Social Sciences

Master of Arts in Gender, Women and Development Studies

The Master of Arts in Gender, Women and Development Studies at Egerton University is a two-year postgraduate programme offered by the Institute of Gender, Women and Development Studies (IGWDS). It addresses the critical need for gender expertise in Kenya and the East African region, equipping graduates with theoretical and applied knowledge in gender analysis, women's empowerment, and development practice.

The programme is designed to address issues of gender, women, and development, educating decision-makers in the formulation of gender-sensitive policies and applying gender knowledge and skills essential to careers in social work, institutional management, legal systems, government, and non-governmental organisations.

Core areas of study include gender theory, gender mainstreaming, women's rights and empowerment, gender and development policy, research methods in gender studies, and gender analysis frameworks. Students examine the intersection of gender with poverty, governance, health, education, and economic development in the African context.

The programme offers a wide range of carefully selected electives to meet the needs for career progression and specialisation, including gender and law, gender and health, gender and economics, gender-based violence, and feminist research methodologies. A thesis component enables students to conduct original research contributing to gender scholarship.

Delivery modes include full-time and part-time study, with e-campus options available for distance learning. The programme accommodates working professionals in government, NGOs, and development agencies seeking to enhance their gender expertise and qualifications.

Graduates are prepared for roles as gender specialists, programme officers, policy analysts, researchers, and advocacy coordinators in government, international organisations, NGOs, and community-based organisations. The programme's accreditation by the Commission for University Education ensures recognition across Kenya and the wider East African region.

Skills Required

Gender Analysis Frameworks
Gender Mainstreaming
Feminist Research Methodology
Gender and Development Policy
Women's Rights Advocacy
Gender-Based Violence Response
Programme Design and Evaluation
Community Engagement and Mobilisation
Gender-Sensitive Policy Formulation
Research in Gender Studies

Key Subjects

Gender Theory and Concepts
Gender Mainstreaming
Research Methods in Gender Studies
Women's Rights and Empowerment
Gender and Development Policy
Gender-Based Violence
Gender and Economics
Feminist Research Methodology
Gender and Governance
Gender, Health and Education

Certifications

UN Women Gender Mainstreaming Certification
National Gender and Equality Commission Training Certification

Specializations

Gender Mainstreaming and Policy

Focuses on integrating gender perspectives into policies, programmes, and institutional frameworks across government and development sectors.

Women's Rights and Empowerment

Examines women's rights frameworks, empowerment strategies, and advocacy for gender equality in legal, political, and socio-economic contexts.

Gender and Governance

Covers the intersection of gender and governance, including women's political participation, leadership, and democratic governance.

Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response

Addresses gender-based violence including prevention strategies, survivor support frameworks, and legal response mechanisms.

Gender and Economic Development

Examines the relationship between gender and economic development, including women's economic empowerment, livelihoods, and value chains.

Gender, Health and Education

Focuses on gender dimensions of health and education, including reproductive health, gender disparities in education, and health policy.

Feminist Research and Scholarship

Develops advanced research skills using feminist methodologies, contributing to scholarly knowledge in gender and women's studies.

Gender and Community Development

Covers community-level gender interventions, participatory development approaches, and grassroots women's empowerment strategies.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 187,200
Job market: High

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time, Online
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Gender Theory and Concepts
Gender Mainstreaming
Research Methods in Gender Studies
Women's Rights and Empowerment
Gender and Development Policy
Gender-Based Violence
Gender and Economics
Feminist Research Methodology
Gender and Governance
Gender, Health and Education

Modules

11 in the programme

Gender Theory and Concepts
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines foundational theories and concepts in gender studies, including feminist theory, masculinity studies, and intersectionality frameworks.
Research Methods in Gender Studies
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers quantitative and qualitative research methodologies for conducting original research in gender and women's studies, including feminist research approaches.
Gender and Development
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines the relationship between gender and development, including development theories, gender analysis frameworks, and women's role in development processes.
Gender Mainstreaming
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers strategies and tools for integrating gender perspectives into policies, programmes, and institutional frameworks across government and development sectors.
Women's Rights and Empowerment
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines women's rights frameworks, empowerment strategies, legal protections, and advocacy approaches for advancing gender equality.
Gender-Based Violence
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Addresses gender-based violence including causes, prevention strategies, survivor support frameworks, and legal response mechanisms in Kenyan and international contexts.
Gender and Economics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines the economic dimensions of gender inequality, including women's economic empowerment, unpaid care work, and gender-responsive budgeting.
Gender and Governance
Year 2Semester 13 creditsElective
Covers the intersection of gender and governance, including women's political participation, leadership, and democratic governance in Africa.
Gender, Health and Education
Year 2Semester 13 creditsElective
Focuses on gender dimensions of health and education, including reproductive health, gender disparities in education, and health policy.
Feminist Research Methodology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsElective
Advanced course in feminist research approaches, including participatory action research, standpoint theory, and reflexive methodology.
Master's Thesis
Year 2Semester 212 creditsCore
Original research thesis involving fieldwork, data collection and analysis, and scholarly writing on a gender, women and development studies topic.

Specialisations

Gender Mainstreaming and Policy
Focuses on integrating gender perspectives into policies, programmes, and institutional frameworks across government and development sectors.
Women's Rights and Empowerment
Examines women's rights frameworks, empowerment strategies, and advocacy for gender equality in legal, political, and socio-economic contexts.
Gender and Governance
Covers the intersection of gender and governance, including women's political participation, leadership, and democratic governance.
Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response
Addresses gender-based violence including prevention strategies, survivor support frameworks, and legal response mechanisms.
Gender and Economic Development
Examines the relationship between gender and economic development, including women's economic empowerment, livelihoods, and value chains.
Gender, Health and Education
Focuses on gender dimensions of health and education, including reproductive health, gender disparities in education, and health policy.
Feminist Research and Scholarship
Develops advanced research skills using feminist methodologies, contributing to scholarly knowledge in gender and women's studies.
Gender and Community Development
Covers community-level gender interventions, participatory development approaches, and grassroots women's empowerment strategies.

A day as a student

A typical day involves attending lectures on gender theory, feminist research methodologies, or gender mainstreaming at the Institute of Gender, Women and Development Studies. Students engage in seminar discussions analysing case studies of gender interventions in Kenyan communities, participate in group projects on policy analysis, and present research findings on gender disparities. Those in the research phase conduct fieldwork in communities, collect qualitative and quantitative data on gender issues, and work on their thesis under faculty supervision.

The trade offs

In its favour

Addresses a severe shortage of qualified gender personnel in Kenya, with strong demand from government, NGOs, and international organisations.
Offered through a dedicated Institute of Gender, Women and Development Studies (IGWDS), ensuring specialised faculty and focused curriculum.
Flexible delivery modes including full-time, part-time, and e-campus options accommodate working professionals in the development sector.
Gender specialists in international NGOs earn KES 200,000 to 280,000 per month, reflecting the high value placed on gender expertise.

Against it

Only one institution in Kenya offers this exact programme, limiting choice and geographic accessibility.
Programme fees of KES 337,300 total are moderate for a public university but may still be challenging for self-sponsored students.
Career opportunities are concentrated in the development sector, with fewer options in private industry compared to business or technology degrees.
Fieldwork and community-based research components require travel and engagement with potentially sensitive gender issues in rural communities.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 241 social sciences courses

Public172k to 187k

172k at Egerton University187k at Moi 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

Egerton 171.9K/yr (IGWDS page). Moi ~187.2K/yr. Private unverified.

Funding options include HELB postgraduate loans for Kenyan students, Egerton University postgraduate bursaries for demonstrated financial need, and the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Programme for academically talented Africans.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
Egerton University Postgraduate Bursary
MasterCard Foundation Scholars Programme

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
Egerton University Postgraduate Bursary
ScholarshipKsh 50,000Kenyan
Postgraduate students demonstrating financial need at Egerton University.
MasterCard Foundation Scholars Programme
ScholarshipKsh 400,000
Academically talented young Africans facing economic, social, or institutional barriers.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: Holders of a Postgraduate Diploma in Gender, Poverty and Development or a related field may be considered. The University Senate recognises equivalent qualifications from accredited institutions.

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment Tests
Coursework40% of the mark
CATs, seminar presentations, policy briefs, and case study analyses conducted throughout each semester.
Final Examination
Examination60% of the mark
End-of-semester examination covering all module content, including essay questions and gender analysis scenarios.
Master's Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis involving fieldwork, data collection and analysis, and scholarly writing, assessed through submission and oral defence.
Field Research and Community Engagement
Coursework30% of the mark
Practical fieldwork component involving community-based gender research, needs assessments, and programme design exercises.

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE), ensuring recognition across Kenya and the wider East African region. The programme is offered by the Institute of Gender, Women and Development Studies (IGWDS) at Egerton University.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Statutory accreditation for all Kenyan universities and their degree programmes.
National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC)
Professional body
Kenyan constitutional commission promoting gender equality. Training certification recommended for professional practice.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Gender and Development Specialist
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 280,000
Provides technical expertise on gender mainstreaming in development programmes for international NGOs and UN agencies. Gender specialists in top NGOs earn KES 200,000 to 280,000 per month.
Gender Programme Officer
High demandKsh 60,000 to Ksh 180,000
Designs and implements gender-focused programmes in NGOs and community organisations, managing projects on women's empowerment and gender equality.
Gender Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 200,000
Analyses and develops gender-sensitive policies for government ministries, county governments, and policy research institutions.
Community Development Officer
Moderate demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 120,000
Works with communities to implement gender-sensitive development programmes, mobilising grassroots participation and promoting women's empowerment.
Social Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 180,000
Analyses social policies through a gender lens, advising government and development partners on gender-responsive policy formulation.
University Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 200,000
Teaches gender studies, sociology, and development studies at universities, contributing to research and scholarship in gender and women's studies.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue roles as gender specialists, programme officers, policy analysts, and advocacy coordinators in government, NGOs, international organisations, and community-based organisations, with strong demand for gender expertise in Kenya's development sector.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical software for quantitative data analysis in gender research, including survey data and demographic statistics.
NVivo
SoftwarePrimary
Qualitative data analysis software for coding and analysing interview transcripts, focus group data, and textual data in feminist research.
Microsoft Word
Software
Primary tool for academic writing, thesis preparation, policy briefs, and programme documentation.
Google Scholar
Platform
Academic search engine for finding scholarly literature on gender studies, feminist theory, and development research.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Gender studies is only for women.
The programme is open to all genders and emphasises that gender equality requires the engagement of men and boys as well as women and girls.
A gender studies degree has limited career prospects.
There is a severe shortage of qualified gender personnel in Kenya, with gender specialists in international NGOs earning KES 200,000 to 280,000 per month.
Gender studies is just about women's issues.
The programme examines gender as a social construct affecting all genders, including masculinity studies, LGBTQ+ issues, and intersectional analysis of gender with class, race, and age.
Gender and development studies is not a rigorous academic discipline.
The programme includes advanced research methodology, feminist epistemology, statistical analysis, and a thesis requiring original scholarly research.
The programme is only useful for NGO work.
Graduates work in government ministries, county governments, international organisations, academia, private sector compliance, and policy research institutions.
Gender mainstreaming is a Western concept irrelevant to African contexts.
The programme grounds gender analysis in African contexts, examining indigenous gender systems, African feminist thought, and region-specific development challenges.