Social Sciences

Master of Arts in Public Administration and Public Policy

The Master of Arts in Public Administration and Public Policy (MPPA) is a postgraduate programme that provides advanced study of public policy analysis, public administration, governance, and strategic management. The programme prepares graduates for leadership roles in public service, policy development, and governance.

Core areas include public policy analysis, public administration, research methods, microeconomics and macroeconomics for public policy, public finance, law and governance, devolved governments, and strategic management. Students engage with both theoretical frameworks and practical policy problem-solving.

The programme is offered by Kenyatta University through its Department of Public Policy and Administration. KU offers the MPPA in regular and evening/weekend modes at Main, City, Mombasa, Nyeri, and Nakuru campuses. The programme is an academic degree that can be considered for PhD studies.

Students develop competencies in policy analysis, governance, public administration, research, and strategic management. The programme includes 20 units comprising coursework, examinations, and a research project equivalent to 4 units.

KU charges KES 216,000/year for the MPPA. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with at least Second Class Honours Upper Division from a recognised university. Lower Second Class with at least two years of relevant experience is also accepted.

Graduates pursue careers as policy analysts, public administrators, governance advisors, county officials, and researchers in government, counties, NGOs, and private sector.

Skills Required

Public Policy Analysis
Public Administration and Governance
Research Methods in Social Sciences
Microeconomics and Macroeconomics for Public Policy
Public Finance and Accounting
Strategic Management in the Public Sector
Project Management in the Public Sector
Law and Governance
Corporate Governance
Policy Implementation and Evaluation

Key Subjects

Public Policy Analysis
Public Administration
Research Methods in Social Sciences
Microeconomics for Public Policy
Macroeconomics for Public Policy
Public Finance and Accounting
Law and Governance
Devolved Governments
Strategic Management in the Public Sector
Corporate Governance

Certifications

KSG Governance Certification
AAPAM Public Administration Certification

Specializations

Public Policy Analysis

Focuses on public policy analysis, policy process, policy instruments, policy evaluation, and analysing and developing public policy.

Public Administration

Examines public administration, governance, public management, decentralisation, service delivery, and managing public organisations and services.

Public Finance

Covers public finance, budgeting, fiscal policy, revenue, expenditure, accounting, and managing public finances and budgets.

County Governance and Devolution

Focuses on devolved governments, county governance, county administration, CIDP, intergovernmental relations, and understanding and managing county governance.

Strategic Management

Examines strategic management in the public sector, strategy, strategic planning, change management, and leading and managing public sector organisations strategically.

Corporate Governance

Covers corporate governance, governance principles, ethics, accountability, transparency, and promoting good corporate governance in public and private sectors.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 216,000
Private, up to: Ksh 297,140
Job market: High

The programme

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

Practicalities

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

What you study

10 subjects

Public Policy Analysis
Public Administration
Research Methods in Social Sciences
Microeconomics for Public Policy
Macroeconomics for Public Policy
Public Finance and Accounting
Law and Governance
Devolved Governments
Strategic Management in the Public Sector
Corporate Governance

Modules

12 in the programme

Research Methods in Social Sciences
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines research methods, design, data collection, analysis, and conducting research in social sciences, preparing students for their project.
Microeconomics for Public Policy
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers microeconomics for public policy, market failures, externalities, public goods, consumer behaviour, and economic analysis for policy.
Quantitative Methods for Public Policy
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines quantitative methods, statistics, data analysis, modelling, and quantitative analysis for public policy.
Public Administration
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers public administration, governance, public management, decentralisation, service delivery, and managing public organisations and services.
Devolved Governments
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines devolved governments, devolution, county governance, intergovernmental relations, CIDP, and understanding and managing devolved governments.
Law and Governance
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers law and governance, constitutional law, administrative law, legal frameworks, governance, and understanding law and governance in public administration.
Macroeconomics for Public Policy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines macroeconomics for public policy, fiscal policy, monetary policy, economic growth, inflation, and macroeconomic analysis for policy.
Public Finance and Accounting
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers public finance, budgeting, fiscal policy, revenue, expenditure, accounting, and managing public finances and budgets.
Public Sector Information Systems Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines information systems management in the public sector, e-government, ICT, data management, and using information systems in public administration.
Corporate Governance
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers corporate governance, governance principles, ethics, accountability, transparency, and promoting good corporate governance in public and private sectors.
Public Policy Analysis
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines public policy analysis, policy process, policy instruments, policy evaluation, and analysing and developing public policy.
Research Project
Year 2Semester 24 creditsCore
Original research project on a public policy and administration topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Public Policy Analysis
Focuses on public policy analysis, policy process, policy instruments, policy evaluation, and analysing and developing public policy.
Public Administration
Examines public administration, governance, public management, decentralisation, service delivery, and managing public organisations and services.
Public Finance
Covers public finance, budgeting, fiscal policy, revenue, expenditure, accounting, and managing public finances and budgets.
County Governance and Devolution
Focuses on devolved governments, county governance, county administration, CIDP, intergovernmental relations, and understanding and managing county governance.
Strategic Management
Examines strategic management in the public sector, strategy, strategic planning, change management, and leading and managing public sector organisations strategically.
Corporate Governance
Covers corporate governance, governance principles, ethics, accountability, transparency, and promoting good corporate governance in public and private sectors.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MPPA programme begins with morning or evening lectures on public policy analysis, public administration, or public finance. Students engage with both theoretical frameworks and practical policy problem-solving. Public policy analysis sessions cover policy process, policy instruments, policy evaluation, and analysing and developing public policy. Public administration sessions examine governance, public management, decentralisation, service delivery, and managing public organisations. Microeconomics sessions cover microeconomics for public policy, market failures, externalities, public goods, and economic analysis for policy. Macroeconomics sessions examine macroeconomics for public policy, fiscal policy, monetary policy, growth, and macroeconomic analysis for policy. Public finance sessions cover budgeting, fiscal policy, revenue, expenditure, accounting, and managing public finances. Law and governance sessions examine legal frameworks, constitutional law, administrative law, governance, and understanding law and governance. Devolved governments sessions cover devolution, county governance, intergovernmental relations, CIDP, and understanding and managing devolved governments. Strategic management sessions examine strategy, strategic planning, change management, and leading public sector organisations strategically. Research methods sessions prepare students for their project, covering social science research methods, design, and data analysis. Guest lectures from government officials, policy experts, KSG officials, and international scholars provide real-world insights. The programme culminates in a research project.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's devolution, governance reforms, county development, and public sector modernisation create high demand for qualified public administration professionals.
Programme is an academic degree that can be considered for PhD studies, unlike the executive EMPPA.
KU offers the programme in regular, evening, weekend, and digital modes across multiple campuses, providing flexible study options.
Career opportunities across government, counties, NGOs, private sector, and international organisations.

Against it

Programme is offered only at KU for this exact title, limiting university choice.
KES 216,000/year is moderate but may be challenging for self-sponsored students.
Public administration is a competitive field with many graduates competing for positions.
Some senior positions may require additional professional qualifications or extensive experience.

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

Public187k to 216k

187k at Moi University216k at Kenyatta University

Private138k to 297k

138k at KCA University297k at United States International University Africa

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

KU 216K, Moi 187.2K verified. USIU ~297K/yr. KCA unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. KSG supports executive training for public servants. AAPAM supports professional development for public administrators in Africa. The programme's public policy and administration focus attracts KSG, AAPAM, and governance funding.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
KSG Executive Training
AAPAM Professional Development

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate public administration studies at recognised universities.
KSG Executive Training
GrantKsh 250,000Kenyan
KSG supports executive training for public servants in Kenya, providing funding for postgraduate study in public administration.
AAPAM Professional Development
FellowshipKsh 300,000
AAPAM supports professional development for public administrators in Africa, providing fellowships for postgraduate study in public administration.

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 any area of specialisation, making it accessible to diverse professional backgrounds. KU offers the programme in regular, evening, weekend, and digital modes at Main, City, Mombasa, Nyeri, and Nakuru campuses. Two-year programme with 20 units comprising coursework, examinations, and research project (4 units). Minimum 4 semesters.

How you are assessed

3 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework40% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, policy analysis papers, case studies, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination60% of the mark
Written examinations covering public policy, administration, governance, finance, and research methods, conducted at end of each semester, 3 hours per unit.
Research Project
Research100% of the mark
Original research project on a public policy and administration topic, equivalent to 4 units, 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 MPPA through its Department of Public Policy and Administration, established in 2012. The programme is an academic degree that can be considered for PhD studies. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate public administration and public policy training.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. KU offers MPPA through its Department of Public Policy and Administration, established in 2012. The programme is an academic degree that can be considered for PhD studies. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate public administration and public policy training.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Analyses public policy, overseeing policy research, analysis, development, and supporting evidence-based policy and governance.
Public Administrator
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages public administration, overseeing governance, public management, service delivery, and supporting effective public administration.
Governance Advisor
Moderate demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 600,000
Advises on governance, overseeing governance reform, policy, institutions, and supporting good governance and democracy.
County Official
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Serves in county government, overseeing county administration, planning, CIDP, service delivery, and supporting county governance and development.
Project Manager
High demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 600,000
Manages public sector projects, overseeing planning, implementation, M&E, budgets, and delivering projects in the public sector.
University Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches public administration and policy in universities, conducting research and training future public administrators and policy analysts.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as policy analysts, public administrators, governance advisors, and county officials in government, counties, NGOs, and private sector.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Microsoft Excel
SoftwarePrimary
Spreadsheet software for policy analysis, budgeting, data analysis, financial modelling, and managing public administration data and analysis.
SPSS
Software
Statistical software for policy research, survey analysis, public opinion, and quantitative data analysis.
Stata
Software
Statistical software for policy research, econometric analysis, impact evaluation, and quantitative data analysis.
NVivo
Software
Qualitative data analysis software for policy research, interviews, content analysis, and qualitative data analysis.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Public administration is just about working in government offices.
Public administration involves rigorous policy analysis, governance, finance, law, research, and strategic management, far beyond office work.
Public policy is only for politicians.
Public policy involves rigorous analysis, research, evaluation, and evidence-based policy development for professionals across government, NGOs, and private sector.
There is no demand for public administration graduates in Kenya.
Kenya's devolution, governance reforms, county development, and public sector modernisation create high demand for qualified public administration professionals.
Public administration is not a rigorous discipline.
Public administration involves rigorous research methods, economic analysis, legal analysis, and scholarly writing comparable to other social sciences.
A master's in public administration is redundant after a BA.
The master's provides advanced policy analysis, research capability, specialisation, and career progression to senior public administration and policy positions.
The MPPA is the same as the EMPPA.
The MPPA is a regular two-year academic degree that can lead to PhD, while the EMPPA is a one-year executive professional degree not intended as a step towards PhD.