Technology

Bachelor of Economics and Data Analytics

The Bachelor of Economics and Data Analytics is a four-year degree programme offered at Mount Kenya University. The curriculum covers microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, data analytics, statistical programming, machine learning for economics, data visualisation, big data analytics, predictive modelling, database management, research methods, and economic policy analysis. Students develop skills in economic analysis, data mining, statistical programming, predictive modelling, data visualisation, econometric analysis, machine learning applications, research methodology, and data-driven decision-making.

Graduates pursue careers as data analysts, economic data analysts, business intelligence analysts, research analysts, and policy analysts. They find employment in banks, fintech companies, government agencies, research institutes, international organisations, and corporate firms. The programme is offered at Mount Kenya University (private, KES 105,000 per year) at campuses in Thika, Nairobi, and through digital learning.

The KUCCPS code is 1279200. 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+ (Plus) with strong passes in Mathematics and English.

Skills RequiredEconomic analysisData miningStatistical programmingPredictive modellingData visualisationEconometric analysisMachine learning applicationsResearch methodologyData-driven decision-makingBig data analyticsKey SubjectsMicroeconomicsMacroeconomicsEconometricsData AnalyticsStatistical ProgrammingMachine Learning for EconomicsData VisualisationBig Data AnalyticsPredictive ModellingEconomic Policy AnalysisCertificationsGoogle Data Analytics Professional CertificateMicrosoft Certified: Data Analyst AssociateCertified Analytics Professional (CAP) - INFORMSSpecializationsEconomic Data AnalysisFocus on applying data analytics techniques to economic problems, market analysis, and policy evaluation.

Business IntelligenceFocus on data-driven business decision-making, dashboards, and performance analytics. Predictive ModellingFocus on statistical and machine learning models for economic forecasting and trend analysis.

Data VisualisationFocus on communicating economic data insights through visual tools and interactive dashboards. Big Data EconomicsFocus on processing and analysing large-scale economic datasets using modern computational tools.

Duration: 4 Years
Public, up to: Ksh 79,000
Private, up to: Ksh 105,000
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: 35 students
Award: Bachelor

What you study

10 subjects

Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Econometrics
Data Analytics
Statistical Programming
Machine Learning for Economics
Data Visualisation
Big Data Analytics
Predictive Modelling
Economic Policy Analysis

Modules

12 in the programme

Principles of Microeconomics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Introduction to microeconomic theory, consumer behaviour, production theory, and market structures.
Principles of Macroeconomics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Introduction to macroeconomic theory, national income, inflation, unemployment, and fiscal policy.
Introduction to Data Analytics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Foundations of data analytics, data types, data collection, and basic analytical techniques.
Statistical Programming for Economists
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Programming in R and Python for statistical analysis and economic data manipulation.
Econometrics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Statistical methods for economic data, regression analysis, and hypothesis testing.
Data Visualisation and Dashboard Design
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Principles of data visualisation, interactive dashboards, and communicating economic data insights.
Machine Learning for Economics
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Machine learning techniques applied to economic forecasting, classification, and clustering.
Big Data Analytics
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Processing and analysing large-scale datasets using modern big data tools and frameworks.
Predictive Modelling and Forecasting
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Predictive Modelling and Forecasting: Time series forecasting, predictive models, and economic trend analysis. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Database Management and SQL
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Relational database design, SQL queries, and data management for economic analysis.
Economic Policy Analysis
Year 4Semester 13 creditsCore
Economic Policy Analysis: Data-driven approaches to evaluating and designing economic policies. Covers theoretical foundations, practical applications, and industry-relevant skills.
Research Project and Industrial Attachment
Year 4Semester 26 creditsCore
Supervised industrial attachment at a data analytics or economics organisation and a final-year research project.

Specialisations

Economic Data Analysis
Focus on applying data analytics techniques to economic problems, market analysis, and policy evaluation.
Business Intelligence
Focus on data-driven business decision-making, dashboards, and performance analytics. 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.
Predictive Modelling
Focus on statistical and machine learning models for economic forecasting and trend 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.
Data Visualisation
Focus on communicating economic data insights through visual tools and interactive dashboards. 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.
Big Data Economics
Focus on processing and analysing large-scale economic datasets using modern computational tools. 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.
Policy Analytics
Focus on using data analytics to inform public policy design, implementation, and evaluation. 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 at MKU combines economics lectures, computer laboratory sessions, and data analytics workshops. Morning sessions cover microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics theory, while afternoons focus on statistical programming in R and Python, data visualisation practicals, and machine learning workshops. Students work on real-world economic datasets, build predictive models, and present data-driven insights. The programme emphasises hands-on data skills alongside economic theory.

The trade offs

In its favour

Unique interdisciplinary programme combining economics with in-demand data analytics skills.
Affordable private university tuition at KES 105,000/year with flexible payment options.
High job market demand for data-driven economics skills in Kenya and globally.
MKU offers digital learning options, providing flexibility for working students.

Against it

Only offered at one private university, limiting choice of institution.
Requires aptitude in both economics and programming, which may challenge some students.
As a newer programme, established industry pathways may be less defined than traditional economics.
Digital learning option may provide less face-to-face interaction for practical analytics skills.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 191 technology courses

Public79k to 79k

79k at Open University of Kenya79k at Open University of Kenya

Private105k to 105k

105k at Mount Kenya University105k at Mount Kenya 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

Open Univ Kenya 79K/yr (ouk.ac.ke). MKU 105K/yr (KUCCPS economics cluster).

HELB loans and Higher Education Fund (HEF) support are available for qualifying Kenyan students. MKU also offers internal scholarships and financial aid for deserving students.

Funding options

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB)
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
MKU Internal Scholarships and Financial Aid

Scholarships

4 recorded

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 fundingKenyan
Kenyan students in universities under the new funding model based on financial need assessment.
MKU Internal Scholarships
Institutional scholarshipKenyan
Deserving students at Mount Kenya University based on academic merit and financial need.
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKenyan
Residents of respective counties pursuing undergraduate studies

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C+ (Plus)
Alternative entry: KACE with at least two principal passes and one subsidiary pass; OR a relevant diploma from a recognised institution; OR any other qualification accepted by the MKU Senate.

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment Tests and Assignments
Coursework30% of the mark
Written tests, programming assignments, data analysis projects, and economic reports throughout the semester.
Computer Laboratory Practicals
Practical20% of the mark
Hands-on programming, data analysis, and machine learning practicals in computer laboratories.
End of Semester Examinations
Examination50% of the mark
Written examinations covering all course content for the semester.
Research Project and Industrial Attachment
Project100% of the mark
Supervised industrial attachment at a data analytics or economics organisation plus a final-year research project.

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.

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.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Data Analyst
High demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 250,000
Collects, cleans, and analyses data to inform business and economic decisions using statistical tools.
Economic Data Analyst
High demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 280,000
Analyses economic datasets, builds models, and provides insights for policy and business strategy.
Business Intelligence Analyst
High demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 230,000
Develops dashboards and reports to support data-driven business decision-making.
Research Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 45,000 to Ksh 200,000
Conducts economic research using data analytics tools and prepares analytical reports.
Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 220,000
Uses data analytics to evaluate public policies and provide evidence-based recommendations.
Data Scientist
High demandKsh 60,000 to Ksh 350,000
Applies advanced analytics and machine learning to solve complex economic and business problems.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as data analysts, economic data analysts, and business intelligence analysts in banks, fintech, government, and corporate firms. Demand is high with growing need for data-driven economic skills.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

R
Statistical programmingPrimary
Open-source programming language for statistical computing and econometric analysis.
Python
Programming languagePrimary
Programming language for data analysis, machine learning, and statistical modelling.
Microsoft Excel
Data analysis
Spreadsheet tool for data manipulation, analysis, and visualisation.
Tableau
Data visualisation
Data visualisation platform for creating interactive dashboards and economic data insights.
SQL
Database
Database query language for managing and retrieving economic data from relational databases.

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

This is just a standard economics degree with a different name.
The programme integrates substantial data analytics, programming, and machine learning components alongside traditional economics, creating a unique interdisciplinary skill set.
Data analytics skills are only for IT graduates.
Economics graduates with data analytics skills are highly sought after, as they combine domain knowledge with technical abilities.
The programme is only offered at one university, so it must be low quality.
MKU is a chartered private university with CUE accreditation and a market-driven curriculum designed for industry relevance.
You need advanced programming skills to enrol.
The programme builds programming and analytics skills progressively from foundational to advanced levels.