Education

Master of Education (Comparative and International Education)

The Master of Education (Comparative and International Education) is a specialised postgraduate programme that examines education from a comparative and international perspective. The programme equips students with analytical tools to understand educational theory and practice across different national contexts, exploring how education systems evolve and respond to global trends.

Core areas include comparative education theory, international education policy, educational research methods, educational statistics, contemporary themes in education, history of education, sociology of education, philosophy of education, and thesis research. Students engage with cross-national analysis and global education perspectives.

The programme is offered by the University of Nairobi through its Faculty of Education, Kenyatta University through its School of Education and Lifelong Learning, and Pwani University. UoN's programme comprises 18 course units over four semesters, while KU offers both thesis and project options with flexible delivery modes including face-to-face, modular, open and distance, e-learning, and blended.

Students develop competencies in comparative analysis, international education policy, research methods, educational statistics, cross-national analysis, and academic writing. The programme includes coursework, examinations, and thesis or project across four semesters over two academic years.

UoN charges KES 556,600 total for the full programme. Kenyatta University charges KES 367,200 per year. Pwani University charges KES 145,000 per year. Entry requires a Bachelor of Education degree with at least Second Class Honours Upper Division or Lower Division with relevant experience.

Graduates pursue careers as education policy analysts, international education consultants, education researchers, curriculum developers, university lecturers, and education administrators in government, NGOs, and international organisations.

Skills Required

Comparative Education Analysis
International Education Policy Analysis
Educational Research Methods
Educational Statistics and Data Analysis
Cross-National Education Systems Analysis
Contemporary Issues in Education
History and Philosophy of Education
Sociology of Education
Academic Writing and Thesis Research
Education Policy Development and Evaluation

Key Subjects

Comparative Education Theory and Practice
International Education Policy
Educational Research Methods
Educational Statistics
Contemporary Themes in Education
History of Education
Sociology of Education
Philosophy of Education
Cross-National Education Systems Analysis
Thesis Research in Comparative Education

Certifications

TSC Teacher Registration
CIES Professional Membership

Specializations

Comparative Education Theory

Focuses on comparative education as an academic discipline, examining theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and approaches to comparing education systems across nations.

International Education Policy

Examines international education policy, global education trends, policy transfer, and analysing and developing education policy in international contexts.

Educational Research and Evaluation

Covers research methods, evaluation, assessment, and conducting comparative education research and programme evaluation.

History of Education

Focuses on historical development of education systems, tracing the evolution of educational theory and practice across different national contexts.

Sociology of Education

Examines sociological perspectives on education, social inequality, education and society, and analysing education from sociological frameworks.

Philosophy of Education

Covers philosophical foundations of education, educational theory, ethics, and understanding and applying philosophy to education practice and policy.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 278,300
Private, up to: Ksh 191,050
Job market: Moderate

The programme

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

Practicalities

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

What you study

10 subjects

Comparative Education Theory and Practice
International Education Policy
Educational Research Methods
Educational Statistics
Contemporary Themes in Education
History of Education
Sociology of Education
Philosophy of Education
Cross-National Education Systems Analysis
Thesis Research in Comparative Education

Modules

12 in the programme

Educational Research Method
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research methods, design, data collection, analysis, and conducting educational research, preparing students for their thesis or project.
Educational Statistics
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines statistical methods, data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics, and using statistics in education research.
Contemporary Themes in Education
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines current issues in education globally, including equity, access, quality, innovation, and emerging trends in education theory and practice.
Comparative Education Theory and Practice
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Introduces comparative education as an academic discipline, examining theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and approaches to comparing education systems.
International Education Policy
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines international education policy, global education trends, policy transfer, and analysing and developing education policy in international contexts.
History of Education
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Traces the historical development of education systems across different national contexts, examining evolution of educational theory and practice.
Sociology of Education
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines sociological perspectives on education, social inequality, education and society, and analysing education from sociological frameworks.
Philosophy of Education
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers philosophical foundations of education, educational theory, ethics, and understanding and applying philosophy to education practice and policy.
Cross-National Education Systems Analysis
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines education systems across different countries, comparing structures, policies, outcomes, and analysing factors influencing education system performance.
Education Policy Development and Evaluation
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers education policy development, implementation, evaluation, and analysing and developing education policy in national and international contexts.
Research Seminar
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Preparation of research proposal, including research design, literature review, methodology, and proposal presentation for thesis or project development.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 28 creditsCore
Original research thesis on a comparative and international education topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Comparative Education Theory
Focuses on comparative education as an academic discipline, examining theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and approaches to comparing education systems across nations.
International Education Policy
Examines international education policy, global education trends, policy transfer, and analysing and developing education policy in international contexts.
Educational Research and Evaluation
Covers research methods, evaluation, assessment, and conducting comparative education research and programme evaluation.
History of Education
Focuses on historical development of education systems, tracing the evolution of educational theory and practice across different national contexts.
Sociology of Education
Examines sociological perspectives on education, social inequality, education and society, and analysing education from sociological frameworks.
Philosophy of Education
Covers philosophical foundations of education, educational theory, ethics, and understanding and applying philosophy to education practice and policy.

A day as a student

A typical day during the M.Ed. (Comparative and International Education) programme combines lectures, seminars, discussion groups, research, and independent study. Sessions cover comparative education theory, international education policy, research methods, and contemporary themes in education. Comparative education sessions examine theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and approaches to comparing education systems across nations. International education policy sessions cover global education trends, policy transfer, and analysing and developing education policy in international contexts. Research methods sessions cover research design, data collection, analysis, and conducting comparative education research. Educational statistics sessions cover statistical methods, data analysis, and using statistics in education research. Contemporary themes sessions examine current issues in education globally, including equity, access, quality, and innovation. History of education sessions trace the historical development of education systems across different national contexts. Sociology of education sessions examine sociological perspectives on education, social inequality, and education and society. Philosophy of education sessions cover philosophical foundations, educational theory, and ethics. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for presenting research, debating current issues, and peer learning. Independent study and research prepare students for their thesis or project. Guest lectures from education policy experts and international education scholars provide insights. The programme culminates in a research thesis or project on a comparative education topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme provides unique comparative and international perspective on education, valuable for policy analysis and understanding global education trends.
Offered by three public universities including UoN, KU, and Pwani University, providing choice of institution and fee range.
Wide fee range from KES 145,000/year at Pwani to KES 367,200/year at KU, accommodating different budgets.
KU offers flexible delivery modes including face-to-face, modular, distance, e-learning, and blended, accommodating working professionals.

Against it

Programme is only offered by public universities, with no private institution options.
Career opportunities are more specialised than general M.Ed., which may limit options in some education sectors.
UoN's programme at KES 556,600 total is relatively expensive compared to Pwani University.
Limited awareness of comparative education as a field may affect employer recognition in some contexts.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 243 education courses

Public145k to 278k

145k at Pwani University278k at University of Nairobi

Private165k to 191k

165k at Kabarak University191k at Africa International 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 278K (uonbi.ac.ke). KU 246K (education.ku.ac.ke). Pwani 145K (tuko.co.ke). Kabarak 165K, AIU 191K

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. TSC supports teacher professional development. UNESCO offers fellowships for education professionals. International education programmes may attract support from international organisations and education development agencies.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
TSC Teacher Professional Development
UNESCO Fellowships

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate education studies at recognised universities.
TSC Teacher Professional Development
ScholarshipKsh 150,000Kenyan
Teachers Service Commission supports professional development for registered teachers pursuing postgraduate education qualifications.
UNESCO Fellowships
ScholarshipKsh 300,000
UNESCO offers fellowships for education professionals pursuing postgraduate study in comparative and international education.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: UoN requires a Bachelor's degree with at least Upper Second Class Honours for M.Ed. admission. KU requires a Bachelor of Education degree with Upper Second or Lower Second with relevant experience, offering both thesis and project options. Pwani University requires a Bachelor of Education degree with Upper Second or Lower Second with two years' experience, with minimum grade B in the area of specialisation. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, seminar presentations, discussion groups, research papers, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination40% of the mark
Written examinations covering comparative education theory, international education policy, research methods, and educational foundations.
Research Project
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through research project or thesis proposal development, data collection, analysis, and presenting research findings.
Research Thesis or Project
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis or project on a comparative and international education 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). University of Nairobi offers M.Ed. in Comparative and International Education through its Faculty of Education, Kenyatta University through its School of Education and Lifelong Learning, and Pwani University. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate education. Graduates are eligible for TSC registration.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. University of Nairobi offers M.Ed. in Comparative and International Education through its Faculty of Education, Kenyatta University through its School of Education and Lifelong Learning, and Pwani University. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate education. Graduates are eligible for TSC registration.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Education Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 450,000
Analyses education policy, overseeing research, analysis, policy development, and providing policy advice to government and organisations.
International Education Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 500,000
Consults on international education matters, overseeing advisory, analysis, strategy, and providing education expertise to international organisations.
Education Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000
Conducts research in comparative education, overseeing research projects, publishing findings, and contributing to education knowledge.
University Lecturer
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches education at universities, overseeing instruction, research, and supporting student learning in education foundations.
Curriculum Developer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 400,000
Develops education curricula and instructional materials, overseeing curriculum design, content development, and supporting education.
Education Administrator
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages education programmes and institutions, overseeing administration, policy implementation, and ensuring effective education delivery.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical analysis software for educational research, data analysis, quantitative methods, and analysing and interpreting research data for thesis.
Microsoft Excel
Software
Spreadsheet software for data analysis, education statistics, comparative data management, and managing and analysing education data.
NVivo
Software
Qualitative data analysis software for research, coding, thematic analysis, and analysing and interpreting qualitative research data.
Microsoft Word
Software
Word processing software for research papers, thesis writing, policy briefs, and producing academic and education policy documents.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Comparative education is just about comparing different countries' education systems.
The programme examines theoretical frameworks, methodologies, policy analysis, and global education trends, providing deep analytical tools for understanding education in international contexts.
This degree only leads to academic careers.
Graduates work in government, NGOs, international organisations, policy analysis, education consulting, and curriculum development, not just academia.
You need to have studied abroad to understand international education.
The programme provides the analytical frameworks and comparative tools to understand international education systems without prior overseas study experience.
Comparative education has limited relevance in Kenya.
Kenya's education system is influenced by international trends, policies, and partnerships, making comparative analysis essential for education policy and practice.
The programme is only for those who want to work internationally.
Comparative education skills are valuable for domestic education policy, curriculum development, and understanding how global trends affect local education.
This is the same as a general M.Ed.
The programme specifically focuses on comparative and international perspectives, providing specialised analytical tools distinct from general education or subject-specific M.Ed. programmes.