Education

Master of Educational (Economics and Planning) Planning option

The Master of Educational (Economics and Planning) Planning option is a postgraduate programme that prepares educators and planners for advanced practice in educational planning, economics of education, and education policy. The programme combines economic theory with educational planning practice and policy analysis.

Core areas include educational planning theory, economics of education, education finance, education policy analysis, strategic planning, educational development planning, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both economic theory and practical planning application.

The programme is offered by Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenyatta University, Pwani University, and Mount Kenya University. Both public and private universities offer the programme over two academic years through full-time, part-time, school-based, evening, and weekend modes.

Students develop competencies in educational planning, education economics, education finance, policy analysis, strategic planning, research methods, and academic writing. The programme includes coursework, examinations, planning projects, and thesis.

Kenyatta University charges KES 120,000/year plus KES 22,700 statutory. Pwani University charges KES 120,000/year plus KES 25,000 statutory. Mount Kenya University charges KES 60,000/trimester (school-based) or KES 90,000/semester (digital). Entry requires a Bachelor's degree in Education or related fields with at least Second Class Honours Upper Division or Lower Division with relevant experience.

Graduates pursue careers as education planners, education economists, education policy analysts, education officers, school administrators, and lecturers in educational planning and economics.

Skills Required

Educational Planning Theory and Practice
Economics of Education
Education Finance and Budgeting
Education Policy Analysis
Strategic Planning in Education
Educational Development Planning
Education Statistics and Data Analysis
Resource Allocation and Management
Research Methods in Education
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Educational Planning Theory
Economics of Education
Education Finance and Budgeting
Education Policy Analysis
Strategic Planning in Education
Educational Development Planning
Education Statistics and Data Analysis
Resource Allocation in Education
Research Methods in Education
Thesis Research

Certifications

TSC Administrative Certification
UNESCO IIEP Training Certification

Specializations

Education Planning

Focuses on educational planning practice, covering strategic planning, development planning, and education sector planning.

Economics of Education

Examines economics of education, covering education financing, cost-benefit analysis, and economic dimensions of education.

Education Policy Analysis

Covers education policy analysis, covering policy formulation, implementation, evaluation, and policy research.

Education Finance

Focuses on education finance, covering education funding, budgeting, financial management, and education investment.

Strategic Planning

Examines strategic planning for educational institutions, covering strategic management, institutional planning, and strategic implementation.

Educational Development Planning

Covers development planning for education, covering education sector development plans, education indicators, and development planning.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 278,300
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, Evening, Weekend, School-based
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 25 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Educational Planning Theory
Economics of Education
Education Finance and Budgeting
Education Policy Analysis
Strategic Planning in Education
Educational Development Planning
Education Statistics and Data Analysis
Resource Allocation in Education
Research Methods in Education
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Educational Planning Theory and Practice
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines educational planning theory, planning models, development planning, and education sector planning practice.
Economics of Education
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers education financing, cost-benefit analysis, returns to education, and economic dimensions of education.
Education Policy Analysis
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines education policy formulation, implementation, evaluation, and policy analysis methods in education.
Research Methods in Education
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, and conducting educational research, preparing students for their thesis.
Education Finance and Budgeting
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers education funding sources, budgeting processes, financial management, and education investment decisions.
Strategic Planning in Education
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines strategic management, strategic planning processes, and strategic implementation for educational institutions.
Education Statistics and Data Analysis
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers education statistics, data collection, data analysis, and using data for educational planning and decision-making.
Educational Development Planning
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines education sector development plans, education indicators, development planning processes, and planning for education access and quality.
Resource Allocation and Management in Education
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers resource allocation in education, resource management, efficiency in education, and managing education resources.
Contemporary Issues in Educational Planning
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines current trends, challenges, and developments in educational planning, including education reforms, global education goals, and planning challenges.
Research Seminar
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Preparation of research proposal, including research design, literature review, methodology, and proposal presentation for thesis development.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis on an educational planning or economics topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Education Planning
Focuses on educational planning practice, covering strategic planning, development planning, and education sector planning.
Economics of Education
Examines economics of education, covering education financing, cost-benefit analysis, and economic dimensions of education.
Education Policy Analysis
Covers education policy analysis, covering policy formulation, implementation, evaluation, and policy research.
Education Finance
Focuses on education finance, covering education funding, budgeting, financial management, and education investment.
Strategic Planning
Examines strategic planning for educational institutions, covering strategic management, institutional planning, and strategic implementation.
Educational Development Planning
Covers development planning for education, covering education sector development plans, education indicators, and development planning.

A day as a student

A typical day during the M.Ed in Educational (Economics and Planning) Planning option programme combines lectures, planning workshops, policy analysis exercises, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover educational planning, economics of education, policy analysis, and strategic planning. Educational planning sessions examine planning theory, development planning, and education sector planning. Economics of education sessions cover education financing, cost-benefit analysis, returns to education, and economic dimensions of education. Education finance sessions cover education funding, budgeting, financial management, and education investment. Policy analysis sessions examine policy formulation, implementation, evaluation, and policy research methods. Strategic planning sessions cover strategic management, institutional planning, and strategic implementation in education. Statistics sessions cover education statistics, data analysis, and using data for planning. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Planning workshops provide practical experience with developing education plans, budgets, and planning documents. Policy analysis exercises provide hands-on experience with analysing education policies and developing policy recommendations. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in educational planning and economics. Guest lectures from experienced education planners, economists, and policy makers provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a research thesis on an educational planning or economics topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Strong demand for qualified education planners in Kenya's growing education sector, with opportunities in government, NGOs, and international organisations.
Programme combines economics with planning and policy, providing versatile skills for education sector leadership.
Programme offered by multiple universities with affordable fees at public institutions (~KES 142,700/year at KU).
Programme offers flexible study modes including full-time, part-time, school-based, evening, and weekend, suitable for working professionals.

Against it

MKU (private) fees are higher at ~KES 180,000/year compared to public universities.
MMUST fee data not independently verified, limiting cost comparison.
Programme may overlap with M.Ed in Educational Planning and Management and M.Ed in Educational Administration.
Programme requires understanding of economics and statistics, which may be challenging for some education graduates.

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

Public246k to 278k

246k at Kenyatta University278k at University of Nairobi

Private142k to 191k

142k at Mount Kenya 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

KU MEd 246K/yr, UoN MEd 278K/yr (kenyaeducationguide). MKU MEd 142K/yr, AIU 191K/yr (kenyaeducationguide, AIU site).

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. TSC may provide professional development support for education administrators. UNESCO IIEP may provide training support for education planners. Some educational institutions and government may sponsor employees for education planning postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
TSC Professional Development
UNESCO IIEP Training

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
TSC Professional Development
ScholarshipKsh 150,000Kenyan
Teachers Service Commission supports professional development for teachers and education administrators in Kenya.
UNESCO IIEP Training
GrantKsh 200,000
UNESCO IIEP provides training programmes and support for education planners and policy makers globally.

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: Most universities require a Bachelor's degree in Education with Upper Second Class Honours. Lower Second Division holders with relevant experience are considered. Some universities also accept non-education degrees with relevant experience or postgraduate diplomas. 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, planning exercises, policy analysis, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination40% of the mark
Written examinations covering educational planning, economics of education, policy analysis, and research methods.
Practical Planning Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through planning projects, budget exercises, policy analysis projects, and applying theory to real education planning scenarios.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on an educational planning or economics 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). Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenyatta University, and Pwani University (public) and Mount Kenya University (private) offer M.Ed in Educational Planning or Economics and Planning. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate education training. Graduates are eligible for TSC administrative certification and UNESCO IIEP training certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenyatta University, and Pwani University (public) and Mount Kenya University (private) offer M.Ed in Educational Planning or Economics and Planning. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate education training. Graduates are eligible for TSC administrative certification and UNESCO IIEP training certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Education Planner
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Plans education programmes and services, overseeing strategic planning, development planning, and education sector planning.
Education Economist
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Analyses economic dimensions of education, overseeing education finance research, cost-benefit analysis, and education investment analysis.
Education Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Analyses education policies and develops recommendations, overseeing policy research, analysis, and policy development.
Education Officer
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages education programmes in government or NGOs, overseeing programme implementation, monitoring, and education service delivery.
School Administrator
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages schools or educational institutions, overseeing administration, planning, finance, and institutional operations.
Education Planning Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaches educational planning and economics at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes