Business

Diploma in Project Monitoring and Evaluation

The Diploma in Project Monitoring and Evaluation is a programme that equips students with knowledge and skills for monitoring and evaluating development projects and programmes. The course covers project planning and management, M&E design and implementation, participatory M&E, results-based management, impact assessment, social research methods, data analysis, and report writing across progressive modules.

Students develop competencies in designing M&E frameworks, developing performance indicators, collecting and analysing data, conducting impact evaluations, and communicating findings to stakeholders. The programme combines project management theory with practical evaluation methodologies.

Kenya's large NGO sector, devolved government system, and numerous donor-funded development projects have created strong demand for M&E professionals. NGOs, UN agencies, government ministries, and development consultancies recruit diploma holders for monitoring and evaluation roles.

The programme combines classroom theory with practical exercises in M&E framework design, data collection, and analysis. Students conduct research projects, develop evaluation plans, and use analytical tools. An industrial attachment with an NGO or development project provides hands-on M&E experience.

Graduates work as M&E assistants, project officers, research assistants, and data analysts in NGOs, government departments, and development agencies. M&E professionals are among the better-paid development sector workers, with experienced practitioners earning competitive salaries.

This programme is suitable for KCSE graduates with a mean grade of C- (minus) who are analytical and interested in development project management and evaluation careers.

Duration: 3 years
Public, up to: Ksh 67,189
Private, up to: Ksh 129,000
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 3 months
Average class: 52 students
Award: Diploma

What you study

8 subjects

Financial Accounting
Cost Accounting
Business Communication
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Marketing Principles
Human Resource Management
Business Law

Modules

12 in the programme

Business Mathematics
Year 1Semester 12 creditsCore
Calculus, matrix algebra, optimisation and financial mathematics for business for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Financial Accounting
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Double-entry bookkeeping, financial statements, accounting cycle and for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Principles of Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Management theory, planning, organising, leading and controlling in modern for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Business Communication
Year 1Semester 22 creditsCore
Professional writing, presentations, negotiation and cross-cultural for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Microeconomics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Supply and demand, consumer behaviour, market structures and pricing theory for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Macroeconomics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
National income, fiscal policy, monetary policy, inflation and economic growth for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Marketing Principles
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Marketing mix, consumer behaviour, market segmentation and marketing strategy for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Business Law
Year 2Semester 22 creditsCore
Contract law, company law, employment law and commercial legal frameworks for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Cost & Management Accounting
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Cost classification, budgeting, variance analysis and decision-making for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Operations Management
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Production planning, quality management, inventory control and process for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Corporate Finance
Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore
Capital budgeting, risk analysis, capital structure and dividend policy for professional practice and competency development in the field.
Business Research Methods
Year 3Semester 22 creditsElective
Research design, data collection, statistical analysis and business report for professional practice and competency development in the field.

Specialisations

Results-Based Management
Designing and implementing results-based M&E frameworks for development projects and programmes, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards.
Impact Assessment
Conducting impact evaluations and assessments to measure project effectiveness and outcomes, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.
Data Analysis
Statistical analysis of project data, indicator tracking, and evidence-based reporting for decision making, with emphasis on practical application in Kenyan industry contexts and compliance with relevant national standards and regulatory requirements.
Project Design and Planning
Focus on project design, logical framework development, stakeholder analysis, and project planning within Kenyan development project management frameworks.

A day as a student

A typical day on the Diploma in Project Monitoring and Evaluation blends theory with practice. Mornings are spent on Financial Accounting and Cost Accounting lectures, followed by hands-on sessions in the business workshop, laboratory or studio. Afternoons involve project work, group assignments and industrial-attachment preparation.

The trade offs

In its favour

M&E skills are in high demand across Kenya's NGO, government, and development sectors.
M&E professionals earn competitive salaries, especially in international NGOs and UN agencies.

Against it

Most M&E positions are project-funded, with limited permanent employment security.
Career advancement to senior M&E roles typically requires degree-level qualifications.

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)

Private60k to 129k

60k at Kabarak University129k at Finstock Evarsity College

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. Kabarak 60K, Finstock 129K/yr (kabarak.ac.ke, finstockevarsity.com)

Funding is available through HELB loans and bursaries, the CDF, county government bursaries, and institutional and corporate scholarships from leading banking & finance employers.

Funding options

HELB

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB TVET/Diploma Loan
LoanKsh 60,000Kenyan
Needy Kenyan students enrolled in KUCCPS-placed or accredited diploma programmes at recognised TVET institutions.
County Government Bursaries
BursaryKsh 20,000Kenyan
Bursaries provided by county governments for needy students from their respective counties.
NG-CDF Bursary
BursaryKsh 15,000Kenyan
Constituency Development Fund bursaries for needy students from the respective constituency.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: C-
Alternative entry: Certificate in Project Management or Monitoring and Evaluation from a recognised institution.

English or Kiswahili
Mathematics

How you are assessed

3 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Coursework30% of the mark
Mid-semester and end-of-semester CATs covering theory and practical components.
KNEC Module Examinations
Exam60% of the mark
National examinations administered by KNEC at the end of each module.
Industrial Attachment Assessment
Practicum10% of the mark
Supervised industrial attachment report and employer assessment.

Accreditation

Accredited by TVETA and examined by KNEC; Kenya National Qualifications Authority, Kenya Accountants and Secretaries National Examinations Board.

Accredited by

Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority
Academic accreditationRequired
Statutory accreditation for TVET institutions offering this diploma programme.
Kenya National Examinations Council
Examination bodyRequired
Administers national examinations for the diploma programme at each module level.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

5 roles

M&E Assistant
High demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 65,000
Supports monitoring and evaluation activities including data collection, indicator tracking, and report preparation for development projects.
Project Officer
Medium demandKsh 38,000 to Ksh 70,000
Manages project implementation activities and supports M&E functions for development programmes.
Research Assistant
Medium demandKsh 30,000 to Ksh 55,000
Conducts research and data collection for project evaluations, baseline surveys, and impact assessments.
Data Analyst
Medium demandKsh 35,000 to Ksh 62,000
Analyses project data, prepares statistical reports, and supports evidence-based decision making in development projects.
M&E Officer
High demandKsh 40,000 to Ksh 80,000
Designs monitoring frameworks, collects and analyses project data, and evaluates development project outcomes for NGOs and government programmes.

Graduate outcomes

Diploma holders in Business & Economics find roles in Banking & Finance, Insurance, Retail & Commerce. Most secure employment or self-employment within months of graduation, while others progress to higher-level study.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

QuickBooks
AccountingPrimary
Sage
Accounting
Pastel
Accounting
Microsoft Excel
Data analysis

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Business & Economics courses are a fallback for low scorers.
Business & Economics offers skilled, well-paid careers and is central to Kenya's economic growth; top performers thrive here too.
You must work in Nairobi to succeed in Business & Economics.
Business & Economics skills are in demand across all 47 counties and in self-employment, not just in Nairobi.
Diploma-level study has no career growth.
Diploma holders can upgrade to higher levels (diploma → degree → postgraduate) and rise into supervisory and professional roles.
This field is being replaced by technology.
Technology is transforming Business & Economics, raising demand for practitioners who can use new tools rather than replacing them.