Diploma in Cartography
The Diploma in Cartography is a KUCCPS-listed, KNEC-examined programme (Building, Construction & Related cluster) that trains map makers in the art and science of graphically representing geographic areas, from field data to finished maps.
The short answer
- What it costs
- Up to Ksh 101,250 a year at a public institution, Ksh 202,500 to Ksh 253,125 for the whole course.The detail
- Who can get in
- A KCSE mean grade of C- or above. There is another way in without it.The detail
- How long, and when
- Takes 2-2.5 years, full-time, with 3 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 5 institutions.The detail
- Where it leads
- 8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Overhead Transmission Technician, at 10 out of 100.The detail
The programme
What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.
Overview
Students study cartographic design and production, map projections and scales, map reproduction and printing, basic surveying, and increasingly, digital and GIS-based mapping tools alongside traditional cartographic techniques. Skills RequiredCartographic DesignMap Projections and ScalesMap Reproduction and PrintingBasic SurveyingDigital/GIS Mapping BasicsKey SubjectsCartographic Design and ProductionMap Projections and ScalesMap Reproduction (Printing)Basic SurveyingGeographic Information Systems BasicsCertificationsSurvey Institute of Kenya (SIK) affiliate categoriesSpecializationsMap Production and PrintingFocus on the technical production and reproduction of maps. Digital Cartography and GISFocus on computer-based mapping and geographic information systems.
Kenya's land administration, urban planning, environmental management, defence, and utility sectors all rely on accurate mapping, giving cartography diploma holders a specialised but steady niche across government and private consultancy.
Training combines classroom cartographic theory with practical map-drawing, printing, and increasingly GIS software exercises, plus a supervised industrial attachment with a mapping or land-related organisation.
Graduates work as cartographic technicians, map production assistants, and GIS support staff in government ministries (lands, planning, defence, environment), utility companies, and geo-information consultancy firms.
The programme suits students with strong spatial and technical drawing aptitude who want a specialised career in mapping, land information, and geographic data production.
What you study
6 subjects- Cartographic Design and Production
- Map Projections and Scales
- Map Reproduction (Printing)
- Basic Surveying
- Geographic Information Systems Basics
- Research Methods
Modules
10 in the programmeCartographic Design and Production
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Principles of designing and producing accurate, readable maps for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Map Projections and Scales
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Mathematical principles of representing the earth's surface on flat maps for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Map Projections
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Map projection systems and transformations for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Topographic Surveying
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Topographic survey techniques using surveying instruments and measurement techniques for site layout and control.
Basic Surveying
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Field data collection techniques feeding into map production for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Digital Cartography
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Computer-aided map production as applied to cartography principles, practices, and professional competency requirements.
Map Reproduction (Printing)
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Techniques for reproducing and printing finished maps for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Geographic Information Systems Basics
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Introduction to digital GIS tools for spatial data for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Industrial Attachment
Year 3Semester 16 creditsCore
Supervised placement with a mapping, land, or geo-information organisation for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Remote Sensing
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Remote sensing and image interpretation as applied to cartography principles, practices, and professional competency requirements.
Specialisations
Map Production and Printing
Focus on the technical production and reproduction of maps, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.
Digital Cartography and GIS
Focus on computer-based mapping and geographic information systems, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.
Topographic Mapping
Focus on topographic survey data processing, contour generation, terrain analysis, and topographic map production for Kenyan land management applications.
Land Information Systems
Focus on land information system design, parcel mapping, land registry data integration, and LIS applications within Kenyan land administration and management frameworks.
A day as a student
Days combine cartographic drafting and design exercises with printing/reproduction practicals and, increasingly, computer-lab sessions on GIS and digital mapping software.
The trade-offs
| In its favour | Against it |
|---|---|
| Specialised, technically distinctive niche with steady government and geo-information sector demand. | Fewer institutions offer this specific diploma, limiting location and intake options. |
| Growing overlap with GIS and digital mapping widens career relevance. | Job market is narrower and more specialised than general engineering or construction diplomas. |
What it costs
Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.
What it costs, and where
Against 332 engineering coursesAnnual 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
TVET 67K, RCMRD 101.3K/yr pub. Private: unverified (kenyaplex.com, rcmrd.institute).
Students can access HELB loans and county bursaries; government mapping agencies occasionally sponsor students for guaranteed placement.
Funding options
HELB TVET/Diploma Loan
Loan
Needy Kenyan students enrolled in accredited diploma programmes.
County Government Bursaries
Bursary
Bursaries for needy students from their respective counties.
Scholarships
2 recordedCounty Government Bursaries
BursaryKsh 20,000Kenyan
Bursaries for needy students from their respective counties.
HELB TVET/Diploma Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Needy Kenyan students enrolled in accredited diploma programmes.
Scholarships you could apply for
1 usable where it is taught- Moringa School Craftbyte Scholarship
QuarterlyFullMoringa School
Full software development course
Getting in
The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.
What you need
A certificate in Cartography from a recognised institution.
When it next starts
Taught at 5 institutionsIncluding Kabete National Polytechnic, Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development, Kiambu National Polytechnic.
Including Kabete National Polytechnic, Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development, Kiambu National Polytechnic.
Including Kabete National Polytechnic, Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development, Kiambu National Polytechnic.
How you are assessed
3 componentsContinuous Assessment Tests
Coursework30% of the mark
Tests across cartographic theory and design units.
Map Production Practicals
Coursework20% of the mark
Assessed map-drawing and reproduction exercises.
Final Examinations
Examination50% of the mark
End-of-semester written examinations.
Accreditation
Kenya National Qualifications Authority
Qualification recognitionRequired
Recognised under Kenya's TVET qualifications framework.
KUCCPS-listed diploma (Building, Construction & Related cluster); examined by KNEC.
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
4 rolesCartographic Technician
Low demandKsh 26,000 to Ksh 42,000
Produces and updates maps for a government agency or mapping organisation.
GIS Support Assistant
Moderate demandKsh 28,000 to Ksh 45,000
Supports GIS data entry, mapping, and analysis for a consultancy or agency.
Map Production Assistant
Low demandKsh 25,000 to Ksh 38,000
Assists in the technical production and printing of maps.
Map Production Technician
Moderate demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 60,000
Produces maps and cartographic products using digital mapping software for government departments, survey firms, and GIS companies in Kenya.
Graduate outcomes
Graduates work as cartographic technicians, map production assistants, and GIS support staff in government and geo-information consultancy firms.
Where these fields lead
8 careers- Overhead Transmission TechnicianEngineering10Low exposure
- Adolescent Mentorship OfficerSocial Sciences14Low exposure
- Desalination Systems EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- District Cooling EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- HighVoltage Substation EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- Hydrogen Systems EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- Microgrid Control EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
- Subsea Cable EngineerEngineering14Low exposure
Tools you will learn
QGIS
SoftwarePrimary
Open-source GIS software commonly used for digital cartography and spatial analysis.
Certifications
Industry links
Common misconceptions
Cartography is only relevant to paper maps.
Modern cartography training increasingly incorporates digital mapping and GIS tools alongside traditional map production.
Cartography and Land Surveying are the same course.
Surveying focuses on measuring land, while cartography focuses on representing spatial data graphically; they are related but distinct disciplines.