Environmental Science

Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management

The Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management is a programme that provides comprehensive training in wildlife conservation, habitat management and wildlife enterprise. Offered at Kenyatta University, Egerton University, University of Nairobi, Karatina University, Maasai Mara University and other institutions, the programme prepares graduates for careers in wildlife management, conservation and research.

The curriculum covers wildlife management, wildlife ecology, conservation biology, habitat management, wildlife population dynamics, wildlife health, national park management, community wildlife management, wildlife policy and law, GIS for wildlife, wildlife economics, ecotourism, biodiversity, human-wildlife conflict, wildlife research techniques, research methods and a research project. Students develop field and analytical skills for wildlife conservation.

Kenya's wildlife heritage, national parks and reserves, community conservancies and conservation challenges create demand for wildlife management graduates. The programme is offered through lectures, fieldwork in parks and reserves, laboratory sessions, industrial attachment and research projects.

Graduates are prepared for careers as wildlife managers, conservation officers, park rangers, wildlife researchers, community wildlife officers, wildlife consultants, ecotourism managers, wildlife educators and biodiversity officers. They work in Kenya Wildlife Service, county governments, conservation NGOs, research institutions, national parks, community conservancies and consulting firms.

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Admission requires KCSE mean grade C+ with C+ in Biology, Chemistry or Geography, and English or Kiswahili. KUCCPS Cluster 4.

Prospective students should have strong analytical skills, a commitment to continuous learning, and an interest in contributing to Kenya's socio-economic development. The programme provides a solid foundation for further postgraduate study and professional advancement in related fields.

Duration: 4 years
Public, up to: Ksh 372,000
Private, up to: Ksh 191,700
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

Wildlife Management
Wildlife Ecology
Conservation Biology
Habitat Management
Wildlife Population Dynamics
Wildlife Health
National Park Management
Community Wildlife Management
Wildlife Policy and Law
GIS for Wildlife

Modules

10 in the programme

Wildlife Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Wildlife management principles. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-s...
Wildlife Ecology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Wildlife ecosystems. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester exa...
Conservation Biology
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Conservation science. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester ex...
Habitat Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Habitat restoration. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester exa...
Wildlife Population Dynamics
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Population ecology. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester exam...
National Park Management
Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore
Park management. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester examina...
Community Wildlife Management
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Community conservation. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester ...
Wildlife Policy and Law
Year 3Semester 23 creditsCore
Wildlife legislation. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester ex...
GIS for Wildlife
Year 3Semester 33 creditsCore
GIS applications. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-semester examin...
Research Project
Year 4Semester 16 creditsCore
Final year research project. The module covers theoretical foundations, practical applications and industry-relevant skills, assessed through continuous assessment tests, coursework and end-of-seme...

Specialisations

Wildlife Ecology
Wildlife ecosystems. 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.
Wildlife Health
Wildlife veterinary support. 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.
Community Conservation
Community wildlife. 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.
Park Management
National park management. 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 involves attending wildlife management lectures, conducting field surveys in parks, studying wildlife ecology, using GIS for habitat mapping, researching conservation, studying wildlife policy, learning community conservation, and working on wildlife research projects.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's wildlife heritage creates unique opportunities
Field-based learning in national parks and reserves
Socially impactful conservation work

Against it

Fieldwork in remote and sometimes dangerous areas
Public sector salaries may be modest
Limited number of universities offering the programme

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 181 environmental science courses

Public131k to 372k

131k at Kenyatta University372k at University of Nairobi

Private109k to 192k

109k at Mount Kenya University192k 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 131K/yr (victormatara), UoN 372K/yr (uonbi.ac.ke). MKU 109K, Kabarak 192K (kabarak.ac.ke).

HELB loans and government scholarships under the new funding model are available. Conservation NGOs may offer fieldwork support.

Funding options

HELB Loan
County Bursaries
Government Scholarship (New Funding Model)

Scholarships

3 recorded

Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Kenyan undergraduate students
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKsh 30,000Kenyan
Kenyan students from participating counties
Higher Education Fund (HEF)
ScholarshipKsh 200,000Kenyan
KUCCPS-placed students

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 Biology, Chemistry or Geography, and English or Kiswahili. Diploma in wildlife, forestry, environmental science or related field from a recognised institution. KUCCPS Cluster 4.

Biology
C+
Chemistry or Geography
C+
English or Kiswahili
C+

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Cat30% of the mark
Regular tests and assignments
End of Semester Examinations
Written examination50% of the mark
End of semester written exams
Field and Laboratory Practicals
Practicum10% of the mark
Field surveys and lab sessions
Research Project
Project10% of the mark
Final year research project

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at KU, Egerton, UoN, Karatina, Maasai Mara and other institutions. Admission requires KCSE mean grade C+ with C+ in Biology, Chemistry or Geography, and English or Kiswahili. KUCCPS Cluster 4.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

Community Wildlife Officer
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 230,000
Community conservation
Conservation Officer
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 250,000
Conservation management
Wildlife Manager
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 280,000
Wildlife management
Wildlife Consultant
Low demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 320,000
Wildlife consulting
Wildlife Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 300,000
Wildlife research

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as wildlife managers, conservation officers and wildlife researchers in Kenya Wildlife Service, conservation NGOs and research institutions.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

ArcGIS
GisPrimary
Wildlife habitat mapping and spatial analysis
SPSS
Statistical analysisPrimary
Wildlife population data analysis
R
Statistical computing
Ecological statistics and population modeling
DISTANCE
Wildlife research
Distance sampling for wildlife population estimation
Microsoft Excel
Spreadsheet
Wildlife data management and reporting
QGIS
Gis
Open-source GIS for conservation mapping

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Wildlife management is just about working with animals.
The programme covers ecology, policy, economics, community conservation, GIS and habitat management.
There are no wildlife management jobs in Kenya.
Kenya's wildlife heritage and conservation sector create demand for professionals.
Wildlife management is only for KWS.
Graduates work in NGOs, conservancies, research, consulting and ecotourism.
Wildlife management is not a science.
The programme integrates biology, ecology, statistics, GIS and policy.