Business

Master of Arts in Transformation Leadership

The Master of Arts in Transformation Leadership is a postgraduate programme that trains emergent leaders in the skills, knowledge, values, and character needed to provide leadership in transformational organisations and movements. The programme focuses on equipping leaders to bring transforming impact to marginalised urban communities.

Core areas of study include transformational leadership theory, organisational development and change, community transformation, Christian leadership values, social entrepreneurship, urban ministry, advocacy and social justice, project management, governance and ethics, and research methods. Students engage with leadership challenges in church, community, NGO, and social enterprise contexts.

The programme is offered by St. Paul's University as a constituent college link, with Daystar University, Scott Christian University, and KAG East University also listed as offering institutions. The programme equips and builds the leadership capacity of church leaders, community organisation leaders, NGO leaders, and social entrepreneurs.

Students develop competencies in transformational leadership, organisational management, community mobilisation, social entrepreneurship, advocacy, project management, strategic planning, and research. The programme combines coursework, field practicum, and a research project, integrating leadership theory with practical application in community contexts.

The programme is delivered over two years consisting of four semesters. It is designed for working professionals including church leaders, NGO leaders, community organisers, and social entrepreneurs seeking to deepen their leadership capacity for community transformation.

Graduates pursue careers as transformational leaders, community development directors, NGO programme managers, social entrepreneurs, church leaders, advocacy coordinators, and organisational development consultants in churches, NGOs, community organisations, social enterprises, and development agencies.

Skills Required

Transformational Leadership Theory and Practice
Organisational Development and Change Management
Community Transformation Strategies
Social Entrepreneurship
Advocacy and Social Justice
Project Planning and Management
Strategic Planning and Vision Casting
Governance and Ethics
Urban Ministry and Community Engagement
Research Methods in Leadership Studies

Key Subjects

Transformational Leadership Theory
Organisational Development and Change
Community Transformation
Social Entrepreneurship
Urban Ministry and Community Engagement
Advocacy and Social Justice
Project Planning and Management
Governance and Ethics
Christian Leadership Values
Research Methods in Leadership Studies

Certifications

Global Leadership Network Certification
African Leadership Institute Fellowship

Specializations

Church Leadership

Focuses on transformational leadership in church contexts, equipping church leaders with skills for organisational development, community engagement, and transformative ministry.

Community Development Leadership

Examines leadership for community transformation, including community mobilisation, participatory development, and sustainable community development practices.

NGO Leadership and Management

Covers NGO leadership, programme management, donor relations, organisational governance, and impact measurement for non-profit organisations.

Social Entrepreneurship

Focuses on social enterprise development, sustainable business models for social impact, innovation in addressing social challenges, and social venture management.

Urban Ministry

Examines leadership for urban ministry, addressing challenges of urban poverty, marginalised communities, and church engagement in urban transformation.

Advocacy and Social Justice

Covers advocacy strategies, social justice frameworks, policy engagement, and campaigning for marginalised communities and vulnerable populations.

Organisational Development

Explores organisational development theory, change management, institutional capacity building, and leadership for organisational transformation.

Governance and Ethics

Examines governance principles, ethical leadership, anti-corruption strategies, and accountable leadership in church, NGO, and community contexts.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 256,200
Private, up to: Ksh 220,800
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: 0 months
Average class: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Transformational Leadership Theory
Organisational Development and Change
Community Transformation
Social Entrepreneurship
Urban Ministry and Community Engagement
Advocacy and Social Justice
Project Planning and Management
Governance and Ethics
Christian Leadership Values
Research Methods in Leadership Studies

Modules

10 in the programme

Transformational Leadership Theory
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines transformational leadership theories, including visionary leadership, change leadership, servant leadership, and character-based leadership models for organisational and community transformation.
Organisational Development and Change
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers organisational development theory, change management frameworks, institutional capacity building, and leading organisational transformation in church, NGO, and community contexts.
Community Transformation Strategies
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines community transformation approaches, including community mobilisation, participatory development, asset-based community development, and sustainable transformation strategies.
Christian Leadership Values and Character
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Explores Christian leadership values, character formation, ethical leadership, and the integration of faith and leadership in transformational contexts.
Social Entrepreneurship
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers social enterprise development, sustainable business models for social impact, innovation in addressing social challenges, and social venture management.
Urban Ministry and Community Engagement
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines leadership for urban ministry, addressing challenges of urban poverty, marginalised communities, and church engagement in urban transformation.
Advocacy and Social Justice
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers advocacy strategies, social justice frameworks, policy engagement, and campaigning for marginalised communities and vulnerable populations.
Research Methods in Leadership Studies
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers qualitative and quantitative research methodologies for conducting original research in transformational leadership and community development.
Governance and Ethics
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines governance principles, ethical leadership, anti-corruption strategies, and accountable leadership in church, NGO, and community contexts.
Research Project
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research project on a transformational leadership topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and leadership theory, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Church Leadership
Focuses on transformational leadership in church contexts, equipping church leaders with skills for organisational development, community engagement, and transformative ministry.
Community Development Leadership
Examines leadership for community transformation, including community mobilisation, participatory development, and sustainable community development practices.
NGO Leadership and Management
Covers NGO leadership, programme management, donor relations, organisational governance, and impact measurement for non-profit organisations.
Social Entrepreneurship
Focuses on social enterprise development, sustainable business models for social impact, innovation in addressing social challenges, and social venture management.
Urban Ministry
Examines leadership for urban ministry, addressing challenges of urban poverty, marginalised communities, and church engagement in urban transformation.
Advocacy and Social Justice
Covers advocacy strategies, social justice frameworks, policy engagement, and campaigning for marginalised communities and vulnerable populations.
Organisational Development
Explores organisational development theory, change management, institutional capacity building, and leadership for organisational transformation.
Governance and Ethics
Examines governance principles, ethical leadership, anti-corruption strategies, and accountable leadership in church, NGO, and community contexts.

A day as a student

A typical day involves attending lectures on transformational leadership theory, organisational development, or social entrepreneurship. Students engage in case study discussions analysing leadership challenges in churches, NGOs, and community organisations. Group projects involve developing community transformation strategies, social enterprise plans, and organisational change proposals. Practical exercises include community needs assessments, stakeholder mapping, and advocacy campaign design. Guest lectures from experienced transformational leaders, NGO directors, social entrepreneurs, and church leaders provide real-world insights. The programme's focus on marginalised urban communities means students may participate in field visits to community organisations and urban ministry projects. Those in the research phase conduct independent research on leadership topics, working on their project under faculty supervision.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme uniquely integrates Christian values with leadership theory, preparing values-driven leaders for community transformation.
Programme focuses on marginalised urban communities, addressing real social challenges and preparing leaders for impactful community work.
Combines leadership theory with practical application including field practicum, community projects, and social enterprise development.
Growing demand for transformational leaders in Kenyan NGOs, churches, and community organisations addressing social challenges.

Against it

All offering institutions are private universities, making the programme more expensive than public university alternatives.
Programme's Christian focus may limit appeal to non-Christian or secular organisations seeking leadership training.
Niche specialisation in transformational leadership may not be recognised by all employers outside church and NGO sectors.
Programme availability and quality may vary between offering universities, with limited confirmed curriculum details.

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

Public171k to 256k

171k at Maseno University256k at University of Nairobi

Private140k to 221k

140k at KAG East University221k 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

Daystar 110,400/semx2=220,800/yr verified (daystar.ac.ke). KAG East/Maseno/UoN unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. Churches and Christian organisations may sponsor leaders for transformational leadership training. Daystar University offers partial financial aid scholarships. St. Paul's University may offer church-sponsored placements.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
Church Sponsorship
University Financial Aid

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
Church Sponsorship
ScholarshipKsh 200,000Kenyan
Church leaders and Christian workers sponsored by churches, denominations, or Christian organisations for leadership training.
Daystar Financial Aid
ScholarshipKsh 100,000
Daystar University students demonstrating academic merit and financial need. Partial financial aid scholarships available.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: The programme is designed for emergent leaders in churches, community organisations, NGOs, and social enterprises. Available in full-time and part-time modes over four semesters.

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment
Coursework40% of the mark
CATs, leadership analysis essays, case study reports, community assessment exercises, and seminar presentations conducted throughout each semester.
Final Examination
Examination40% of the mark
End-of-semester examination covering leadership theory, organisational development, and community transformation, including essay questions and case analysis.
Field Practicum
Practical20% of the mark
Practical assessment involving community needs assessment, organisational analysis, social enterprise plan development, and leadership project implementation.
Research Project
Research100% of the mark
Original research project on a transformational leadership topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and leadership theory, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). St. Paul's University, Daystar University, Scott Christian University, and KAG East University are all CUE-accredited private universities. The programme focuses on leadership for transformation in marginalised urban communities.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. St. Paul's University, Daystar University, Scott Christian University, and KAG East University are all CUE-accredited private universities.
Global Leadership Network
Professional development
Global leadership development organisation. Graduates may pursue GLN certification and training for professional development in transformational leadership.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Transformational Leader
Moderate demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 300,000
Leads transformational initiatives in churches, NGOs, or community organisations, driving organisational change and community impact through visionary leadership.
NGO Programme Manager
High demandKsh 80,000 to Ksh 350,000
Manages development programmes in NGOs, overseeing project implementation, stakeholder coordination, monitoring and evaluation, and community engagement.
Social Entrepreneur
Moderate demandKsh 60,000 to Ksh 400,000
Establishes and manages social enterprises addressing community challenges, combining business principles with social impact objectives.
Community Development Director
Moderate demandKsh 75,000 to Ksh 280,000
Directs community development programmes in churches, NGOs, or government, overseeing community transformation initiatives and stakeholder engagement.
Church Leader
Moderate demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 250,000
Provides leadership in churches and Christian organisations, integrating transformational leadership with pastoral ministry and community engagement.
Advocacy Coordinator
Moderate demandKsh 65,000 to Ksh 250,000
Coordinates advocacy campaigns and social justice initiatives in NGOs, churches, or civil society organisations, engaging policymakers and mobilising communities.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as transformational leaders, NGO programme managers, social entrepreneurs, community development directors, and church leaders in NGOs, churches, community organisations, and social enterprises.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

NVivo
SoftwarePrimary
Qualitative data analysis software for analysing interview data, community assessments, and case studies in leadership and community transformation research.
SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical analysis software for quantitative research in leadership studies, including survey data analysis and programme evaluation.
Logical Framework Approach
Framework
Project planning and management framework widely used in NGOs and community development organisations for project design, monitoring, and evaluation.
Zotero
Software
Reference management software for organising research sources, citations, and bibliographies in leadership studies research.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Transformation leadership is just another management course.
The programme focuses specifically on transformational leadership for social impact, integrating values, character development, and community transformation alongside management skills.
This programme is only for church leaders.
While rooted in Christian values, the programme equips leaders for NGOs, community organisations, social enterprises, and any organisation working for community transformation.
Transformational leadership has no practical application.
The programme includes field practicum, community projects, and practical exercises, preparing graduates to lead real transformation initiatives in communities.
This qualification is not recognised outside church circles.
The programme is CUE-accredited and develops leadership skills applicable in diverse organisational contexts including NGOs, social enterprises, and development agencies.
Transformational leadership is a soft subject with no rigour.
The programme involves organisational theory, research methods, project management, governance, and strategic planning, meeting postgraduate academic standards.
You need to be in a leadership position to benefit from this programme.
The programme is designed for emergent leaders, equipping them with skills and knowledge before they reach senior leadership positions.