Master of Science (Advanced Nursing Practice)
The Master of Science in Advanced Nursing Practice is a postgraduate programme that prepares nurses for advanced clinical practice, nursing leadership, and nursing education. The programme combines advanced nursing theory with clinical practice and research.
Core areas include advanced clinical practice, nursing theory, health assessment, pharmacology, nursing leadership, nursing education, research methods, evidence-based practice, and thesis. Students engage with both advanced nursing theory and practical clinical application.
The programme is offered by Aga Khan University and the University of Nairobi. Aga Khan University (private) offers MSc in Advanced Practice Nursing, while UoN (public) offers MSc in Nursing. Both offer the programme over two academic years through a work-study format.
Students develop competencies in advanced clinical assessment, nursing diagnostics, evidence-based practice, nursing leadership, nursing education, research methods, pharmacology, and health policy. The programme includes coursework, clinical practicum, examinations, and thesis.
Aga Khan University charges KES 400,000/year (KES 200,000/semester). UoN charges approximately KES 433,500/year (total KES 867,000). Entry requires a Bachelor's degree in Nursing, registration with the Nursing Council of Kenya, and at least two years of post-registration practice experience.
Graduates pursue careers as advanced practice nurses, nurse practitioners, nursing educators, nursing managers, clinical nurse specialists, and nursing researchers.
Skills Required
- Advanced Clinical Assessment and Practice
- Nursing Diagnostics and Decision Making
- Evidence-Based Nursing Practice
- Pharmacology and Prescribing
- Nursing Leadership and Management
- Nursing Education and Curriculum Development
- Health Policy and Advocacy
- Research Methods in Nursing
- Quality Improvement in Healthcare
- Academic Writing and Thesis Research
Key Subjects
- Advanced Clinical Assessment and Practice
- Nursing Theory and Frameworks
- Pharmacology and Prescribing
- Evidence-Based Nursing Practice
- Nursing Leadership and Management
- Nursing Education and Curriculum Development
- Health Policy and Advocacy
- Research Methods in Nursing
- Quality Improvement in Healthcare
- Thesis Research
Certifications
- NCK Advanced Practice Registration
- ECSACON Fellowship
Specializations
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Focuses on advanced clinical practice, covering clinical assessment, clinical decision-making, patient management, and providing specialist nursing care.
Nursing Education
Examines nursing education, covering curriculum development, teaching methods, clinical teaching, and managing nursing education programmes.
Nursing Leadership and Management
Covers nursing leadership, covering nursing management, healthcare leadership, quality improvement, and managing nursing services.
Community Health Nursing
Focuses on community health nursing, covering community health assessment, community health programmes, public health nursing, and managing community health nursing.
Critical Care Nursing
Examines critical care nursing, covering intensive care, emergency nursing, critical care management, and providing advanced critical care nursing.
Mental Health Nursing
Covers mental health nursing, covering psychiatric nursing, mental health assessment, therapeutic interventions, and managing mental health nursing care.
- Duration
- 2 years
- Public, up to
- Ksh 433,500
- Private, up to
- Ksh 463,200
- Job market
- High
The programme
What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.
Practicalities
- Study mode
- Full-time, Part-time, Work-based
- Attachment
- 0 months
- Average class
- 20 students
- Award
- Masters
What you study
10 subjects- Advanced Clinical Assessment and Practice
- Nursing Theory and Frameworks
- Pharmacology and Prescribing
- Evidence-Based Nursing Practice
- Nursing Leadership and Management
- Nursing Education and Curriculum Development
- Health Policy and Advocacy
- Research Methods in Nursing
- Quality Improvement in Healthcare
- Thesis Research
Modules
12 in the programmeAdvanced Clinical Assessment and Practice
Year 1Semester 14 creditsCore
Examines advanced health assessment, clinical decision-making, patient management, diagnostic reasoning, and providing advanced nursing care.
Nursing Theory and Frameworks
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers nursing theories, nursing models, theory application, conceptual frameworks, and applying nursing theory to advanced practice.
Advanced Pharmacology and Prescribing
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines pharmacotherapeutics, prescribing principles, medication management, pharmacology, and applying pharmacology to advanced nursing practice.
Research Methods in Nursing
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, and conducting nursing research, preparing students for their thesis.
Evidence-Based Nursing Practice
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research evidence, evidence appraisal, evidence application, implementing evidence-based practice, and integrating evidence into nursing.
Nursing Leadership and Management
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines nursing management, healthcare leadership, quality improvement, change management, and managing nursing services.
Nursing Education and Curriculum Development
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers curriculum development, teaching methods, clinical teaching, assessment, and managing nursing education programmes.
Health Policy and Advocacy
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines health policy, nursing advocacy, healthcare systems, policy analysis, and engaging in health policy and advocacy.
Quality Improvement in Healthcare
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers quality improvement methods, patient safety, healthcare quality, performance improvement, and managing quality in healthcare.
Advanced Clinical Practicum
Year 2Semester 14 creditsCore
Clinical practicum in advanced nursing practice settings, covering clinical practice, patient management, and demonstrating advanced nursing competencies.
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 an advanced nursing practice topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and nursing knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.
Specialisations
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Focuses on advanced clinical practice, covering clinical assessment, clinical decision-making, patient management, and providing specialist nursing care.
Nursing Education
Examines nursing education, covering curriculum development, teaching methods, clinical teaching, and managing nursing education programmes.
Nursing Leadership and Management
Covers nursing leadership, covering nursing management, healthcare leadership, quality improvement, and managing nursing services.
Community Health Nursing
Focuses on community health nursing, covering community health assessment, community health programmes, public health nursing, and managing community health nursing.
Critical Care Nursing
Examines critical care nursing, covering intensive care, emergency nursing, critical care management, and providing advanced critical care nursing.
Mental Health Nursing
Covers mental health nursing, covering psychiatric nursing, mental health assessment, therapeutic interventions, and managing mental health nursing care.
A day as a student
A typical day during the MSc in Advanced Nursing Practice programme combines lectures, clinical practicum sessions, simulation exercises, seminars, and independent study. The programme is designed as a work-study format, allowing nurses to continue working while studying. Sessions cover advanced clinical practice, nursing theory, pharmacology, leadership, education, and research. Advanced clinical practice sessions examine health assessment, clinical decision-making, patient management, and providing advanced nursing care. Nursing theory sessions cover nursing frameworks, nursing models, theory application, and applying nursing theory to practice. Pharmacology sessions cover pharmacotherapeutics, prescribing principles, medication management, and applying pharmacology to advanced practice. Evidence-based practice sessions cover research evidence, evidence appraisal, evidence application, and implementing evidence-based nursing. Leadership sessions cover nursing management, healthcare leadership, quality improvement, and managing nursing services. Education sessions cover curriculum development, teaching methods, clinical teaching, and managing nursing education. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Clinical practicum provides hands-on experience with advanced nursing practice in clinical settings. Simulation exercises provide practical experience with clinical scenarios, patient assessment, and clinical decision-making. Seminars and journal clubs provide opportunities for discussing current evidence, nursing issues, and research. Guest lectures from experienced advanced practice nurses, nursing leaders, and researchers provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a research thesis on an advanced nursing practice topic.
The trade offs
In its favour
- High demand for advanced practice nurses in Kenya, with growing recognition of their role in addressing healthcare worker shortages.
- Programme is offered as a work-study format, allowing nurses to continue working while studying.
- Programme is offered by both public (UoN) and private (AKU) universities, providing institutional choice.
- AKU offers need-based financial assistance and partial scholarships.
Against it
- Programme is expensive at KES 400,000-433,500/year.
- Programme requires a BScN degree, NCK registration, and two years of practice, limiting access to experienced nurses only.
- Only two universities confirmed offering this programme, limiting institutional choice.
- Advanced practice nursing scope is still evolving in Kenya, with regulatory frameworks being developed.
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 coursesAnnual 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
Public: Moi 187K, UoN 434K/yr (nursing.uonbi.ac.ke). Private: AKU 463K/yr (aku.edu).
HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. Aga Khan University offers need-based financial assistance and partial scholarships. NCK may provide training support for nursing professionals. Some hospitals and health organisations may sponsor nurses for postgraduate study.
Funding options
HELB Postgraduate Loan
AKU Financial Assistance
NCK Training Support
Scholarships
3 recordedHELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
AKU Financial Assistance
ScholarshipKsh 200,000Kenyan
Aga Khan University offers need-based financial assistance and partial scholarships for MSc-APN students.
NCK Training Support
GrantKsh 150,000Kenyan
Nursing Council of Kenya supports training and professional development for nursing professionals in Kenya.
Getting in
The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.
What you need
- KCSE mean grade
- N/A (Postgraduate)
- Alternative entry
- Applicants must hold a BScN degree, be registered with NCK with a current licence, and have at least two years of practice experience. Contact respective universities for specific admission requirements.
How you are assessed
4 componentsCoursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, clinical practicum reports, seminar presentations, case studies, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination30% of the mark
Written examinations covering advanced nursing practice, pharmacology, evidence-based practice, leadership, and nursing education.
Clinical Practicum Assessment
Practical40% of the mark
Practical assessment through clinical practicum performance, clinical skills demonstration, patient management, and demonstrating advanced nursing competencies.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on an advanced nursing practice topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and nursing knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.
Accreditation
The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE) and the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK). Aga Khan University (private) offers MSc in Advanced Practice Nursing and University of Nairobi (public) offers MSc in Nursing. Both programmes meet CUE and NCK standards for postgraduate nursing training. Graduates are eligible for NCK advanced practice registration and ECSACON fellowship.
Accredited by
Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE and the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK). Aga Khan University (private) offers MSc in Advanced Practice Nursing and University of Nairobi (public) offers MSc in Nursing. Both programmes meet CUE and NCK standards for postgraduate nursing training. Graduates are eligible for NCK advanced practice registration and ECSACON fellowship.
Where it leads
The roles it opens, and what you leave with.
Where graduates go
6 rolesAdvanced Practice Nurse
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 700,000
Provides advanced nursing care in clinical settings, overseeing patient assessment, clinical decision-making, and managing complex patient care.
Nurse Practitioner
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 700,000
Provides primary care services, overseeing patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and managing patient care in various settings.
Nursing Educator
High demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 600,000
Teaches nursing at university or college level, overseeing instruction, clinical teaching, curriculum development, and academic supervision.
Nursing Manager
Moderate demandKsh 180,000 to Ksh 650,000
Manages nursing services in hospitals, overseeing nursing operations, quality improvement, staff management, and managing nursing departments.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 700,000
Provides specialist nursing care, overseeing clinical practice, quality improvement, staff education, and managing specialist nursing services.
Nursing Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 150,000 to Ksh 600,000
Conducts nursing research, overseeing research design, data collection, analysis, and contributing to nursing knowledge and evidence-based practice.
Graduate outcomes
Graduates pursue careers as advanced practice nurses, nurse practitioners, nursing educators, nursing managers, clinical nurse specialists, and nursing researchers.
Where these fields lead
8 careers- Career Guidance & Labour Market Information CounselorEducation11Low exposure
- School Guidance CounselorEducation17Low exposure
- CrystallographerScience19Low exposure
- StatisticsScience20Low exposure
- Motor Vehicle MechanicEducation21Low exposure
- MycologistScience21Low exposure
- OceanographerScience21Low exposure
- Computational BiologistScience22Low exposure
Tools you will learn
Clinical Assessment Equipment
EquipmentPrimary
Clinical assessment equipment for advanced practice, covering physical assessment, diagnostic tools, and managing patient assessment.
SPSS
Software
Statistical analysis software for nursing research, data analysis, and analysing and interpreting research data for thesis.
Electronic Health Records
Software
Electronic health records system for patient management, covering patient documentation, care coordination, and managing patient information.
Simulation Software
Software
Clinical simulation software for nursing education, covering clinical scenarios, patient simulation, and managing clinical training.
Industry links
Common misconceptions
Advanced nursing practice is just about being a senior nurse.
Advanced nursing practice involves expanded clinical competencies including advanced assessment, diagnostic reasoning, prescribing, and autonomous patient management.
This programme is only for nurses who want to teach.
The programme prepares nurses for advanced clinical practice, leadership, education, and research, offering diverse career paths beyond teaching.
Advanced practice nurses are trying to replace doctors.
Advanced practice nurses complement medical care, working collaboratively with doctors and other health professionals to improve patient outcomes.
There is limited demand for advanced practice nurses in Kenya.
Kenya has a growing demand for advanced practice nurses to address healthcare worker shortages, especially in rural and underserved areas.
This programme is only available at Aga Khan University.
Both Aga Khan University (private) and University of Nairobi (public) offer advanced nursing practice programmes, providing institutional choice.
Nursing research is not important.
Nursing research is critical to improving patient care, developing evidence-based practice, and advancing the nursing profession.
Related courses
Further reading
Fees and entry marks for Master of Science (Advanced Nursing Practice) are restated every intake. Save it and the app keeps this version, so you can see what changed when it does.