Agriculture

Master of Science (Agricultural Education)

The Master of Science in Agricultural Education is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in agricultural education, extension, and training. The programme combines agricultural science with educational methodology and extension practice.

Core areas include agricultural education, curriculum development, extension methods, instructional technology, agricultural policy, programme evaluation, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both educational theory and practical agricultural extension application through coursework and research.

The programme is offered by Egerton University. Egerton is a public university offering the programme over two academic years through full-time and part-time (school-based) modes of study.

Students develop competencies in agricultural education, curriculum development, extension methods, instructional design, programme evaluation, agricultural policy, and research methods. The programme includes coursework, field attachment, examinations, and a research thesis.

Egerton charges approximately KES 172,150/year (total KES 344,300). Entry requires a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Education and Extension or equivalent from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as agricultural education officers, extension officers, curriculum developers, agricultural trainers, programme coordinators, and lecturers in agricultural education and extension across government, educational institutions, and agricultural organisations. The programme is particularly relevant to Kenya's agricultural transformation agenda, which seeks to modernise farming practices, engage youth in agriculture, and strengthen extension service delivery. Graduates contribute to policy formulation, curriculum innovation, and capacity building within the agricultural sector, supporting both national development goals and community-level food security initiatives.

Skills Required

Agricultural Education and Training Design
Curriculum Development in Agricultural Education
Extension Methods and Programme Delivery
Instructional Technology in Agriculture
Programme Evaluation and Assessment
Agricultural Policy Analysis
Community Engagement and Outreach
Research Methods in Agricultural Education
Training Needs Assessment
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Agricultural Education Principles
Curriculum Development in Agricultural Education
Extension Methods and Programme Delivery
Instructional Technology in Agriculture
Agricultural Policy and Planning
Programme Evaluation and Assessment
Research Methods in Agricultural Education
Training Needs Assessment
Community Development in Agriculture
Thesis Research

Certifications

KALRO Associate Membership
AFAAS Professional Membership

Specializations

Agricultural Extension

Focuses on agricultural extension, covering extension methods, farmer education, technology transfer, and managing extension programmes.

Curriculum Development

Examines curriculum development, covering curriculum design, instructional materials, curriculum evaluation, and managing curriculum development.

Agricultural Training

Covers agricultural training, covering training design, training delivery, training evaluation, and managing agricultural training programmes.

Instructional Technology

Focuses on instructional technology, covering educational technology, e-learning, multimedia, and managing instructional technology in agriculture.

Agricultural Policy Education

Examines agricultural policy education, covering policy analysis, policy communication, advocacy, and managing agricultural policy education.

Youth Agricultural Education

Covers youth agricultural education, covering youth programmes, 4K clubs, school gardens, and managing youth agricultural education.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 433,500
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

Agricultural Education Principles
Curriculum Development in Agricultural Education
Extension Methods and Programme Delivery
Instructional Technology in Agriculture
Agricultural Policy and Planning
Programme Evaluation and Assessment
Research Methods in Agricultural Education
Training Needs Assessment
Community Development in Agriculture
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Agricultural Education Principles
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines education principles, learning theories, teaching methods, agricultural education concepts, and managing agricultural education.
Curriculum Development in Agricultural Education
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers curriculum design, instructional materials, curriculum evaluation, curriculum implementation, and managing curriculum development.
Extension Methods and Programme Delivery
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines extension approaches, farmer education, technology transfer, extension communication, and managing extension programmes.
Research Methods in Agricultural Education
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, ethical issues, and conducting agricultural education research, preparing students for their thesis.
Instructional Technology in Agriculture
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers educational technology, e-learning, multimedia, digital tools, and managing instructional technology in agricultural education.
Programme Evaluation and Assessment
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines evaluation methods, assessment techniques, programme assessment, impact evaluation, and managing programme evaluation.
Agricultural Policy and Planning
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers policy analysis, policy communication, agricultural policy, policy education, and managing agricultural policy education.
Training Needs Assessment and Design
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines training needs assessment, training design, training delivery, training evaluation, and managing agricultural training programmes.
Community Development in Agriculture
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers community development, participatory approaches, community engagement, rural development, and managing community development programmes.
Youth Agricultural Education
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines youth programmes, 4K clubs, school gardens, youth engagement, and managing youth agricultural education.
Statistics in Agricultural Education
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers statistical methods, data analysis, research statistics, and analysing and interpreting agricultural education research data.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis on an agricultural education topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and agricultural education knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Agricultural Extension
Focuses on agricultural extension, covering extension methods, farmer education, technology transfer, and managing extension programmes.
Curriculum Development
Examines curriculum development, covering curriculum design, instructional materials, curriculum evaluation, and managing curriculum development.
Agricultural Training
Covers agricultural training, covering training design, training delivery, training evaluation, and managing agricultural training programmes.
Instructional Technology
Focuses on instructional technology, covering educational technology, e-learning, multimedia, and managing instructional technology in agriculture.
Agricultural Policy Education
Examines agricultural policy education, covering policy analysis, policy communication, advocacy, and managing agricultural policy education.
Youth Agricultural Education
Covers youth agricultural education, covering youth programmes, 4K clubs, school gardens, and managing youth agricultural education.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Agricultural Education programme combines lectures, field visits, seminars, teaching practice, and independent study. Sessions cover agricultural education, curriculum development, extension methods, instructional technology, and programme evaluation. Agricultural education sessions examine education principles, learning theories, teaching methods, and managing agricultural education. Curriculum development sessions cover curriculum design, instructional materials, curriculum evaluation, and managing curriculum development. Extension methods sessions cover extension approaches, farmer education, technology transfer, and managing extension programmes. Instructional technology sessions cover educational technology, e-learning, multimedia, and managing instructional technology. Programme evaluation sessions cover evaluation methods, assessment techniques, programme assessment, and managing programme evaluation. Agricultural policy sessions cover policy analysis, policy communication, agricultural policy, and managing policy education. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Field visits provide practical experience with extension programmes, agricultural institutions, and field data collection. Teaching practice provides hands-on experience with classroom teaching, instructional design, and student assessment. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in agricultural education. Guest lectures from experienced extension officers, educators, and agricultural professionals provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a research thesis on an agricultural education topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing demand for agricultural education professionals with agricultural transformation, youth engagement, and extension reform in Kenya.
Programme combines educational science with agricultural knowledge, providing versatile skills for both education and extension.
Egerton offers competitive fees at approximately KES 172,150/year with school-based option for working professionals.
Programme is highly relevant to Kenya's agricultural sector development and food security goals.

Against it

Programme is offered by only one university (Egerton), limiting institutional choice.
No private university confirmed offering this exact programme, limiting options.
Programme requires background in both agriculture and education, which may limit access for some students.
Career prospects may be concentrated in government and education sectors, limiting options in private sector.

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 303 agriculture courses

Public110k to 434k

110k at Rongo University434k at University of Nairobi

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 ~433.5K/yr (Faculty of Agriculture, uonbi.ac.ke). Rongo 110K/yr (eafinder.com). Private unverified.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. KALRO may provide training support for research staff. FAO and AFAAS may provide training support for agricultural education professionals. Some agricultural organisations and government agencies may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
KALRO Training Support
FAO Training Support

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
KALRO Training Support
ScholarshipKsh 150,000Kenyan
Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization supports training for research staff.
FAO Training Support
GrantKsh 250,000
FAO provides training support for agricultural education professionals in developing countries.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: Egerton University requires a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Education and Extension or equivalent. Contact Egerton University for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, seminar presentations, teaching practice, curriculum projects, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination40% of the mark
Written examinations covering agricultural education, curriculum development, extension methods, instructional technology, and programme evaluation.
Practical and Field Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through teaching practice, extension projects, curriculum development projects, field attachment, and demonstrating agricultural education skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on an agricultural education topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and agricultural education knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Egerton University (public) offers MSc in Agricultural Education. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in agricultural education. Graduates are eligible for KALRO associate membership and AFAAS professional membership.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. Egerton University (public) offers MSc in Agricultural Education. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in agricultural education. Graduates are eligible for KALRO associate membership and AFAAS professional membership.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Agricultural Education Officer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages agricultural education programmes, overseeing curriculum, instruction, student assessment, and managing agricultural education services.
Extension Officer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages extension programmes, overseeing farmer education, technology transfer, field visits, and managing extension services.
Curriculum Developer
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Develops agricultural curricula, overseeing curriculum design, instructional materials, curriculum evaluation, and managing curriculum development.
Agricultural Trainer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Delivers agricultural training, overseeing training design, training delivery, training evaluation, and managing training programmes.
Programme Coordinator
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Coordinates agricultural programmes, overseeing programme planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and managing programme operations.
Agricultural Education Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches agricultural education at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, field supervision, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
SPSS statistical software for agricultural education research, covering data analysis, statistical tests, and managing research data.
Moodle
Software
Moodle learning management system for instructional technology, covering course management, e-learning, and managing online learning.
Participatory Rural Appraisal Tools
Equipment
PRA tools for community engagement, covering participatory assessment, community mapping, and managing participatory research.
Microsoft Office
Software
Microsoft Office for instructional design, covering presentations, documents, spreadsheets, and managing educational materials.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Agricultural education is just about teaching farming.
Agricultural education covers comprehensive educational science including curriculum development, extension methodology, instructional technology, and programme evaluation.
This programme is only for those working in schools.
Agricultural education skills are valuable in extension services, training, community development, government, and any organisation dealing with agricultural education and training.
Agricultural education has limited career prospects in Kenya.
With agricultural transformation, youth engagement, and extension reform, demand for agricultural education professionals is growing in Kenya.
Extension is just about telling farmers what to do.
Modern extension covers participatory approaches, farmer education, technology transfer, and capacity building using evidence-based methods.
This programme is the same as general education.
Agricultural education combines educational science with agricultural knowledge, providing specialised skills for agricultural training and extension.
Agricultural education is not relevant to modern challenges.
Agricultural education is critical to food security, youth engagement in agriculture, technology adoption, and agricultural transformation.