Health Sciences

Master of Science in Community Nutrition

The Master of Science in Community Nutrition is a postgraduate programme that trains graduates in community nutrition, focusing on population-level nutrition challenges, nutrition interventions, and community health. The programme prepares graduates for advanced careers in nutrition practice, research, and community development.

Core areas include community nutrition, nutritional assessment, nutrition education, public health nutrition, nutritional epidemiology, food security, maternal and child nutrition, nutrition programme management, food science, and research methods. Students engage with theoretical foundations and practical community applications.

The programme is offered by Kirinyaga University, Strathmore University, and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, with University of Eldoret as a college. UoE offers the programme through its School of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. MMUST offers nutrition programmes through its Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Public Health.

Students develop competencies in community nutrition assessment, nutrition programme design, nutrition education, food security analysis, maternal and child nutrition, research, and policy development. The programme includes coursework, community field work, examinations, supervised research, and thesis.

The programme is delivered over two years with full-time study mode at UoE. The programme accepts nutrition, dietetics, food science, home science, and health-related graduates. UoE requires Second Class Honours Upper Division or Lower Division with two years experience.

Graduates pursue careers as community nutritionists, public health nutritionists, nutrition programme managers, researchers, consultants, and lecturers in public health agencies, NGOs, community organisations, research institutions, and universities.

Skills Required

Community Nutrition Assessment
Nutrition Programme Design and Management
Nutrition Education and Communication
Nutritional Epidemiology
Food Security Analysis
Maternal and Child Nutrition
Public Health Nutrition Practice
Nutrition Policy Development
Community Health Promotion
Nutrition Research Methods

Key Subjects

Community Nutrition
Nutritional Assessment
Nutrition Education and Communication
Public Health Nutrition
Nutritional Epidemiology
Food Security
Maternal and Child Nutrition
Nutrition Programme Management
Food Science and Safety
Nutrition Research Methods

Certifications

KNDI Professional Certification
African Nutrition Society Membership

Specializations

Community Nutrition

Focuses on community nutrition, population-level nutrition challenges, community nutrition interventions, and addressing nutrition needs in communities.

Maternal and Child Nutrition

Examines maternal and child nutrition, nutrition during pregnancy, infant feeding, child growth, and addressing nutrition needs of mothers and children.

Nutrition Education

Covers nutrition education, behaviour change communication, nutrition counselling, and promoting healthy nutrition practices in communities.

Food Security

Focuses on food security, food access, food systems, food insecurity assessment, and addressing food security challenges in communities.

Nutritional Epidemiology

Examines nutritional epidemiology, studying diet-disease relationships, population nutrition surveys, and using epidemiological methods in nutrition research.

Nutrition Programme Management

Covers nutrition programme management, programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and managing community nutrition programmes.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 180,000
Private, up to: Ksh 150,000
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Community Nutrition
Nutritional Assessment
Nutrition Education and Communication
Public Health Nutrition
Nutritional Epidemiology
Food Security
Maternal and Child Nutrition
Nutrition Programme Management
Food Science and Safety
Nutrition Research Methods

Modules

12 in the programme

Community Nutrition Principles
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines community nutrition principles, population-level nutrition challenges, community nutrition assessment, and designing community nutrition interventions.
Nutritional Assessment Methods
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers nutritional assessment methods, anthropometric measurements, biochemical assessment, clinical assessment, and dietary assessment techniques for communities.
Nutrition Education and Communication
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines nutrition education, behaviour change communication, nutrition counselling, nutrition messaging, and promoting healthy nutrition practices in communities.
Maternal and Child Nutrition
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers maternal and child nutrition, nutrition during pregnancy, infant feeding, breastfeeding, complementary feeding, child growth monitoring, and addressing nutrition needs of mothers and children.
Food Security and Nutrition
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines food security, food access, food systems, food insecurity assessment, household food security, and addressing food security challenges in communities.
Nutritional Epidemiology
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers nutritional epidemiology, studying diet-disease relationships, population nutrition surveys, and using epidemiological methods in nutrition research.
Public Health Nutrition Practice
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines public health nutrition practice, nutrition policy, nutrition programmes, nutrition in emergencies, and addressing nutrition challenges at population level.
Nutrition Programme Management
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers nutrition programme management, programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and managing community nutrition programmes.
Food Science and Safety
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines food science, food safety, food processing, food fortification, and ensuring food quality and safety for community nutrition.
Nutrition Research Methods
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research methods for community nutrition, experimental design, data analysis, and conducting nutrition research, preparing students for their thesis.
Nutrition Policy and Advocacy
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines nutrition policy, advocacy, policy analysis, and developing and advocating for nutrition policies and programmes.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 26 creditsCore
Original research thesis on a community nutrition topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and community nutrition knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Community Nutrition
Focuses on community nutrition, population-level nutrition challenges, community nutrition interventions, and addressing nutrition needs in communities.
Maternal and Child Nutrition
Examines maternal and child nutrition, nutrition during pregnancy, infant feeding, child growth, and addressing nutrition needs of mothers and children.
Nutrition Education
Covers nutrition education, behaviour change communication, nutrition counselling, and promoting healthy nutrition practices in communities.
Food Security
Focuses on food security, food access, food systems, food insecurity assessment, and addressing food security challenges in communities.
Nutritional Epidemiology
Examines nutritional epidemiology, studying diet-disease relationships, population nutrition surveys, and using epidemiological methods in nutrition research.
Nutrition Programme Management
Covers nutrition programme management, programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and managing community nutrition programmes.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc Community Nutrition programme begins with morning lectures on community nutrition, nutritional assessment, or nutrition education. Students engage in theoretical discussions on population nutrition, malnutrition, and community nutrition interventions. Community nutrition sessions cover population-level nutrition challenges, community nutrition assessment, and designing and implementing community nutrition programmes. Nutritional assessment sessions involve anthropometric measurements, biochemical assessment, clinical assessment, and dietary assessment methods for communities. Nutrition education sessions examine behaviour change communication, nutrition counselling, nutrition messaging, and promoting healthy nutrition practices in communities. Maternal and child nutrition sessions cover nutrition during pregnancy, infant feeding, breastfeeding, complementary feeding, child growth monitoring, and addressing nutrition needs of mothers and children. Food security sessions examine food access, food systems, food insecurity assessment, household food security, and addressing food security challenges. Nutritional epidemiology sessions involve studying diet-disease relationships, population nutrition surveys, and using epidemiological methods in nutrition research. Public health nutrition sessions cover nutrition policy, nutrition programmes, nutrition in emergencies, and addressing nutrition challenges at population level. Nutrition programme management sessions involve programme design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and managing community nutrition programmes. Community field work provides hands-on experience in community nutrition assessment, nutrition education delivery, and programme implementation. Research methodology sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering nutrition research methods, experimental design, and data analysis. Guest lectures from community nutritionists, MoH nutrition officers, FAO/WHO consultants, and NGO nutrition programme managers provide real-world insights. The two-year programme culminates in a research thesis.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's double burden of malnutrition, food insecurity, and growing nutrition programmes create strong demand for qualified community nutrition professionals.
UoE offers the programme through its established School of Agriculture and Biotechnology with full-time study mode.
MMUST's Department of Nutrition and Dietetics emphasises community engagement, practical skills, and evidence-based solutions.
Strong career opportunities with public health agencies, NGOs, FAO, WHO, community organisations, and academia.

Against it

Programme is full-time only at UoE, which may not accommodate working professionals.
Programme requires background in nutrition, dietetics, food science, or health-related field, which may exclude some graduates.
Specific fee structures could not be independently verified from all official websites.
Limited number of institutions offering the programme may restrict geographic access 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 349 health sciences courses

Public120k to 180k

120k at Kirinyaga University180k at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology

Private120k to 150k

120k at Great Lakes University of Kisumu150k at Kenya Methodist 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

Kirinyaga 60k/sem=120k/yr; KeMU health max 150k/yr; GLUK 120k/yr. MMUST~180k.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. FAO supports community nutrition and food security programmes. WHO provides nutrition grants for capacity building. The programme's community nutrition focus attracts significant donor and NGO funding.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
FAO Nutrition Funding
WHO Nutrition Grants

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate community nutrition studies at recognised universities.
FAO Nutrition Funding
GrantKsh 400,000
FAO supports community nutrition and food security programmes, providing funding for nutrition training and research in food security and community nutrition.
WHO Nutrition Grants
GrantKsh 400,000
WHO provides nutrition grants for capacity building, supporting postgraduate training in community nutrition and public health nutrition 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: The programme is designed for nutrition, dietetics, food science, home science, and health-related graduates. Two-year full-time programme at UoE. UoE requires Second Class Honours Upper Division or Lower Division with 2 years experience. MMUST offers nutrition programmes through its Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Public Health. Application fee KES 2,000 at UoE.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Assignments
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, case studies, community nutrition assessments, nutrition programme analysis, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination30% of the mark
Written examinations covering community nutrition, nutritional assessment, nutritional epidemiology, and food security, conducted at end of each semester.
Community Field Assessment
Practical40% of the mark
Assessment of community field work including community nutrition assessment, nutrition education delivery, programme implementation, and field reports.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original research thesis on a community nutrition topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and community nutrition knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). UoE offers MSc in Community Nutrition through its School of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. MMUST offers nutrition programmes through its Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Public Health. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate community nutrition training. KNDI regulates nutrition and dietetics practice in Kenya.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. UoE offers MSc in Community Nutrition through its School of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. MMUST offers nutrition programmes through its Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate community nutrition training.
Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute (KNDI)
Professional accreditation
KNDI regulates nutrition and dietetics practice in Kenya. Graduates working as nutritionists or dieticians may require KNDI professional certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Community Nutritionist
High demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 450,000
Develops and implements community nutrition programmes, conducting community nutrition assessment, and addressing population-level nutrition challenges in public health agencies and NGOs.
Public Health Nutritionist
High demandKsh 110,000 to Ksh 450,000
Addresses public health nutrition challenges, developing nutrition policies, managing nutrition programmes, and supporting population nutrition in public health agencies.
Nutrition Programme Manager
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 550,000
Manages community nutrition programmes, overseeing design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and ensuring effective nutrition interventions.
Nutrition Researcher
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Conducts community nutrition research, studying diet-disease relationships, evaluating nutrition interventions, and contributing to nutrition science knowledge.
Nutrition Consultant
Moderate demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 550,000
Consults on community nutrition programmes, providing expert advice to NGOs, government agencies, and international organisations on nutrition policy and interventions.
University Lecturer
High demandKsh 130,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaches community nutrition and dietetics in universities, conducting research and training future nutrition professionals.

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as community nutritionists, public health nutritionists, and nutrition programme managers in public health agencies, NGOs, and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

Nutritional Assessment Software
SoftwarePrimary
Software for community nutritional assessment, dietary analysis, anthropometric calculations, and evaluating nutritional status of populations.
SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
Statistical software for nutrition research data analysis, epidemiological analysis, and statistical modelling in community nutrition studies.
ENFREQ/ENA Software
Software
Emergency Nutrition Assessment software for nutrition surveys, anthropometric data analysis, and rapid nutrition assessment in emergency and community settings.
R Statistical Computing
Software
Open-source statistical computing environment for nutrition data analysis, epidemiological modelling, and research data analysis.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Community nutrition is just about telling people to eat balanced meals.
Community nutrition involves nutritional epidemiology, programme management, food security analysis, policy development, and research, far beyond basic dietary advice.
Community nutritionists only work in rural areas.
Community nutritionists work in urban and rural settings, addressing malnutrition, obesity, food insecurity, and nutrition challenges in diverse communities.
There is limited demand for community nutritionists in Kenya.
Kenya's double burden of malnutrition, food insecurity, and growing nutrition programmes create strong demand for qualified community nutrition professionals.
This programme is only for nutrition graduates.
The programme accepts graduates from food science, dietetics, home science, public health, nursing, and related health sciences with nutrition background.
Community nutrition is less rigorous than clinical nutrition.
Community nutrition requires strong epidemiological, statistical, and programme management skills, addressing nutrition at population level with complex interventions.
A master's in community nutrition is redundant after a bachelor's in nutrition.
The master's provides advanced research skills, programme management capability, and career progression to senior nutrition, research, and policy positions.