Health Sciences

Master of Health Management

The Master of Health Management is a postgraduate programme that equips health professionals with advanced knowledge and skills in healthcare management, health systems leadership, and health services administration. The programme prepares graduates to manage healthcare organisations, lead health systems, and contribute to health policy implementation in Kenya and beyond.

Core areas of study include healthcare management, health systems leadership, health policy analysis, health services administration, healthcare finance, human resource management in health, health information systems, strategic planning in healthcare, quality assurance in health services, research methods, and thesis writing. Students engage with management theory applied specifically to healthcare contexts.

The programme is offered by Moi University, Chuka University, and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, with Kenyatta University listed as a college. Moi University offers the programme through its School of Public Health, combining health management with public health foundations. The programme bridges healthcare and management disciplines.

Students develop competencies in healthcare management, health systems leadership, health policy analysis, financial management in healthcare, human resource management, health information systems, strategic planning, quality assurance, healthcare planning, and research methodology. The programme includes coursework, examinations, and a research thesis or project.

The programme is delivered over two years with full-time and part-time modes available. Moi University's programme runs for two academic years with coursework and research components. The programme is designed for health professionals, hospital administrators, health officers, and managers seeking advanced health management expertise.

Graduates pursue careers as hospital administrators, health programme managers, health services managers, healthcare consultants, health policy analysts, and public health managers in hospitals, county health departments, national health ministries, NGOs, and international health organisations.

Skills Required

Healthcare Management and Leadership
Health Systems Administration
Health Policy Analysis
Healthcare Financial Management
Human Resource Management in Healthcare
Health Information Systems Management
Strategic Planning in Healthcare
Quality Assurance in Health Services
Health Services Planning
Research Methods in Health Management

Key Subjects

Healthcare Management
Health Systems Leadership
Health Policy Analysis
Health Services Administration
Healthcare Finance
Human Resource Management in Health
Health Information Systems
Strategic Planning in Healthcare
Quality Assurance in Health Services
Research Methods in Health Management

Certifications

Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council Registration
IHF Healthcare Management Certification

Specializations

Health Services Management

Focuses on managing health services in hospitals and health facilities, including operations management, service delivery, patient flow management, and healthcare quality improvement.

Health Systems Leadership

Examines health systems leadership, leading healthcare organisations, managing change in health systems, and developing leadership capacity for health sector governance.

Healthcare Finance

Covers healthcare financial management, health insurance, healthcare budgeting, cost analysis, and managing financial resources in healthcare organisations.

Health Policy and Planning

Focuses on health policy analysis, health sector planning, policy implementation, and analysing the impact of health policies on service delivery.

Human Resource Management in Health

Examines human resource management in healthcare settings, health workforce planning, staff development, performance management, and managing healthcare teams.

Quality Assurance in Healthcare

Covers quality assurance in health services, healthcare quality standards, patient safety, accreditation systems, and continuous quality improvement in healthcare.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 187,200
Private, up to: Ksh 171,100
Job market: High

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: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Healthcare Management
Health Systems Leadership
Health Policy Analysis
Health Services Administration
Healthcare Finance
Human Resource Management in Health
Health Information Systems
Strategic Planning in Healthcare
Quality Assurance in Health Services
Research Methods in Health Management

Modules

10 in the programme

Healthcare Management Principles
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines healthcare management principles, management theory applied to healthcare, healthcare organisational structures, and managing healthcare organisations effectively.
Health Systems Leadership
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers health systems leadership theory, leading healthcare organisations, managing change in health systems, and developing leadership capacity for health sector governance.
Health Policy Analysis
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines health policy analysis methods, Kenya's health policy framework, policy implementation processes, and analysing the impact of health policies on service delivery.
Healthcare Finance
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers healthcare financial management, health insurance systems, healthcare budgeting, cost analysis, revenue cycle management, and managing financial resources in healthcare organisations.
Human Resource Management in Health
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines human resource management in healthcare settings, health workforce planning, staff development, performance management, and managing healthcare teams effectively.
Health Information Systems
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers health information systems, electronic health records, health data management, digital health technologies, and using information systems for healthcare decision-making.
Strategic Planning in Healthcare
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines strategic planning in healthcare, developing health organisation strategies, strategic management tools, and implementing strategic plans in healthcare contexts.
Quality Assurance in Health Services
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers quality assurance in health services, healthcare quality standards, patient safety, accreditation systems, and continuous quality improvement in healthcare organisations.
Research Methods in Health Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers qualitative and quantitative research methodologies for conducting original research in health management, including health systems research and programme evaluation methods.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis on a health management topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and health management theory, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Health Services Management
Focuses on managing health services in hospitals and health facilities, including operations management, service delivery, patient flow management, and healthcare quality improvement.
Health Systems Leadership
Examines health systems leadership, leading healthcare organisations, managing change in health systems, and developing leadership capacity for health sector governance.
Healthcare Finance
Covers healthcare financial management, health insurance, healthcare budgeting, cost analysis, and managing financial resources in healthcare organisations.
Health Policy and Planning
Focuses on health policy analysis, health sector planning, policy implementation, and analysing the impact of health policies on service delivery.
Human Resource Management in Health
Examines human resource management in healthcare settings, health workforce planning, staff development, performance management, and managing healthcare teams.
Quality Assurance in Healthcare
Covers quality assurance in health services, healthcare quality standards, patient safety, accreditation systems, and continuous quality improvement in healthcare.

A day as a student

A typical day involves attending lectures on healthcare management, health policy analysis, or healthcare finance. Students engage in seminar discussions analysing healthcare management case studies, health systems challenges, and policy dilemmas. Group projects involve developing hospital strategic plans, designing quality improvement programmes, or analysing health systems performance. Practical sessions include health information systems training, financial management exercises, and healthcare data analysis. Research methodology sessions prepare students for their thesis, with practical training in health management research methods. The programme connects management theory to healthcare practice, with students encouraged to apply learning to their work contexts. Guest lectures from hospital administrators, Ministry of Health officials, and international health organisation experts provide real-world insights. Those in the thesis phase conduct independent health management research, often in collaboration with hospitals or health departments, working under faculty supervision.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's devolved health system and UHC initiatives create strong demand for qualified health management professionals at county and national levels.
Programme bridges healthcare and management, providing versatile expertise for diverse health sector leadership roles.
Graduates can pursue careers in hospitals, county health departments, NGOs, international health organisations, and health insurance.
Programme includes health policy analysis and health systems leadership, preparing graduates for senior health sector governance roles.

Against it

Programme is offered at only three public universities, limiting geographic access for prospective students.
No private university offers this programme, limiting options for students preferring private institution environments.
Programme may require relevant work experience in the health sector, potentially excluding recent graduates.
Health sector management involves complex stakeholder dynamics, regulatory compliance, and resource constraints that can be challenging.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 349 health sciences courses

Public120k to 187k

120k at Kisii University187k at Moi University

Private171k to 171k

171k at Mount Kenya University171k at Mount Kenya 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

Kisii 120K/yr. Moi ~187K/yr. MKU MSc Health Sys 79,550/sem (mku.ac.ke).

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. WHO and AfDB may sponsor health management training for health professionals. Amref Health Africa offers training grants for health professionals in Africa. The programme's health sector focus attracts development funding.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
WHO/AfDB Health Training Sponsorship
Amref Health Africa Training Grants

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
WHO/AfDB Health Training Sponsorship
ScholarshipKsh 300,000
WHO and AfDB may sponsor health management training for health professionals working in public health institutions in Kenya and Africa.
Amref Health Africa Training Grants
ScholarshipKsh 250,000
Amref Health Africa offers training grants for health professionals in Africa pursuing postgraduate health management education.

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 health professionals, hospital administrators, health officers, and managers. Relevant work experience in the health sector is considered for admission. Duration is two academic years with full-time and part-time modes available.

How you are assessed

4 components

Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
CATs, management analysis essays, policy brief assignments, case study analyses, and seminar presentations conducted throughout each semester.
Practical Projects
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment involving hospital management analysis, strategic plan development, quality improvement project design, and health systems analysis exercises.
Final Examination
Examination40% of the mark
End-of-semester examination covering healthcare management, health policy, finance, and quality assurance, including essay questions and case analysis.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on a health management topic, often conducted in collaboration with hospitals or health departments, 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. Health management practice aligns with Ministry of Health standards and Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council regulations.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Moi University, Chuka University, and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology are all CUE-accredited public universities.
Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC)
Professional regulation
KMPDC regulates medical practice in Kenya. Health management practice in clinical settings aligns with KMPDC standards and regulations.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Hospital Administrator
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages hospital operations, overseeing clinical services, finance, human resources, and quality assurance in healthcare facilities.
Health Programme Manager
High demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Manages health programmes for NGOs, government, or international organisations, overseeing programme design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
Health Services Manager
High demandKsh 85,000 to Ksh 380,000
Manages health services in county health departments or health facilities, overseeing service delivery, quality, and resource management.
Healthcare Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 500,000
Provides consulting services on healthcare management, quality improvement, and health systems strengthening for healthcare organisations or donors.
Health Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 90,000 to Ksh 400,000
Analyses health policy for government, think tanks, or international organisations, providing evidence-based recommendations on health systems and policy.
Public Health Manager
High demandKsh 85,000 to Ksh 380,000
Manages public health programmes and initiatives in government health departments, NGOs, or international health organisations.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as hospital administrators, health programme managers, health services managers, and healthcare consultants in hospitals, county health departments, NGOs, and international health organisations.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

DHIS2
SoftwarePrimary
District Health Information System used widely in Kenya and Africa for health data management, reporting, and health systems performance monitoring.
SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical analysis software for health management research, including health data analysis, programme evaluation, and health systems research.
Microsoft Excel
Software
Spreadsheet software for healthcare budgeting, financial analysis, health data management, and reporting in health management practice.
Microsoft PowerPoint
Software
Presentation software for health policy presentations, programme reports, strategic planning presentations, and stakeholder engagement.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Health management is just about running hospitals.
The programme covers comprehensive health management including health systems leadership, policy analysis, healthcare finance, quality assurance, human resource management, and strategic planning across the entire health sector.
You need to be a doctor to study health management.
The programme accepts graduates from diverse health-related backgrounds including nursing, public health, pharmacy, health records, and social sciences with health experience.
Health management has limited career prospects in Kenya.
Kenya's devolved health system, UHC initiatives, and expanding healthcare infrastructure create strong demand for qualified health management professionals at county and national levels.
This programme is the same as an MBA applied to healthcare.
While sharing management foundations, health management specifically addresses health systems, health policy, healthcare quality, and public health contexts that general MBA programmes do not cover.
Health management is only for people already working in hospitals.
The programme prepares graduates for diverse roles in county health departments, NGOs, international health organisations, health insurance, and health policy institutions, not just hospitals.
Online health management degrees are equivalent to this programme.
This programme provides contextualised Kenyan health systems knowledge, practical field exposure, and professional networking that online international programmes cannot replicate.