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Social Sciences

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology

The Bachelor of Arts in Sociology is a four-year degree programme that studies human society, social relationships, and social structures.

Duration
4 Years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 189,004
Ksh 756,016 total
Private tuition
Ksh 150,000
Ksh 600,000 total
Job market
Moderate
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 189,004 a year at a public institution, Ksh 756,016 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 150,000 a year at a private one.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of C+ (Plus) or above. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 4 years, full-time, with 3 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 22 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Adolescent Mentorship Officer, at 14 out of 100.The detail

The programme

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

Overview

The curriculum covers sociological theory, social research methods, social statistics, social psychology, rural and urban sociology, industrial sociology, political sociology, sociology of development, and demographic studies.

Students develop competencies in critical thinking, research design, data analysis, social analysis, report writing, and ethical reasoning. The programme combines lectures, seminars, fieldwork, and research projects.

Graduates pursue careers as research analysts, social policy officers, community development officers, human resources officers, and programme coordinators.

The programme is offered at multiple institutions including Chuka University, Karatina University, Technical University of Mombasa, Maasai Mara University, Pwani University, Rongo University, and Kenyatta University (public, KSH 122,400 to KSH 153,000 per year), as well as Mount Kenya University and Catholic University of Eastern Africa (private, KSH 105,000 to KSH 150,000 per year).

Accreditation is provided by the Commission for University Education (CUE), the statutory body responsible for quality assurance and regulation of university education in Kenya. Admission requires a KCSE mean grade of C+ with cluster subjects in English or Kiswahili, Mathematics, and two other subjects from the KUCCPS cluster list.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Sociological Theory
  • Social Research Methods
  • Social Statistics
  • Social Psychology
  • Rural Sociology
  • Urban Sociology
  • Industrial Sociology
  • Political Sociology
  • Sociology of Development
  • Demographic Studies

Modules

12 in the programme

  • Introduction to Sociology

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Introduction to Sociology: Foundational concepts, perspectives, and theories in sociology. Covers social structures, institutions, and contemporary social issues.

  • Classical Sociological Theory

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Classical Sociological Theory: Works of Marx, Durkheim, Weber, and other classical sociological theorists. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.

  • Social Psychology

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Psychological processes in social contexts, including socialisation and group dynamics.

  • Social Statistics

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Statistical methods for social science research, including descriptive and inferential statistics.

  • Rural Sociology

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Social structures and processes in rural communities, including agricultural change.

  • Social Research Methods

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    Social Research Methods: Research design, data collection, and analysis methods for social research. Covers quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection, analysis, and reporting.

  • Urban Sociology

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Urban Sociology: Urbanisation, city life, and social problems in urban environments. Covers social structures, institutions, and contemporary social issues.

  • Industrial Sociology

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Industrial Sociology: Workplace relations, labour dynamics, and organisational behaviour. Covers social structures, institutions, and contemporary social issues.

  • Sociology of Development

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Sociology of Development: Development theories, social change, and development policy analysis. Covers social structures, institutions, and contemporary social issues.

  • Political Sociology

    Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore

    Political Sociology: Power structures, governance, and political behaviour in society. Covers social structures, institutions, and contemporary social issues.

  • Research Project

    Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore

    Research Project: Final-year research project on a sociological topic, including dissertation. Involves independent research, data analysis, and scholarly writing under supervision.

  • Demographic Studies

    Year 4Semester 23 creditsCore

    Demographic Studies: Population dynamics, migration patterns, and demographic analysis. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.

Specialisations

  • Rural Sociology

    Focus on rural communities, agricultural change, and rural development processes. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

  • Urban Sociology

    Focus on urbanisation, city life, and social problems in urban environments. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

  • Industrial Sociology

    Focus on workplace relations, labour dynamics, and organisational behaviour. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

  • Political Sociology

    Focus on power structures, governance, and political behaviour in society. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

  • Sociology of Development

    Focus on development theories, social change, and development policy analysis. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

  • Demography

    Focus on population dynamics, migration, and demographic analysis. This specialisation equips graduates with discipline-specific competencies for professional practice in Kenya and the East African region, with pathways to postgraduate study and professional certification.

A day as a student

A typical day combines lectures, seminars, and research activities. Morning sessions cover sociological theory, research methods, and social statistics, while afternoons focus on data analysis, group discussions, and fieldwork preparation. Students design surveys, analyse social data, and debate contemporary social issues. Research projects involve fieldwork in communities, data collection, and statistical analysis.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Programme develops strong analytical and research skills applicable across multiple sectors.Sociology is sometimes perceived as less practical than professional degrees.
Available at nine universities across Kenya, offering wide institutional choice and fee ranges.Entry-level salaries in research and social sectors are moderate compared to technical fields.
Graduates can pursue diverse careers in research, policy, HR, and community development.Some graduates may need additional training for specialised roles like data analysis or HR.
Programme provides deep understanding of social issues relevant to Kenya's development challenges.Job market can be competitive for pure sociology roles without additional skills.

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 150k
105k at Mount Kenya University150k at Catholic University of Eastern Africa

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 189,004/yr. MKU 105,000; CUEA 150,000/yr. Src: educationnewshub KUCCPS

Government-sponsored students receive fee subsidies through KUCCPS. HELB loans are available. Universities offer internal bursaries for needy students.

Funding options

  • Higher Education Loans Board (HELB)

  • KUCCPS Government Sponsorship

  • University Bursaries

Scholarships

5 recorded

  • County Government Bursaries

    BursaryKenyan

    Residents of respective counties pursuing undergraduate studies

  • NGAAF Bursary

    BursaryKenyan

    Women, youth and persons with disabilities from vulnerable backgrounds

  • Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan

    Government loanKsh 60,000Kenyan

    Kenyan students admitted to recognised universities. Must demonstrate financial need.

  • Higher Education Fund (HEF)

    Government subsidyKenyan

    Kenyan students who meet KUCCPS cluster cut-off points.

  • University Internal Bursaries

    University bursaryKenyan

    Registered students demonstrating financial need at respective universities.

Scholarships you could apply for

13 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade
C+ (Plus)minimum entry
Alternative entry

KCSE mean grade C+ or equivalent; OR KACE with two principal passes; OR a relevant diploma from a recognised institution; OR equivalent qualifications recognised by the university senate.

When it next starts

Taught at 22 institutions
January 202722 institutions

Including Pwani University, Kenyatta University, University of Nairobi.

May 202722 institutions

Including Pwani University, Kenyatta University, University of Nairobi.

September 202722 institutions

Including Pwani University, Kenyatta University, University of Nairobi.

How you are assessed

4 components

  • Continuous Assessment Tests

    Coursework30% of the mark

    Regular written tests, essays, research assignments, and seminar presentations.

  • End of Semester Examinations

    Examination70% of the mark

    Comprehensive written examinations covering sociological theory, research methods, and social analysis.

  • Research Project

    Project100% of the mark

    Final-year research project on a sociological topic, including dissertation and oral defence.

  • Fieldwork Assessment

    Practical100% of the mark

    Assessment of supervised fieldwork, including community research and report.

Accreditation

  • Commission for University Education (CUE)

    Academic accreditationRequired

    CUE is the statutory body responsible for the accreditation and quality assurance of university programmes in Kenya.

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.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

  • Research Analyst

    Moderate demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 130,000

    Designs and conducts social research for research institutions, NGOs, or government.

  • Social Policy Officer

    Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 140,000

    Analyses and develops social policies for government departments or think tanks.

  • Community Development Officer

    High demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 110,000

    Manages community development programmes in NGOs and government departments.

  • Human Resources Officer

    Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 130,000

    Manages employee relations, recruitment, and organisational development in companies.

  • Monitoring and Evaluation Officer

    Moderate demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 150,000

    Monitors and evaluates programme outcomes in NGOs and development organisations.

  • Programme Coordinator

    Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 140,000

    Coordinates social programmes in NGOs, managing implementation and reporting.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as research analysts, social policy officers, and community development officers. Demand is moderate with opportunities in research, government, and NGOs.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

  • SPSS

    Data analysisPrimary

    Statistical analysis software for social research and data analysis.

  • Microsoft Office

    ProductivityPrimary

    Productivity suite for research reports, presentations, and documentation.

  • R Studio

    Data analysis

    Statistical computing software for advanced data analysis and visualisation.

  • Google Workspace

    Collaboration

    Collaboration tools for document sharing and team projects.

  • Zotero

    Reference management

    Reference management tool for academic research and citations.

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Sociology is just common sense about society.

    Sociology is a rigorous academic discipline using scientific methods to study social phenomena.

  • Sociology graduates can only become social workers.

    Graduates work in research, policy analysis, HR, marketing, community development, and international development.

  • Sociology is not a practical degree.

    Sociology develops analytical, research, and critical thinking skills valued across multiple sectors.

  • Sociology has no career prospects in Kenya.

    Sociology graduates are employed in government, NGOs, research institutions, and private sector companies.

Further reading

Read next