Business

Diploma in Procurement and Supply Chain Management

The Diploma in Procurement and Supply Chain Management is a separately KUCCPS-listed programme (Business & Related cluster) covering the end-to-end supply chain function, from sourcing through to final delivery, with a broader supply chain framing than the Logistics-specific variant.

Students study introduction to procurement and supply chain management, principles of purchasing, stores and inventory management, public and international procurement, and research methods, culminating in an internship and research project. Skills RequiredProcurement and Supply Chain FundamentalsPurchasing PrinciplesStores and Inventory ManagementPublic and International ProcurementResearch MethodsKey SubjectsIntroduction to Procurement and Supply Chain ManagementPrinciples of PurchasingStores and Inventory ManagementPublic and International ProcurementLegal Aspects of ProcurementCertificationsKenya Institute of Supplies Management (KISM) CPSP-K progression pathwaysSpecializationsPublic ProcurementFocus on government procurement law and compliance. Stores and Inventory ManagementFocus on inventory control and stores administration.

Kenya's public and private sectors both require supply chain professionals compliant with procurement law and skilled in modern supply chain management practices, sustaining strong demand.

Training combines classroom procurement law and supply chain theory with practical modules on retail/merchandise management and business ethics, culminating in an internship and research project.

Graduates work as procurement officers, supply chain analysts, and stores/inventory managers across public and private sector organisations, with progression into KISM's CPSP-K pathway.

The programme suits students who want a comprehensive, end-to-end supply chain qualification spanning procurement law, purchasing, and inventory management.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 67,189
Private, up to: Ksh 108,650
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: Diploma

What you study

6 subjects

Introduction to Procurement and Supply Chain Management
Principles of Purchasing
Stores and Inventory Management
Public and International Procurement
Legal Aspects of Procurement
Research Methods

Modules

10 in the programme

Introduction to Procurement and Supply Chain Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Foundational concepts of procurement and supply chain management for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Principles of Purchasing
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Core purchasing principles and supplier negotiation for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Procurement Principles
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Fundamentals of procurement as applied to procurement and supply chain management principles, practices, and professional competency requirements.
Communication Skills
Year 1Semester 12 creditsCore
Written and oral communication skills for professional workplace communication and effective correspondence.
Information Communication Technology
Year 1Semester 12 creditsCore
Computer applications and digital literacy for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Logistics and Distribution
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Logistics and distribution management as applied to procurement and supply chain management principles, practices, and professional competency requirements.
Stores and Inventory Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Managing stock, storage, and inventory control systems for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Public and International Procurement
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Procurement law and practice in public and international contexts for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Research Project and Internship
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Supervised internship culminating in a research project for professional practice and competency development in the field.
International Procurement
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Global sourcing and procurement as applied to procurement and supply chain management principles, practices, and professional competency requirements.

Specialisations

Public Procurement
Focus on government procurement law and compliance, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.
Stores and Inventory Management
Focus on inventory control and stores administration, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.
Supplier Relationship Management
Focus on supplier evaluation, vendor management, supplier development, and procurement performance monitoring within Kenyan procurement and supply frameworks.
Logistics and Distribution
Focus on logistics management, distribution network design, transport planning, and freight coordination within Kenyan supply chain operations.

A day as a student

Days combine procurement law and supply chain theory with practical modules on purchasing, inventory, and retail management, building toward an internship and final research project.

The trade offs

In its favour

Strong grounding in public procurement law, valuable across both public and private sector roles.
Consistent demand for compliance-literate supply chain professionals across sectors.

Against it

Overlapping content with similarly titled diplomas can make it hard for applicants to distinguish between programmes.
Public procurement roles are subject to government hiring cycles and can be competitive.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 331 business courses

Public67k to 67k

67k at Public TVET colleges (standardized rate)67k at Public TVET colleges (standardized rate)

Private61k to 109k

61k at Zetech University109k at KCA 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

TVET 67K/yr. KCA 109K, Zetech 61K/yr (kcau.ac.ke, tuko.co.ke)

Students can access HELB loans and county bursaries; government agencies and private companies occasionally sponsor students for guaranteed employment.

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 recorded

HELB TVET/Diploma Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Needy Kenyan students enrolled in accredited diploma programmes.
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKsh 20,000Kenyan
Bursaries for needy students from their respective counties.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C plain
Alternative entry: Any diploma or degree from a recognised institution.

How you are assessed

3 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Coursework30% of the mark
Tests across procurement law and supply chain units.
Internship and Research Project
Coursework30% of the mark
Supervised internship culminating in a research project.
Final Examinations
Examination40% of the mark
End-of-programme written examinations.

Accreditation

KUCCPS-listed diploma (Business & Related cluster); examined by KNEC or the offering institution.

Accredited by

Kenya National Qualifications Authority
Qualification recognitionRequired
Recognised under Kenya's TVET qualifications framework.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

Procurement Officer
High demandKsh 28,000 to Ksh 46,000
Manages sourcing and procurement compliance for an organisation.
Supply Chain Analyst (Junior)
Moderate demandKsh 30,000 to Ksh 48,000
Analyses supply chain data and performance for a company.
Stores/Inventory Manager (Junior)
Moderate demandKsh 28,000 to Ksh 44,000
Manages stock and inventory systems for an organisation.
Logistics Officer
Moderate demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 75,000
Coordinates logistics operations, manages distribution networks, and handles freight and transport for supply chain organisations in Kenya.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates work as procurement officers, supply chain analysts, and stores/inventory managers across public and private sector organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

QuickBooks
Accounting softwarePrimary
Accounting and bookkeeping software for business financial management.

Certifications

Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) Certification

Industry links

Common misconceptions

This diploma is identical to the Diploma in Procurement and Logistics Management.
Both are real, separately KUCCPS-listed programmes with overlapping content but distinct programme codes; this variant places more emphasis on procurement law and public/international procurement.
Public procurement rules don't apply to private sector supply chain roles.
Understanding public procurement regulation is valuable across sectors, since many private firms supply government contracts.