Health Sciences

Master of Arts in Medical Anthropology

The Master of Arts in Medical Anthropology is a postgraduate programme that examines the cultural, social, and behavioural dimensions of health, illness, and healing. The programme trains graduates for careers in health research, public health, global health, and healthcare policy with an anthropological perspective.

Core areas include medical anthropology theory, illness and healing, health systems, traditional medicine, global health, mental health, reproductive health, and research methods. Students engage with both anthropological theory and health research applications.

The programme is offered by Moi University as MA in Medical Anthropology and by the University of Nairobi as MA in Anthropology with a Medical Anthropology specialisation. Moi offers the programme through its School of Arts and Social Sciences with full-time mode.

Students develop competencies in medical anthropological analysis, health research, cultural competence, health systems analysis, and applied medical anthropology. The programme includes coursework, examinations, field research, thesis, and oral defence.

UoN tuition is KES 27,000 per unit with total programme cost of approximately KES 534,750 over two years (~KES 267,375/year). Moi University fees are estimated at KES 140,000-160,000/year. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology or related discipline with at least Second Class Honours.

Graduates pursue careers as medical anthropologists, health researchers, public health specialists, global health consultants, and healthcare policy analysts in research institutes, NGOs, government, and international health organisations.

Skills Required

Medical Anthropological Theory and Analysis
Health Systems and Policy Analysis
Cultural Competence in Healthcare
Qualitative Health Research Methods
Traditional Medicine and Ethnomedicine
Global Health and Development
Mental Health and Culture
Reproductive Health and Culture
Illness Narratives and Health Beliefs
Applied Medical Anthropology

Key Subjects

Medical Anthropology Theory
Illness and Healing
Health Systems and Policy
Traditional Medicine and Ethnomedicine
Global Health
Mental Health and Culture
Reproductive Health
Research Methods in Medical Anthropology
Applied Medical Anthropology
Contemporary Theory and Method

Certifications

SMA Medical Anthropology Certification
KEMRI Research Certification

Specializations

Illness and Healing

Focuses on illness and healing, disease ecology, illness narratives, healing practices, and understanding health and illness across cultures.

Traditional Medicine

Examines traditional medicine, ethnomedicine, indigenous healing, herbal medicine, and understanding and integrating traditional and biomedical systems.

Global Health

Covers global health, health inequalities, international health, health and development, and understanding health in global contexts.

Mental Health and Culture

Focuses on mental health and culture, cross-cultural psychiatry, mental illness, stigma, and understanding mental health across cultures.

Reproductive Health

Examines reproductive health, maternal health, fertility, sexuality, gender, and understanding reproductive health in cultural contexts.

Health Systems Analysis

Covers health systems, healthcare delivery, health policy, pluralistic medicine, and analysing and improving health systems.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 267,375
Private, up to: Ksh 131,100
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Medical Anthropology Theory
Illness and Healing
Health Systems and Policy
Traditional Medicine and Ethnomedicine
Global Health
Mental Health and Culture
Reproductive Health
Research Methods in Medical Anthropology
Applied Medical Anthropology
Contemporary Theory and Method

Modules

12 in the programme

Contemporary Theory and Method in Medical Anthropology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines contemporary medical anthropology theory, critical medical anthropology, interpretive medical anthropology, biocultural anthropology, and understanding health through theory.
Illness, Healing and Culture
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers illness and healing, disease ecology, illness narratives, healing practices, suffering, and understanding health and illness across cultures.
Traditional Medicine and Ethnomedicine
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines traditional medicine, ethnomedicine, indigenous healing, herbal medicine, traditional healers, and understanding and integrating traditional and biomedical systems.
Research Methods in Medical Anthropology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers ethnographic methods, qualitative research, data collection, analysis, ethics, and conducting research in medical anthropology, preparing students for their thesis.
Global Health and Development
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines global health, health inequalities, international health, health and development, structural violence, and understanding health in global contexts.
Mental Health and Culture
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers mental health and culture, cross-cultural psychiatry, mental illness, stigma, culture-bound syndromes, and understanding mental health across cultures.
Reproductive Health and Culture
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines reproductive health, maternal health, fertility, sexuality, gender, HIV/AIDS, and understanding reproductive health in cultural contexts.
Health Systems and Policy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers health systems, healthcare delivery, pluralistic medicine, health policy, health reform, and analysing and improving health systems.
Applied Medical Anthropology
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines applied medical anthropology, health interventions, programme evaluation, cultural competence, and applying medical anthropology to health practice and policy.
Nutrition, Food and Health
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers nutrition, food and health, food systems, food insecurity, malnutrition, and understanding nutrition and food in cultural and health contexts.
Ethics in Health Research
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines ethics in health research, informed consent, vulnerable populations, cultural sensitivity, and conducting ethical health research.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 28 creditsCore
Original research thesis on a medical anthropology topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Illness and Healing
Focuses on illness and healing, disease ecology, illness narratives, healing practices, and understanding health and illness across cultures.
Traditional Medicine
Examines traditional medicine, ethnomedicine, indigenous healing, herbal medicine, and understanding and integrating traditional and biomedical systems.
Global Health
Covers global health, health inequalities, international health, health and development, and understanding health in global contexts.
Mental Health and Culture
Focuses on mental health and culture, cross-cultural psychiatry, mental illness, stigma, and understanding mental health across cultures.
Reproductive Health
Examines reproductive health, maternal health, fertility, sexuality, gender, and understanding reproductive health in cultural contexts.
Health Systems Analysis
Covers health systems, healthcare delivery, health policy, pluralistic medicine, and analysing and improving health systems.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MA Medical Anthropology programme begins with morning lectures on medical anthropology theory, illness and healing, or health systems. Students engage with both anthropological theory and health research applications. Theory sessions cover contemporary medical anthropology theory, critical medical anthropology, interpretive medical anthropology, and understanding health through anthropological theory. Illness and healing sessions examine disease ecology, illness narratives, healing practices, suffering, and understanding health and illness across cultures. Traditional medicine sessions cover ethnomedicine, indigenous healing, herbal medicine, traditional healers, and understanding and integrating traditional and biomedical systems. Global health sessions examine health inequalities, international health, health and development, and understanding health in global contexts. Mental health sessions cover cross-cultural psychiatry, mental illness, stigma, culture-bound syndromes, and understanding mental health across cultures. Reproductive health sessions examine maternal health, fertility, sexuality, gender, and understanding reproductive health in cultural contexts. Health systems sessions cover healthcare delivery, pluralistic medicine, health policy, and analysing and improving health systems. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering ethnographic methods, qualitative research, and data analysis. Field research provides hands-on experience in communities, health facilities, and research sites. Guest lectures from health researchers, KEMRI scientists, WHO officials, and international medical anthropologists provide real-world insights. The programme culminates in a research thesis.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's health challenges, cultural diversity, traditional medicine integration, and global health partnerships create demand for qualified medical anthropology professionals.
Career opportunities in research institutes, NGOs, government, international health organisations, and academia.
Programme provides unique cultural and social analysis skills essential for effective health interventions and policy.
Interdisciplinary programme bridges anthropology, health, and development, providing versatile career options.

Against it

Medical anthropology is a niche field with fewer direct career positions compared to public health or medicine.
UoN total programme cost of approximately KES 534,750 (~KES 267,375/year) is relatively expensive.
Moi University fee structure for this exact programme not independently verified.
Research and academic positions are competitive and may require doctoral qualifications.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 349 health sciences courses

Public187k to 267k

187k at Moi University267k at University of Nairobi

Private131k to 131k

131k at Mount Kenya University131k at Mount Kenya 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

UoN MA Anthropology 534,750/2yr (uonbi.ac.ke). Moi ~187K. MKU ~131K/yr.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. KEMRI supports medical research in Kenya. WHO supports health research. The programme's medical anthropology and health research focus attracts KEMRI, WHO, and global health funding.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
KEMRI Research Funding
WHO Health Research Funding

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate medical anthropology studies at recognised universities.
KEMRI Research Funding
GrantKsh 300,000Kenyan
KEMRI supports medical research in Kenya, providing funding for postgraduate research in medical anthropology and health.
WHO Health Research Funding
FellowshipKsh 400,000
WHO supports health research globally, providing fellowships for postgraduate study in medical anthropology and global health.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: The programme accepts graduates from anthropology, sociology, health sciences, public health, and related fields. Moi offers full-time mode at Main and Nairobi campuses. UoN offers full-time and part-time modes. Two-year programme with field research and thesis.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework40% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework essays, ethnographic analysis papers, seminar presentations, case studies, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination30% of the mark
Written examinations covering medical anthropology theory, health systems, research methods, and applied anthropology, conducted at end of each semester.
Field Research and Ethnographic Project
Practical30% of the mark
Assessment of field research and ethnographic project, including fieldwork, ethnographic writing, cultural analysis, and research presentation.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on a medical anthropology topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Moi University offers MA in Medical Anthropology through its School of Arts and Social Sciences. University of Nairobi offers MA in Anthropology with Medical Anthropology specialisation. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate medical anthropology training.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Moi University offers MA in Medical Anthropology. UoN offers MA in Anthropology with Medical Anthropology specialisation. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate medical anthropology training.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Medical Anthropologist
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000
Conducts medical anthropology research, overseeing ethnographic studies, health analysis, and supporting culturally competent health practice and policy.
Health Researcher
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Conducts health research, overseeing study design, data collection, analysis, and supporting evidence-based health programmes and policy.
Public Health Specialist
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Applies anthropological insights to public health, overseeing programmes, cultural competence, and supporting effective health interventions.
Global Health Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 600,000
Provides global health consultancy, overseeing cultural analysis, programme design, and supporting culturally appropriate health programmes.
Healthcare Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000
Analyses healthcare policy, overseeing policy research, cultural impact, and supporting evidence-based and culturally sensitive health policy.
University Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches medical anthropology in universities, conducting research and training future medical anthropologists and health professionals.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as medical anthropologists, health researchers, public health specialists, and global health consultants in research institutes, NGOs, and international health organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

NVivo
SoftwarePrimary
Qualitative data analysis software for ethnographic research, interviews, field notes, and qualitative health data analysis.
ATLAS.ti
Software
Qualitative data analysis software for medical anthropology research, coding, text analysis, and qualitative data management.
KoboToolbox
Software
Data collection platform for field research, health surveys, ethnographic data, and collecting medical anthropology research data.
SPSS
Software
Statistical software for health research, survey analysis, and quantitative data analysis in medical anthropology.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Medical anthropology is just about traditional medicine.
Medical anthropology studies all dimensions of health, illness, and healing including biomedicine, global health, mental health, and health systems, not just traditional medicine.
Medical anthropology is not relevant to modern healthcare.
Medical anthropology provides critical insights into cultural competence, health behaviour, health inequalities, and healthcare delivery that are essential for modern healthcare.
There is no demand for medical anthropologists in Kenya.
Kenya's health challenges, cultural diversity, traditional medicine integration, and global health partnerships create demand for qualified medical anthropology professionals.
Medical anthropology is not a rigorous discipline.
Medical anthropology involves rigorous ethnographic methods, theory, data analysis, and scholarly writing comparable to other social sciences.
A master's in medical anthropology is redundant after a BA.
The master's provides advanced theoretical and research skills, specialisation, and career progression to senior research and health policy positions.
Medical anthropology is only for those who cannot do medicine.
Medical anthropology is a distinct discipline that complements medicine, providing cultural and social analysis that biomedical training alone does not offer.