Education

Master of Education in Educational Management in Emergencies

The Master of Education in Educational Management in Emergencies is a specialised postgraduate programme that equips education professionals with advanced knowledge and skills to manage educational systems, institutions, and programmes during and after emergency situations. The programme addresses the growing need for education management expertise in crisis contexts including conflicts, natural disasters, pandemics, and forced displacement.

Core areas of study include education in emergencies theory, emergency response planning, crisis management in education, educational continuity during disruptions, refugee and displaced learner education, post-crisis educational reconstruction, trauma-informed educational management, conflict-sensitive education programming, educational policy in emergency contexts, monitoring and evaluation in crisis settings, and research methods. Students engage with the unique challenges of managing education during crises.

The programme is offered by Moi University, Chuka University, and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology. The University of Nairobi also offers Education in Emergencies as a specialisation within its MEd programme, in partnership with the International Rescue Committee. The programme combines emergency management theory with educational practice.

Students develop competencies in emergency education planning, crisis response management, educational continuity planning, refugee education management, post-crisis reconstruction, conflict-sensitive education programming, trauma-informed management, monitoring and evaluation in emergencies, and research. The programme includes coursework, field work, and a research thesis, integrating emergency management with educational practice.

The programme is delivered over two years with full-time and part-time modes available. Coursework combines theoretical foundations with practical field experience in emergency education settings. The programme is designed for education managers, humanitarian workers, NGO education staff, and government education officers working in or preparing for crisis-affected contexts.

Graduates pursue careers as emergency education managers, humanitarian education coordinators, refugee education programme managers, post-crisis reconstruction specialists, education consultants for international organisations, and researchers in education in emergencies, working with NGOs, UN agencies, government education departments, and international humanitarian organisations.

Skills Required

Education in Emergencies Planning and Response
Crisis Management in Educational Settings
Educational Continuity During Disruptions
Refugee and Displaced Learner Education Management
Post-Crisis Educational Reconstruction
Conflict-Sensitive Education Programming
Trauma-Informed Educational Management
Monitoring and Evaluation in Emergency Contexts
Humanitarian Education Coordination
Research Methods in Education in Emergencies

Key Subjects

Education in Emergencies Theory and Practice
Crisis Management in Educational Settings
Educational Continuity During Disruptions
Refugee and Displaced Learner Education
Post-Crisis Educational Reconstruction
Conflict-Sensitive Education Programming
Trauma-Informed Educational Management
Monitoring and Evaluation in Emergency Contexts
Emergency Education Policy and Governance
Research Methods in Education in Emergencies

Certifications

INEE Minimum Standards Certification
UNHCR Education Certification

Specializations

Conflict and Education Management

Focuses on managing education during armed conflicts, conflict-sensitive education programming, peace education, and education for conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

Disaster Education Management

Examines education management during natural disasters, disaster risk reduction education, emergency response planning, and educational continuity during environmental crises.

Refugee and Displaced Learner Education

Covers education management for refugees and internally displaced persons, camp education management, displaced learner support, and durable education solutions.

Post-Crisis Educational Reconstruction

Focuses on rebuilding education systems after crises, post-conflict education reconstruction, education system recovery, and transitional education programming.

Pandemic and Health Emergency Education Management

Examines education management during health emergencies, school closure management, remote learning during crises, and educational continuity during pandemics.

Humanitarian Education Coordination

Covers humanitarian education cluster coordination, inter-agency education coordination, humanitarian response frameworks, and education in humanitarian action.

Trauma-Informed Educational Management

Focuses on trauma-informed education practices, psychosocial support in education, managing trauma-affected learners, and creating safe learning environments in crisis contexts.

Emergency Education Policy and Governance

Examines education policy in emergency contexts, emergency education governance, regulatory frameworks for emergency education, and policy development for crisis response.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 160,750
Private, up to: Ksh 191,050
Job market: High

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time, Work-based
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 15 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Education in Emergencies Theory and Practice
Crisis Management in Educational Settings
Educational Continuity During Disruptions
Refugee and Displaced Learner Education
Post-Crisis Educational Reconstruction
Conflict-Sensitive Education Programming
Trauma-Informed Educational Management
Monitoring and Evaluation in Emergency Contexts
Emergency Education Policy and Governance
Research Methods in Education in Emergencies

Modules

10 in the programme

Education in Emergencies Theory and Practice
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines theoretical foundations of education in emergencies, the INEE minimum standards, emergency education frameworks, and the global architecture of education in emergencies.
Crisis Management in Educational Settings
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers crisis management theory applied to education, emergency response planning, risk assessment in educational settings, and crisis communication in education.
Educational Continuity During Disruptions
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines strategies for maintaining educational continuity during disruptions, including remote learning, alternative learning modalities, and flexible education delivery.
Refugee and Displaced Learner Education
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers education management for refugees and displaced persons, camp education management, displaced learner support, and durable education solutions.
Conflict-Sensitive Education Programming
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines conflict-sensitive education programming, peace education, education for conflict prevention, and designing education programmes in conflict-affected contexts.
Post-Crisis Educational Reconstruction
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers rebuilding education systems after crises, post-conflict education reconstruction, education system recovery, and transitional education programming.
Trauma-Informed Educational Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines trauma-informed education practices, psychosocial support in education, managing trauma-affected learners, and creating safe learning environments in crisis contexts.
Monitoring and Evaluation in Emergency Contexts
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers monitoring and evaluation methods for emergency education programmes, data collection in crisis settings, impact assessment, and accountability in humanitarian education.
Research Methods in Education in Emergencies
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers qualitative and quantitative research methodologies for conducting original research in education in emergencies, including ethical research in crisis contexts.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis on an education in emergencies topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and emergency education theory, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Conflict and Education Management
Focuses on managing education during armed conflicts, conflict-sensitive education programming, peace education, and education for conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
Disaster Education Management
Examines education management during natural disasters, disaster risk reduction education, emergency response planning, and educational continuity during environmental crises.
Refugee and Displaced Learner Education
Covers education management for refugees and internally displaced persons, camp education management, displaced learner support, and durable education solutions.
Post-Crisis Educational Reconstruction
Focuses on rebuilding education systems after crises, post-conflict education reconstruction, education system recovery, and transitional education programming.
Pandemic and Health Emergency Education Management
Examines education management during health emergencies, school closure management, remote learning during crises, and educational continuity during pandemics.
Humanitarian Education Coordination
Covers humanitarian education cluster coordination, inter-agency education coordination, humanitarian response frameworks, and education in humanitarian action.
Trauma-Informed Educational Management
Focuses on trauma-informed education practices, psychosocial support in education, managing trauma-affected learners, and creating safe learning environments in crisis contexts.
Emergency Education Policy and Governance
Examines education policy in emergency contexts, emergency education governance, regulatory frameworks for emergency education, and policy development for crisis response.

A day as a student

A typical day involves attending lectures on education in emergencies theory, crisis management in educational settings, or refugee education programming. Students engage in seminar discussions analysing case studies of education responses during conflicts, natural disasters, and refugee crises. Group projects involve developing emergency education response plans, conflict-sensitive education programmes, or post-crisis reconstruction strategies. Field work provides practical experience in emergency-affected communities, refugee camps, or crisis recovery settings, applying emergency education management skills in real contexts. Guest lectures from humanitarian workers, UN agency education specialists, NGO education coordinators, and emergency education practitioners provide real-world insights. Those in the thesis phase conduct independent research on education in emergencies topics, working under faculty supervision. The programme emphasises the unique challenges of managing education in crisis contexts.

The trade offs

In its favour

Programme addresses a critical and growing global need for education management expertise in crisis contexts, with strong career prospects in humanitarian sector.
Programme aligns with INEE minimum standards and connects students with global education in emergencies networks and organisations.
Kenya hosts significant refugee populations and faces multiple emergencies, creating direct practical relevance and career opportunities within the country.
Programme includes field work in emergency-affected communities, providing practical experience in crisis contexts.

Against it

Programme is offered at only three public universities, limiting geographic access for prospective students.
Specialised nature of the programme may limit career flexibility compared to general educational management qualifications.
Field work in emergency-affected contexts may pose safety and logistical challenges for students.
Programme is relatively new and may lack the established infrastructure and resources of more traditional MEd specialisations.

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

Public120k to 161k

120k at Chuka University161k at Moi University

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

Moi unverified. Chuka M.Ed 119,000/yr. AIU 95,525/sem, Kabarak 82,600/sem (official PDFs)

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. UN agencies including UNICEF, UNHCR, and IRC may sponsor education practitioners for specialised training in education in emergencies. INEE member organisations may provide funding for emergency education training. The programme's specialised nature attracts humanitarian sector funding.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
UN Agency Sponsorship
INEE Member Organisation Sponsorship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
UN Agency Sponsorship
ScholarshipKsh 320,000
UN agencies including UNICEF, UNHCR, and IRC may sponsor education practitioners for specialised training in education in emergencies.
INEE Member Organisation Sponsorship
ScholarshipKsh 300,000
INEE member organisations including international NGOs may sponsor staff for professional development in education in emergencies.

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 full-time and part-time modes. The programme runs for two academic years. Relevant experience in humanitarian work, refugee education, or crisis-affected contexts is an advantage. Designed for education managers, humanitarian workers, NGO education staff, and government education officers.

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment
Coursework40% of the mark
CATs, emergency response plan development, case study analysis, policy brief writing, and seminar presentations conducted throughout each semester.
Field Work Assessment
Practical20% of the mark
Practical field work in emergency-affected communities or refugee settings, applying emergency education management skills, assessed through field reports and reflective practice.
Final Examination
Examination40% of the mark
End-of-semester examination covering emergency education theory, crisis management, and programme design, including essay questions and case analysis.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on an education in emergencies topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and emergency education theory, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Moi University, Chuka University, and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology are all CUE-accredited public universities. The programme aligns with INEE minimum standards for education in emergencies.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Moi University, Chuka University, and JOOUST are all CUE-accredited public universities.
Inter-Agency Network for Education in Emergencies (INEE)
Professional standards
INEE provides global minimum standards for education in emergencies. The programme aligns with INEE standards, and graduates may pursue INEE-related professional recognition.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Emergency Education Manager
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages education programmes in emergency and crisis contexts for international NGOs, UN agencies, or government, overseeing emergency education response and delivery.
Humanitarian Education Coordinator
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Coordinates education responses within humanitarian operations, working with clusters, working groups, and inter-agency coordination mechanisms.
Refugee Education Programme Manager
High demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages education programmes for refugees and displaced learners in camp and host community settings, overseeing programme design, implementation, and evaluation.
Post-Crisis Reconstruction Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000
Supports rebuilding of education systems after crises, working with government, donors, and international organisations on education system recovery.
Education Consultant for International Organisations
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Provides consulting services on education in emergencies for UN agencies, international NGOs, donors, and government agencies.
Education Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 350,000
Conducts research on education in emergencies, crisis education response, and post-crisis reconstruction for research institutions, universities, or international organisations.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as emergency education managers, humanitarian education coordinators, refugee education programme managers, and post-crisis reconstruction specialists with NGOs, UN agencies, and government.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

KoBo Toolbox
SoftwarePrimary
Open-source data collection tool widely used in humanitarian contexts for field data collection, surveys, and monitoring in emergency education programmes.
SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical analysis software for research in education in emergencies, including survey data analysis, programme evaluation, and impact assessment.
NVivo
Software
Qualitative data analysis software for analysing interview data, field notes, and qualitative research in emergency education contexts.
Humanitarian Response Info
Software
Humanitarian coordination platform providing information management tools, data sharing, and coordination resources for emergency education professionals.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Education in emergencies is just about setting up temporary schools.
The programme covers comprehensive emergency education management including policy, planning, coordination, quality assurance, psychosocial support, and system reconstruction, far beyond temporary learning spaces.
This programme is only for those working in refugee camps.
Graduates work in diverse crisis contexts including conflict zones, disaster-affected areas, pandemic response, post-crisis reconstruction, and humanitarian coordination, not only refugee camps.
Education in emergencies has limited career prospects.
With increasing global crises, there is growing demand for qualified emergency education professionals in UN agencies, international NGOs, government, and research institutions.
This is a niche programme with no practical application in Kenya.
Kenya hosts significant refugee populations and faces drought, flooding, and other emergencies, creating direct demand for emergency education expertise within the country.
You need humanitarian experience to study this programme.
While humanitarian experience is valuable, the programme accepts education professionals from diverse backgrounds and develops both theoretical knowledge and practical emergency management skills.
Emergency education is not real education.
Emergency education follows established pedagogical principles and quality standards, including the INEE minimum standards, ensuring quality education even in crisis contexts.