Agriculture

Master of Science (Agricultural Extension)

The Master of Science in Agricultural Extension is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in agricultural extension, rural development, and farmer education. The programme combines extension theory with communication methodology and rural development practice.

Core areas include agricultural extension, extension communication, rural sociology, programme planning, farmer education, technology transfer, agricultural policy, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both extension theory and practical field application through coursework and research.

The programme is offered by Egerton University, University of Kabianga, University of Embu, and Kisii University. All are public universities offering the programme over two academic years through full-time and part-time modes of study.

Students develop competencies in extension methods, communication strategies, programme planning, farmer education, technology transfer, rural development, 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) based on Faculty of Education and Community Studies fee structure. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Second Class Honours Upper Division in Agricultural Education and Extension, Agriculture, or related fields from a recognised university.

Graduates pursue careers as extension officers, rural development specialists, programme coordinators, agricultural trainers, community development officers, and lecturers in agricultural extension and rural development across government, NGOs, and agricultural organisations.

Skills Required

Agricultural Extension Methods and Programme Delivery
Extension Communication and Farmer Education
Rural Sociology and Community Development
Programme Planning and Implementation
Technology Transfer and Innovation Diffusion
Agricultural Policy Analysis and Advocacy
Training Needs Assessment and Curriculum Design
Participatory Research and Extension
Research Methods in Agricultural Extension
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Agricultural Extension Principles
Extension Communication and Media
Rural Sociology and Community Development
Programme Planning and Implementation
Farmer Education and Adult Learning
Technology Transfer and Innovation Diffusion
Agricultural Policy and Planning
Research Methods in Agricultural Extension
Participatory Extension Approaches
Thesis Research

Certifications

KALRO Associate Membership
AFAAS Professional Membership

Specializations

Extension Communication

Focuses on extension communication, covering communication strategies, media for extension, ICT in extension, and managing extension communication.

Rural Development

Examines rural development, covering rural sociology, community development, livelihoods, and managing rural development programmes.

Farmer Education

Covers farmer education, covering adult learning, farmer training, farmer field schools, and managing farmer education programmes.

Technology Transfer

Focuses on technology transfer, covering innovation diffusion, technology adoption, agricultural innovation systems, and managing technology transfer.

Agricultural Policy Extension

Examines agricultural policy extension, covering policy communication, policy advocacy, policy implementation, and managing policy extension.

Participatory Extension

Covers participatory extension, covering participatory approaches, farmer participatory research, community engagement, and managing participatory extension.

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 Extension Principles
Extension Communication and Media
Rural Sociology and Community Development
Programme Planning and Implementation
Farmer Education and Adult Learning
Technology Transfer and Innovation Diffusion
Agricultural Policy and Planning
Research Methods in Agricultural Extension
Participatory Extension Approaches
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Agricultural Extension Principles
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines extension concepts, extension approaches, extension history, extension models, and managing extension programmes.
Extension Communication and Media
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers communication strategies, media for extension, ICT in extension, extension messages, and managing extension communication.
Rural Sociology and Community Development
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines rural communities, social structures, community development, livelihoods, and managing rural development programmes.
Research Methods in Agricultural Extension
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, ethical issues, and conducting extension research, preparing students for their thesis.
Programme Planning and Implementation
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers programme design, programme implementation, programme monitoring, programme evaluation, and managing extension programmes.
Farmer Education and Adult Learning
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines adult learning, farmer training, farmer field schools, extension education, and managing farmer education programmes.
Technology Transfer and Innovation Diffusion
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers innovation diffusion, technology adoption, agricultural innovation systems, and managing technology transfer.
Agricultural Policy and Planning
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines policy analysis, policy communication, agricultural policy, policy implementation, and managing policy extension.
Participatory Extension Approaches
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers participatory approaches, farmer participatory research, community engagement, PRA tools, and managing participatory extension.
ICT in Agricultural Extension
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines ICT in extension, e-extension, digital agriculture, mobile extension, and managing ICT in extension.
Statistics in Agricultural Extension
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers statistical methods, data analysis, research statistics, and analysing and interpreting extension research data.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis on an agricultural extension topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and extension knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Extension Communication
Focuses on extension communication, covering communication strategies, media for extension, ICT in extension, and managing extension communication.
Rural Development
Examines rural development, covering rural sociology, community development, livelihoods, and managing rural development programmes.
Farmer Education
Covers farmer education, covering adult learning, farmer training, farmer field schools, and managing farmer education programmes.
Technology Transfer
Focuses on technology transfer, covering innovation diffusion, technology adoption, agricultural innovation systems, and managing technology transfer.
Agricultural Policy Extension
Examines agricultural policy extension, covering policy communication, policy advocacy, policy implementation, and managing policy extension.
Participatory Extension
Covers participatory extension, covering participatory approaches, farmer participatory research, community engagement, and managing participatory extension.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Agricultural Extension programme combines lectures, field visits, seminars, community engagement, and independent study. Sessions cover extension principles, communication, rural sociology, programme planning, and technology transfer. Extension principles sessions examine extension concepts, extension approaches, extension history, and managing extension programmes. Communication sessions cover communication strategies, media for extension, ICT in extension, extension messages, and managing extension communication. Rural sociology sessions cover rural communities, social structures, community development, livelihoods, and managing rural development. Programme planning sessions cover programme design, programme implementation, programme monitoring, programme evaluation, and managing extension programmes. Technology transfer sessions cover innovation diffusion, technology adoption, agricultural innovation systems, and managing technology transfer. Farmer education sessions cover adult learning, farmer training, farmer field schools, and managing farmer education. Participatory extension sessions cover participatory approaches, farmer participatory research, community engagement, and managing participatory extension. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Field visits provide practical experience with extension programmes, farmer groups, agricultural projects, and field data collection. Community engagement provides hands-on experience with community mobilisation, participatory assessment, and community development. Seminars and discussion groups provide opportunities for debating current issues in agricultural extension. Guest lectures from experienced extension officers, rural development specialists, and agricultural professionals provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a research thesis on an agricultural extension topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

Growing demand for extension professionals with agricultural transformation, devolution, and food security focus in Kenya.
Programme is offered by multiple universities (Egerton, Kabianga, Embu, Kisii), providing institutional choice.
Programme combines extension theory with practical field application, providing versatile skills for rural development.
Egerton offers competitive fees at approximately KES 172,150/year with school-based option for working professionals.

Against it

Other university fees not independently verified, limiting fee comparison.
No private university confirmed offering this exact programme, limiting options.
Programme requires background in agriculture or related field, which may limit access for some students.
Career prospects may be concentrated in government and NGO 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 extension professionals. Some NGOs and agricultural organisations 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 extension 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: Most universities require Upper Second Class Honours in agriculture or related field. Lower Second Division holders with relevant experience or published research 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, seminar presentations, field reports, extension projects, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination40% of the mark
Written examinations covering extension principles, communication, rural sociology, programme planning, and technology transfer.
Practical and Field Assessment
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through field projects, extension programme design, community engagement exercises, field attachment, and demonstrating extension skills.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on an agricultural extension topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and extension knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Egerton University, University of Kabianga, University of Embu, and Kisii University (all public) offer MSc in Agricultural Extension. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in agricultural extension. 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, University of Kabianga, University of Embu, and Kisii University (all public) offer MSc in Agricultural Extension. All programmes meet CUE standards for postgraduate training in agricultural extension. 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

Extension Officer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages extension programmes, overseeing farmer education, technology transfer, field visits, and managing extension services.
Rural Development Specialist
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages rural development programmes, overseeing community development, livelihoods, programme management, and managing rural development.
Programme Coordinator
Moderate demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Coordinates agricultural programmes, overseeing programme planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and managing programme operations.
Agricultural Trainer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Delivers agricultural training, overseeing training design, training delivery, training evaluation, and managing training programmes.
Community Development Officer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages community development programmes, overseeing community mobilisation, participatory planning, project implementation, and managing community development.
Extension Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches agricultural extension 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 extension research, covering data analysis, statistical tests, and managing research data.
Participatory Rural Appraisal Tools
Equipment
PRA tools for community engagement, covering participatory assessment, community mapping, and managing participatory research.
ICT Extension Platforms
Software
ICT extension platforms for e-extension, covering mobile extension, digital agriculture, and managing ICT in extension.
Microsoft Office
Software
Microsoft Office for extension programme management, covering presentations, documents, spreadsheets, and managing extension materials.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Agricultural 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 only for those working in government extension.
Extension skills are valuable in NGOs, research, community development, agribusiness, and any organisation dealing with farmer education and rural development.
Agricultural extension has limited career prospects in Kenya.
With agricultural transformation, devolution, and increasing focus on food security, demand for extension professionals is growing in Kenya.
Extension is outdated in the digital age.
Modern extension integrates ICT, digital agriculture, e-extension, and innovative communication strategies with traditional approaches.
This programme is the same as agricultural education.
While related, agricultural extension focuses on farmer education and technology transfer, while agricultural education focuses on formal classroom teaching and curriculum.
Extension is not relevant to modern agriculture.
Extension is critical to technology adoption, climate-smart agriculture, market access, and agricultural transformation in Kenya.