Business

Master of Human Resources Management

The Master of Human Resources Management is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for strategic and operational leadership in human resources management. The programme combines HR management theory with business strategy and organisational development.

Core areas include strategic HR management, talent management, employee relations, organisational behaviour, HR development, compensation and rewards management, HR research methods, and thesis or project. Students engage with both HR theory and business management application.

The programme is offered by the University of Nairobi, JKUAT, Kibabii University, Murang'a University of Technology, and Mount Kenya University. Both public and private universities offer the programme over two academic years through full-time, part-time, evening, and weekend modes.

Students develop competencies in strategic HR alignment, talent acquisition and retention, performance management, organisational development, HR analytics, change management, and HR research methods. The programme includes coursework, examinations, and thesis or project.

Kibabii University charges KES 157,750 in Year 1 and KES 100,500 in Year 2 (approximately KES 129,125/year). Mount Kenya University charges KES 90,000/semester (total KES 360,000, approximately KES 180,000/year). Entry requires a Bachelor's degree in HR, Business, or related fields with at least Second Class Honours Upper Division or Lower Division with relevant experience.

Graduates pursue careers as HR directors, talent managers, organisational development consultants, HR business partners, employee relations managers, and lecturers in human resources management.

Skills Required

Strategic Human Resources Management
Talent Management and Acquisition
Organisational Development and Change
Performance Management Systems
Compensation and Rewards Strategy
Employee Relations and Engagement
HR Analytics and Workforce Planning
Change Management
HR Research Methods
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Strategic Human Resources Management
Talent Management and Acquisition
Organisational Behaviour and Development
Performance Management Systems
Compensation and Rewards Management
Employee Relations and Engagement
HR Analytics and Workforce Planning
Change Management
HR Research Methods
Thesis or Project

Certifications

IHRM Professional Certification
SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP)

Specializations

Talent Management

Focuses on attracting, developing, and retaining talent, covering talent acquisition, succession planning, and career development.

Organisational Development

Examines organisational development and change, covering change management, organisational design, and culture transformation.

Strategic HR Management

Covers aligning HR strategy with business strategy, covering strategic HR planning, HR metrics, and HR's role in strategy.

Employee Engagement and Relations

Focuses on employee engagement and relations, covering engagement strategies, workplace climate, and dispute resolution.

HR Analytics

Examines using data and analytics in HR decision-making, covering workforce analytics, HR metrics, and predictive HR modelling.

International HR Management

Covers managing human resources in global contexts, covering cross-cultural management, expatriate management, and global HR practices.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 152,550
Private, up to: Ksh 130,000
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
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 25 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Strategic Human Resources Management
Talent Management and Acquisition
Organisational Behaviour and Development
Performance Management Systems
Compensation and Rewards Management
Employee Relations and Engagement
HR Analytics and Workforce Planning
Change Management
HR Research Methods
Thesis or Project

Modules

12 in the programme

Strategic Human Resources Management
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines aligning HR strategy with business strategy, strategic HR planning, and HR's role in organisational success and competitive advantage.
Organisational Behaviour and Development
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers organisational behaviour theory, organisational culture, change management, and organisational development interventions.
Talent Management and Acquisition
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines talent acquisition, succession planning, career development, and retention strategies for organisational talent.
HR Research Methods
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, and conducting HR research, preparing students for their thesis or project.
Performance Management Systems
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers designing and managing performance management systems, performance appraisal methods, and performance improvement strategies.
Compensation and Rewards Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines job evaluation, salary structuring, benefits administration, total rewards strategy, and compensation design.
Employee Relations and Engagement
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers employment law, employee engagement strategies, workplace climate, and dispute resolution in organisations.
Change Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines managing organisational change, covering change models, stakeholder engagement, change communication, and sustaining change.
HR Analytics and Workforce Planning
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers using data and analytics in HR decision-making, workforce analytics, HR metrics, and predictive HR modelling.
International HR Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines managing human resources in global contexts, covering cross-cultural management, expatriate management, and global HR practices.
Research Seminar
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Preparation of research proposal or project plan, including design, literature review, methodology, and presentation.
Research Thesis or Project
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis or project on a human resources management topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and practical application, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Talent Management
Focuses on attracting, developing, and retaining talent, covering talent acquisition, succession planning, and career development.
Organisational Development
Examines organisational development and change, covering change management, organisational design, and culture transformation.
Strategic HR Management
Covers aligning HR strategy with business strategy, covering strategic HR planning, HR metrics, and HR's role in strategy.
Employee Engagement and Relations
Focuses on employee engagement and relations, covering engagement strategies, workplace climate, and dispute resolution.
HR Analytics
Examines using data and analytics in HR decision-making, covering workforce analytics, HR metrics, and predictive HR modelling.
International HR Management
Covers managing human resources in global contexts, covering cross-cultural management, expatriate management, and global HR practices.

A day as a student

A typical day during the Master of Human Resources Management programme combines lectures, case studies, project work, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover strategic HR, talent management, organisational development, and HR analytics. Strategic HR sessions examine aligning HR strategy with business strategy, strategic HR planning, and HR's role in organisational success. Talent management sessions cover talent acquisition, succession planning, career development, and retention strategies. Organisational development sessions examine change management, organisational design, and culture transformation. Performance management sessions cover designing and managing performance systems, appraisal methods, and performance improvement. Compensation sessions cover job evaluation, salary structuring, benefits administration, and total rewards strategy. Employee relations sessions examine employment law, engagement strategies, and dispute resolution. HR analytics sessions cover using data in HR decision-making, workforce analytics, and predictive HR modelling. Change management sessions cover managing organisational change, stakeholder engagement, and change communication. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis or project, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Case studies provide practical application of theory to real business scenarios. Project work involves developing HR strategies, policies, and systems. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in HR management. Guest lectures from senior HR practitioners provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a research thesis or project on a human resources management topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

HR management is a critical business function in all organisations, creating strong and consistent demand for qualified HR professionals.
Programme offered by multiple universities including both public and private, providing institutional choice and flexible study modes.
Kibabii University offers affordable fees (~KES 129,125/year) compared to private institutions.
Programme emphasises business and strategic dimensions of HR, preparing graduates for senior HR leadership roles.

Against it

UoN, JKUAT, and MUT fee data not independently verified, limiting complete cost comparison.
Private university fees (KES 180,000/year at MKU) are significantly higher than public university options.
Programme may overlap with Master of Human Resource and MBA HR concentration, causing confusion for prospective students.
HR technology and analytics are rapidly evolving, requiring continuous self-learning beyond the programme curriculum.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 331 business courses

Public153k to 153k

153k at Kibabii University153k at Kibabii University

Private119k to 130k

119k at Mount Kenya University130k at Kabarak 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

Kibabii 152,550/yr avg (KIBU PDF). MKU 59,550/sem (victormatara). Kabarak 65K/sem (Kabarak PDF).

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. IHRM may provide professional development support for HR practitioners. SHRM and other international bodies may provide certification support. Some organisations may sponsor employees for HR postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
IHRM Professional Development
SHRM Certification Support

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
IHRM Professional Development
ScholarshipKsh 100,000Kenyan
Institute of Human Resource Management supports professional development and training for HR practitioners in Kenya.
SHRM Certification Support
GrantKsh 150,000
Society for Human Resource Management provides certification support and professional development grants for HR professionals 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 with Upper Second Class Honours in any discipline. Lower Second Division holders with relevant experience are considered. JKUAT also accepts pass degree holders with a Higher National Diploma in HRM and proven research ability. 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, case study analysis, seminar presentations, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination40% of the mark
Written examinations covering strategic HR, talent management, organisational development, performance management, and compensation.
Project and Case Study Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through HR strategy design exercises, policy development, case studies, and applying theory to real HR scenarios.
Research Thesis or Project
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis or project on a human resources management topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and practical application, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). University of Nairobi, JKUAT, Kibabii University, and Murang'a University of Technology (public) and Mount Kenya University (private) offer Master's programmes in Human Resources Management. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate HR management training. Graduates are eligible for IHRM professional certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. University of Nairobi, JKUAT, Kibabii University, and Murang'a University of Technology (public) and Mount Kenya University (private) offer Master's programmes in Human Resources Management. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate HR management training. Graduates are eligible for IHRM professional certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

HR Director
Moderate demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 800,000
Leads HR function in organisations, overseeing HR strategy, talent management, organisational development, and HR operations.
Talent Manager
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages talent in organisations, overseeing talent acquisition, succession planning, career development, and retention.
Organisational Development Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 700,000
Consults on organisational development and change, providing advisory services, change management, and OD interventions.
HR Business Partner
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000
Partners with business leaders on HR matters, overseeing HR strategy alignment, talent management, and employee relations.
Employee Relations Manager
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 450,000
Manages employee relations in organisations, overseeing dispute resolution, engagement, workplace climate, and compliance.
HR Management Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaches human resources management at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes