Social Sciences

Master of Peace and Conflict Studies

The Master of Peace and Conflict Studies is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and conflict management. The programme combines peace studies theory with conflict analysis and practical peacebuilding skills.

Core areas include conflict analysis, peace theory, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, mediation, negotiation, transitional justice, humanitarian intervention, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both peace studies theory and practical conflict resolution application.

The programme is offered by Kenyatta University, University of Nairobi, and Masinde Muliro University. KU and UoN are public universities, while MMUST is also public. All offer the programme over two academic years through full-time and part-time modes.

Students develop competencies in conflict analysis, peacebuilding, mediation, negotiation, transitional justice, humanitarian response, research methods, and peace education. The programme includes coursework, field practicum, examinations, and thesis.

KU charges approximately KES 216,000/year (East Africans) or KES 270,000/year (non-East Africans) for MA in Peace and Conflict Management. UoN charges approximately KES 268,500/year (total KES 537,000). Entry requires a Bachelor's degree in peace studies, social sciences, or related fields with at least Second Class Honours.

Graduates pursue careers as peacebuilding officers, conflict resolution specialists, humanitarian workers, diplomatic service officers, policy analysts, and lecturers in peace and conflict studies.

Skills Required

Conflict Analysis and Assessment
Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation
Mediation and Negotiation
Transitional Justice and Reconciliation
Humanitarian Intervention and Response
Peace Education and Advocacy
Diplomacy and International Relations
Research Methods in Peace Studies
Policy Analysis and Advocacy
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Conflict Analysis and Theory
Peace Theory and Peacebuilding
Mediation and Negotiation
Transitional Justice and Reconciliation
Humanitarian Intervention and Response
Diplomacy and International Relations
Peace Education and Advocacy
Research Methods in Peace Studies
Policy Analysis in Conflict Settings
Thesis Research

Certifications

NCIC Professional Membership
IPRA Professional Membership

Specializations

Conflict Resolution and Mediation

Focuses on conflict resolution, covering mediation, negotiation, dialogue facilitation, and managing conflict resolution processes.

Peacebuilding and Post-Conflict Recovery

Examines peacebuilding, covering post-conflict reconstruction, reconciliation, peacebuilding strategies, and managing peacebuilding programmes.

Transitional Justice

Covers transitional justice, covering truth commissions, accountability, reconciliation, reparations, and managing transitional justice processes.

Humanitarian Studies

Focuses on humanitarian studies, covering humanitarian response, humanitarian law, humanitarian coordination, and managing humanitarian interventions.

Diplomacy and International Relations

Examines diplomacy, covering diplomatic practice, international relations, conflict diplomacy, and managing diplomatic engagement.

Peace Education

Covers peace education, covering peace pedagogy, conflict education, peace curriculum, and managing peace education programmes.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 220,500
Private, up to: Ksh 297,140
Job market: Moderate

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: 25 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Conflict Analysis and Theory
Peace Theory and Peacebuilding
Mediation and Negotiation
Transitional Justice and Reconciliation
Humanitarian Intervention and Response
Diplomacy and International Relations
Peace Education and Advocacy
Research Methods in Peace Studies
Policy Analysis in Conflict Settings
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Conflict Analysis and Theory
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines conflict causes, conflict dynamics, conflict mapping, conflict theory, and analysing conflicts in diverse settings.
Peace Theory and Peacebuilding
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers peace concepts, peace theory, positive peace, negative peace, peacebuilding strategies, and applying peace theory to practice.
Mediation and Negotiation
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines mediation techniques, negotiation strategies, dialogue facilitation, conflict resolution processes, and managing mediation.
Research Methods in Peace Studies
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, and conducting peace studies research, preparing students for their thesis.
Transitional Justice and Reconciliation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers truth commissions, accountability, reconciliation, reparations, and managing transitional justice processes.
Humanitarian Intervention and Response
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines humanitarian response, humanitarian law, humanitarian coordination, humanitarian principles, and managing humanitarian interventions.
Diplomacy and International Relations
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers diplomatic practice, international relations, conflict diplomacy, international organisations, and managing diplomatic engagement.
Peace Education and Advocacy
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines peace pedagogy, conflict education, peace curriculum, peace advocacy, and managing peace education programmes.
Policy Analysis in Conflict Settings
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers policy analysis, conflict-sensitive policy, peacebuilding policy, policy advocacy, and managing policy in conflict settings.
Post-Conflict Recovery and Reconstruction
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines post-conflict recovery, reconstruction, peacebuilding strategies, community recovery, and managing post-conflict recovery.
Research Seminar
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Preparation of research proposal and thesis, including research design, literature review, methodology, and presentation.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis on a peace and conflict studies topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and peace studies knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Conflict Resolution and Mediation
Focuses on conflict resolution, covering mediation, negotiation, dialogue facilitation, and managing conflict resolution processes.
Peacebuilding and Post-Conflict Recovery
Examines peacebuilding, covering post-conflict reconstruction, reconciliation, peacebuilding strategies, and managing peacebuilding programmes.
Transitional Justice
Covers transitional justice, covering truth commissions, accountability, reconciliation, reparations, and managing transitional justice processes.
Humanitarian Studies
Focuses on humanitarian studies, covering humanitarian response, humanitarian law, humanitarian coordination, and managing humanitarian interventions.
Diplomacy and International Relations
Examines diplomacy, covering diplomatic practice, international relations, conflict diplomacy, and managing diplomatic engagement.
Peace Education
Covers peace education, covering peace pedagogy, conflict education, peace curriculum, and managing peace education programmes.

A day as a student

A typical day during the Master of Peace and Conflict Studies programme combines lectures, case study discussions, simulation exercises, seminars, and independent study. Sessions cover conflict analysis, peace theory, mediation, transitional justice, and humanitarian intervention. Conflict analysis sessions examine conflict causes, conflict dynamics, conflict mapping, and analysing conflicts. Peace theory sessions cover peace concepts, peace theory, positive peace, negative peace, and applying peace theory. Mediation sessions cover mediation techniques, negotiation strategies, dialogue facilitation, and managing mediation processes. Transitional justice sessions cover truth commissions, accountability, reconciliation, reparations, and managing transitional justice. Humanitarian sessions cover humanitarian response, humanitarian law, humanitarian coordination, and managing humanitarian interventions. Diplomacy sessions cover diplomatic practice, international relations, conflict diplomacy, and managing diplomatic engagement. Peace education sessions cover peace pedagogy, conflict education, peace curriculum, and managing peace education. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Simulation exercises provide practical experience with mediation, negotiation, and conflict resolution scenarios. Case study discussions provide practical application of peace theory to real conflict situations. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in peace and conflict studies. Guest lectures from experienced peacebuilders, diplomats, and humanitarian workers provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a research thesis on a peace and conflict studies topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing demand for peacebuilding professionals in Kenya, East Africa, and globally, with expanding career opportunities.
Programme is offered by multiple universities (KU, UoN, MMUST), providing institutional choice.
Programme combines peace theory with practical conflict resolution skills, providing versatile competencies.
KU offers relatively affordable fees at KES 216,000/year for East Africans.

Against it

UoN fees are higher at approximately KES 268,500/year (total KES 537,000).
No private university confirmed offering this exact programme, limiting options for private institution preference.
Career prospects may be concentrated in specific sectors (NGOs, government, international organisations), limiting options in private sector.
Programme may overlap with MA in Armed Conflict and Peace Studies or Peace and Conflict Management, causing confusion for prospective students.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 241 social sciences courses

Public187k to 221k

187k at Moi University221k at University of Nairobi

Private156k to 297k

156k at KCA University297k at United States International University Africa

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 ~220.5K/yr. Moi 187.2K/yr. KCA ~155.8K/yr. USIU ~297K/yr (eafinder).

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. NCIC may provide training support for peacebuilding professionals. UN Peacebuilding may provide training support for peacebuilding practitioners. Some NGOs and international organisations may sponsor staff for peace studies postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
NCIC Training Support
UN Peacebuilding Support

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
NCIC Training Support
ScholarshipKsh 150,000Kenyan
National Cohesion and Integration Commission supports training for peacebuilding professionals in Kenya.
UN Peacebuilding Support
GrantKsh 250,000
United Nations Peacebuilding provides training support for peacebuilding professionals in conflict-affected regions.

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 Upper Second Class Honours in peace studies, social sciences, or related field. Lower Second Division holders with two years of relevant experience are considered. 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 analyses, seminar presentations, simulation exercises, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination50% of the mark
Written examinations covering conflict analysis, peace theory, mediation, transitional justice, and humanitarian intervention.
Practical Assessment
Practical20% of the mark
Practical assessment through simulation exercises, mediation demonstrations, conflict analysis projects, and demonstrating conflict resolution skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on a peace and conflict studies topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and peace studies knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Kenyatta University, University of Nairobi, and Masinde Muliro University (all public) offer Master's programmes in Peace and Conflict Studies. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in peace and conflict studies. Graduates are eligible for NCIC and IPRA professional membership.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Kenyatta University, University of Nairobi, and Masinde Muliro University (all public) offer Master's programmes in Peace and Conflict Studies. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in peace and conflict studies. Graduates are eligible for NCIC and IPRA professional membership.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Peacebuilding Officer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages peacebuilding programmes in organisations, overseeing peacebuilding initiatives, community engagement, and managing peacebuilding operations.
Conflict Resolution Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Provides conflict resolution services, overseeing mediation, negotiation, dialogue facilitation, and managing conflict resolution processes.
Humanitarian Worker
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages humanitarian programmes, overseeing humanitarian response, coordination, and managing humanitarian interventions.
Diplomatic Service Officer
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 600,000
Works in diplomatic service, overseeing diplomatic engagement, international relations, and managing diplomatic operations.
Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Analyses peace and conflict policy, overseeing policy research, policy analysis, policy advocacy, and contributing to policy development.
Peace Studies Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches peace and conflict studies at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, field supervision, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes