Education

Master of Research Methodology

The Master of Research Methodology is a postgraduate programme that trains professionals to become specialists in research design, methods, and evaluation. The programme prepares graduates to conduct high-quality research, manage research projects, and contribute to evidence-based practice across disciplines in Kenya and beyond.

Core areas of study include quantitative research methods, qualitative research methods, research design, statistical analysis, measurement and evaluation, research ethics, data management, academic writing, research project management, and epistemology. Students engage with both theoretical foundations and practical applications in research methodology.

The programme is offered by the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, and Moi University, with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology as a college. JKUAT offers MSc in Research Methodology through its College of Health Sciences. The programme is designed for professionals and graduates seeking to advance their expertise in research methods and methodology.

Students develop competencies in research design, questionnaire development, data collection, statistical analysis, qualitative data analysis, research ethics management, research project management, scientific writing, and research evaluation. The programme includes coursework, research projects, seminars, examinations, and a research thesis.

The programme is delivered over two years with full-time and part-time study modes at most institutions. The programme is designed for researchers, academics, monitoring and evaluation professionals, and graduates seeking to build research capacity for academic or professional practice.

Graduates pursue careers as research methodologists, monitoring and evaluation specialists, research managers, data analysts, academic researchers, and research consultants in universities, research institutions, government, NGOs, and international organisations.

Skills Required

Quantitative Research Design and Analysis
Qualitative Research Methods
Statistical Analysis and Modelling
Research Project Management
Data Collection and Management
Research Ethics and Compliance
Measurement and Instrument Development
Academic Writing and Publication
Research Evaluation and Quality Assessment
Evidence-Based Practice and Systematic Review

Key Subjects

Quantitative Research Methods
Qualitative Research Methods
Research Design and Proposal Development
Statistical Analysis
Measurement and Evaluation
Research Ethics and Governance
Data Management and Analysis
Academic Writing and Publication
Research Project Management
Epistemology and Research Paradigms

Certifications

NACOSTI Research Certification
APHRC Research Fellowship

Specializations

Quantitative Research Methods

Focuses on quantitative research design, survey methodology, experimental design, statistical analysis, and using quantitative methods to answer research questions.

Qualitative Research Methods

Examines qualitative research approaches, ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, case study research, and analysing qualitative data.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Covers monitoring and evaluation methodology, designing M&E frameworks, programme evaluation, impact evaluation, and using research methods for evaluation practice.

Health Research Methods

Focuses on health research methodology, clinical research design, epidemiological methods, health surveys, and applying research methods to health research.

Social Science Research Methods

Examines social science research methodology, social surveys, participatory research, mixed methods, and applying research methods to social science research.

Research Management and Ethics

Covers research project management, research ethics, managing research grants, research governance, and ensuring ethical and compliant research practice.

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
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Quantitative Research Methods
Qualitative Research Methods
Research Design and Proposal Development
Statistical Analysis
Measurement and Evaluation
Research Ethics and Governance
Data Management and Analysis
Academic Writing and Publication
Research Project Management
Epistemology and Research Paradigms

Modules

10 in the programme

Research Design and Proposal Development
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines research design, developing research proposals, formulating research questions, literature review, and designing studies that address research problems effectively.
Quantitative Research Methods
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers quantitative research methods, survey design, experimental design, sampling techniques, and applying quantitative approaches to research questions.
Qualitative Research Methods
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines qualitative research approaches, ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, case study research, interview methods, and analysing qualitative data.
Statistical Analysis for Research
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers statistical analysis for research, descriptive and inferential statistics, hypothesis testing, regression analysis, and using statistical software for data analysis.
Measurement and Evaluation
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines measurement theory, instrument development, reliability and validity, questionnaire design, and evaluating research instruments and programmes.
Research Ethics and Governance
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research ethics, ethical principles, informed consent, managing ethical dilemmas, research ethics committees, and ensuring ethical research practice.
Academic Writing and Publication
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines academic writing, writing research papers, publishing in academic journals, research dissemination, and communicating research findings to different audiences.
Research Project Management
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines research project management, grant writing, budgeting, managing research teams, research timelines, and ensuring research quality and compliance.
Mixed Methods Research
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers mixed methods research, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches, designing mixed methods studies, and analysing and interpreting mixed methods data.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis demonstrating mastery of research methodology, designing and conducting a research study, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Quantitative Research Methods
Focuses on quantitative research design, survey methodology, experimental design, statistical analysis, and using quantitative methods to answer research questions.
Qualitative Research Methods
Examines qualitative research approaches, ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, case study research, and analysing qualitative data.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Covers monitoring and evaluation methodology, designing M&E frameworks, programme evaluation, impact evaluation, and using research methods for evaluation practice.
Health Research Methods
Focuses on health research methodology, clinical research design, epidemiological methods, health surveys, and applying research methods to health research.
Social Science Research Methods
Examines social science research methodology, social surveys, participatory research, mixed methods, and applying research methods to social science research.
Research Management and Ethics
Covers research project management, research ethics, managing research grants, research governance, and ensuring ethical and compliant research practice.

A day as a student

A typical day during the Master of Research Methodology programme begins with morning lectures on research design, quantitative methods, or qualitative approaches. Students engage in seminar discussions analysing research papers, critiquing methodological approaches, and debating research paradigms. Practical sessions involve designing research instruments, developing questionnaires, conducting pilot surveys, and using statistical software for data analysis. Qualitative methods sessions cover interview techniques, focus group facilitation, ethnographic observation, and using qualitative analysis software. Research ethics sessions examine ethical principles, obtaining informed consent, managing ethical dilemmas, and navigating research ethics committees. Statistical analysis sessions use SPSS, R, or Stata for quantitative data analysis, covering descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, regression, and multivariate analysis. Research project management sessions cover grant writing, budgeting, managing research teams, and ensuring research quality. Guest lectures from experienced researchers share practical research experiences. Journal clubs review and critique recent research publications. Students develop their thesis proposals, conducting literature reviews and designing research studies. The two-year programme culminates in a research thesis defence.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing demand for evidence-based practice in NGOs, government, and industry creates high demand for research methodology specialists.
Programme provides transferable skills applicable across all disciplines, from health to social sciences to business research.
Strong foundation for doctoral studies, with research training directly applicable to PhD research across any field.
Programme offered by established research universities with strong research infrastructure and experienced faculty.

Against it

Programme may be perceived as too theoretical by those seeking immediate practical or industry application.
Specific fee structures for Kenyatta University and Moi University could not be independently verified.
Research methodology is not a well-known career path, potentially limiting employer awareness of the qualification's value.
Only three universities offer this programme, limiting geographic access and choice 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 243 education courses

Public179k to 278k

179k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology278k at University of Nairobi

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

JKUAT 179K/yr (kenyaeducationguide). UoN MEd 278K/yr (kenyaeducationguide). Kabarak 165K, AIU 191K (official sites).

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. NACOSTI provides research grants for science research in Kenya. APHRC offers research fellowships for African researchers. The programme's research focus attracts research council and international organisation funding.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
NACOSTI Research Grants
APHRC Research Fellowships

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate research studies at recognised universities.
NACOSTI Research Grants
GrantKsh 500,000Kenyan
NACOSTI provides research grants for science and research in Kenya, supporting postgraduate research projects.
APHRC Research Fellowships
FellowshipKsh 600,000Kenyan
African Population and Health Research Center offers research fellowships for African researchers, supporting postgraduate research and career development.

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 researchers, academics, and professionals seeking to advance their expertise in research methodology. Two-year programme with full-time and part-time study modes. The programme is interdisciplinary, accepting graduates from various fields including social sciences, health sciences, natural sciences, and business.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Assignments
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, research design exercises, data analysis projects, and class participation throughout the programme.
Written Examinations
Examination30% of the mark
Written examinations covering research design, quantitative and qualitative methods, statistics, and research ethics, conducted at end of each semester.
Research Project
Practical40% of the mark
Practical research project involving designing a study, collecting and analysing data, and presenting research findings, demonstrating research methodology skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis demonstrating mastery of research methodology, designing and conducting a research study, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). JKUAT's MSc in Research Methodology is offered through its College of Health Sciences. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate research methodology training.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. JKUAT's MSc in Research Methodology is offered through its College of Health Sciences. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate research training.
National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI)
Research accreditation
NACOSTI regulates research in Kenya. Research conducted during the programme may require NACOSTI research permits.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Research Methodologist
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000
Designs and conducts research studies, providing methodological expertise, ensuring research quality, and supporting research across disciplines in universities and research institutions.
Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
Very high demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 600,000
Designs and implements M&E frameworks for programmes, conducting evaluations, collecting and analysing data, and assessing programme effectiveness and impact.
Research Manager
High demandKsh 160,000 to Ksh 600,000
Manages research projects and teams, overseeing research design, implementation, quality assurance, and ensuring research is completed on time and within budget.
Data Analyst
Very high demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Analyses research data using statistical methods and software, interpreting findings, and providing data-driven insights for research institutions, NGOs, and industry.
Academic Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 450,000
Conducts academic research in universities, publishing research findings, teaching research methods, and contributing to knowledge generation and academic scholarship.
Research Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 140,000 to Ksh 550,000
Provides research consulting services to organisations, advising on research design, methodology, data collection, and analysis for clients across sectors.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as research methodologists, M&E specialists, research managers, and data analysts in universities, research institutions, and NGOs.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical analysis software for quantitative research, analysing survey data, and conducting statistical analysis for research studies.
NVivo Qualitative Analysis Software
SoftwarePrimary
Qualitative data analysis software for coding and analysing interview data, focus group transcripts, and other qualitative research data.
R Statistical Computing
Software
Open-source statistical computing environment for advanced data analysis, statistical modelling, and data visualisation in research.
EndNote Reference Management
Software
Reference management software for managing bibliographies, citations, and research references for academic writing and publication.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Research methodology is only for academics.
Research methodology skills are essential in NGOs, government, international organisations, and private sector for monitoring and evaluation, market research, and evidence-based decision making.
A master's in research methodology is too theoretical.
The programme combines theoretical foundations with practical skills in research design, data collection, analysis, and project management, directly applicable to professional research practice.
Research methodology is just about statistics.
Research methodology encompasses qualitative and quantitative methods, research design, ethics, project management, and evaluation, far beyond statistics alone.
This programme has limited career prospects.
Growing demand for evidence-based practice in NGOs, government, and industry creates high demand for research methodology specialists across multiple sectors.
Research methodology is the same as research methods.
Research methodology is the theoretical and philosophical framework guiding research, while research methods are the specific techniques used. This programme covers both.
Anyone can conduct research without formal training.
Quality research requires rigorous training in design, methods, ethics, and analysis to produce valid, reliable, and ethical research findings.