Arts & Humanities

Master of Arts in Women in History

The Master of Arts in Women in History is a postgraduate programme that examines the role, experiences, and contributions of women in historical perspectives, with particular focus on African and Kenyan contexts. The programme integrates gender analysis with historical methodology to uncover marginalised narratives and advance understanding of women's agency in shaping societies.

Core areas of study include feminist historiography, women in African history, gender and historical methodology, women in colonial and post-colonial Africa, oral history methods, women's movements and activism, women in development, comparative women's history, and research methods. Students engage with both Western feminist scholarship and African gender perspectives.

The programme is offered by Maseno University through its School of Arts and Social Sciences. Maseno University has established programmes in History, Gender Studies, and Gender and Development, providing a strong academic foundation for this specialised programme. The programme is available in part-time mode at the Main Campus.

Students develop competencies in historical research, gender analysis, oral history methodology, feminist critique, archival research, comparative analysis, and academic writing. The programme combines coursework, examinations, and a research thesis, preparing graduates for both academic and policy-oriented careers.

The programme is delivered over two years with coursework and thesis components. Students engage with primary sources, oral histories, and archival materials to conduct original research on women's historical experiences. The programme emphasises the recovery and documentation of women's voices in African history.

Graduates pursue careers as history educators, gender researchers, policy analysts, heritage managers, museum curators, archival specialists, and development consultants in universities, research institutions, government, NGOs, and cultural organisations.

Skills Required

Feminist Historiography and Gender Analysis
Women in African History
Oral History Methodology
Archival Research Methods
Gender and Historical Methodology
Comparative Women's History
Women's Movements and Activism Studies
Colonial and Post-Colonial Gender Analysis
Academic Writing and Historical Scholarship
Research Methods in Gender and History

Key Subjects

Feminist Historiography
Women in African History
Gender and Historical Methodology
Women in Colonial and Post-Colonial Africa
Oral History Methods
Women's Movements and Activism
Women in Development
Comparative Women's History
Archival Research Methods
Research Methods in Gender and History

Certifications

IFRWH Professional Membership
Kenya Historical Association Membership

Specializations

Women in African History

Focuses on women's roles, experiences, and agency in African history from pre-colonial through colonial and post-colonial periods, with emphasis on Kenyan and East African contexts.

Feminist Historiography

Examines feminist historical scholarship, gender theory in history, critique of mainstream historiography, and the development of women's history as a field.

Women's Movements and Activism

Covers women's movements, feminist activism, women's rights campaigns, and collective action in historical and comparative perspectives.

Oral History and Memory Studies

Focuses on oral history methodology, memory studies, life histories, and the documentation of women's experiences through oral testimony.

Gender and Colonialism

Examines the intersection of gender and colonialism, including colonial policies affecting women, women's resistance to colonialism, and gendered dimensions of colonial rule.

Women in Development History

Explores the history of women in development, gender and development theory, women's economic contributions, and the evolution of gender-responsive development policy.

Comparative Women's History

Covers comparative approaches to women's history across different regions, cultures, and time periods, examining commonalities and differences in women's experiences.

Women and Cultural Heritage

Examines women's roles in cultural production, cultural preservation, intangible heritage, and the representation of women in museums and heritage sites.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 220,500
Job market: Low

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 10 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Feminist Historiography
Women in African History
Gender and Historical Methodology
Women in Colonial and Post-Colonial Africa
Oral History Methods
Women's Movements and Activism
Women in Development
Comparative Women's History
Archival Research Methods
Research Methods in Gender and History

Modules

10 in the programme

Feminist Historiography
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines the development of feminist historical scholarship, gender theory in history, critique of mainstream historiography, and the emergence of women's history as a distinct field.
Women in African History
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines women's roles, experiences, and agency in African history from pre-colonial through colonial and post-colonial periods, with emphasis on Kenyan and East African contexts.
Gender and Historical Methodology
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers gender-sensitive historical research methods, feminist research methodologies, and the integration of gender analysis into historical inquiry.
Women in Colonial and Post-Colonial Africa
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines the impact of colonialism on African women, women's resistance to colonial rule, and women's experiences in post-colonial African societies.
Oral History Methods
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers oral history methodology, interview techniques, life history collection, ethical considerations, and the use of oral testimony in historical research.
Women's Movements and Activism
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines women's movements, feminist activism, women's rights campaigns, and collective action in historical and comparative perspectives globally and in Africa.
Women in Development History
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Explores the history of women in development, gender and development theory, women's economic contributions, and the evolution of gender-responsive development policy.
Comparative Women's History
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers comparative approaches to women's history across different regions, cultures, and time periods, examining commonalities and differences in women's experiences.
Research Methods in Gender and History
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers qualitative and quantitative research methodologies for conducting original research in women's history and gender studies, including archival and field research methods.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis on a women's history topic, demonstrating mastery of historical research methods and gender analysis, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Women in African History
Focuses on women's roles, experiences, and agency in African history from pre-colonial through colonial and post-colonial periods, with emphasis on Kenyan and East African contexts.
Feminist Historiography
Examines feminist historical scholarship, gender theory in history, critique of mainstream historiography, and the development of women's history as a field.
Women's Movements and Activism
Covers women's movements, feminist activism, women's rights campaigns, and collective action in historical and comparative perspectives.
Oral History and Memory Studies
Focuses on oral history methodology, memory studies, life histories, and the documentation of women's experiences through oral testimony.
Gender and Colonialism
Examines the intersection of gender and colonialism, including colonial policies affecting women, women's resistance to colonialism, and gendered dimensions of colonial rule.
Women in Development History
Explores the history of women in development, gender and development theory, women's economic contributions, and the evolution of gender-responsive development policy.
Comparative Women's History
Covers comparative approaches to women's history across different regions, cultures, and time periods, examining commonalities and differences in women's experiences.
Women and Cultural Heritage
Examines women's roles in cultural production, cultural preservation, intangible heritage, and the representation of women in museums and heritage sites.

A day as a student

A typical day involves attending lectures at Maseno University's School of Arts and Social Sciences on feminist historiography, women in African history, or oral history methods. Students engage in seminar discussions analysing historical texts, gender theory, and women's historical narratives. Archival research sessions involve working with primary sources, historical documents, and oral history transcripts. Students may conduct field research interviewing women elders and community members to document oral histories. Group discussions explore themes of women's agency, resistance, and contribution in African history. Guest lectures from visiting historians, gender studies scholars, and feminist researchers provide diverse perspectives. Those in the thesis phase conduct independent archival and field research on women's history topics, working on their thesis under faculty supervision.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme uniquely focuses on women's historical experiences in African contexts, addressing a significant gap in mainstream historical scholarship.
Maseno University has established strengths in History and Gender Studies, providing strong academic foundation and faculty expertise.
Programme integrates oral history methodology, enabling documentation of women's experiences where written records are absent.
Growing recognition of gender perspectives in policy, development, and heritage creates diverse career opportunities for graduates.

Against it

Niche specialisation with limited direct career paths, requiring graduates to apply skills in broader fields.
Programme offered only in part-time mode, which may not suit full-time students seeking intensive study.
Limited programme awareness among employers outside academia and gender-focused organisations.
Small cohort sizes may limit peer interaction and networking opportunities compared to larger programmes.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 188 arts & humanities courses

Public171k to 221k

171k at Maseno University221k at University of Nairobi

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

Maseno offers Women in History. UoN generic MA 220.5K/yr. Private unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. Maseno University offers limited internal financial aid. UN Women and other gender-focused organisations may offer research grants for women's history and gender studies research.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
University Financial Aid
UN Women Research Grants

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
UN Women Research Grants
ScholarshipKsh 150,000
Research grants for gender studies and women's history research, offered by UN Women and partner organisations.
Maseno University Financial Aid
ScholarshipKsh 100,000
Postgraduate students demonstrating academic merit and financial need at Maseno University.

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 available in part-time mode at Maseno University's Main Campus. Applicants with relevant professional experience in gender work, historical research, or teaching may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment
Coursework40% of the mark
CATs, historical analysis essays, book reviews, oral history reports, archival research exercises, and seminar presentations conducted throughout each semester.
Final Examination
Examination40% of the mark
End-of-semester examination covering feminist historiography, women's history, and gender theory, including essay questions and source analysis.
Research Exercises
Practical20% of the mark
Practical assessment involving oral history interviews, archival research projects, source analysis exercises, and historical writing assignments.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on a women's history topic, demonstrating mastery of historical research methods and gender analysis, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Maseno University offers the MA in Women in History through its School of Arts and Social Sciences. Maseno University is a CUE-accredited public university.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Maseno University offers the MA in Women in History through its School of Arts and Social Sciences. Maseno University is a CUE-accredited public university.
International Federation for Research in Women's History
Professional membership
International research federation for women's history scholars. Graduates may pursue IFRWH membership for networking, conferences, and professional recognition.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

History Educator
Moderate demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 200,000
Teaches history at secondary schools, colleges, or universities, incorporating gender perspectives and women's history into educational curricula.
Gender Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 60,000 to Ksh 250,000
Conducts research on gender issues, women's history, and gender policy for research institutions, NGOs, or international organisations.
Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 70,000 to Ksh 280,000
Analyses gender policy issues for government agencies, NGOs, or international organisations, applying historical perspectives to contemporary gender challenges.
Heritage Manager
Low demandKsh 55,000 to Ksh 220,000
Manages cultural heritage sites, museums, or archives, incorporating women's history and gender perspectives into heritage preservation and interpretation.
Museum Curator
Low demandKsh 50,000 to Ksh 200,000
Curates museum exhibitions and collections, incorporating women's histories and gender perspectives into museum interpretation and public history.
Development Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 65,000 to Ksh 300,000
Provides consulting services on gender and development for NGOs, international organisations, or government agencies, applying historical analysis to development practice.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as history educators, gender researchers, policy analysts, and heritage specialists in universities, research institutions, government, NGOs, and cultural organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

NVivo
SoftwarePrimary
Qualitative data analysis software for analysing oral history transcripts, interview data, and historical texts in women's history research.
Zotero
SoftwarePrimary
Reference management software for organising historical sources, citations, and bibliographies in women's history and gender studies research.
SPSS
Software
Statistical analysis software for quantitative historical research, including demographic analysis and statistical trends in women's history.
Audacity
Software
Audio editing software for processing and archiving oral history interviews, a key methodology in women's history research.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Women in History is just about famous women.
The programme examines the full spectrum of women's experiences including ordinary women, women's movements, gender systems, and the structural factors shaping women's lives throughout history.
This programme is only for women.
The programme is open to all students regardless of gender, as gender history is a scholarly field that benefits from diverse perspectives.
Women in History has no career relevance.
Graduates work in education, research, policy analysis, heritage management, gender-focused NGOs, and international organisations, applying gender analysis skills in diverse professional contexts.
This is a Western feminist import with no African relevance.
The programme integrates African gender perspectives, examines African women's history, and engages with African feminist scholarship, making it highly relevant to African contexts.
Women's history is not real history.
Women's history is a well-established academic field with rigorous methodology, theoretical frameworks, and extensive scholarship, recognised by major historical associations worldwide.
Oral history is unreliable compared to written records.
Oral history is a recognised historical methodology with established standards for collection, verification, and analysis, particularly valuable for documenting women's experiences where written records are absent.