, and development consultants — in NGOs, government agencies, county governments, and international development organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Microsoft Office Suite
SoftwarePrimary
Productivity tools including Word for project proposals and reports, Excel for M&E data and budgets, and PowerPoint for stakeholder presentations and training sessions.
SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences)
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical analysis software for social research — covering survey data analysis, community needs assessment data, and research statistics for development project planning.
Google Workspace (Forms, Sheets, Earth)
Software
Cloud-based tools for data collection and mapping — covering Google Forms for surveys, Google Sheets for data management, and Google Earth for community mapping.
Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) Tools
Resource
Participatory tools for community assessment — covering community mapping, seasonal calendars, wealth ranking, focus group discussions, and other PRA methods for community engagement.
Logical Framework Approach (LFA) Tools
Resource
Project design tools — covering logical framework matrices, logframe analysis, project hierarchy, and the use of LFA for project planning and M&E framework development.

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Community Development is just about helping poor people.
The programme covers development theory, project management, policy analysis, economics, research methods, and participatory development — it is a rigorous academic discipline focused on sustainable development and social transformation.
Community Development graduates can only work in NGOs.
Graduates work in county governments, national government agencies, international organisations, community-based organisations, research institutions, and as independent consultants — with diverse career paths across the development sector.
Community Development is the same as Social Work.
While related, Community Development focuses on collective community empowerment and development projects, while Social Work focuses on individual and family support, counselling, and social services.
There are no jobs in community development in Kenya.
Devolution has created demand for community development professionals at the county level, with NGOs, government agencies, and international organisations actively recruiting graduates for development programmes.
Community Development is not academically rigorous.
The programme involves research methods, development economics, policy analysis, project management, and monitoring and evaluation — it is a demanding academic discipline requiring both analytical and practical skills.