Social Sciences

Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership and Governance

The Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership and Governance is a postgraduate programme that develops leadership competencies and governance skills for senior and mid-level professionals across public, private, and civil society sectors. The programme prepares graduates to address complex governance challenges and lead organisations effectively.

Core areas include leadership theory, governance, public policy, organisational behaviour, strategic management, ethics, change management, human resource management, and research methods. Students engage with both theoretical foundations and practical leadership and governance applications.

The programme is offered by Kenyatta University as MA in Leadership and Governance (MLG) through its School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology as Masters in Governance and Leadership. KU offers 18 units over two years with full-time and part-time modes.

Students develop competencies in leadership analysis, governance, policy development, strategic planning, ethical decision-making, and organisational change. The programme includes coursework, examinations, research project or thesis, and oral defence.

JKUAT charges KES 126,000 per year for the two-year programme. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with at least Second Class Honours Upper Division, or Lower Division with relevant work experience. KU requires 18 units with thesis or project option.

Graduates pursue careers as organisational leaders, governance consultants, policy analysts, public administrators, and development managers in government, NGOs, private sector, and international organisations.

Skills Required

Leadership Theory and Practice
Governance and Public Policy Analysis
Strategic Management and Planning
Organisational Behaviour and Change Management
Ethical Decision-Making and Leadership
Human Resource Management and Development
Public Administration and Management
Research Methods in Leadership and Governance
Project Management and Evaluation
Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

Key Subjects

Leadership Theory and Concepts
Governance and Public Policy
Organisational Behaviour
Strategic Management
Ethics and Leadership
Change Management
Human Resource Management
Research Methods
Project Management
Public Administration

Certifications

ILA Leadership Certification
KSG Governance Certification

Specializations

Public Governance

Focuses on public governance, public policy, government leadership, decentralisation, accountability, and leading and governing public sector organisations.

Corporate Governance

Examines corporate governance, board leadership, corporate ethics, compliance, shareholder value, and governing corporate organisations.

Strategic Leadership

Covers strategic leadership, vision, mission, strategy, competitive advantage, and leading organisations strategically.

Change Management

Focuses on change management, organisational change, transformation, innovation, and leading and managing organisational change.

Ethics and Leadership

Examines ethics and leadership, ethical leadership, integrity, transparency, accountability, and leading ethically.

Development Leadership

Covers development leadership, community leadership, social entrepreneurship, NGO leadership, and leading development organisations.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 216,000
Private, up to: Ksh 249,800
Job market: High

The programme

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

Practicalities

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

What you study

10 subjects

Leadership Theory and Concepts
Governance and Public Policy
Organisational Behaviour
Strategic Management
Ethics and Leadership
Change Management
Human Resource Management
Research Methods
Project Management
Public Administration

Modules

12 in the programme

Leadership Concepts and Theories
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines leadership concepts, theories, styles, transformational leadership, servant leadership, and understanding leadership theory and practice.
Governance and Public Policy
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers governance, public policy, policy analysis, accountability, transparency, decentralisation, and understanding governance and public policy.
Organisational Behaviour and Development
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines organisational behaviour, culture, motivation, teams, conflict, and understanding and developing organisations.
Strategic Management and Planning
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers strategic management, vision, mission, strategy, competitive advantage, strategic planning, and leading strategically.
Ethics and Leadership
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines ethics and leadership, ethical leadership, integrity, transparency, accountability, and leading ethically.
Change Management and Innovation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers change management, organisational change, transformation, innovation, and leading and managing organisational change.
Human Resource Management and Development
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines HR management, recruitment, performance, development, leadership, and managing people in organisations.
Research Methods in Leadership and Governance
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research methods, design, data collection, analysis, and conducting research in leadership and governance, preparing students for their thesis.
Public Administration and Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines public administration, public management, service delivery, devolution, and managing public sector organisations.
Project Management and Evaluation
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers project management, project cycle, M&E, log frame, and managing and evaluating projects in leadership and governance contexts.
Stakeholder Engagement and Communication
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines stakeholder engagement, communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, and engaging stakeholders in governance.
Research Thesis or Project
Year 2Semester 28 creditsCore
Original research thesis or project on a leadership and governance topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Public Governance
Focuses on public governance, public policy, government leadership, decentralisation, accountability, and leading and governing public sector organisations.
Corporate Governance
Examines corporate governance, board leadership, corporate ethics, compliance, shareholder value, and governing corporate organisations.
Strategic Leadership
Covers strategic leadership, vision, mission, strategy, competitive advantage, and leading organisations strategically.
Change Management
Focuses on change management, organisational change, transformation, innovation, and leading and managing organisational change.
Ethics and Leadership
Examines ethics and leadership, ethical leadership, integrity, transparency, accountability, and leading ethically.
Development Leadership
Covers development leadership, community leadership, social entrepreneurship, NGO leadership, and leading development organisations.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MA in Organizational Leadership and Governance programme begins with morning lectures on leadership theory, governance, or public policy. Students engage with theoretical foundations and practical leadership and governance applications. Leadership theory sessions cover leadership concepts, theories, styles, transformational leadership, and understanding leadership. Governance sessions examine governance, public policy, accountability, transparency, decentralisation, and understanding governance. Organisational behaviour sessions cover organisational behaviour, culture, motivation, teams, and understanding organisations. Strategic management sessions examine strategy, vision, mission, competitive advantage, and strategic planning. Ethics sessions cover ethics, integrity, transparency, accountability, and ethical leadership. Change management sessions examine organisational change, transformation, innovation, and leading and managing change. Human resource management sessions cover HR management, recruitment, performance, development, and managing people. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis or project, covering research design, methods, and data analysis. Guest lectures from government officials, NGO leaders, governance experts, and international leadership scholars provide real-world insights. The two-year programme culminates in a research thesis or project.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's governance reforms, devolution, leadership challenges, and institutional development create high demand for qualified leadership and governance professionals.
JKUAT offers the programme at KES 126,000/year, making it relatively affordable for a postgraduate leadership programme.
Career opportunities across public, private, NGO, and civil society sectors with government, UNDP, KSG, and international organisations.
Programme provides versatile leadership and governance skills applicable across sectors and career paths.

Against it

Programme requires work experience for Lower Division entry, which may exclude recent graduates.
KU fee structure for MLG not independently verified, creating uncertainty about total cost.
Leadership and governance positions may be subject to political appointments and organisational priorities.
The programme is broad, which may limit depth in any single specialisation area.

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

Public126k to 216k

126k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology216k at Kenyatta University

Private130k to 250k

130k at Mount Kenya University250k at Daystar 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

JKUAT 126K/yr, KU 216K/yr verified. MKU 130K, Daystar 249.8K verified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. UNDP supports governance capacity building. KSG supports leadership development for public servants. The programme's governance and leadership focus attracts UNDP, governance, and international development funding.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
UNDP Governance Funding
KSG Leadership Funding

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate leadership and governance studies at recognised universities.
UNDP Governance Funding
GrantKsh 300,000
UNDP supports governance capacity building in Kenya, providing funding for postgraduate study in leadership and governance.
KSG Leadership Funding
FellowshipKsh 250,000Kenyan
KSG supports leadership development for public servants, providing fellowships for postgraduate study in leadership and governance.

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 diverse fields. KU requires 18 units over two years with thesis or project option. JKUAT requires Lower Division with three years work experience. Full-time and part-time modes available.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework40% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, case studies, leadership analysis papers, governance briefs, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination30% of the mark
Written examinations covering leadership theory, governance, policy, ethics, and strategic management, conducted at end of each semester.
Project/Practical Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Assessment of leadership and governance projects, case studies, simulations, and practical work.
Research Thesis or Project
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis or project on a leadership and governance 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). Kenyatta University offers MA in Leadership and Governance (MLG) through its School of Humanities and Social Sciences. JKUAT offers Masters in Governance and Leadership. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate leadership and governance training.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Kenyatta University offers MA in Leadership and Governance (MLG). JKUAT offers Masters in Governance and Leadership. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate leadership and governance training.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Organisational Leader
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 600,000
Leads organisations in public, private, or NGO sectors, overseeing strategy, governance, performance, and organisational effectiveness.
Governance Consultant
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Provides governance consultancy, overseeing governance assessments, board development, compliance, and supporting organisational governance.
Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Analyses public policy, overseeing policy research, analysis, development, and supporting evidence-based policy and governance.
Public Administrator
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages public sector organisations, overseeing service delivery, administration, governance, and supporting public sector effectiveness.
Development Manager
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages development programmes in NGOs and civil society, overseeing programme design, governance, and supporting development outcomes.
Leadership Trainer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 450,000
Trains leaders in organisations, overseeing leadership development programmes, coaching, and supporting leadership capacity building.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as organisational leaders, governance consultants, policy analysts, and public administrators in government, NGOs, and private sector.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical software for leadership and governance research, survey analysis, and research data analysis.
NVivo
Software
Qualitative data analysis software for leadership research, interviews, case studies, and qualitative data analysis.
Microsoft Project
Software
Project management software for planning, tracking, and managing leadership and governance projects and initiatives.
Stata
Software
Statistical software for governance research, policy analysis, and research data analysis.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Leadership cannot be taught; it is innate.
Leadership theory, competencies, and skills can be developed through structured training, practice, reflection, and mentorship.
This programme is only for those already in leadership positions.
The programme is designed for both current and aspiring leaders, including mid-career professionals preparing for senior roles.
Governance is only about compliance and rules.
Governance encompasses leadership, strategy, accountability, transparency, ethics, stakeholder engagement, and organisational effectiveness.
A leadership degree is not as valuable as an MBA.
Leadership and governance skills are complementary to business skills and are increasingly sought after in public, private, and civil society sectors.
This programme is only for public sector workers.
The programme is designed for leaders across public, private, NGO, and civil society sectors, addressing governance challenges in all sectors.
Organisational leadership is just common sense.
Effective leadership involves complex theory, research, strategic thinking, ethical reasoning, and practical skills that go beyond common sense.