Education

Bachelor of Arts in Education in Psychology

The Bachelor of Arts in Education in Psychology is a four-year degree programme that combines professional education training with specialised study of educational psychology.

The curriculum covers general psychology, developmental psychology, educational psychology, psychology of learning, human growth and development, educational tests and measurement, guidance and counselling, and behavioural studies alongside education courses including philosophy of education, curriculum development, teaching methodology, and sociology of.

Students develop competencies in psychological assessment, counselling techniques, understanding of learning theories, classroom management, educational measurement, lesson planning, and curriculum implementation. The programme includes micro-teaching sessions and a teaching practice attachment in a school, providing hands-on classroom experience.

Graduates pursue careers as secondary school teachers, school counsellors, educational psychologists, guidance officers, and educational consultants. They find employment in secondary schools, teacher training colleges, educational institutions, and organisations focused on learner support and wellbeing.

The programme is offered at Kenyatta University, Maseno University, and other institutions with established psychology departments within their schools of education.

Accreditation is provided by the Commission for University Education (CUE), ensuring the programme meets national quality standards. The Teachers Service Commission recognises graduates for employment in public secondary schools. Admission requires a KCSE mean grade of C+ with strong performance in relevant subjects, reflecting the academic rigour of psychology studies.

Duration: 4 Years
Public, up to: Ksh 263,000
Private, up to: Ksh 183,550
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 30 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Introduction to Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Psychology of Learning
Educational Psychology
Human Growth and Development
Educational Tests and Measurement
Guidance and Counselling
Philosophy of Education
Curriculum Development
Research Methods in Education

Modules

12 in the programme

Introduction to Psychology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Foundational concepts in psychology, including history, schools of thought, biological bases of behaviour, and research methods.
Introduction to Educational Psychology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Application of psychological principles to education, including learning theories, motivation, and classroom dynamics.
Philosophy of Education
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Philosophical foundations of education, including major schools of thought and their implications for educational practice.
Developmental Psychology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Study of human development across the lifespan, including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development.
General Methods of Teaching
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Principles and methods of teaching, including lesson planning, instructional strategies, and classroom management.
Psychology of Learning
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Theories of learning and cognition, including behaviourist, cognitive, and constructivist approaches to learning.
Human Growth and Development
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Detailed study of human growth and development, focusing on developmental stages and their implications for education.
Human Behaviour, Learning, Guidance and Counselling
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Understanding human behaviour in educational contexts, including guidance and counselling techniques for learners.
Teaching Practice
Year 3Semester 26 creditsCore
Supervised teaching practice in a school, applying psychological principles and pedagogical theory to real classroom teaching.
Educational Tests, Measurements and Evaluation
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
Principles and methods of educational and psychological assessment, including test construction and interpretation.
Curriculum Development
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
Principles of curriculum design, development, and implementation, applying psychological principles to curriculum delivery.
Research Project in Educational Psychology
Year 4Semester 26 creditsCore
Independent research project at the intersection of psychology and education, culminating in a written dissertation.

Specialisations

Educational Psychology
Study of how people learn, including theories of learning, motivation, cognitive development, and their application to educational settings.
Developmental Psychology
Study of human development across the lifespan, including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development from childhood through adolescence.
Guidance and Counselling
Principles and techniques of guidance and counselling in educational settings, including individual and group counselling approaches.
Educational Measurement and Evaluation
Methods of psychological and educational assessment, including test construction, interpretation, and evaluation of learning outcomes.
Psychology of Learning
Theories of learning and cognition, including behaviourist, cognitive, and constructivist approaches and their application to classroom teaching.
Curriculum and Instruction
Principles of curriculum design, development, and implementation, with focus on applying psychological principles to curriculum delivery.

A day as a student

A typical day combines psychology lectures with education courses on teaching methodology and curriculum studies. Morning sessions may cover developmental psychology, learning theories, or psychological assessment, while afternoons focus on educational psychology, curriculum studies, or micro-teaching practice. Counselling skills workshops provide practical training in guidance techniques. Teaching practice attachment in a school provides hands-on experience applying psychological principles in classroom settings and supporting student wellbeing.

The trade offs

In its favour

Unique combination of teaching qualifications and psychological expertise, positioning graduates for emerging roles in learner support and school wellbeing.
Growing recognition of mental health and learner support in schools is increasing demand for graduates with psychology expertise.
Graduates are eligible for dual professional registration with TSC and the Psychological Society of Kenya.
Skills are transferable to counselling, research, educational administration, and human resource development.

Against it

Psychology is not a standalone KCSE examination subject, so graduates must teach a second subject for secondary school employment.
Offered at a limited number of universities, reducing institutional choice and geographic accessibility.
Practising as a counselling psychologist may require additional postgraduate qualifications beyond this degree.
School counsellor positions are not yet established in all Kenyan secondary schools, potentially limiting direct counselling employment.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 243 education courses

Public184k to 263k

184k at Kenyatta University263k at University of Nairobi

Private105k to 184k

105k at Mount Kenya University184k at Kabarak 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 183,600/yr; UoN 263,000/yr; MKU 105,000/yr; Kabarak 183,550/yr. Src: educationnewshub.co.ke, kabarak.ac.ke

Government-sponsored students receive fee subsidies through KUCCPS placement. HELB loans are available for eligible students. Employed teachers may access study leave with pay through the Teachers Service Commission. Universities also offer internal bursaries for financially needy students.

Funding options

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB)
KUCCPS Government Sponsorship
Teachers Service Commission Study Leave
University Internal Bursaries

Scholarships

5 recorded

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
Government loanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan students admitted to recognised universities through KUCCPS or self-sponsored. Must demonstrate financial need.
University Internal Bursaries
University bursaryKenyan
Registered students demonstrating financial need. Application through the respective university financial aid office.
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties pursuing undergraduate studies
TSC Teacher Training Support
BursaryKenyan
Teachers and trainee teachers in recognised institutions
Kenya Counselling and Psychological Association (KCPA) Student Support
BursaryKenyan
Students pursuing counselling and psychology programmes

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+ (Plus)
Alternative entry: KACE with two principal passes and one subsidiary; OR a Diploma in Education from a recognised institution; OR a P1 certificate with at least two years of teaching experience and a mean grade of C in KCSE.

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Coursework30% of the mark
Regular written tests, assignments, research reports, and micro-teaching assessments conducted during the semester.
End of Semester Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Comprehensive written examinations at the end of each semester covering both psychology content and education courses.
Teaching Practice Assessment
Practical100% of the mark
Supervised assessment of classroom teaching during the teaching practice attachment, including application of psychological principles.
Research Project
Research100% of the mark
Final-year independent research project at the intersection of psychology and education, culminating in a written dissertation.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE), the statutory body responsible for quality assurance and regulation of university education in Kenya. Graduates are eligible for registration with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Psychological Society of Kenya.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
CUE is the statutory body responsible for the accreditation and quality assurance of university programmes in Kenya.
Teachers Service Commission (TSC)
Professional registrationRequired
TSC is the government body responsible for registering and employing teachers in Kenyan public schools. Graduates must register with TSC to be employed as teachers.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Secondary School Teacher
High demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 80,000
Teaches a second teaching subject at secondary school level while applying psychological principles to support student learning.
School Counsellor
Moderate demandKsh 38,000 to Ksh 85,000
Provides guidance and counselling support to students, addressing academic, social, and emotional development needs.
Educational Psychologist
Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 100,000
Applies psychological principles to educational settings, supporting learning assessment, intervention, and programme evaluation.
Guidance Officer
Moderate demandKsh 38,000 to Ksh 85,000
Provides guidance services in educational institutions, supporting career development and personal counselling.
Educational Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 95,000
Provides advisory services to schools and educational organisations on learner support, assessment, and wellbeing programmes.
Teacher Trainer
Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 110,000
Trains pre-service or in-service teachers in educational psychology and guidance at teacher training colleges or universities.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as secondary school teachers, school counsellors, and educational psychologists. Demand is growing as schools increasingly recognise the importance of mental health and learner support services.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SPSS
Statistical analysisPrimary
Statistical analysis software for educational and psychological research, including data analysis and interpretation.
Microsoft Office
ProductivityPrimary
Word processing, presentations, and spreadsheets for lesson preparation, counselling documentation, and report writing.
Google Forms
Assessment tool
Online survey and assessment tool for creating psychological assessments, questionnaires, and feedback forms.
Google Classroom
Learning management
Online learning platform for managing assignments, sharing resources, and communicating with students.
Zoom
Video conferencing
Video conferencing platform for online counselling sessions, teaching, and remote meetings.

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

An education psychology degree is the same as a clinical psychology degree.
Educational psychology focuses on learning, development, and assessment in educational settings, while clinical psychology deals with mental health diagnosis and treatment. They are distinct fields with different career paths.
Psychology teachers have limited job opportunities in schools.
While psychology is not a standalone KCSE subject, graduates teach their second teaching subject and serve as school counsellors, making them valuable in schools prioritising student support.
This programme is only for students who want to become counsellors.
Graduates pursue diverse careers including teaching, educational administration, curriculum development, research, and educational consultancy, in addition to counselling roles.
Psychology is an easy subject compared to sciences.
Psychology requires rigorous understanding of research methods, statistical analysis, biological bases of behaviour, and complex theoretical frameworks, making it academically demanding.